Electrical – connect 12 gauge wire to 18 gauge wire for an outdoor light post and plug

electricalwire

I am replacing a front yard light post that has a GFCI outlet attatched.
The old post has 12 gauge wire connected from the house thru the post and outlet to the the light.
The new post is prewired with 18 gauge wire and also includes a GFCI outlet.
Can I connect the old 12 gauge to the new prewired 18 gauge?
there is a 20 amp circuit breaker.
What is ETL?

Best Answer

The fixture is a listed device and manufacturers don’t have the same limitations for the wiring that electrical wiring in your home has. YES you can connect the 12 AWG wire to your light pole fixture. This is exactly the same as almost every light fixtures in your home mfg’s regularly use smaller wires because the load is limited. Note they have a maximum wattage listed for the light(s) when used according to the manufacturers instruction it is safe. So yes this is normal for a fixture.