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stgdz
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 107
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject: Determining sub panel electrical requirements. |
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My current electrical box has three open slots for the entire basement with 5 rooms.
-Theater
-Bedroom
-Playroom
-Hobby room
-Bathroom
I figure the bedroom and playroom can be one, bathroom be one, and hobby room be another for slots. I figure I would need three slots for the theater. One for the projector and two for the sound. I estimate there is about a 15-20' that I need to travel in order to put in the sub panel.
With that being said, the two things that I am uncertain of is the size of the wire that I will need to travel to the sub panel and how many amps I can drive to the sub panel. I don't see any data regarding amps on my main break pannel only a sticker saying 220vac. How can I figure out what the amount of amps coming into my house can be.
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 16171
Location: West Seneca NY
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 1:07 pm Post subject: |
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The loadcenter may say its rated for XXX amps, but check the main breaker and service entrance cable. Both my main breaker and service entrance cable were rated for 150A while the loadcenter was rated for 225A.
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stgdz
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 107
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 8:46 pm Post subject: |
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thanks guys, I will pull the panel off tonight and look behind it for more information if I can't find anything on the main breaker.
About the isolation transformer. I currently don't have a good place to put it though if I were to buy one, I may but I don't really want to put it above a walking area.
Can the transformer be placed on the ground and does it need to be close to the main lines? I am thinking of putting the transformer in the basement.
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 16171
Location: West Seneca NY
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tri_joel
Joined: 03 Jul 2007
Posts: 646
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:26 pm Post subject: |
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The main breaker has the total amp protection printed on it, you are not going to find any further info pulling the cover off the panel.
You need to check the size of your street feeder to determine how many total amps you can draw. You may be better off installing a larger (more breaker slots) panel than to install a sub panel.
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tri_joel
Joined: 03 Jul 2007
Posts: 646
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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On second thought, how much load you think your going to have in the bedroom, playroom, bathroom, and hobby room? Are these small rooms requiring minimal lighting and outlets? You can proably put them all on two feeds. Why do you need a dedicated feed for the pj and two for the sound?
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kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 18114
Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Thu Feb 12, 2009 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Why do you need a sub-panel at all? You can get the smaller breakers that fit two breakers in one slot, giving you 6 breakers total for 6 15A lines.
I also highly doubt that you need three 15Amp lines for your HT. You could actually likely run the whole thing off one. What equipment is involved?
Your projector will draw about 500-600W max. All your other HT equipment can go on one line if you want and it'll be fine unless you're running some crazy low-efficiency amps or a LOT of stuff. 2 is not a bad idea however.
Kal
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 10:51 am Post subject: |
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| kal wrote: | Why do you need a sub-panel at all? You can get the smaller breakers that fit two breakers in one slot, giving you 6 breakers total for 6 15A lines.
I also highly doubt that you need three 15Amp lines for your HT. You could actually likely run the whole thing off one. What equipment is involved?
Your projector will draw about 500-600W max. All your other HT equipment can go on one line if you want and it'll be fine unless you're running some crazy low-efficiency amps or a LOT of stuff. 2 is not a bad idea however.
Kal |
I'll tell you why: better circuit management. Also, trying to mount the neutrals and grounds on an already cluttered panel is a PITA. Finally, he can wire the entire subpanel without ever touching the main service until he is ready to cut it into a live situation.
Subpanels are not expensive.
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stgdz
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 107
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:37 pm Post subject: |
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| WanMan wrote: | | kal wrote: | Why do you need a sub-panel at all? You can get the smaller breakers that fit two breakers in one slot, giving you 6 breakers total for 6 15A lines.
I also highly doubt that you need three 15Amp lines for your HT. You could actually likely run the whole thing off one. What equipment is involved?
Your projector will draw about 500-600W max. All your other HT equipment can go on one line if you want and it'll be fine unless you're running some crazy low-efficiency amps or a LOT of stuff. 2 is not a bad idea however.
