Power conditioning for multiple dedicated circuits

builder3454 posts  

08-08-2021  
 12:46pm  

I think you’ve now protected your 12 wire circuits with a 40A breaker, which is a huge mistake.

Correct. The breaker needs to be a 2 pole 20 amp breaker.

dhite71 OP147 posts

08-08-2021
12:23pm                         


@jea48
I did the 2nd scenario you described. I chose this because when I went to Lowes to pick up the Romex they had a bundle of 12/3 wire that was 1/2 price due to a return. Therefore each duplex receptacle has 2 hot, 1 neutral and 1 ground. I removed the hot wire’s tab and wired to a double pole 40amp breaker so they each have their shared 20amp breaker but you cannot forget to switch one side off in the event of later work. I did not research nor ask about this method so the only reason was simplicity. What are the disadvantages? I originally thought about using 10ga wire but got swayed by the wire on sale. From your response I suppose sharing the ground and neutral disqualifies them from being dedicated. What is the disadvantage for they way I have them wired?

I did the 2nd scenario you described. I chose this because when I went to Lowes to pick up the Romex they had a bundle of 12/3 wire that was 1/2 price due to a return.

It’s nuts what Romex is selling for now. You can buy 12/2 and 12/3 MC (Metal Clad) aluminum armor cable cheaper than Romex. Supply and demand!

Before I explain where, imo, you went wrong in the type of wiring and wiring methods you used please explain why you are looking at buying plug in power conditioners? Are trying correct something? Are you hearing something from the speakers of your system you don’t like? Did you hear it before you added the 4 new circuits?

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@jea48 I don’t have a problem that I am aware, but wanted to experiment in power conditioning. Many speak very highly and this would be new ground for me to explore.

I did not appreciate any change/improvement in sound before the new circuits either, but makes me feel better.  I also like being able to easily flip the 'music room' breaker whenever I leave the house for an overnight stay.

My apologies. I read right past the 40 A  and assumed the split  load myself. Yes, 20A is the correct size.

My non-technical contribution at this point- I have done a number of rooms over the years with dedicated circuits and they cannot, at least where I lived by code, be entirely separate from the main household electrical service. (If you live in a place where you can have entirely separate service entrances all the better but there are still limitations). That said, none of the systems, save the present one was immune from noise elsewhere on the lines in the house. Perhaps this is due to shared ground, maybe the answer is different for different kinds of noise-- for example, at the designer/manufacturer’s suggestion, I swapped the lithium battery packs in my line stage and noticed a feather or two of dust under the batteries which I removed- I had an intermittent burst of static occasionally that was driving me crazy.
Other noise, apart from tube rush or simply what you think you are hearing as background to program material, whether digital or analog, may not be as evident until you eliminate it. But, there’s the rub-- I haven’t heard the latest crop of power conditioners, and depending on what you are hearing (I’m not there), I don’t know if your power can be improved. If you have the ability to experiment with the right to return at minimal penalty, you have some freedom to see, including what each component is arguably contributing to what you are hearing by swapping conditioners in and out on different pieces. I never used them on amps-- (well, I did try them, but not for long). 
I have no competence to comment on the wiring issue, you are in good hands with @jea48 .
Once you get that sorted, I think the next important thing is to look at your system, make sure everything is working as it should and consider optimizing room position. This is less about spending money and more about learning and experimentation. Jim Smith’s book is often cited as a good starting point.
I can certainly hear differences over my system, and even small changes are discernible. Such changes may or may not be improvements in the lucidity of your musical experience. So don’t equate different with better until you have listened for a period across a range of music.
That’s all I got.