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PC & Dedicated Power Lines Questions

I'm about ready to upgrade my powerlines with dedicated 10awg 20A runs. To see what's in my system, click "system". I have just added a Shunyata Hydra 8, but haven't upgraded it's power cord yet (thought I'd make my own). A little background, I'm a electronic tech and I work on big servo looped systems (CNC mills, stretch presses that are analog feedback). So I know how important it is for good cableing with no noise. Most my power cords are DIY with either 10AWG wire or beldon 83803 with Oyaide P/C-79 connectors. My amps still have the OEM cords for now untill I get my incoming power straightened out.
Question 1) I was going to add 3 incoming lines with 10AWG wire on 20A curcuits off of the same leg or phase. One for each mono amp (might add my soround amps on them too) and a third to power all the front end stuff including a TV. Is this overkill? Should I just plug the hydra in my already supplied 15A line (it has a pass-Seymour outlet) and just add dedicated power for my amps?
Question 2) Power Cords. I just can't beleave the cost of these!! I can get hi quality fine strand 10awg copper twisted 4 conductor cable for free. I also have a bunch of 5 cond 16awg twisted with sheild. I was tempted to make power cords for my amps and Hydra from this and I have made some power strips already with Oyaide and Pass & Seymour outlets (see my system for pic under Oyaide). The Beldon 83803 is a PITA to work with and in my field it is considered cheap cable. I'm suriosly looking at VH Audio Flavor 4 DIY cords with Oyaide connectors. Flovor 4 for amps and Flavor 2 fro my Preamp. I have a sheilded beldon on my CD player now. What are your thoughts?? What PC cord should I use for the Hydra, was going to buy a used Shunyata Python Alpha, but just thinking of making a flavor 4 for it? Sorry for the long post but am curious to opinions. Thanks.
Scott
sgsoundnut
nsgarch's avatar
nsgarch
2,517 posts
 
Tbg: If your system is the one currently posted ;-) then I think you are doing the smart thing. I doesn't require high amperage; I'll bet it doesn't draw more than 500W with everything running. Grounding only the preamp (linestage) is a good way to insure lowest noise and hum (star grounding) and I totally agree, surge protectors ruin sonics and don't really protect anything from the kind of strikes that can cause real damage. If you live where there's lightening, unplug, unplug, unplug!!

IMO the only other thing one (might) need with a dedicated circuit(s) has to do with the quality of power being delivered by the utility company. If it isn't stable voltagewise, or carries noise in the line (not from your house) a regenerator is the only solution, not filter/conditioners.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Nsgarch, I do have the good fortune of having stable voltage. I borrowed a chart recorder from a friend in the EE department and monitored it for a week. It deviated .4 volts over the entire period. It is a municipal utility and has current equipment, but I was truly impressed. I have tried the PS Audio regenerators in their first version. Fortunately, I don't need them.

Thanks for the kind words.
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
I usually unplug things also when the power goes out, but if I'm not home I can't do that. We dodn't have to many problems with lightning. Nothing like the mid west, lightning usually strikes in the mountians here and causes fires. It's the wind. When it gets windy, trees (lots of trees around here)get blown on lines. It's the power bumps from transormers blowing or when the power comes back on that I worry about.

Wow struck by lightning twice??
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Sgsoundnut, this was over a 30 year period. We have recently been twice missed by tornados by less than a block in one case and by being jumped over in another. Neither did anything to our electricity. Obviously, wind is a problem here but seldom affects our electricity. Good tree trimming I guess is responsible.
sgsoundnut OP
17 posts
 
I live along the foothills of the Cascade Mountian Range. There is allot of thick tree growth. When it gets real windy, which for some reason the last couple of years have been bad, it blows trees down, especially if its freezing. Mostly big fir trees, but it takes them down all over the western state. No Tornados though, wow that sounds like you had a close call there. I guess it would be more like a Huricane type of storm that is the worst we get. I just know from my job experience allot of electrical gets taken out due to bumps and surges, especially when the power comes back on and than goes back off. Most power sub stations breakers will trip and then auto reset 3 times before the open up completely. So your electronic stuff gets hamored while the power is cycling. I had a Panamax that would reamin powered off for one minute untill incomeing power was stable. It was a nice feature.
Scott
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