Last weekend I just finished installing a subpanel with eight dedicated 10 ga. 20 amp lines to power my stereo and HT. Most normal people would hire an electrician. However for ~350$ in materials, and around four days labor, this has been one of the most cost effective upgrades that I have made to date.
It took quite a bit of planning, care, and labor...
1) Map all house circuits, move noisy appliances (like refrigerators, microwave, furnace, etc.) to the phase not used by the stereo/HT.
2) Make room at the top of the service panel bus bars for two sets of bipole breakers, arranged left to right so that one breaker from each set is connected to the same phase tab(this allows two 50 amp breakers on the same phase, and first dibs on incomming power).
3) Tighten all grounds and neutrals in the main panel.
4) Replace the service panel ground wire with bare 4 ga stranded wire, clean connections on grounding rod.
5) Run 80' of 3 wire 6 ga. Romex cable to oppisite corner in the basement, and connect to Square D sub panel (keep ground and neutral separated, common ground back at the main panel).
6) Prepare 8 30' runs of 10 ga. Romex, bundle together, number each wire at both ends, and hold together with nylon wire ties.
7) Bore access holes in joists and sill plates, run dedicated lines to listening room (cross base access only).
8) Install receptacle boxes in walls (after removing all equipment and racking)
9) Clean and install breakers in subpanel, map dedicated lines, balance load, and connect at subpanel.
10) Install receptacles and face plates.
11) Test power, polarity, and grounds.
12) Reinstall racking, equipment, rout cables.
It took quite a bit of planning, care, and labor...
1) Map all house circuits, move noisy appliances (like refrigerators, microwave, furnace, etc.) to the phase not used by the stereo/HT.
2) Make room at the top of the service panel bus bars for two sets of bipole breakers, arranged left to right so that one breaker from each set is connected to the same phase tab(this allows two 50 amp breakers on the same phase, and first dibs on incomming power).
3) Tighten all grounds and neutrals in the main panel.
4) Replace the service panel ground wire with bare 4 ga stranded wire, clean connections on grounding rod.
5) Run 80' of 3 wire 6 ga. Romex cable to oppisite corner in the basement, and connect to Square D sub panel (keep ground and neutral separated, common ground back at the main panel).
6) Prepare 8 30' runs of 10 ga. Romex, bundle together, number each wire at both ends, and hold together with nylon wire ties.
7) Bore access holes in joists and sill plates, run dedicated lines to listening room (cross base access only).
8) Install receptacle boxes in walls (after removing all equipment and racking)
9) Clean and install breakers in subpanel, map dedicated lines, balance load, and connect at subpanel.
10) Install receptacles and face plates.
11) Test power, polarity, and grounds.
12) Reinstall racking, equipment, rout cables.