Dedicated power line?

thuchien

I am planning to run a line from power in basement to HT room upstairs using 10 gauge weather water roof from Home Depot and hospital rate receptacle. Do you have any suggestion for me before I start?

Thanks

Lowell_M

thuchien wrote: »

I am planning to run a line from power in basement to HT room upstairs using 10 gauge weather water roof from Home Depot and hospital rate receptacle. Do you have any suggestion for me before I start?

Thanks

I have not played with different power options very much for my HT, so I dont' have any first hand experience.... So, I'll probably get my a$$ kicked for saying this, but...

In my opinion you won't be able to do much that will audibly change your HT performance by using special wire and a special outlet from your main box. Dirty power will remain dirty power coming into your house no matter how high of quality the last 50 ft. of power cable is. Where I think you probably gain the most is having a high quality power cable AFTER the power has gone through a power conditioner, which would only be a cord from your AMP to the conditioner. I'm not saying don't do what you are planning. I do think it is good to have the HT equipment on a seperate circuit. Just consider the diminishing returns as you spend more money on this circuit. Consider what you would be spending your $$'s on in your rig instead.

I could be very wrong, but this seems like an easier debate than the IC or Speaker Cable dabate.

I'm not a cable hater......:eek:

avguytx

Ummm.....be careful?

ben62670

I would run 12/3 on a run less than 50 feet. Then you would have 2 circuits. If you are going to do it you might as well get the extra circuit for roughly $50 more.

Lowell_M

ben62670 wrote: »

I would run 12/3 on a run less than 50 feet. Then you would have 2 circuits. If you are going to do it you might as well get the extra circuit for roughly $50 more.

There's the good advice! Run an extra circuit or two so that you have plenty of current available!!

thuchien

The reason I do it because now I have 2 infinity P-FR with build in subwoofer. I have amp + sub + rear project 60" TV + 2 new speaker with build in sub. All of them come from one power conditioner and I feel they don't get enough juice.

obieone

First I believe some questions are in order.
1. What state do you live in?
2. Are you an electrician?
3. Why are you using weather proof wire?-Don't get me wrong. Exceeding the NEC is a good thing, but may be unneccesary.

polrbehr

Again, if you are unsure about any of what you are doing, call an electrician.

Good luck getting 10 guage wire around the screws on the receptacle (unless it's stranded)

Go with Bens' reco of 12/3 instead... you can use 20 (or 15) amp breakers that way.

Also, another important thing to keep in mind; if you use three conductor wire (red,

black, white, and bare ground) for two circuits, you MUST make sure you are using both

hot feeds coming in to your main panel! This means you must have 220v between black

and red (test them). Never use a "twin" breaker in this instance (ie. two breakers in the

space of one). Use a double-pole with common trip, or two single breakers, one on top of

the other.

If you don't do this, you run the risk of drawing current on both red and black, and thereby

seriously risk overloading the neutral (white), as it will now be carrying twice as much

current as it would if only one circuit was used.

obieone

"220, 221... whatever it takes"- Michael Keaton, 'Mr. Mom'
Sorry, I couldn't resist! LOL

But seriously, also check what BRAND of breakers are in your panel-G.E., Square D- or you'll be in for a hellofa wrestling match-"F**king things won't go in dammit?!"

thuchien

I spend a couple hours on Saturday. I used solid wire that I have left since I did my basement 2 years ago. I bought 2 isolate ground receptacle (red color) at Menards $10 each, 2 breakers $6 each. I used this receptacle before to stop boom noise from my subwoofer, before every thing I turned on/off light my subwoofer made boom noise since they shared same power line. The boom noise went away after new receptacle.

Now I plug 2 sub from speakers to one receptacle and other for pure av PF60 + subwoofer.

With $30 and couple hours I am happen with the result, the bass sound tighter and I don’t feel like not thing hold them back as I did before.

vonnie123

A dedicated breaker will reduce noise from items on the shared circuit. A power conditioner would be more specific and better isolate equipment attached to it; your equipment can also generate noise. If you are running lots of high current equipment and need the extra juice, go for it, but be careful around that breaker box.

And I see you have a PF 60 which is a great conditioner at the price. good luck and success with your project.

thuchien

After the hook up, I realize 3 of sub don't have any protection since it got hook up directly to out let.