Results 1 to 10 of 19
Threaded View
-
02-17-2011, 02:22 PM #10
Senior Member
Amp question for you electric pros???
This is easy to calculate, but I won't do it for you....there are formulas for calculating load on circuits in watts or amps precisely, (look up Ohm's Law) and you should be precise...there is no mention of voltage here and any calculation involving power should...Is Ireland 120V or 220V? because that can either double or cut in half the amperage ya'll are talking about....here's a good way to tell if your getting close to the limits of a circuit, regardless of voltage, but be careful doing this and don't get shocked, and you don't need an amp-probe or meter....fire everything up on that particular circuit so it's drawing max amps, wait a few minutes, and go feel the breaker...if it's hot, your over amping it or drawing more than the 75% (which is just a guideline btw) I have seen circuits drawing 105% of rating and not blow the breaker...If the breaker is cool or just warm, your probably ok...this is assuming you have relatively new copper conductors and tight connections everywhere else in the circuit, Yes, aluminum wiring is crap!...A circuit can fail under very light loads if there is a loose connection ANYWHERE in that circuit...plugs, recepticles, loose wire nuts, etc. Loose connections are generally the number 1 cause of circuit failures...loose connection causes heat from resistance, drawing more amperage, compounding the problem until something overheats and burns from too much heat. Heat is the enemy cuz heat = resistance and resistance = more electric being used...anytime you feel anything too hot in an electrical circuit be it cord, plug, breaker, whatever, it can indicate a potential problem (read FIRE HAZARD!) Now I'm no electrician, but my two best bros are both masters and they tell me if a breaker blows 3 times, replace it...If your pushing the limits of a circuit, look for hot stuff...I've seen extension cords cause lot's of problems because nobody accounts for voltage drop over any distance in a circuit...so, if your running 2 or 300 feet of extension cord on a 120v circuit...by the time it gets to the end of the line there may only be 80-85 volts available, depending on wire size...the bigger the wire, the less line loss...lower voltage means higher amperage, so 10 amps on a 15 amp circuit w/breaker over a long distance will kick the breaker. Here's something else to consider...it is very rare for an appliance or any kind of load to draw the entire amount it's rated for...in other words, if a light or toaster says it draws 2.5 amps, it may actually only be drawing 2.1 and the only way to ck that is with a clamp on amp meter. Make friends with an electrician...I know my two bros party, so there are plenty who do...
I hate talking about electricity when I'm real high...I may just be confusing ya'll...I'm just trying to put things in terms anybody can understand...I hope I'm helping.
Bottom line on electricity is: If your not sure enough to risk your life on it, have an electrician ck it out.
Similar Threads
-
Quick question for the pros :)
By WhiteIce in forum Plant ProblemsReplies: 8Last Post: 11-28-2009, 07:24 AM -
Another lighting question for all you pros
By LaidZeppelin in forum Basic GrowingReplies: 1Last Post: 04-25-2007, 04:41 AM -
Question for the Pros!
By Formula420 in forum Drug TestingReplies: 0Last Post: 05-05-2006, 10:44 AM -
Electric Question
By st0n3r in forum GreenGrassForums LoungeReplies: 9Last Post: 01-06-2006, 07:29 PM -
quick question for the pros
By Krippysmoker in forum Indoor GrowingReplies: 2Last Post: 07-16-2005, 04:15 AM










Register To Reply
Staff Online