Light Limits

Calculator / Wattage chart

Reference

What every type of Christmas light actually draws

Typical figures for planning. The We use column is the figure this site's calculator applies; the range beside it is what real products span. The number printed on your box beats both.

Watts and amps by light type

TypeTypical rangeWe useCurrentNotes
LED mini string, 100 lights4–6 W5 W0.04 A at 120 VThe workhorse. Hundreds can share a circuit.
Incandescent mini string, 10040–50 W40 W0.33 A at 120 VRoughly eight times the LED draw.
LED C9 string, 25 bulbs18–20 W20 W0.17 A at 120 VAbout 0.8 W per bulb.
Incandescent C9 string, 25175 W175 W1.46 A at 120 V7 W per bulb. Three sets fill a 3 A UK plug fuse.
LED C7 string, 25 bulbs13–15 W15 W0.13 A at 120 VAbout 0.6 W per bulb.
Incandescent C7 string, 25125 W125 W1.04 A at 120 V5 W per bulb.
LED icicle set, 300 lights12–18 W15 W0.13 A at 120 VLong sets, small draw.
Incandescent icicle, 10040 W40 W0.33 A at 120 VNot 5,500 W, whatever you may have read.
LED net light, 4 ft × 6 ft10–15 W12 W0.10 A at 120 VSized for hedges and shrubs.
Incandescent net light, 4 ft × 6 ft144–192 W168 W1.40 A at 120 VOne of the heaviest common items.
LED rope light, per 10 ft8–12 W10 W0.08 A at 120 VAbout 1 W per foot.
Incandescent rope light, per 10 ft50–60 W55 W0.46 A at 120 V5–6 W per foot.
Inflatable, small40–70 W60 W0.50 A at 120 VMostly the fan, which runs continuously.
Inflatable, large100–150 W125 W1.04 A at 120 VCheck the tag; they vary widely.
Laser or LED projector20–40 W30 W0.25 A at 120 VSmall draw, but often on a long cord.

How to use these

Find your type, take the figure in the We use column, multiply by how many sets you have. That total is what goes against your circuit limit.

For the chain limit, work the other way: divide the chain limit by the wattage of one set to get how many can be joined end to end. At 210 watts, a 40 watt incandescent set gives five; a 5 watt LED set gives forty-two.

Current is shown at 120 volts. At 230 volts, halve it.