Lighting circuit load planning
How to prepare luminaire quantity, watts, allowance, phase and grouping inputs before using the Australian lighting circuit load calculator.
Lighting-load purpose
Lighting load planning turns a luminaire schedule into an electrical row. The row can then move into circuit schedules, maximum-demand worksheets or estimates.
It is not a lux calculation, lighting layout or emergency-lighting design.
Workflow
- Identify the lighting row from the schedule, drawing or quote line.
- Record fitting quantity and watts per fitting from product or schedule data.
- Enter allowance, power factor, phase and voltage basis.
- Choose group count only when the row is being split into similar groups.
- Carry the current row into the load schedule with assumptions visible.
Record table
| Field | Record | Review concern |
|---|---|---|
| Row reference | Area, circuit or schedule line | Keeps the result traceable |
| Luminaire quantity | Product schedule or takeoff | Drives connected load |
| Watts per fitting | Product or schedule data | Must match the selected fitting |
| Allowance | Driver or project allowance | Should not be hidden |
| Grouping | Number of equal groups | Not the same as final circuit design |
Boundaries
- Do not treat lighting load current as lighting design.
- Do not hide allowance or power-factor assumptions.
- Do not infer cable, protection or voltage-drop suitability from the load row alone.
- Do not mix emergency-lighting requirements into this arithmetic worksheet.