Over loading?

+1 imhififan - I concur with everything he said. For me I changed my 15 amp breaker to 20 amps because it popped occasionally on power up only, never while playing loud. I had 9.6kW output into 4 ohms though...

Thanks hifiman. I’m running B&W s. x9 & I haven’t tipped the breaker "15 amp". I can change the breaker to a 20 amp. It’s 12/2 romex, or I can run another line. I originally had them on their own 15 amp breaker, but moved 1 amp so not to share with my Prima Luna HP & now added Isotek conditioner. Their only used for AV. Did I make myself clear? (no pun intended)

I've got news for you. It is not just the breaker. 20 Amp services have larger diameter (smaller gauge) wire to support the additional current draw. Changing the breaker and not the wire is theoretically asking for a fire. Most amps in home situations are going to do fine on a 15 Amp service. You can't drive an amp at full continuous power. It will be distorting on peaks and will sound stressed long before you get there. Just 3 dB down is 1/2 power and you are probably still distorting peaks at this level. This is why power is so important. To avoid clipping peaks and sounding stressed your loudest listening level should be 1/10th peak power or if you like listening at an average power of 50 watts, you need an amplifier capable of 500 watt peaks. Depending on the efficiency of the loudspeakers most of us are only listening at an average power of 1 to 25 watts. The outlier here is class A amplifiers. They draw a lot more idling than other designs unless they have a bias adjusting scheme.  

Look at the wattage on the back of the unit. So long as you don't exceed a combined 1500 watts you are fine.

The watts on the input and output are more or less the same, however because P = Current x Voltage, when you change the voltage (downwards) the Current may go upwards. 

That instant current capacity is not drawn from the outlet but from storage capacitors in the power supply.

fiesta75632 posts

08-16-2021
12:01am

For me I changed my 15 amp breaker to 20 amps because it popped occasionally on power up only, never while playing loud. I had 9.6kW output into 4 ohms though...

@ fiesta75

What is the branch circuit wiring size? If it’s #14awg cu the breaker, per electrical safety code, can not be larger than 15 amp. Solution is to install a 15 amp HM (High Magnetic) breaker. An HM breaker has a longer lag time for turn on high inrush current.

Here are three examples, of manufacturers HM breakers.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-D-QO-15-Amp-High-Magnetic-Single-Pole-Circuit-Breaker-QO115HM/303...

https://www.widespreadsales.com/Products/Circuit-Breakers-Siemens/Q115HM

https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/skuPage.BR115H.specifications.html

CH-HM Breakers

CH-HM breakers are designed with
high magnetic trip settings. Single-
and 2-pole CH-HM breakers (“HM”
suffix) rated 15 and 20 amperes are
recommended for circuits with
inherently high inrush currents.

https://bse-assets.azureedge.net/ISSheet_117983.pdf

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