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PC & Dedicated Power Lines Questions

I'm about ready to upgrade my powerlines with dedicated 10awg 20A runs. To see what's in my system, click "system". I have just added a Shunyata Hydra 8, but haven't upgraded it's power cord yet (thought I'd make my own). A little background, I'm a electronic tech and I work on big servo looped systems (CNC mills, stretch presses that are analog feedback). So I know how important it is for good cableing with no noise. Most my power cords are DIY with either 10AWG wire or beldon 83803 with Oyaide P/C-79 connectors. My amps still have the OEM cords for now untill I get my incoming power straightened out.
Question 1) I was going to add 3 incoming lines with 10AWG wire on 20A curcuits off of the same leg or phase. One for each mono amp (might add my soround amps on them too) and a third to power all the front end stuff including a TV. Is this overkill? Should I just plug the hydra in my already supplied 15A line (it has a pass-Seymour outlet) and just add dedicated power for my amps?
Question 2) Power Cords. I just can't beleave the cost of these!! I can get hi quality fine strand 10awg copper twisted 4 conductor cable for free. I also have a bunch of 5 cond 16awg twisted with sheild. I was tempted to make power cords for my amps and Hydra from this and I have made some power strips already with Oyaide and Pass & Seymour outlets (see my system for pic under Oyaide). The Beldon 83803 is a PITA to work with and in my field it is considered cheap cable. I'm suriosly looking at VH Audio Flavor 4 DIY cords with Oyaide connectors. Flovor 4 for amps and Flavor 2 fro my Preamp. I have a sheilded beldon on my CD player now. What are your thoughts?? What PC cord should I use for the Hydra, was going to buy a used Shunyata Python Alpha, but just thinking of making a flavor 4 for it? Sorry for the long post but am curious to opinions. Thanks.
Scott
sgsoundnut
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
I usually unplug things also when the power goes out, but if I'm not home I can't do that. We dodn't have to many problems with lightning. Nothing like the mid west, lightning usually strikes in the mountians here and causes fires. It's the wind. When it gets windy, trees (lots of trees around here)get blown on lines. It's the power bumps from transormers blowing or when the power comes back on that I worry about.

Wow struck by lightning twice??
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Sgsoundnut, this was over a 30 year period. We have recently been twice missed by tornados by less than a block in one case and by being jumped over in another. Neither did anything to our electricity. Obviously, wind is a problem here but seldom affects our electricity. Good tree trimming I guess is responsible.
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
I live along the foothills of the Cascade Mountian Range. There is allot of thick tree growth. When it gets real windy, which for some reason the last couple of years have been bad, it blows trees down, especially if its freezing. Mostly big fir trees, but it takes them down all over the western state. No Tornados though, wow that sounds like you had a close call there. I guess it would be more like a Huricane type of storm that is the worst we get. I just know from my job experience allot of electrical gets taken out due to bumps and surges, especially when the power comes back on and than goes back off. Most power sub stations breakers will trip and then auto reset 3 times before the open up completely. So your electronic stuff gets hamored while the power is cycling. I had a Panamax that would reamin powered off for one minute untill incomeing power was stable. It was a nice feature.
Scott
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
UPDATE: Bought 3 Porter Ports. Went to install one in the outlet my amps are running off of and found a nice surprise. It was a 12 AWG 20A circuit tied to my dishwasher??? Don't know why it was wired like that. I decided I'd do a comparison, the porter (on a 12 AWG 20A circuit) to a Pass & Seymour on a 15A (14 AWG) circuit. I must admit I was skeptical an outlet would make a difference, but was I surprised. I listened for awhile with it in the Pass & Seymour than plugged the amps into the Porter Port and I was shocked. The first thing I noticed was the treble!! Everything seemed clean, than I turned it up with some Peter Gabriel. I couldn’t believe the sub bass output!! I swapped back and forth a few times. It seemed the like I changed the volume level when it was in the porter Port, but I never touched it. It was cleaner clearer sound. I’m sure the 12 AWG wire made some difference too as it is basically a dedicated circuit. These are a must buy for anyone. I will buy more as I have a few home-brewed power strips I made with 10 AWG wire and gold Oyaide (spelling??) connectors. These are a must buy, for $38.00!!!
sherod
1,690 posts
 
Your Porterports will actually improve in performance with a few more days of break-in. Especially being cryo'd, they need to go through a brief burn-in period. Enjoy.
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