Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) Practice Exam

How many incandescent lights can a dimmer rack with a constant load capability be powering if it's averaging approximately 98 amps draw?

1. Eighty lights

2. Fifty lights

3. Twenty-four lights

4. Thirteen lights

The correct answer is: Twenty-four lights

The calculation of how many incandescent lights a dimmer rack can support largely depends on the wattage of each light bulb and the total load capability. Incandescent bulbs typically consume about 120 watts each. To find out how many lights can be powered, you can apply the following formula: 1. Calculate the total wattage draw from the amps: Total Watts = Amps × Voltage. Assuming a standard voltage of 120V, the total wattage for 98 amps would be: Total Watts = 98 amps × 120 volts = 11,760 watts. 2. Then, divide this total wattage by the wattage per bulb to find the number of bulbs: Number of bulbs = Total Watts / Watts per bulb. Using the average wattage of an incandescent bulb (120 watts), you get: Number of bulbs = 11,760 watts / 120 watts per bulb = 98 lights. However, the answer 'C' suggests a lower number of lights, which indicates that the scenario considers only a specific type of incandescent bulb or a practical limit based on dimmer rack specifications, safety margins, or other design constraints that might account for losses or non-linearities in the lighting systems. In context,