We need more power! Seriously.

[Scootin159]

Our school just made a new rule for our dorm: Only 1 computer per room w/ 1 monitor (remember this is a room w/ 3 people). If we try any more than that it'll flip breakers. I just flipped ours with just this on: 1 computer (monitor was actually off at this point), 1 lamp (60w) & 2 alarm clocks (it actually kicked off when we plugged in the 3rd alarm clock).

And this is the nice dorm? And this school claims to be technologically advanced? I guess we at least have running water :-/

EDIT: Just noticed, they gave us a 3 Amp breaker! What did they do, run 18 guage wire in the walls? Going to the hardware store tomarrow to give us a real 15amp one.

 

[Imported]

Where is this?

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: Imported
Where is this?

Roberts Wesleyan College

 

[Mister T]

There were a couple times I tripped the breakers in my dorm room... although I had:

(4) - computers
(1) - 21" CRT
(1) - 19" CRT
(2) - 17" CRT
(1) - 19" TV
(1) - VCR
(1) - DVD player
(1) - Denon 5600 Receiver
(1) - Peavey Power Amp 2 x 275W
(2) - 500 W Halogens
(1) - Desk Lamp
(1) - Mini Refrigerator
(1) - 8,000 BTU AC
(1) - Denon 2000 Dual deck CD player
(2) - Technics 1200's
(1) - Gemini Mixer
(1) - Blender
(1) - Microwave
(2) - Alarm Clocks

I think thats it....

 

[tigerbait]

Originally posted by: Mister T
There were a couple times I tripped the breakers in my dorm room... although I had:

(4) - computers
(1) - 21" CRT
(1) - 19" CRT
(2) - 17" CRT
(1) - 19" TV
(1) - VCR
(1) - DVD player
(1) - Denon 5600 Receiver
(1) - Peavey Power Amp 2 x 275W
(2) - 500 W Halogens
(1) - Desk Lamp
(1) - Mini Refrigerator
(1) - 8,000 BTU AC
(1) - Denon 2000 Dual deck CD player
(2) - Technics 1200's
(1) - Gemini Mixer
(1) - Blender
(1) - Microwave
(2) - Alarm Clocks

I think thats it....

did you have your own substation?

 

[Imported]

Originally posted by: Mister T
There were a couple times I tripped the breakers in my dorm room... although I had:

(4) - computers
(1) - 21" CRT
(1) - 19" CRT
(2) - 17" CRT
(1) - 19" TV
(1) - VCR
(1) - DVD player
(1) - Denon 5600 Receiver
(1) - Peavey Power Amp 2 x 275W
(2) - 500 W Halogens
(1) - Desk Lamp
(1) - Mini Refrigerator
(1) - 8,000 BTU AC
(1) - Denon 2000 Dual deck CD player
(2) - Technics 1200's
(1) - Gemini Mixer
(1) - Blender
(1) - Microwave
(2) - Alarm Clocks

I think thats it....

:Q!

I'll be bringing a desk lamp, computer and monitor, and uhh.. thats about it. Maybe I should pick up a blender (not sure if it's allowed) and mini-frig.

Damn, forgot my PS2 as well.

 

[Mister T]

damn... I forgot the main appliance that caused 2 out of the 3 outages....

A toaster oven.

The room had 2 breakers and I had the Fridge, Microwave and toaster on 1 of them. When I used the microwave and toaster at the same time... BOOM. The other circuit had the computers and the AC....


oops, forgot another --> N64 too

 

[Scootin159]

Yeah, right now we have:

2x 17" monitors
1x 19" monitor
3x Computers
2x Fridges
3x Lamps
3x Fans
1x 25" TV
1x VCR
1x DVD Player
3x Alarm Clocks
2x Cordless Phones
1x Electric Burner
1x Hot pot
1x 500w Stereo (combo unit)
1x Laser printer
1x Ink-jet printer

Last year I had all this in my room & it was fine. And that circuit was shared with the 4 neighboring rooms. This year that would be a dream. All we can run off the power in the room is the 3 alarm clocks & 2 of the lamps. The rest is running off a custom extension cord I made to the hallway (12/2 wire....should be able to handle the load).

