Wiring 2 outlets to 2 dedicated 20 amp circuits with a single 10/3 electrical wire.

@emergingsoul said:

And because of the push pull action of the circuit because it’s on alternate phases the neutral wire has no current.

Not exactly...

Only the unbalanced 120V loads of L1 & L2 returns on the neutral conductor to the source. The balanced 120V loads of L1 & L2 are in series with one another and fed by 240V.

Example:

Say L1 120V load is 2 amps and L2 120V load is 6 amps. 2 amps is the balanced load. The difference of 6A minus 2A = 4A. 4A is the unbalanced load and returns on the neutral conductor to the source.

The L1 120V 2A load represents digital equipment.

The L2 120V 6A load represents a preamp and power amp.

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JEA48..Help me with this ,please

It’s actually worse than installing two 120V dedicated circuits and terminating on breakers from Both Line 1, leg, and Line 2, leg instead of installing both on the same Line, leg.

So, are you saying both circuits should be run from the same leg on the panel rather than one circuit on each leg?

I plan on running two 12/2 - 20amp circuits, 24’ and terminate in two quad outlet boxes......Yes/OK?

And, if I’m running two 12/2, should the run side by side, be spaced a certain distance apart or be twisted over the 24’ length?

Thanks in Advance!

My three takeaways on this thread:

One - to the layman electricity can be confusing and strange and yes electricity can do some unexpected or difficult to explain or even outright bizarre things in certain circumstances.

Two - the layman that wants to understand a particular electrical question really needs some Electricity 101 before getting an in depth technical explanation. The layman has too many misconceptions and misunderstandings about electricity that need clearing away before technical explanations begin. The OP finally started to grasp the issue once he started to understand that split phase transformer that supplies the power to his house.

Three - if the expert explains that choice A is not ideal and that choice B is the way to go, take his word for it. The recommendations byJEA48 in this thread are exactly what was done for my two dedicated power lines a few years ago.

Two - the layman that wants to understand a particular electrical question really needs some Electricity 101 before getting an in depth technical explanation. The layman has too many misconceptions and misunderstandings about electricity that need clearing away before technical explanations begin.

I would agree with that.  I try to do electrical the way people who know tell me it should be done even if I don't understand why.

@rbertalotto said:

So, are you saying both circuits should be run from the same leg on the panel rather than one circuit on each leg?

I plan on running two 12/2 - 20amp circuits, 24’ and terminate in two quad outlet boxes......Yes/OK?

And, if I’m running two 12/2, should the run side by side, be spaced a certain distance apart

 

Yes to all the above.

A true dedicated branch circuit does not share a raceway, (conduit), or cable with other branch circuits.

Current carrying conductors from one branch circuit can induce a voltage onto the conductors of other branch circuits. Therein if there is noise on one circuit it could be induced, transferred, onto other circuit(s). Same reasoning is used for keeping parallel running Romex dedicated branch circuits spaced apart, away, from one another. That includes keeping audio dedicated branch circuits spaced away from existing parallel running branch circuits. Especially Lighting branch circuit using dimmers and or LED lights...

 

It has been an accepted norm for years multiple audio equipment dedicated circuits should be fed from breakers fed from the same Line, leg.

 

"Less than 300 microamps of ground loop current can cause hum as it flows in an unbalanced audio interconnect cable. However, harmonics of 60Hz that are generated from lighting dimmers or switch-mode power supplies sound like Buzzz mixed with a bit of Hummm and are more easily coupled by even smaller currents. Harmonics can add together when equipment is powered from different phases, so clearly there is an advantage to specifying same-phase electrical service to power the electronics systems in most cases....

Any leakage currents on the safety ground wires of split single phase load circuits fed by different phase legs will add together due to the 240V potential difference....

Power conditioners do not solve any of these common problems: Cross phase coupling (doubles hums & buzzes) .... What actually does solve them: Same phase power.
http://www.exactpower.com/elite/assets/pdfs/theTRUTH.pdf

Also for reasons stated in this thread.

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FWIW, my guess would be most audiophiles have more than one dedicated branch circuit installed to help decouple the power supplies of equipment from one another. Especially digital equipment from analog equipment. Also SMPS from linear power supply analog equipment. Add up all the equipment FLA, VA, wattage, in most cases the combined total load of all the equipment is less that 8 to 10 amps, 960W to 1200W. 80% of a 20 amp circuit is 16 amps, 1920 watts.

 

As for this:

or be twisted over the 24’ length?

I would not deliberately twist Romex. Doing so will change the lay, geometry, of the way the bare equipment ground wire is placed between the Hot and neutral current carrying conductors. Altering the placement of the bare ground wire between the Hot and neutral current carrying conductors may cause a greater chance of an induced voltage onto the ground wire causing 60Hz ground loop hum and or 60Hz buzz.

When you read where it is recommended to twist conductors together that is for single Hot and neutral current carrying conductors that will be installed in a raceway, conduit. The insulated equipment ground conductor is installed straight along side the twisted pair.

I would recommend 10/2 MC, (Metal Clad) aluminum armored cable over NM sheathed Cable,(Romex). The Hot, Neutral, and insulated green equipment ground, conductors are tightly twisted in a spiral the entire length of the MC cable. The aluminum armor tightly holds the twist of the conductors together. The aluminum armor also helps reject RFI.

Integrating Electronic Equipment and Power ... - Ground One

Read pages 11,12, 13

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A Licensed Electrician is recommended for the installation of MC cable. It’s not for a layman to install. The AL armor must be properly cut to expose the insulated conductors for make up to the box connector. Proper methods must be followed so as to not damage the insulation covering the conductors when removing the AL armor. A red UL approved pvc insulator must also be properly inserted/installed between the AL armor and conductors. Hire an Electrician...

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