Electrical question for lights
bpost
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This range thing will need lights (LED) at the target frames at 50 and 100 yards. They will need to be bright enough to make the targets visible with high powered scopes. I am thinking the snap together 4 foot strip lights protected by a steel plate shining down at a 45 degree angle will be great. Similar systems seem to work well at other ranges.
I will also have area flood lights at about 20 yards flooding the area so targets can be retrieved.
My question is this. Can I go with low voltage lights to save the cost of running 12/2 underground burial cable at about a buck a foot? 100 yards is a lot of money for just lights. I don't think the voltage drop from a 120 circuit through 12/2 would impact the LED since they can operate on various voltages with no issue. I was just wondering if the low voltage route would save me money.
Comments
Not all LED lights are able to tolerate significant voltage drops. You pay a premium for dimmable lights, so keep that in mind, and when you drop the voltage to them significantly... they dim. But anyway, you can use these charts to help you figure out what you will need. Add up the Amps from the number of bulbs and plug that into the first chart. If the voltage drop is acceptable for the lights you want to run, then you're good. Note that you will need to multiply the drops given in the first chart by 3 to get to 100 yards of wire.
Keeping in mind, of course, you still have to meet local electrical code.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Electrical code? You guys don't seem to understand where I live, NOBODY cares what you do around here.
^^^ EXACTLY^^^
12/2 can run a 1500 watt engine heater @ 100 yards. I've done it for years. I think you could run an entire bank of LED lights on an even smaller gauge wire. I'm NOT an electrician but I know what works.
I would bet a code applies, even if no one is really looking. That's all I got. What I know about electricity is: candles.
The voltage drop at the rated load for the strip LED lights is well within the tolerance of the lights I am looking at they operate at 120VAC, my home has 124VAC.
There will be 12 of them so the draw is 240W total. The voltage drop is not enough to fuss over.
12/2 will be plenty enough to run 240 watts at 100 yards.
Electric 'codes'? Building 'codes'?
Lots of places in the free world aren't bothered by such things. The only time these things are important is if/when your insurance agent gets nosy.
Would a solar powered light work? Seems like that would save a lot of muss and fuss running wires and such. Plus, once installed they wouldn't cost anything to run. Something like the one below but without the motion activation.
https://www.lampsplus.com/products/domex-7-and-one-half-inch-high-black-solar-mini-ufo-led-flood-light__229x2.html
may need a small generator for emergency backup, just in case you get a week or so of overcast weather