 

[TallBill]

on my side of the room.. i have.. lamp, 2 fans, tv, pc, monitor, ps2, xbox, vcr, 3 sets of speakers, phone charger, regular phone, alarm clock, dsl modem, router

 

[Ranger]

3 amp breaker?
where is this breaker?
it cant be the main for the room, i hope.
I would be real careful playing with the electrical, not thats it hard
but if something happened they would come looking for you.
Could be $$$

 

[rival]

bah, you dont need breakers, just wire everything onto the main lugs, that'll solve your problem just keep a fire extinguisher ready and a bus ticket out of town

 

[mattyrug]

a 3 Amp Breaker?? Is that possible? Probally not 18/3, but most likely 14/3. That's the NEC minimum requirement for a 15 amp circut. It's amazing how many electricians will take the cheap way out though, when I ran new electircal for my 3rd floor apartment, I ran the Romex myself (10/3 for my AC outlet, and 10/4 for 2 other circuts), and hired the electricians to do the actual 'tying in', all within code, and approved by the electrical inspector.
Check the cable going into the breaker, if it's 14 gauge, the biggest breaker you can put on there is a 15, DO NOT opt for a 30 or bigger, there are many guys who do this in the sound and lighting industry, and there's been more panels going up in flames lately because of it! It's rated at a certain amperage for a reason!
I never knew much about electrical, until I got into Pro-Audio (about 14 years ago), having to constantly tie into panels, change distro ends, etc.... (my 2 Crown 5k's need lots o' power!)

Be careful replacing that breaker though, make sure it's within code, if anyone sees you and something happens, you could get sued (depending on the laws in your state). Keep your roommate on 'watch duty' while you swap it out. Serioulsy, unless you know what you're doing, don't go sticking your hands in there, unless you disconnect the Mains first!
Just read about a guy over at Live Audio Board who's friend replaced his Main Breaker, it was a 200amp breaker for a 100amp box, it caught fire, and now he's screwed on his insurance.
link to story, and more about electrical safety

 

[Scootin159]

Well I don't know the rating on the breaker (not labeled :disgust:, but it does flip every time @ 3.1 amps (I have my meter plugged in right now).

Also, it is the main for the room...but at least it's somewhere we can get to so we can reset it easily.

I'm planning on replacing it with a 15a. Even if it's 12/2 a 15a should be enough to power my computer.

 

[Scootin159]

Do you guys think calling bulidings & grounds would be a good idea, or will they tell me to just keep it to 1 lamp?

 

[xospec1alk]

with 4 computers, a lamp, tv, and the fridge running....if we flip the toaster or the microwave our power will die...once every month this happens...quite an annoyance

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: xospec1alk
with 4 computers, a lamp, tv, and the fridge running....if we flip the toaster or the microwave our power will die...once every month this happens...quite an annoyance

yeah, but you guys are running a toaster or microwave...huge draw items. We're trying to run our 2 desk lamps & our 2 alarm clocks (and that's it for the whole circuit). We gave up on computers....I'm running off an extension cord to the hall right now.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Okay, 3A is an utterly pathetic amount of current. ANY wiring that is installed upto code should handle 10A easily. Hell, your phone cord can almost handle 3A.

I believe all duplex recepticle outlets are required to have 12 AWG while lighting can have 14AWG if you limit the number of lights that it's powering. A standard outlet is a 15A outlet for a reason. What they might be having a problem with is a few dozen people on a single 200A main breaker. That would cause a problem. But limiting people to 3A isn't the solution.


<-- has done residential electrical and both buisness and residential data/communications wiring before.

 

[PsychoAndy]

three amps? i'm not sure that would power my pepsi machine! damn. lowest i've seen are 15 amp breakers. i've seen 20 amp breakers tied in a triplets before too.

