2. cables
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confused about 20 amp power cables

I've recently acquired a pre-owned T+A PA 3100 HV integrated and this is my first exposure to a 20 amp power cable. The supplied cable has what I think is a C19 IEC connector (20 A) on the amp end, but the connector on the wall side has parallel hot and neutral blades as opposed to the 20 amp T blades. Is that end really rated at 20A? 

I have a dedicated 110V 20 amp circuit with 20 A receptacles, but is about 10 ft from my equipment. I am currently plugging the amp's supplied cable into an Oyaide OCB-1 SX V2 power conditioner which is plugged into the 20A wall receptical. The wall plug on the Oyaide appears to be a 15A plug and the  4 distributed receptacles are not 20A  and I assume they are rated for 15A. Is this dangerous to have this 15A section between wall and amp?

Would I be better off, or safer to find a 20A extension cable so I could plug the amp directly into the wall?  I've recently started building my own PCs and could make a 10 ft one with C19 on one end and 20A wall plug on the wall side ( ouch for wire cost for 10ft).  I know that its unlikely the amp will ever draw more than 15A. 

Any suggestions would be helpful!

mintakax
jea48
4,651 posts
 

@mintakax said:

Thanks!  I believe the wire was 12AWG and the run is roughly 60ft.  Most of the advice I've received has been to plug the amp into the 20A wall outlet.

Hindsight is 2020. I wish I had asked you earlier in the thread about the AWG wire size of the branch circuit wiring. Especially before you had, bought, a 10ft 10AWG power cord made.

  60ft 12ga branch circuit wiring feeding the PA 3100 HV integrated amp may be sounding fine, good, to your ears. That is all that really matters.

(#12AWG is the bare minimum required for a 20A branch circuit.)

IF you ever decide to have another 120V 20A dedicated branch circuit installed for a 60ft - 70ft run, I would recommend using solid core #10AWG wire.

My first preference is 10/2 Solid core MC (Metal Clad) aluminum armored cable. Second choice is 10/2 NM sheathed Cable. (Romex, Trade Name). 

FYI, the circuit breaker will be 20A. The circuit breaker determines the size, amperage rating, of the branch circuit. Therein even if the branch circuit wiring is #10AWG the circuit breaker cannot be bigger than 20A. The connected 20A duplex wall outlet is Listed for use on a 20A circuit only. Cannot be installed on a 30A circuit.

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mintakax's avatar
mintakax OP
39 posts
 

No worries!  Are you saying the 10AWG power cord could have been 12 AWG and would have been less expensive? 

 

jea48
4,651 posts
 

@mintakax said:

Are you saying the 10AWG power cord could have been 12 AWG and would have been less expensive?

No, not saying that at all.

My thinking was, If I had ask about the size of the wiring of the existing 20A dedicated branch circuit, before you bought the 10ft power cord, and I found it was #12awg 60ft long, I would have recommended you have a new 20A dedicated branch circuit installed using #10AWG solid wire installed closer to your audio system. Forget buying a 10ft power cord and use the money instead toward the cost of a new 20A dedicated branch circuit for the PA 3100 HV integrated amp.

You could have hired the electrician to extend the existing 20A dedicated branch circuit closer to your audio system equipment for any digital equipment you have. Including any SMPS equipment you have.

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carlsbad2's avatar
carlsbad2
2,023 posts
 

So you have a dedicated 20A outlet.  Your amp is one of the very few that needs a 20A supply.  Yet you wonder if it is ok to use a 15 amp circuit.  Maybe it is.  but why not just do it right.  Replace the cord on your amp with a cord long enough to plug into the 20A outlet.  

Always avoid extension cords, even if they have a long cool sounding name like "Oyaide OCB-1 SX V2".   

Jerry

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