High end fuse box options??

The QO series uses a solid copper buss bar. However it is electroplated to reduce oxidation and looks silver in color.

Although I think that splitting the electricity immediately after the meter is better, I had room in my original outdoor 200A breaker box to put in a 100A breaker for the subpanel. I then ran 2 gauge copper cable from the main panel to the new indoor subpanel about fifty feet away in the basement. (Copper prices have shot through the roof over the past year, so this was actually the largest expense of the project.)

I ran four new dedicated 20A circuits to the AV area using 10 gauge copper wire ending with PS Audio PowerPorts. I chose Square D QO AFI (arc fault interupter) circuit breakers. With only four breakers, I still have plenty of room in the subpanel for future use if I need it.

The job wasn't pure audio reference quality, but the improvements in simply having the dedicated sub-panel were worth it.

I looked at installing some serious commercial quality whole house surge and spike protection at the subpanel box, but there were so many other ways for surges and/or spikes to enter the system (antenna/cable/phone/satellite/other AC circuit connections), it made more sense to do it up front at the main box. Although that's something I'd still like to do, I haven't done it yet.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions.

Cheers,
Tom

Freemand,

Rick Schultz and my electrician recomended splitting the electrical system into two separate systems just behind the meter, 1 for the house and the other for the AV. We used a 200-amp breaker for the house and a 100-amp breaker for the AV. The breaker box for the house is in the garage only a foot from the 200-amp breaker and the breaker box for the AV is in the closet next to the AV wall. That way nasties from the AC system, stove, computers, printers, etc. will not back upstream and infect the AV system.

Ed

Is the QO copper or aluminum buss bars?

I'm following this with great interest. I'm about to close a deal on a place with screw in fuses. I want to install the best breaker box I can find.

John C.

Thanks guys,

How about setting the box up. My guess is the main power coming into the house would go to the box for the audio, and then into the box that runs the rest of the house. I would guess having it a couple feet away from the house breaker box may be a good idea.

I had the same experience as Tcowden and went with a dedicated Square D QO box and breakers as well.

This year was the third time that I have installed dedicated circuits in a house for my system. This time, I not only went with a separate dedicated better quality panel and breakers, I split the electrical system a few inches past the meter into a 200-amp house system and a 100-amp AV system. The dedicated AV cable from the meter to the AV breaker panel is an 85-foot length of armored 0-awg copper cable cooked and cryo'd by Virtual Dynamics and the 5 dedicated cables from the AV breaker panel are armored 10-awg cables to the Virtual Dynamics cooked and cryo'd Hubble hospital receptacles (1 for each of the mono blocks, 1 for the analog gear, 1 for the digital gear and 1 for the projector. The 0-awg cable (expensive) was used primarily to prevent a voltage drop on such a long run.

This was not inexpensive, but the result is well worth the cost. It took my system to a level I have not previously experienced in terms of how silent the system is save for the actual music. The system is very relaxed and powerful, but the thing everyone notices is the width and depth of the soundstage, 3 diminsional imaging of every voice and instrument, the clarity of low level detail and the extended decay of notes, the easy ability to distinguish different guitars and strings. I cannot recommend this dedicated cabling too highly.

Best,

Ed

I don't think the Isoclean is available yet. (At least it wasn't when I last checked.)Call them directly if you can to find out about it.

I put in a subpanel for my audio/video equipment last summer and looked into audio-quality alternatives at that time. Unfortunately I really didn't find any (and the one I found was ridiculously overpriced) so I just went with a 12 circuit, 125 amp, Square D QO series breaker box. It's a better quality Square D box than the homevalue line that the Depot sells.

FYI - CYA - Most local ordinances require a permit for adding a subpanel, so getting the permit, hiring a qualified electrician and doing it to code is HIGHLY recommended. Your home's insurance company will also be happier that way.

Cheers,
Tom

Isoclean has a megabux fuse box but I dont see it on thier site. Check out Hi end palace's homepage here on agon and go to the 2nd page of the 2006 stereophile show.