Text 8923, 68 rader
Skriven 2006-12-17 10:54:22 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av GLEN JAMIESON
Ärende: HOW TO GET A FRIDGE61216
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GJ> Was there some reason you couldn't use a double or triple adaptor
GJ> plugged into one outlet.  I would have thought that a refrigerator
GJ> plus bedroom lights would not overload one circuit.

The original house circuits were already taxed.

The house has full 100 amp service coming in, and a modern service
panel with circuit breakers not fuses.  So far, no problem.  However,
when we moved in, there were only three circuits in the entire
house.

1. 15 amp - furnace blower & thermostat, sump pump.

2. 20 amp - Living room ceiling fixture, parlour ceiling fixture,
   a single-position outlet in the kitchen above the wainscot by
   the kitchen door.

3. 20 amp - All electrical outlets on the first floor save the 
   aforementioned one in the kitchen, all lighting on  second and
   third floor, all lighting in kitchen, bathroom, pantry, cellar,
   porches.

That's it.  Although the existing wiring is on 20 amp circuits, and 
the wiring should by code have enough ampacity to handle the loads,
some of the wiring is metal-shielded BMX that is up to 60 years old
and not inherently trustworthy.  That's why I've been running new
stuff and taking the old outlets out of commission.

In the old house, we had some difficulty with current draw on
individual circuits.  The microwave, for example, would take a long
time to bring things to the proper heat because it shared a circuit
with the refrigerator and the lights in the kitchen and if the
fridge compressor kicked in at the same time the microwave was on,
the lights would dim a little. [g], but I'm not kidding.  So I
decided that since I have a more or less "clean slate" here, I 
would run wiring where needed and use as many dedicated circuits as
I wanted.  It doesn't matter if I have 100 amp service and ten
20-amp circuits totalling 200 amps, because it's the actual load
that counts, and I'm sort of overengineering so I don't have issues
later.

DS> It's fun working in the panel in the middle of the night with
DS> a flashlight in your mouth. [g]
 
GJ> I think you are overly considerate for your family.  
GJ> I would have done it by daylight and let them go without 
GJ> TV or computer for an hour or 2.

The very first one I did took some time, because I was carefully
"feeling my way" in relatively unfamiliar territory, never having
done any electrical work like this before.  It's much easier now
and even with the flashlight it only takes about 10 - 15 minutes
to actually make the connections.

GJ> Being somewhat curious as to the different US standards for 
GJ> electrical wiring, do you have an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker 
GJ> to protect against electrocution?  Here they are compulsory 
GJ> in all new houses, and recommended for fitting to older houses.

Individual outlets?  We call them GFI outlets (Ground Fault
Interruptors) and they are required on all outlets within a certain
distance of water (sinks, toilets, tubs etc.)  I'm retrofitting
them in as needed.

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