Kal |
I'll tell you why: better circuit management. Also, trying to mount the neutrals and grounds on an already cluttered panel is a PITA. Finally, he can wire the entire subpanel without ever touching the main service until he is ready to cut it into a live situation.
Subpanels are not expensive. |
yeah, this is the reason why. I would rather run one big line from my main panel to my sub panel then running multiple lines out to it. I look at as a tree with a long branch and small little branches growing off of it instead of a bunch of long branches.
Also its overkill I know but the last house I owned had bad wiring in it. We couldn't run a hair dryer in the downstairs bathroom with out it taking out a couple of outlets when the TV was on, plus it would also take out a room upstairs.
Also is there any difference in breaker quality?
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
Posts: 16171
Location: West Seneca NY
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 1:51 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Also is there any difference in breaker quality? |
Not much, I used a Square D box. But I do Highly suggest an Isolation transformer. I had a separate panel box for my theater before the ISo and even though it was separate evry time the dishwasher or air conditioner went on id get a brownout, my PJ image would dim. And I have two main panel boxes, one for one end of the house and one on the other end. The air and dish washer were not even in the same panel box that I ran my theaters sub panel box from. The Isolation Transformer totally isolated that sub panel box from the rest of the house... let me put it this way its like the theater has its own 5Kva power station. I checked the out put on a scope before and after and the sine wave so nice and smooth afterwards. Best thing i ever did to improve my sound and video.
Athanasios
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stgdz
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 107
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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The 5Kva iso's weigh about as much as a crt correct?
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tri_joel
Joined: 03 Jul 2007
Posts: 646
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:10 pm Post subject: |
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Square-D, Siemens, GE, they are all about the same. I would match the brand in your main, makes things easier for replacment etc.
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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kal
Forum Administrator
Joined: 06 Mar 2006
Posts: 18114
Location: Ottawa, Canada
TV/Projector: JVC DLA-NZ7
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| Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2009 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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| WanMan wrote: | | kal wrote: | Why do you need a sub-panel at all? You can get the smaller breakers that fit two breakers in one slot, giving you 6 breakers total for 6 15A lines.
I also highly doubt that you need three 15Amp lines for your HT. You could actually likely run the whole thing off one. What equipment is involved?
Your projector will draw about 500-600W max. All your other HT equipment can go on one line if you want and it'll be fine unless you're running some crazy low-efficiency amps or a LOT of stuff. 2 is not a bad idea however.
Kal |
I'll tell you why: better circuit management. Also, trying to mount the neutrals and grounds on an already cluttered panel is a PITA. Finally, he can wire the entire subpanel without ever touching the main service until he is ready to cut it into a live situation.
Subpanels are not expensive. |
True. Those are good reasons!
Kal
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stgdz
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 107
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stgdz
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 107
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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Here are some pictures, I would like to place the isolation transformer above the door
This is the bracing structure along with the cap at the top that I am dealing with. The top cap is maybe 3/4" thick
I would like to route the line down here and put the panel in this area
Menards also has a 20 slot panel with 5 breakers and http://menards.inserts2online.com/MenardsMenardDaysSaleI/breakouts/b460821_17.jpg but my gut is telling me that I should probably stay away from this for some reason. I can't quite put my finger on it but it just doesn't seem rite.
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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Location: West Seneca NY
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stgdz
Joined: 07 Dec 2008
Posts: 107
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| Posted: Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:25 pm Post subject: |
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| Nashou66 wrote: |
Just get at least a 50 amp wire to run to the Iso and then to the panle box.
Athanasios |
So I will need a 10 gauge wire to connect between the box based on this website http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm .
Also, 14 gauge vs 12? The 14 per 1000ft is a $150 where the 12 is a $250 per a 1000. Based on the above site it looks like 14 would be fine but does everyone go with 12 gauge in wiring?
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Nashou66
Joined: 12 Jan 2007
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Location: West Seneca NY
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