Many of you may know the member from this forum Carltos Cool, well what you may not know is that in his bedroom he's got a whole load of electrical appliances plugged into one socket by use of extensions.

Now I have one of these extension bars that allow you to use 4 plugs on one mains socket, but the load should not exceed 13amps.

However he has a "5 in one" bar, on that bar he has 4 appliances plugged in (PC, Cable Modem, TV and speakers), the other plug on this bar leads to another bar, this one has 4 more appliances on (External HD, Monitor, Clock, Printer). These bars strongly say on the back "Total Load must not exceed 13 amps", now with the total load of the two interlinked bars he has an estimated usage of 27amps, and he uses these devices all at once at times.

In case I haven't explained this well enough, here's a diagram.


And here's an image of the deathrig (the name I gave it) in operation
.

Now he wants to add a third bar on this line for more appliances (likely his DVD Recorder and PS2 I'm not sure).
His appliances are already making funny noises (his PC makes a funny sparky sound).
And he has started having random power cuts since he made the "deathrig".

Now, the reason I'm posting this here. I know a lot of very intelligent people here (many studying this sort of thing), and I was hoping they would be able to explain how this is possible, that an estimated 27amps can be used on something designed for 13amps.

He's using the standard UK mains to power the deathrig.

Yes that is accurate...apart from maybe change the speaker set for the more commly based PS2.

Now this has come to my attention I don't know what to do because as stated above I sometimes use them all at once.

Indeed I have had some dodgy things happening but i've had this "rig" for a year now...surely this can't be that bad.

* _Humphreys crosses fingers.

I have My

• Xbox
  
• TV
  
• Lamp
  
• Phone
  
• Speakers
  
• Screen
  
• Computer
  
• Satellite
  
• Scanner

lmfao ... ive got 2 4 way sockets... but each going into seperate mains sockets...

that it says 27 amps is just that if you exceed it it can burn, or short circuit because the wires are'nt designed for that load.
He can use it like that, but the risk of it short circuting, and getting something on fire is always there.

quote:

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Originally posted by damm-o
that it says 27 amps is just that if you exceed it it can burn, or short circuit because the wires are'nt designed for that load.

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I've changed it now so both mains are taking equal amounts.

Both power bars said do not exceed 13 amps.

quote:

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Originally posted by Carltos Cool
I've changed it now so both mains are taking equal amounts.

Both power bars said do not exceed 13 amps.

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I have two sockets in the mains so I plugged on bar in the first socket and the second bar in the other socket.

i have a 2 > 6 connector in my outlet filled up, and a power bar plugged into that, and another plugged into that. also, my room has four outlets that are all split up. one has a light plugged in, one has another 2>6 connector filled up with a 3-outlet extension cord connected also, and one is empty. the two power bars are full. i've never had dodgy problems like that.

Sweet merciful crap! Are you insane man?! You should never piggyback Powerbars. Not even surge protectors. The limit is set for a reason. If you are pull too much of a current through the wires, they can heat up and cause a fire. Also, any surge protection that you may have had is now gone!

Think of the current as water, and the cable as the canal. Too much water going through the canal, and the water will spill over and damage everything around it!

Count yourself lucky that your pad or your flat haven't caught fire yet!

Good gawd man!

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Originally posted by ShawnZ
i've never had dodgy problems like that.

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I'm using so much power I'm using more than one circuit breaker (Thanks Ghost_Stalker )

One from the first floor and the other one from the kitchen

Just so I don't have to make a "deathrig"

ya, its called a Circuit Breaker

i could swear that a standard cuirciut breaker in canada was rated for 15 amps.. for whatever series of plugs was on that cuircuit. Plugging all those things into one bar cant be safe.

and i thought my daisy-chaining was excessive.

lizard, that is correct, a standard Circuit Breaker in Canada is 15amps, but you can get 20, 25, 30, and up

Also, note that even though you may have everything turned on it will not always be drawing the rated current. For example, your speakers will be drawing the maximum current when the volume on them is maxed out only. Even then I can't understand how they claim to draw so much current besides the PC, Monitor, TV and Speakers the rest seemingly should draw a minimum current; my Altec Lansings draw a maximum current of 2A. So I don't understand how they can draw so much. And if indeed they are you should be able to feel it by touching the lead going to the main as it should heat up quite substantially.

On that note your second power board forms a loop in the picture. This is a major no-no, when wire is looped like that it forms an induction coil which might be causing your strange problems.