2 words: electric generator.

-PAB

 

[Kerouactivist]

Originally posted by: Scootin159
Our school just made a new rule for our dorm: Only 1 computer per room w/ 1 monitor (remember this is a room w/ 3 people). If we try any more than that it'll flip breakers. I just flipped ours with just this on: 1 computer (monitor was actually off at this point), 1 lamp (60w) & 2 alarm clocks (it actually kicked off when we plugged in the 3rd alarm clock).

And this is the nice dorm? And this school claims to be technologically advanced? I guess we at least have running water :-/

EDIT: Just noticed, they gave us a 3 Amp breaker! What did they do, run 18 guage wire in the walls? Going to the hardware store tomarrow to give us a real 15amp one.

They have that small of a breaker to stop the students from plugging to many things in at once and using to much electricity

 

[Scootin159]

Update: Just talked to the school president. He got the electritian to 'fix' it. We now have 40A

EDIT: And I was wrong, it was a 5A Breaker, not 3A as I first thought. Although the guy said that considering how much it trips & that it's a 30 y.o. breaker, it probably was kicking @ 3A.

 

[StattlichPassat]

I flipped my dorm room's breaker last spring:

19" Samsung monitor
My rig w/ 300w PSU
Desklamp (75w)
4 wall tracklights (60w ea.)
Dual overhead flourescant bulbs (unknown wattage)
Bathroom light (120w)
Hall light (120w)

...oh yeah, and this. Cranked up. U-571 DVD. Depth Charged scene.

 

[mattyrug]

Cool, glad to hear the update.
They probally put 2 20A breakers in, this is new code, there has to be at least 2 15A services or 1 20A(depending on the size of the room), anytime they change out breakers, they have to bring the rest of the existing circut up to code......
well at least here in RI anyway...

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: mattyrug
Cool, glad to hear the update.
They probally put 2 20A breakers in, this is new code, there has to be at least 2 15A services or 1 20A(depending on the size of the room), anytime they change out breakers, they have to bring the rest of the existing circut up to code......
well at least here in RI anyway...

No, this was under the rug.

He actually just removed the breaker box & wired around it.

 

[toant103]

Originally posted by: tigerbait

Originally posted by: Mister T
There were a couple times I tripped the breakers in my dorm room... although I had:

(4) - computers
(1) - 21" CRT
(1) - 19" CRT
(2) - 17" CRT
(1) - 19" TV
(1) - VCR
(1) - DVD player
(1) - Denon 5600 Receiver
(1) - Peavey Power Amp 2 x 275W
(2) - 500 W Halogens
(1) - Desk Lamp
(1) - Mini Refrigerator
(1) - 8,000 BTU AC
(1) - Denon 2000 Dual deck CD player
(2) - Technics 1200's
(1) - Gemini Mixer
(1) - Blender
(1) - Microwave
(2) - Alarm Clocks

I think thats it....

did you have your own substation?

At least you have heat in the winter with all those monitors

 

[jarsoffart]

Originally posted by: NightFlyerGTI

...oh yeah, and this. Cranked up. U-571 DVD. Depth Charged scene.

Collegiates have money and space to spend on elaborate home theater systems like that?!

There were a couple times I tripped the breakers in my dorm room... although I had:

(4) - computers
(1) - 21" CRT
(1) - 19" CRT
(2) - 17" CRT
(1) - 19" TV
(1) - VCR
(1) - DVD player
(1) - Denon 5600 Receiver
(1) - Peavey Power Amp 2 x 275W
(2) - 500 W Halogens
(1) - Desk Lamp
(1) - Mini Refrigerator
(1) - 8,000 BTU AC
(1) - Denon 2000 Dual deck CD player
(2) - Technics 1200's
(1) - Gemini Mixer
(1) - Blender
(1) - Microwave
(2) - Alarm Clocks

You had all that personally or shared with four people?