You might consider first asking friends if they know of any electricians that have done good work for them in the past. If you've never tapped into nextdoor.com, you might also consider posting on that website and asking for suggestions on reputable local electricians in the area. You definitely want to hire a certified, insured and bonded (if possible) electrician to perform this work.
Showing 10 responses by dpop
@sgreg1 >>>You live in CA. If you go by the book you will need to pull permit, have three inspections, and an environment impact study done before any work. You will be in at 5K before they touch any wire.<<< An excellent point indeed. I've heard all about it on Real Time with Bill Maher (how he tried to install solar power, and all of the hoops he had to jump through). We haven't heard from Zee (zensview) in a while, so we really don't know how capable he (assuming here) is of doing this work himself. |
@mikempls Hmmm, this is just me, but I personally have a little bit of a problem with installing 30 amp circuits for audio equipment protection. Even though almost all audio equipment has its own internal fuse or circuit breaker, from gut instinct, it still just doesn't sit well with me (especially when feeding a 15 or 20 amp receptacle). To me, the 30 amp breaker allows just a bit too much headroom for protection, if a piece of equipment blows up. I get what you're trying to accomplish (providing low resistance current availability wiring), but I don't see how it even passes code to begin with. Here's what I have done for my power amplifier branch circuit, and even *this* wouldn't pass NEC code, but I still feel it keeps equipment protection a bit more in check (even though, again, almost every piece of audio equipment has its own internal circuit breaker or fuse). 1) 15 or 20 amp breaker in load center (circuit breaker box). 2) #10 AWG wire to outlet box 3) depending on what size breaker (15 or 20 amp) was used, provide the same rated outlet receptacle 4) since it's not very easy attaching #10 wires to an outlet, those wires get capped in the outlet box (using AlumiConn lugs - make sure to torque them correctly), and transferred to 6" #12 pigtails, to then attach to the outlet. I personally don't have a problem with short distance smaller gauge pigtails. It's the 30 amp breaker I have a bit of a problem with, and the lower current rated outlets attached to it. AlumiConn's are my most favorite wire cap - in all situations. They are a bit pricey, and may have to be special ordered, but I feel are worth every cent. When installing the AlumiConn's, if you don't already own one, you must also purchase a reputable torque driver (this is a must). @steeveb >>>The 2 hot wires share the neutral and allow the loads to cancel each other out.<<< I completely forgot about this. Thanks for the reminder. |
@steeveb @jea48 >>>The two hot conductors must be fed from opposite legs. One from Line 1 and the other from Line 2.<<< Even though steeveb failed to mention that in his post (I’m sure he just forgot), it would be a must in the 3-wire hookup that he described. You would never ever want to have two dedicated 15 or 20 amp branch circuits, on the same leg, sharing the same neutral (unless it was over-sized, but don’t even go there). Here are some great white pages put out by Middle Atlantic. Pay special attention to Middle Atlantic’s page 12 of the booklet (AC-HCF). If you’re looking to wire up a branch circuit for audio, AC-HCF is the wiring I would highly recommend using. Obviously some, due to existing building construction, won't be able to utilize this particular cable, but if and when possible, use AC-HCF (with isolated ground outlets) for your audio branch circuits, as it just doesn't currently get any better. Taking that even a step further, it would probably make sense to have a separate dedicated branch circuit just for your power amps, and one for your front end gear. Optimized Power Distribution and Grounding for Audio, Video and Electronic Systems
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Another tip for you; when establishing these new circuits for audio, be sure to protect them with the latest dual-function GFCI/AFCI circuit breakers. Combination Arc-Fault Circuit-Breaker VS. Dual Function: Arc-Fault/GFCI Circuit-Breaker |
@raam Just to clarify, AC-HCF is considered better than EMT (see the chart on Middle Atlantic's page 13). AC-HCF is considered a 1/2" (depending on gauge of wire) steel-clad MC. Optimized Power Distribution and Grounding for Audio, Video and Electronic Systems |
Not when tied together, and spaced (a good rule of thumb is the length of the rods) equally apart from each other. I admit (most don’t know this), ground rods *are mainly there* for (discharging) lightning strikes. Having been a Radio Broadcast Engineer for over 3 decades, I’ve always dealt with lightning, lightning strikes and lightning damage (oh what fun; but really, what an experience!), with those big lightning rods (towers) sticking straight up into the sky. I think what confuses many is when they start beefing up their ground rods, they’re most times simultaneously also beefing up (without realizing it) their audio system grounding and bonding infrastructure; hence the perceived and achieved lower noise floors.
You do realize this hobby is about excess, headroom and overkill, right? 😉 |