Just thought it through a bit more thoroughly:
It probably has to do with the power in the UK being 110V (AUS being 240V) but that still doesn't fit into my rudimentary High School physics formula V=IR, if resistance is constant then halving Voltage should halve Current. Somebody with better physics knowledge might be able to explain.

uk is 220-240v, north america is 110-120v

The number of amps written means the number of amps needed to turn on the object. That your tv uses i dunno.. a peak of 5 amps when turned on,   the amps needed  to work when it is already on will be less than the peak (max amps used to turn on).
* Voldemort thinks we need cookie
* Voldemort summons cookie
* Voldemort thinks that if someone doesnt get it he will write a longer explanation.

Good point damm-o your quite right when u turn something on it does draw more current. You can try this by plugging in a light then switching on a high power device, the light should dim for a fraction of a second.

edit: Just noticed Saints Deathrig Version 2 now that is some dangerous stuff... notice the mass of coiled up leads. If that were to have a large current through it I think it would get very hot.

Do you people not have more than one outlet in you room? o.O

What did you use to measure the number of amps currently in use?

Like with Shawnz, I have 2x 6 power boards here over at my computer, then another 6 plug powerboard over on my desk to power everything. I do not exceed 10 amps.

Standard housing circuits (well the wires) are designed to carry max 15 amps at full load (they say 10, but the majority will handle more than that). The reason why you do get circuit breakers of higher than that is because of each individual wire can carry that amount (though I VERY MUCH doubt, you have anything higher than a 20 amp circuit breaker - apart from maybe an oven).

Simple rule is, he isn't using 27 amps of power. What you listed wouldn't add up to more than 10. Things like external HDD's with transformers, clocks,  and possibly the modem wouldn't even use 1 amp combined.

Try this:
- Laptop
- Main PC
- Linux Server
- CRT Monitor
- Speakers
- TV
- Desk Lamp
-External HDD
- Home phones
- Printer
- Misc stuff.

Then on the other side of the room (same circuit):
- Windows server
- Home theatre amp
- 15" LCD
- Network switch
- Wireless access point
- Mobile phone charger.

That is all on the one circuit, nothing is overloaded - oh also, I share a common circuit with the study part of our house as well as one of my brothers.

if you really wanna know you should get something like a kill-a-watt and then monitor your desk cuircuits and stuff. i'm not sure if that will work with the uk-style plugs thoug.

Well, since I evened them out (the power bars) I no longer have any strange noises coming from my pc at night.

I used to have to plug my plugs out of the bars due to it but now it's fine.

Afaik any small problem could easily cause a fire in this case. shorting out or a burnt fuse or something is quite probable afaik but thats all that i know

My suggestion is, re think this I would'nt want a fire starting, move things around a little, or get another plug point. I only use 2 plus for my computer.

Yeah thanks Absorbation but I have it sorted now my set-up is one power bar per mains socket.

So I have one power bar on one mains plug and another power bar on the other mains plug.

Since I re-arranged them I no longer have strange sounds coming from my PC at night, which is a good thing.

this is my set-up

quote:

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Originally posted by illuzn
On that note your second power board forms a loop in the picture. This is a major no-no, when wire is looped like that it forms an induction coil which might be causing your strange problems.

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quote:

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Originally posted by illuzn
doesn't fit into my rudimentary High School physics formula V=IR, if resistance is constant then halving Voltage should halve Current. Somebody with better physics knowledge might be able to explain.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Chris Boulton
Simple rule is, he isn't using 27 amps of power. What you listed wouldn't add up to more than 10. Things like external HDD's with transformers, clocks,  and possibly the modem wouldn't even use 1 amp combined.

Try this:
- Laptop
- Main PC
- Linux Server
- CRT Monitor
- Speakers
- TV
- Desk Lamp
-External HDD
- Home phones
- Printer
- Misc stuff.

Then on the other side of the room (same circuit):
- Windows server
- Home theatre amp
- 15" LCD
- Network switch
- Wireless access point
- Mobile phone charger.

That is all on the one circuit, nothing is overloaded - oh also, I share a common circuit with the study part of our house as well as one of my brothers.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Fukafly
this is my set-up

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quote:

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Originally posted by lizard.boy
if you really wanna know you should get something like a kill-a-watt and then monitor your desk cuircuits and stuff. i'm not sure if that will work with the uk-style plugs thoug.

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quote:

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Originally posted by damm-o
Thats how many watts are used, here the problem are the amps

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