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Outlets and Wire Gauge? - Please help!

I finally contracted an electrician to run two dedicated lines - a week from today! I have been reading thread after thread and the consensus appears to be going with 10awg wire for the 20amp run. My problem is two-fold:

  1. I'm stuck selecting an outlet because the electrician says that no 20amp outlet can take 10awg, that "10awg is for 30amp outlets".
  2. I'm stuck selecting an outlet because of what it might do to my sound. 

I simply want to install something good that's going to feed a Puritan Audio PSM156. I am now running ADG Gran Vivace monos. I prefer a rich midrange.

Additionally, I asked for both a 15 and 20 amp run. People suggested I do this so my sources can be run off the 15A with amps / subs off of the 20A, but someone here mentioned ground loops? I am not well-versed in things electrical. Ideally I would like to know if I should stick with the two runs, and what would be a few good choices for each outlet if I do. @jea48 @erik_squires ... I have seen solid advice from you on the topic of outlets, but they lack things specific to awg and outlet type.

Thank you in advance!

PS I estimate the length of the run to be approximately 50', max.

128x128izjjzi
thespeakerdude
483 posts
 

@jimf421 

You don't need an isolated ground to prevent hum. What may prevent hum is ensuring all your equipment is wired to a ground that is at the same potential. Multiple separate outlets where the ground reference is 30 feet back at the electrical box is a way to get hum.

Better way to eliminate hum is to use balanced connections.

If you have balanced connections and you still have hum, you have a problem you missed. Bad equipment, a cable TV connection you forgot about, another load on the line making a lot of noise on the AC.

Ground loop hum is because ground currents are flowing in signal wires that should not be. For that to happen, there must be a difference in ground potential of the two pieces of equipment. An isolated ground does not help that as it must be connected back to the panel with your other ground. The new ground didn't fix the problem. Isolating the AC runs may have.

 

Post removed 
erik_squires
16,390 posts
 

Just want to get on my soap box here a little:

The best place for MOV surge protection is in your panel. Now required by the NEC, however they still have high let-through voltages. The NEC, and all major panel makers recommend you supplement them with point of use surge protectors.

Based on the Wirecutter testing, which AFAIK is the only reviews which include actual surge testing done in the past 10 years, the best are Furman and Trip Lite.

 

bmontani
193 posts
 

I would send your electrician back to electrician school.  10 AWG is fine for a 20 Amp receptacle.  In some situations it would be considered overkill but a determining factor is the length of the wire run.  Depending on how long the wire run is, it may be preferred because of less resistance and voltage drop.  For a 50 ft run, I would definitely go with 10 instead of 12.  

nosualc
99 posts
 

10 AWG to a 20A receptacle is fine.

The electrician is pushing back (likely) because 10 AWG is more expensive, more physically difficult to work with, not something they normally do, and frankly, overkill.

That said, it's your money, you're entitled to get what you want as long as it's safe/legal. If he's not amenable to this, find another guy.

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