tromprof Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 With my system in the basement I have a 7.2 all horn system, with 5 of the channels being time aligned. This means that I currently have 9 separate amplifiers running. They are: Crown PS-200 Crown XLS-2000 3 Crown D-75A Crown D-45 Crown D-60 2 Bash 300S plate amps (for subs). Do I need an electrician to install a separate circuit for this gear. How many amps can be plugged into an outlet through a single Furman/Monster Pro power distributer/conditioner? I know horns don't need a lot of power but this is a lot of amps all running at once. The lights don't dim when I turn things on but I don't want to choke things or overload anything either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnA Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 I say yes. You could always run the circuit yourself, too. I bought a newly constructed home 5 years ago. Naturally made some changes. One was a 30 amp 120V line (max for 120V) just for my HT system. I had to argue with the electrician over the need until I added up the total load for him. He'd never heard of such amps. I run 2 Acurus A250s, an A125x5, an Integra pre/pro, 2 disc players and the TV. Total draw could be 6000 watts. Well over the 3600 for the dedicated line, (I wish I'd had him run 2) but waay more than the 1800 watts the room's circuit could supply. So I put the TV and cable box on the 15A circuit and the rest on the 30A circuit and it works beautifully. My system *could* trip the breaker, but I could only stand it if I were a block away. If you run two 30A circuits, make sure the neutrals and safety grounds are tightly clamped together under one screw each pair, side by side in the breaker box, and you might consider coating the bare ends with an anti-oxidation compound. That will minimize the chance of ground loop hum. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gardner-Bender-1-oz-Ox-Gard-Anti-Oxidant-Compound/4514334 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyrc Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 5 hours ago, John Albright said: ... One was a 30 amp 120V line (max for 120V) just for my HT system. I had to argue with the electrician over the need until I added up the total load for him. I lost the argument with my electrician, so I got stuck with 20 amp (120 V). So far (maybe 6 years), so good. The system is very dynamic and clean, no apparent clipping, no noise from the main listing position, no flipped circuit breakers, etc. But, I wish I had held out for 30 amps. I have 3 2-channel amps running at the same time (for movies), as well as a pre/pro, player and projector. Oh well ... Now that Home Theaters are popular among the well to do, electricians may wire dozens of them before they encounter a contractor, designer, or home owner who knows much about a purist's view of subject. McIntosh recommends that their big 2,000 watts per channel amp be turned on first, to get charged up, then other components turned on, one by one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlthess40 Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 I had to run a dedicated outlet with a 20 amp breaker for the sherbourn 7 channel amp that I had. I debated with my electrician for 3 days about it. Until I told him he was fired. That changed his mind real quick. LolThis was the first all mono 7 channel amp that was ever made and it had two cables that plugged into it. And I had him run another 20 amp to 3 other outlets for the preamp and other units. Stand your ground with these guys. 99.9% of them don't understand why and how's of why we want these things doneHe also did not like that I want d to use all orange hospital grade outlets But in the end I got what I wanted and what my system needed. Stand your ground. Your the customer and paying the billsSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Why are the electricians reluctant to add or change outlets to a higher amperage? Surely they should know the benefits. Is it an ego thing? Just curious. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedball II Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Human nature or arrogance is all I can figure or they get into the daily grind thinking every home should be the same. After firing two, my third electrician was stunned to hear I wanted two 20A circuits on the same wall for future possibilities. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 53 minutes ago, Ceptorman said: Why are the electricians reluctant to add or change outlets to a higher amperage? Surely they should know the benefits. Is it an ego thing? Just curious. For real.... I don't understand why they would not want to... I need some 20 amp circuits.... My one Crown Macro-Tech has a 20 plug on it and I run a cheater plug on it. Hasn't tripped a breaker yet MKP :-) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceptorman Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Does a high amp circuit (20 or 30 amp) require a larger gauge wire (Romex)? Would 12 gauge wiring work? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holtrp Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 12 minutes ago, Ceptorman said: Does a high amp circuit (20 or 30 amp) require a larger gauge wire (Romex)? Would 12 gauge wiring work? I think 12 gauge is a code requirement for 20 amp circuits. My place is set up on a single 20 amp circuit. I have two Inukes and 2 Emotivas. I have thrown this breaker only during max SPL demos require hearing protection. I think a single 20 amp and even a single 15 amp is enough for regular use. Where it gets dodgy, is also on this single circuit is more basement lighting, a wall outlet that runs our treadmill, and another outlet that runs all the other AV components. If I ever get around to remodeling the room, I will definitely go for 3 dedicated 20 amp circuits, 2 for amps an one exclusive for components. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedball II Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Our 900 sq. ' house is all 12ga. and the two 20 amp runs are 10g per my special request. (probably overkill) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tromprof Posted August 5, 2017 Author Share Posted August 5, 2017 Sounds like getting a good electrician in is in order. After looking around it seems I have two different circuits downstairs so I have moved most of the amps to one, with the sub amps the other. But as noted above, there are plenty other things plugged in too like a treadmill and various lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MORE KLIPSCH PLEASE Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 On 8/5/2017 at 6:50 PM, Speedball II said: (probably overkill) Overkill is good MKP :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babadono Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 On 8/5/2017 at 7:56 AM, Ceptorman said: Why are the electricians reluctant to add or change outlets to a higher amperage? Surely they should know the benefits. Is it an ego thing? Just curious. On 8/5/2017 at 10:19 AM, Ceptorman said: Does a high amp circuit (20 or 30 amp) require a larger gauge wire (Romex)? Would 12 gauge wiring work? Yea its the electrician's license on the line if you have a fire. 12 gauge's max is 20 amps. Of course it will not fuse at 20 amps, it is a matter of voltage drop and heating along the length of the wire. So if you already have 12 ga. wire in the wall an electrician is not going to install a 30 amp breaker on one end and a 30 amp outlet on the other. If you pay him to run new wire, 10 ga or perhaps even 8 ga I don't think he should/would have a problem installing a 30 amp circuit as long as your service panel is adequate. Of course he may argue with you all day that you don't NEED it. When I got my Sherbourn 7 channel monster power amp for my RF 7II based HT I ran 220 power to it my dang self. I'll have to remove it when I sell the house, its not code. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wstrickland1 Posted August 7, 2017 Share Posted August 7, 2017 Maybe they're asking it wrong. I wouldn't put a 30a breaker on a 12 awg wire but most certainly would run 10 awg and a 30. That is a 30 amp circuit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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