Electrical breaker Question

[gweedo]

I have a friend of mine who is a general contractor or whatever hes called coming out to my house to install three new outlets on a dedicated line to the breaker box.. My question is, is a 15amp breaker enough?

reason for running this is I am tired of switching on the lights in the front room and having the speakers pop, its not very bad and the wife barely notices it but I do..

Also, is there anything I should be aware of incase this just makes things worse..

I am running a Denon 3808CI, and def tech 7600bp's, and a clr2002, oh and tv, and Denon 1730 DVD, and directv sat box, and my sub which will be a def tech supercube asap.. Probably going to end up with more stuff in the end though..

Thanks,
Josh

 

[TLS Guy]

I have a friend of mine who is a general contractor or whatever hes called coming out to my house to install three new outlets on a dedicated line to the breaker box.. My question is, is a 15amp breaker enough?

reason for running this is I am tired of switching on the lights in the front room and having the speakers pop, its not very bad and the wife barely notices it but I do..

Also, is there anything I should be aware of incase this just makes things worse..

I am running a Denon 3808CI, and def tech 7600bp's, and a clr2002, oh and tv, and Denon 1730 DVD, and directv sat box, and my sub which will be a def tech supercube asap.. Probably going to end up with more stuff in the end though..

Thanks,
Josh

That is probably enough for now, but if you are going to add big amps, I would put in two circuits.

 

[Rickster71]

It depends on what else will be on the three new outlets. Are they all for your HT equipment exclusively?

Just like TLS says, you never know where the future upgrade road will lead.
If it were me, I'd do two dedicated twenty amp circuits, or at least two 15 amp.

 

[m_vanmeter]

if the wall mounted light switches have any "age" on them at all, you might consider replacing the switches with new "quiet" models. The "pop" in your speakers could be a small electric arc forming just as the wall switch makes or breakes the connection. And it costs very little extra to make the dedicated outlet circuit a 20 amp circuit. Rarely have I seen "outlet circuits" rated for 15 amps, that is usually used for lighting circuits. The installed receptacles might be 15 amp, but the wiring and circuit breaker are always 20 amp.

 

[mtrycrafts]

I have a friend of mine who is a general contractor or whatever hes called coming out to my house to install three new outlets on a dedicated line to the breaker box.. My question is, is a 15amp breaker enough?

reason for running this is I am tired of switching on the lights in the front room and having the speakers pop, its not very bad and the wife barely notices it but I do..

Also, is there anything I should be aware of incase this just makes things worse..

I am running a Denon 3808CI, and def tech 7600bp's, and a clr2002, oh and tv, and Denon 1730 DVD, and directv sat box, and my sub which will be a def tech supercube asap.. Probably going to end up with more stuff in the end though..

Thanks,
Josh

I would suggest what vanmeter posted as well. If that new light switch works, great. If not, I'd install a 20A circuit since you are doing this already.

 

[mr-ben]

Get "High Magnetic" breakers. I put in a 20amp circuit for my amp, and soon discovered that the breaker would pop often at startup due to the sensitivity of modern breakers. I switched to a high-magnetic breaker, and that fixed the problem.

 

[gweedo]

OK, so my thought with installing these three new outlets is so I can plug in a tower at each end of the wall and plug everything else in the middle.. I am trying real hard to make my wire management look nice.. And get the light switch poping thing to go away at same time.. And yes all 3 plugs are for HT only..

The light switch is connected to every plug in the living room? switch will turn on and off the top plug, the bottom stays on.. My house is a 1970's build single level and rather open in the attic to run wires..

My only concern is the 15amp breaker and 14 gauge wire or go bigger? I will probably never make it to "big amp" status as the wife will never go for it.. I had to basically beg to get the 3808CI? lol Even with the smoking deal I got..

Thanks for the input guys....

 

[DaveHo]

The extra cost to use 12 gauge wire & a 20A breaker is insignificant. Why not?

