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#5844 - 07/23/05 05:56 PM Dedicated Circuit Question
wingnut4772 Offline
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Registered: 01/12/05
Posts: 368
Loc: Miami
I am in a position to install a dedicated circuit(s?) now for my Ht. Will just one 20 amp be enough? Or do I need more than one for different components? Not sure if my 770 needs a separate one from my T.V. from my Pre/pro etc...TIA.
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#5845 - 07/23/05 09:13 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
Hullguy Offline
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Registered: 01/17/02
Posts: 380
Loc: South Weymouth, MA USA
The 20 amp circuit will be more than enough to supply everything. JIm

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#5846 - 07/23/05 09:20 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
gonk Offline
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Registered: 03/21/01
Posts: 14054
Loc: Memphis, TN USA
If you go by the nameplate peak power consumption on all of your components, two circuits would probably be preferred (one for the 770 and one for everything else). In general operation, a single 20A circuit would probably* be all you'd need, so it is probably not essential, but if your existing panel has space for two more breakers it would probably be a decent investment to go ahead and pull two at the same time.

* EDIT: I have enough faith in Hullguy's experience to upgrade that "probably" to a safe "certainly" smile .
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#5847 - 07/23/05 09:44 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
wingnut4772 Offline
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Registered: 01/12/05
Posts: 368
Loc: Miami
Thanks Hullguy, Gonk. Is there an actual noticeable performance difference by having a dedicated circuit?
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#5848 - 07/23/05 10:18 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
gonk Offline
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Registered: 03/21/01
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Loc: Memphis, TN USA
It depends. I noticed a difference when I moved to a dedicated circuit at my old house because I had been on the same circuit as the kitchen - having the microwave and the fridge's compressor on that circuit introduced some limitations and noise on the circuit that were reduced by my Panamax and eliminated entirely when the dedicated circuit was added. In our current house, the system is on a circuit that serves the rest of the den and I've seen no reason to add a dedicated circuit for it.
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#5849 - 07/23/05 10:29 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
wingnut4772 Offline
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Registered: 01/12/05
Posts: 368
Loc: Miami
Hmmm...well what the heck! I am going to do it while I can. My 770 is in the shop though so I won't really know if it makes a difference until it comes back but I will post any differences I notice.
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#5850 - 07/23/05 10:49 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
Hullguy Offline
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Registered: 01/17/02
Posts: 380
Loc: South Weymouth, MA USA
It wouldn't cost much more to run a second piece of 12-2 Romex to one location if you would feel more comfortable with the 2 20m amp circuits. Jim

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#5851 - 07/23/05 11:01 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
wingnut4772 Offline
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Registered: 01/12/05
Posts: 368
Loc: Miami
My guy quoted me $125.00 to run the one. Is that a decent price?
Actually, I was running everything from what is already in the house (just one 15 circuit). I got louder than I care too and no probs. I was just wondering about the quality of having the dedicated circuit.(s)
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#5852 - 07/24/05 01:25 AM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
Keta Offline
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Registered: 12/29/02
Posts: 358
Loc: Central VA
This question dedicated of 15 or 20 amp circuits seems to come up quite frequently and I hope some of these numbers help explain why most do not have a problem running everything in a HT setup off of a single 15 amp circuit.

Circuit breakers are not an absolute when it comes to their rating. Consider this..... A 15 amp breaker will carry a CONTINUOUS load of
15 amps (1800 watts) indefinitely
16 amps (1920 watts) for 15 minutes
19 amps (2280 watts) for 1 minute
50 amps (6000 watts) for 2 seconds
64 amps (7680 watts) for 1 second
90 amps (10,800 watts) for .5 seconds

This just shows why the breakers are not tripping every time a 770 charges its capacitors on startup. Our audio equipment also does not present a continuous current load like a toaster or welder, which makes the demand easier on the circuit.
Has anyone ever tripped a 15A breaker from listening to a movie or song to loud? I doubt it.

wingnut the $125.00 sounds steep.

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#5853 - 08/05/05 10:07 PM Re: Dedicated Circuit Question
MeanGene Offline
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Registered: 06/10/02
Posts: 524
Loc: Simi Valley, CA, USA
Quote:
Originally posted by Keta:
Has anyone ever tripped a 15A breaker from listening to a movie or song to loud? I doubt it.
I was tripping a 15A breaker when I listened to a song to loud, but there were a number of problems assosiated with it. To many devices running on the same circuit and old, weak breakers. It made quite a difference in my system when I had the breakers replaced and added two 20A circuits. If your house is over 30 years old and you have never looked at the breaker box, I think it would be wise to have it checked out. You may not need 20A circuits now, but you never know. I changed out all the breakers in the box added two dedicated circuits that required a conduit outside the house. The total job, parts and labor cost about $500.00. But hey, I live in California, we go through a lot of expensive sun glasses, it costs more here.
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