Power Power Power

[gravy]

Ok, I started to have my system shut down maybe once a week, at random. Then noticed that the TripLite UPS/Surge Suppressor 'bout 2 months old had kicked it. Then I noticed that if the wife plugged in the vacuum cleaner and turned it on on the outlet on the other side of the wall from where all my system stuff is plugged in, it would kill the power to this outlet/s.

 

So I started looking closer. I have a 100 Amp main in my house, pretty standard I believe. Each circuit breaker is a 15 Amp, except for the A/C, Washer/Dryer, stove, etc.....

 

Now, knowing that there are several outlets on one breaker, as is usual, I got to looking at current draw of my components. PSU 8-9 Amps, monitor 1.5 Amps, printer .7 Amps, speakers don't say, sure it is small like printer say 1 Amp, cable modem .15 Amps, router 2.4 Amps, scanner .35 Amps, external CD-RW .85 Amps, powered subwoofer 1.2 Amps

 

now, stupid me, i had all of this plugged into theTripp Lite and a Spike Master surge suppressor, they were plugged into the two outlets of one recepticle

 

total draw, approx. 17.15 Amps

 

now, i theoretically could draw 2 or so more amps than the circuit breaker is rated at, but all of these weren't pulling full load simultaneously of course, so it was usually stable, but when the wife plugged in the vacuum, CLICK ! everything goes down, circuit breaker doesn't trip, everything just turns off

 

i did a total spreading out of the power among three different recpepticals, so not to have too much on any one, but, i am worried, and wondering what you guys have going on, and if you have had to add anything to your home to handle your stuff ???

[ccokeman]

If you look at the vacumn and check the amps that it draws it will probably be 10 or more. I have the same thing happen in my sons room. The best thing to do is map the cicuits in your house to find out what receptacles are on which breaker. The tell the wife and or 2.5 kids to plug it in on a circuit that wont be over on amps and shut down your system. Hope it helps its what i had to do.

[gravy]

yeah, but i am wondering why the circuit breaker doesn't trip, maybe it needs replacing, wouldn't hurt i guess

 

wonder if i could add a few 15 Amp breakers, and put just one outlet on each, then each outlet would be good for 15 Amps each............

 

i'll have to call my electrician friend

[ccokeman]

The breakers are designed to run 10% over so that may be why. If youve got a friend who does that kind of work a case of beer and some pizza can usually get the job done. Good luck.

[Dr_Frankenstein]

yeah vaccums drain loadsa power when they start up all the lights and stuff flicker when i turn it on in my room luckily not made my pc switch off though. its on a different breaker i think hmmm dunno though (scratches head and makes weird face)

[Mr_Yuck]

hehe

 

my house, plug in vacuum into hallway outlet, turn on vacuum, lights turn on, vacuum does not, turn off vacuum, lights turn off, unplug vacuum, flip switch, lights dont do anything, go down hall, flip 2 switches, go back to original switch, it works..

 

Christmas: turn on Christmas lights, bathroom electricity no longer work in both bathrooms

[Mangar]

Get a UPS..

[gravy]

Get a UPS..

like i said, i tried one of these

 

after a few power outages this one was dead

 

also hooked up one of these ($400.00, took it back, it was drawing too much from my outlet to work correctly)

 

and tried one of these

(this is a power line conditioner, but only supplies 1.5 Amps output voltage, not even close, would run for about 15 minutes and shutdown)

[kobalt]

Maybe you'd need to change one of the 15 anps to a 30, chances are your main is not supplying the full 100 or 200 amps it's capable of like you said, ask your electrician friend i'm shure he'll suggest the same

[gravy]

nonononono

 

i did speak with a certified electrician friend

 

he said if you put a 20 AMp circuit breaker where a 15 was, your wire is most likely only good for 15 Amps and if you put a large load on the line it would possibly start a fire before the circuit breaker got a chance to trip

 

mine isn't tripping because the over/under voltage protection in my PSU is catching it quicker and shutting my computer down before the circuit breaker gets a chance to trip, i really love this PSU , i just know that generic one would have fried something

 

he said the best thing to do is take one or two of the outlets and disconect them from the rest and put them on their own 15 Amp breaker, but this involves pulling new wire and all through the house, and i am renting, so, i'll just have to stick with having surge protectors spread among two different outlets

[sYstEmATiC]

im going through a similar problem as well, we just moved and the house we moved to has 2 mains, a new section and an old section, each sections is roughly the same size but its only about 75amps on the old section, which is where all my stuff is....not only that but the old section isnt grounded (outlets missing the ground prong). and it seems like the power is dirty anyway and i noticed now that since ive moved, my oc isnt stable (psu is being loaded heavily anyways, crappy power just made it worse.) so im going to have to rewire my room to the new section and add an extra breaker...im pulling about 30 amps in my room alone and i knew there would be a problem so i only have my stereo and my main pc hooked up now. sux

[Some_Guy_]

Your router is 2.5 amps at 5 VDC. The actual 110 VAC amp draw is probably more like .1. Your cable modem, scanner, and external CDRW will be the same.

 

You're nowhere near 17.5 amps. More like 11 or 12, and that's with everything at its peak draw.

Edited April 6, 2004 by Some_Guy_