Every qualified electrician will ask an important question before installing the new panel box and wiring the "dedicated" lines. That question will be "what will the specific loads be on each phase? And a qualified electrician that is concerned with not violating basic safety and code will pull out a calculator and split the loads equally.
05-15-13: Minorl
And for a non audiophile electrician the conversation will go something like this.
Electrician.
"So you want 4 - 20 amp dedicated circuits.
You want me to install #10 gauge Romex wire.
My goodness how much power does your audio equipment draw?
#12 is good for 20 amps per code. Who told you, you needed #10?
So how much power does your audio equipment need?"
Customer.
"Well, my tube CDP I think is around 50 watts. My tube preamp is around 150 watts. My tube phono preamp is around 30 watts. My Power amp is rated at 120 WPC. At full power output of 120 watts it could draw around 700 to 800 watts (800W 6.7 amps full power). My sub I am not sure but class D draws less power than an A/B sub amp."
"I have a large screen plasma TV and a DVD player. I think that stuff can run off the house circuits." (Bifwynne quote)
Electrician.
" So what are you feeding all this stuff off of now?
Customer.
"Just the existing wall outlet."
Electrician.
"You know that is more than likely a 15 amp circuit, fed from a 15 amp breaker."
Customer.
"Funny story -- one day my kid was playing Rosetta. I think it's a band that plays music, or at least that what my kid says. Tons of bass. When the band kicked into "low gear," first the basement lights dimmed, then the circuit breaker tripped." (Bifwynne quote)
Electrician.
"Sounds like the lights are on the same circuit as well."
Electrician.
"Just curious, why do you think you need 4 new 20 amp circuits? I mean I will do what ever you want.... I will say one thing for sure, You will just be wasting your money having me install #10 Romex wire."
Customer.
"Are you sure?"
Electrician.
"OH Ya." #12 is plenty big enough. By code I only need to use #12 wire for a 20 amp circuit. And you really don't have any load to speak of. I mean you are running everything plus the lights off of one circuit now."
Customer.
"Oh I forgot to mention, Can you put the new circuits on the same phase in the electrical panel."
Electrician.
"I will have to check if you have enough empty spaces left in your electrician panel."
Customer
"Somebody told me that an electrician would tell me he couldn't do that." Something about balancing the load across the two hot phases."
Electrician.
"Well technically that is usually the case. But in your case you don't have any load to speak of. You are feeding it all off a 15 amp breaker now."
"I will check your Mains and see if the hot "phases" are somewhat balanced now. The only sure way, to be honest with you, would be for me to put a recording meter on them for a couple of days. Loads are changing constantly."
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My rig consists of the following gear: (1) self powered sub that is rated at 1500 "Class D" watts; 4500 watts on a surge; (2) ARC tube CDP; (3) ARC tube line stage; (4) ARC tube power amp rated at 120 wpc - supposedly draws 700-800 watts when driven hard; (5) ARC tube phono pre; and VPI TT. I have a large screen plasma TV and a DVD player. I think that stuff can run off the house circuits..
Right now, everything I just listed is sucking juice off the same line. I gotta believe no good is coming from that set-up. Funny story -- one day my kid was playing Rosetta. I think it's a band that plays music, or at least that what my kid says. Tons of bass. When the band kicked into "low gear," first the basement lights dimmed, then the circuit breaker tripped.
Bifwynne