Electrical question (1 Viewer)

[DerekCV]

I went through my circuit breakers and realized that all of my basement outlets are on 1 breaker, about 8 outlets and I think it is a 15amp breaker. I will be running a fridge, and a computer at least on the same breaker as the rest of the HT equipment and in the winter I might have a heater or 2 going, cause it can get pretty cold down there. Is this too much to do? I could run a new line to 2 outlets that will power the computer and HT stuff, but that will be the last spot availabe in my box. What are your opinion, seperate breaker or not???

Thanks.

 

[Colton]

How old is your home? Ours was built in 1982 and I'm already looking into upgrading our service from a 100 to a 200 amp system. Talk to a local electrician (professional) and have them do a load test on your existing service. Nothing worse than having power problems and brownouts during your opening night.

- Colton

 

[SteveLeach]

Heaters and a frig on the same circuit as a computer, let alone HT equipment. Each time the frig or heaters cycle or kick on. They will put a power spike on that circuit. If it were me, I'd be getting an electrician to look at things and see what they recommend.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

The heaters are especially troubling. Those things pull a lot of juice. I’ve seen that people trying to run two blow dryers on a bathroom circuit will usually trip the breaker; I imagine running two electric heaters will get the same result.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Gary Silverman]

You may be able to install 1/2" wafer or duplex breakers in 1" wide spaces, if your panel can accomodate them and if you don't already have them filling up your panel. That could possibly give you quite a few more circuits. You really do need extra circuits.
The computer and home theater should really have their own dedicated circuits.
A lot of heaters draw about 13 amps, enough to warrant a dedicated circuit for each one of them, too.

 

[Travis_R]

Yeah, you def want to get some more power in there, I am running a 20 amp breaker just for my stereo equipment, dont want any flickering lights or projectors