Articles on Dedicated Circuits for System?

[ronnie 1.8]

Are there any articles/papers that explain the need or benefit for a dedicated circuit(s) for one's system? Several sources indicate a dedicated circuit, preferably a 20A circuit, or multiple dedicated 20A circuits is the way to go. My home is already built, and I have a 15A circuit to my dedicated system room, an office, a bathroom and hallway light. In the 15 months I've had my system, I've used all these rooms the way I want, at the same point in time, and have never had any problems. I have no ground loops, no strange noise, and no strange lines in my plasma. So I'd like to understand why it is so commonly suggested to spend the $$ to have a dedicated 20A circuit installed. What will my real world benefit be? My Panamax, whether watching a DVD with lots of low frequency, or watching TiVo, or in any circumstance, only reads between 2.2A and 2.5A. I'm hoping there's a great paper I can be referred to that will clear all this up.

 

[MDS]

The combination of all the stuff you have connected to the same circuit apparently never draws anywhere near the 15A available so there is no need for a 20A circuit.

Now if you had a whole lot of stuff with high current draws and a huge amplifier that could draw a lot of current all on the same circuit, then maybe you would need a 20A circuit, but I think it is unnecessary for most people.

 

[Bryce_H]

I think a lot of the conversation you reference is with respect to new builds where the cost to go from a shared 15amp to a dedicated 20amp is minimal, a couple of buck for cable and another outlet. That's what I did since I built from scratch our dedicated HT in the basement. I started with bare concrete walls and built the room. If the house is already built and you have no power issues, don't worry about it.

 

[ronnie 1.8]

Thanks for your comments, Bryce & MDS. I still have that one little nagging part of my brain that says do it, if the cost is reasonable. When considering the current cost of my system, having a dedicated line installed will be minimal, and I will no longer wonder. It hasn't happened in at least 4 months, maybe longer, but once in a blue moon, my subwoofer would have some strange morse code static, even when my system (and the sub) was completely off. Could have been caused by some other item on the cirucit. Cheers, guys.

 

[Bryce_H]

Is your sub plugged into your Panamax? Is not you might try a one of these in wall kits from Panamax. I have one on each of my main towers (they have built in Subs).

The distance from your cirnuit breaker panal and location of your equipment will be the biggest determing factor for cost to have a dedicated line installed.

 

[ronnie 1.8]

Is your sub plugged into your Panamax? Is not you might try a one of these in wall kits from Panamax. I have one on each of my main towers (they have built in Subs).

The distance from your cirnuit breaker panal and location of your equipment will be the biggest determing factor for cost to have a dedicated line installed.

Yes, my sub is plugged into my Panamax, via a power cable I purchased from PS Audio.

Re: the cost of a dedicated line, yeah, that's right. The A-B distance isn't that great, probably only 20 feet, but the two locations are separated by a floor, and two walls. Not exactly a straightforward job. But all things being equal, I'd be more at ease with a dedicated line.

 

[dave1490]

Are there any articles/papers that explain the need or benefit for a dedicated circuit(s) for one's system? Several sources indicate a dedicated circuit, preferably a 20A circuit, or multiple dedicated 20A circuits is the way to go. My home is already built, and I have a 15A circuit to my dedicated system room, an office, a bathroom and hallway light. In the 15 months I've had my system, I've used all these rooms the way I want, at the same point in time, and have never had any problems. I have no ground loops, no strange noise, and no strange lines in my plasma. So I'd like to understand why it is so commonly suggested to spend the $$ to have a dedicated 20A circuit installed. What will my real world benefit be? My Panamax, whether watching a DVD with lots of low frequency, or watching TiVo, or in any circumstance, only reads between 2.2A and 2.5A. I'm hoping there's a great paper I can be referred to that will clear all this up.

20amp circuits are used for kitches,not living rooms and usally never needed but if you got a big amp check the power comsumtion the older 1,s will take 2400watts, for those a dedicated circuit is needed.had a bose 1801 once with 250 watts a side and it made the lights flicker with bass.

 

[mtrycrafts]

20amp circuits are used for kitches,not living rooms and usally never needed but if you got a big amp check the power comsumtion the older 1,s will take 2400watts, for those a dedicated circuit is needed.had a bose 1801 once with 250 watts a side and it made the lights flicker with bass.

I am pretty sure that code requires one 20A circuit in dining rooms, family rooms and perhaps in living rooms for just such high demand needs.

 

[MDS]

I have only one 20A circuit in my house and the outlet for it is in the garage. The breaker for it is labeled 'water softener', so I guess a water softener would require a 20A circuit.

 

[majorloser]

You can always use more power......

The advantages of a dedicated circuit are simple. The loads you place on the dedicated circuit are of known amounts and isolated from the other circuits. With a conventionally wired home the outlets and light fixtures on any one circuit are "daisy chained" together. The total circuit may include multiple room or areas. The load you place on any one outlet may not exceed the total rating of the circuit (15A or 20A). Just as the total of all loads throughout the circuit can't exceed the rating. Otherwise the fuse or breaker blows, as I'm sure we've all found out at some point. But who's to say that a light dimmer, electric heater, hair dryer or vacuum cleaner won't be on this circuit in the future?

At any one time your equipment may pull only a few amps. But the real issue is the total rated amperage of all components together on that one circuit or in some case a power strip (yuck). There is always the issue of in-rush and surges that are not normal operating modes but must be accounted for.

If you don't have a stack of amps, subwoofer, projector, television and components all sharing the same outlet it may not be a problem. But it does leave you open to problems in the future when "upgraditis" sets in

 

[dave1490]

I am pretty sure that code requires one 20A circuit in dining rooms, family rooms and perhaps in living rooms for just such high demand needs.

that depends on how new your house is.any thing that puts out heat is a big current user my bryston,s at max, put out enought heat for around 4500btu.that will cancel a 4500btu aircondioner.but that,s old teckthat reminds me that the codes use 14gaw solid wire,nothin to write home about for a 15a.

 

[mtrycrafts]

that depends on how new your house is.any thing that puts out heat is a big current user my bryston,s at max, put out enought heat for around 4500btu.that will cancel a 4500btu aircondioner.but that,s old teckthat reminds me that the codes use 14gaw solid wire,nothin to write home about for a 15a.

Well, I know 20 years ago that was the code already what I posted But, I am sure an electrician who has been in business longer could shed light on this.