How many watts? amps.. ahh - Page 2

Willow · #11 01-10-2005, 03:54 PM

belive it or not but my chiller, t4 pc lights and everything else ran off of one shared circuit in my apartment for years without a problem. my house on the other hand trips breakers all the time so i doing some upgrades.

Delphinus · #12 01-10-2005, 04:06 PM

I'm guessing then you have 10A breakers now but had a 15A or 20A in the apartment. It sure sounds like there are surging issues pushing you close to the limit.

Bob I · #13 01-10-2005, 04:21 PM

I am an Electrician, and I have never heard of 10A breakers. So I will tell you how we wire houses. A 15A breaker is normally loaded to 80%, IOW we allow 12 outlets on a circuit. for a motor we allow 300% for starting surges, so a motor drawing 5 amps would have a 15A breaker. But connected loads are not always on at the same time. So to give an idea about circuit loading in my house I have the following equipment on one circuit.
2x175W Mh lights.
1x150W heater
1x75W heater
1x60W heater
2xAC 301 powerheads
1xSeio 620
1XFluval 304
1xFluval 204
My computer + my bathroom, + room light etc.

That should give you an idea.

Delphinus · #14 01-10-2005, 04:48 PM

Ok, sorry, I was just guessing. Regardless, it sounds as if he has a lower-rated breaker now, than he used to.

Bob I · #15 01-10-2005, 04:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delphinus

Ok, sorry, I was just guessing. Regardless, it sounds as if he has a lower-rated breaker now, than he used to.

Actually 15A breakers are standard throughout Canada and the US. Housewiring is only rated for 15A, so 20A breakers are not permitted. Just to complicate matters you have to allow about 20% tolerance on a standard breaker. Some trip early, and some you could weld with, and they won't trip. I always had a dislike for Federal breakers for that reason.

monza · #16 01-10-2005, 04:58 PM

If your pulling extra wires- adding breakers and have the room, add more then needed so you have lots of extra. Most chillers should be on there own breakers. IMO more is better when it comes to power. I live in a 50 year old house and was always pushing the breakers to the max with no power to spare. My fish room now has a sub panel with tons of extra room for more breakers if needed.

Dave

Willow · #17 01-10-2005, 04:58 PM

hey bob would havng this much power on 1 breaker possibly be the cause for for my bulbs not lasting as long as they should?

Delphinus · #18 01-10-2005, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob_I

Actually 15A breakers are standard throughout Canada and the US. Housewiring is only rated for 15A, so 20A breakers are not permitted.

Well, OK, I've learnt something new then, I didn't know that your choice was "any size breaker as long as it's 15A.".

I thought maybe because he said it was an apartment that maybe they had bigger breakers. But I wouldn't know, just guessing wildly.

cheers

monza · #19 01-10-2005, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Bob_I wrote:

Actually 15A breakers are standard throughout Canada and the US. Housewiring is only rated for 15A, so 20A breakers are not permitted.

Sort of not true and sort of true. A 20 AMP breaker is allowed you just have to have the bigger gauge wire to allow for it. So switching a 15 to a 20 is not permitted because the wiring as Bob stated is "most likely" rated for 15 amps.

Dave

Willow · #20 01-10-2005, 08:03 PM

so if im pulling new line then i can run a larger guage and use a 20?