 

[gweedo]

I already bought the 14g and 15amp setup? my buddy reccommend it? Thing is I am sure he don't know crap about HT? This is why I am asking here first before its installed!! lol Good peeps on here!! Guess I will make a trip back to home depot and get the 20amp setup..

 

[Rickster71]

If you are going to keep the material you have, then I'd run two 15 amp circuits.

One will be split to each powered speaker location. Either install new outlets near the existing....or split the existing receptacle.
i.e. the top outlet will be left alone, and be switched.(old circuit) Then break off the brass jumper tab to make each outlet two different circuits. One switched (old circuit) the bottom of the outlet will be your new circuit.
The other will go behind your HT cabinet.

EDIT:You may run into a box fill situation, if you split the existing outlets into two circuits.
So I'm leaning more toward you adding new outlets behind the powered speakers.
Why do those speaker outlets have to be switched, existing lights?

 

[gweedo]

rickster you lost me? I am installing 3 new plugs, the ones with switchs will stay where there are but I will not be using them for the HT..

wouldn't it be easier to run one 20 amp circuit then 2 15 amp? plus less wire to run and less expense..

Iphones best pic of my setup..

http://picasaweb.google.com/tank996/HT#5241880969185785522

 

[Tarub]

You want an easy, cheapest and quickest way. Buy a 12 gauge power extension cord and run it from your kitchen to your HT system. You can also use it to hang your clothes.

Just kidding.

A single 15 amp dedicated circuit is good enough for your HT system. As long as you are sure that you are not going to use that circuit at the same time with other high current equipment such power tools or vacuum cleaner.
But since you are going to run a new circuit, you might as well go for higher amp and higher gauge (20 amp breaker & 12 awg wire) in case in the future you may want to put more load to that circuit.

 

[Rickster71]

rickster you lost me? I am installing 3 new plugs, the ones with switchs will stay where there are but I will not be using them for the HT..

wouldn't it be easier to run one 20 amp circuit then 2 15 amp? plus less wire to run and less expense..

Iphones best pic of my setup..

http://picasaweb.google.com/tank996/HT#5241880969185785522

I wasn't sure if you were going back to Home Depot to exchange what you bought earlier, for 20 amp circuit, or keeping the 14 wire and 15 amp breaker?

I'll assume you have a whole roll of wire? Or does you're friend have some wire?
If you bought a whole already, you might as well use it, and run two circuits.
As I mentioned in my first post, you never know what the future upgrade will be.
It is cheaper to run one 20 amp circuit, but since you have the help, it would be real easy to run two at the same time.

 

[gweedo]

Well got the 12g wire installed all the outlets everything is in, just need to hookup the breaker.. Ended up putting 5 outlets on the circuit, three on the main system and two in the bedroom.. That attic is dam hot up there!! Well I feel good about the install so far, I will see how it works after I hookup the breaker.. (My buddy never showed up so I did it all solo, with a little help fishing the wires out the walls)

 

[Rickster71]

Hi gweedo, did you run a 20 amp circuit?
What will the other outlets in the bedroom be used for?

 

[gweedo]

I did indeed.. 2 extra in the bedreoom for a 32" samsung and a dvd/vcr player.. they hang on the wall and I got rid of the wire problems.. I'll post a pic of both setups after I hookup the breaker.. I work long hours and lose most all motivation during a work week.. LOL

 

[gweedo]

finished.. Just need a couple plugin style surge protectors for the towers and sub.. anyone got any ideas on that, that don't involve anything monster!!

http://picasaweb.google.com/tank996/HT#5244433882882495714

feel free to cruise the pics.. I will be putting more up today as I finish things..

Josh

 

[Phil Taylor]

Hey Gweedo - what brand and model is that swing arm mount on your flat panel and how do you like it regarding stability, slop/play etc?

 

[gweedo]

got it from monoprice and its rock solid!! As long as you hit the studs in the wall all is good.. it lined up perfectly on my wall..

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082806&p_id=4562&seq=1&format=2

hope theres no rules about posting this link? if so sorry..

 

[Phil Taylor]

Thanks gweedo - I was looking for one for a client. Great price too - just another reason I love monoprice.