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AC Power - two circuits better than one?

Reorganizing my system starting from the wall receptacles (rewiring is not a possibility) but quickly ran into a conundrum. Is it better to source power for my audio system from several different circuits or one dedicated circuit?

More info: I have three possible options. Two 15 amp circuits (1 shared with a couple of lights the other with several wall receptacles including a pc) & one dedicated 20 amp circuit (but with only one single duplex outlet). I have mono blocks, power amp, preamps, digital & analog audio sources, & digital HT gear.

Should I distribute my system across these three circuits or try & source them all from the single dedicated 20 amp outlet? If distribute, what kind of break down makes sense?
salmonsc
jea48
2,944 posts
 
Actually, I had an electrician in on Friday - but as I wrote in my original post, rewiring is not a possibility. It's a very old house & not mine.
12-12-10: Salmonsc

Salmonsc,

It really would not technically be considered rewiring. All that would be done would be to move a wire from one breaker space in the electrical panel to another space.

12-12-10: Elizabeth
Usually it is not problem to have video equipment on the same outlet, as most folks are not using both at the same time.
(Though I watch some Sunday football games with the sound off while listening to my stereo)
I have a huge pile of stuff on one 15 amp outlet, and do not have a problem.
IF I were you, I would put ALL the amplifiers/preamp/ receiver? on the 20. and everything else on the 15 and skip the last out of phase outlet.

Sounds like a good idea...... No doubt the 20 amp dedicated circuit will supply the best clean power possible. The 15 amp convenience outlet circuit the least....
puerto
372 posts
 
Jea48 Actually I have 4 separate circuits (not dedicated branch circuits as you described). I live in Mexico and had an electrician do the work. I would assume that circuits 1 & 3 would be on leg 1 because they are odd numbers while circuits 2 & 4 would be on leg 2. Here they use multi-strand wire, not romex so I had them pull three 12 gauge multi-strand wires from each respective breaker to the corresponding receptacle. The three lines were for hot/neutral/ground. The ground is grounded directly to the (USA) standard 200 amp panel which, in turn, is grounded to 8' of copper rod with #8 gauge wire.
jea48
2,944 posts
 
I would assume that circuits 1 & 3 would be on leg 1 because they are odd numbers while circuits 2 & 4 would be on leg 2.
12-13-10: Puerto

Is the power that feeds your home 120/240Vac?
If yes do you have any equipment or appliances that use 240V? If yes check your panel you should see 2 pole breakers for the 240V equipment. (2 pole breaker takes two spaces.)

If that is the case then every other space down each side of the panel is the other Line, leg.

Line
L1 (1)......(2) L1
L2 (3)......(4) L2
L1 (5)......(6) L1
L2 (7)......(8) L2
ect.

Note: Twin breakers (slim) changes the ball game for the above example.
>>>>>>>>

What's the weather like?
COLD and snowy here in the Midwest!

.
salmonsc OP
66 posts
 
Jea48 Thanks, I don't want to get into the details but it's not possible - the outlet that's most convenient is part of a circuit that extends upstairs. In any event, it's not my house so reorganizing circuits on the breaker just isn't an option. I am going to load up the 20amp circuit as much as possible & divert the remainder to the cleanest 15amp circuit.
puerto
372 posts
 
Jea48: We do have 120/240 servicing the house. Our A/C units use 240V with 2 pole breakers. Thank you for that input, now I can figure out how to get the pair of monos and the APC power conditioner/battery back-up on the same leg.

Weather here is chilly at night in the low 60's and gets into the mid 80's during the day! It is definitely "sweater weather" once the sun gets low in the sky.

Thanks again to Salmonsc for the informative thread. I hope others can benefit from the comments above.
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