Looking at my circuit breaker box, most of the circuits in my home are rated at 15 or 20 amps. I guess I need to make sure whatever equipment I use, in a circuit, does not exceed the amperage rating of the circuit.
So I was thinking I need to identify the circuit, meaning all the outlets and fixtures connected to it, and then add up all the amps of the appliances on it. I realize the tank lights and heaters are going to be the biggest current users.
Maybe I'm being a little paranoid. I don't want to set up 2 tanks on the same circuit and then have it be overloaded.
Any suggestions? Anyone else ever have any home wiring concerns?
Concerned About Overloading Circuits
It is not being paranoid, it is being safe!
It is good to identify what circuits are on what breaker in the electric box, but the only way I know how to check it is to throw the switch and see what loses power (has to be a better way).
I know that in my basement the outlets are on 4 seperate circuits and the lights are on 2 different circuits. I have had lots of equipment plugged in with no problems.
It is good to identify what circuits are on what breaker in the electric box, but the only way I know how to check it is to throw the switch and see what loses power (has to be a better way).
I know that in my basement the outlets are on 4 seperate circuits and the lights are on 2 different circuits. I have had lots of equipment plugged in with no problems.
Michael Hill
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Double check the formula, what I remember is this:
Take your voltage (110), multiply it by your amps in your breaker. This is how many watts it can handle. Use no more than 80% of that on any given circuit.
Bathrooms mess it up (hair dryers take an amazing amount of power to run), as do vacuum cleaners.
Normal tanks do not, normal tanks are only a few hundred watts all told. I wouldn't run four of them on one breaker, but two shouldn't normally be a cause for immediate concern, unless you have high energy consumers like listed perviously on the same line.
I did run through this when wiring my basement, and the 180g is on its own 20 amp GFI breaker because of this, but consider this; that 180g can potentially run to almost 1200 watts on lights and heaters alone, no pumps/filters considered yet.
Should I ever turn it to salt, which I did think of in design, I can run another couple hundred in pumps and supplemental lighting, as well as the possibility of a chiller - and chillers can easily by 8-10 amps on their own. Heaters would obviously go away, tho, being replaced in load by the potential chiller.
Take your voltage (110), multiply it by your amps in your breaker. This is how many watts it can handle. Use no more than 80% of that on any given circuit.
Bathrooms mess it up (hair dryers take an amazing amount of power to run), as do vacuum cleaners.
Normal tanks do not, normal tanks are only a few hundred watts all told. I wouldn't run four of them on one breaker, but two shouldn't normally be a cause for immediate concern, unless you have high energy consumers like listed perviously on the same line.
I did run through this when wiring my basement, and the 180g is on its own 20 amp GFI breaker because of this, but consider this; that 180g can potentially run to almost 1200 watts on lights and heaters alone, no pumps/filters considered yet.
Should I ever turn it to salt, which I did think of in design, I can run another couple hundred in pumps and supplemental lighting, as well as the possibility of a chiller - and chillers can easily by 8-10 amps on their own. Heaters would obviously go away, tho, being replaced in load by the potential chiller.
Dave
So for example: my 156 watt light, P / V = I, 156 / 110 = 1.418 Amps used.
I can determine the amount of current drawn by all the appliances and sum them, and make sure it is 70 to 80 percent of the load capacity of the circuit.
Most appliances have energy ratings, right.
I x E = P, 15 x 110 = 1650 Watts for total capacity of a 15 amp circuit.
I was planning on having 2 tanks against the same wall, using the same receptical.
I can determine the amount of current drawn by all the appliances and sum them, and make sure it is 70 to 80 percent of the load capacity of the circuit.
Most appliances have energy ratings, right.
I x E = P, 15 x 110 = 1650 Watts for total capacity of a 15 amp circuit.
I was planning on having 2 tanks against the same wall, using the same receptical.
Joe
