How to Calculate Total Amperage in a Light Fixture

Determine the voltage of your household current. In the United States and Canada, standard household current is 120 V. If you live in another country, ask your power company or consult an international table.

Determine your appliance's power consumption in watts. Appliances and other plug-in electrical devices bear a label printed with the device's power consumption, measured in watts (W). For example, the label on a tabletop radio might say, "Power Consumption: 55W." To determine the power consumption of an electric light fixture, sum the wattage of all bulbs in the fixture. A fixture with four 60-watt bulbs consumes 240 watts of electricity.

Calculate the device's power draw in amps. The amperage drawn by any electrical device is related to the voltage in the circuit and the device's power consumption. The relationship is simple: Amperage = Watts / Volts. So to calculate the amperage drawn by a light fixture or other electrical device, divide its power consumption by the voltage of your household current. For example, an electric light with three 60-watt light bulbs on a 120-V circuit draws 180W / 120V = 1.5 amps. On a 240-V circuit such as you might find in Australia, the same light fixture draws 180W / 240V = 0.75 amps.