Dedicated Power Lines

Jea..., I tried cutting through the NEC material. Have to admit, I got lost. As I said, I will hire a licensed electrician to install separate lines from the circuit box, or a "satellite" box off the mains to run discrete and separate lines. If I got anything off the web site, I should run single phase Romex (1 hot, 1 neutral and 1 ground). What I'm still confused about is whether I should run hot wires from both sides of the box. My concern is whether powering my gear with different phase hots could in some way change the output phase of my gear.

There is a difference between a dedicated line and clean power. A dedicated line will suffice in most home owners audio setup, but 'clean power' is something to consider if you have a large amount of dinero into your audio equipment.

Clean power vs dirty power...clean power will always be a line from the main panel to a transformer then to the sub panel with isolated grounds then to the equipment.

I totally agree with MinorL every electrician I've worked with and talked to all say the same thing. This topic has been going on for years where other electricians have said more or less the same thing. I recall one electrician was so frustrated that in his last post he explained again the proper way to install a dedicated panel in a breaker panel, but no sooner his post was posted, these people with probably no qualifications post the same misguided information. You can check my post under "Dedicated power line for audio equipment". With this setup you will have a solid foundation to start with. The most important part of the installation is the wiring techniques I've developed.
I will share this for now, use 10 gauge stranded THHN wire, red insulation for the hot, white insulation for the neutral (return) and green insulation for the ground, no romex please.

MinorL if you are interested I'll be more than happy to discuss this topic with you.

Btselect

Foster_9,

I can only give you general advice. The electrician you hire will know what he must do to meet the minimum electrical code standards in your area.

Note I said minimum. You can go overboard as much as you can afford.

12 gauge or 10 gauge? Short runs 12 is probably more than adequate. But if you go with 10 gauge you will never wonder what if.....

Tell the electrician you want two 20 amp 120V dedicated branch circuits installed.

NM-B, (Romex is a trade name), if possible.

The electrician should be able to keep the two cable runs fairly close in length with one another. Some separation between the two cables for long parallel distances if possible.

Plastic cut in boxes if possible. Two separate boxes. Not a 2 gang box. Just in case of a wall wart power supply, physical size.

I assume your home is wood studs with drywall.

Tell him you want both hot conductors of the branch circuits connected to 20 amp branch circuit breakers fed from the same Line, leg, in the panel.
To verify after the installation is completed and power is turned on have the electrician show you both circuits are fed from the same Line, leg, by measuring for voltage from the hot contacts from one duplex receptacle to the other duplex receptacles.
Same Line, leg, zero volts. Off each Line, leg, 240V.

If possible the breakers should be located away from known noisy load breakers. Example, Furnace, laundry, sump pump, Microwave, ect.

Forget about asking the electrician to move all noisy loads to one Line and put your new dedicated circuits on the other. If he is a licensed electrician worth his salt he will tell you no he cannot do that. Nor would you want him to.

If the main disconnect breaker is installed in the panel the new branch circuits will be fed from ask him if he can keep the neutral and equipment grounds grouped close together on the same neutral/ground bar.
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Bifwynne,

I tried cutting through the NEC material. Have to admit, I got lost.
Bifwynne

LOL.

National Electrical Code 90.1 Purpose:
(A) Practical Safeguarding. The purpose of this Code is the practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity.

B) Adequacy. This Code contains provisions considered necessary for safety. Compliance therewith and proper maintenance results in an installation that is essentially free from hazard but not necessarily efficient, convenient, or adequate for good service or future expansion of electrical use.

FPN: Hazards often occur because of overloading of wiring systems by methods or usage not in conformity with this Code. This occurs because initial wiring did not provide for increases in the use of electricity. An initial adequate installation and reasonable provisions for system changes provide for increase in the use of electricity.

(C) Intention. This Code is not intended as a design specification or instruction manual for untrained persons.

(D) Relation to Other International Standards. The requirements in this Code address the fundamental principles of protection for safety contained in Section 131 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard 60364-1, Electrical Installation of Buildings.

FPN: IEC 60364-, Section 131, contains fundamental principles of protection for safety that encompass protection against electric shock, protection against thermal effects, protection against overcurrent, protection against fault currents, and protection against overvoltage. All of these potential hazards are addressed by the requirements in this Code.

Look Closely at Section (B) Adequacy it reads as follows: "Compliance therewith and proper maintenance results in an installation that is essentially free from hazard but not necessarily efficient, convenient, or adequate for good service or future expansion of electric use."

http://www.spgs-ground.com/information/-purpose-of-the-national-electrical-code

FPN:?
Are suggestions only.

Code is bare minimum electrical safety standards. NEC is not meant to be used as an instruction manual.

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What I'm still confused about is whether I should run hot wires from both sides of the box. My concern is whether powering my gear with different phase hots could in some way change the output phase of my gear.
Bifwynne

Either way it will not change the polarity or phase of the output of your gear.

I looked at your equipment. Everything added up, the total connected load can't be more than 10 or 12 amps continuous max. And that would be if you pushed the amp near full power.

Have the electrician feed the dedicated branch circuits from the same line, leg, of the panel.
You do not want a 240V potential, voltage, between the hots of your dedicated branch circuit receptacles where audio equipment will be be connected together by ICs. You want zero potential from hot to hot. And you will have zero if the branch circuits are fed from the same Line, leg of the electrical panel.
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