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May, 2025

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Ay any electricians out there?

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TheTurnt
Posts: 6 - Karma: 38
Im running this computer that I built and it sucks up 2000-3000 watts of power and I am on it 8-12 hours a day. Is there a safe way to wire it up? I wanted to do a lan party at my house but im not sure if the old house wiring would hold it? Just worried because my friend brought this point up.
12 years ago
31 4
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clive_bixby
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 499
Just plug your computers into different circuits in your house. Most standard residential breakers (I could be wrong, I'm in commercial) are 20 amp which is 120 volt or 2400 watt.your house should have multiple breakers with different amperage though. If you haven't thrown a normal breaker (assuming it's 20 amp) then just plug into different circuits. You should be more than fine on a 30 amp breaker though.
12 years ago
2 1
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Rusticles
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 1,337
Most housing receptacle circuits where I'm from are 15 amps, (1800 watts available). They are not technically supposed to go above 80% of that. Is that just the computer @2-3kws? Or could you split up the monitor? (I am not a computer geek). If your plugging in a number of CPUs just get extension cords and use different receptacles, there will be a number of receptacles on one circuit so spread out where your plugging them in. You can check to see what size your breakers are in the panel, there will be a schedule in the door that tells you which breaker feeds which part of the house and a number on that breaker.
12 years ago
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proZach
Posts: 7163 - Karma: 919
LAN party lol
12 years ago
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TheTurnt
Posts: 6 - Karma: 38
So would it be chill to have a heavy duty extension cord with 1000 watts - 120volts or so pugged into a 20 amp socket? I would try and limit the circuit to just the 1000 watts.

Theres a 15 amp circuit in my room and I have been running 1000 watts-120 volts on the outlet.

I want to limit the fire hazard.
12 years ago
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TheTurnt
Posts: 6 - Karma: 38
It should be safe if thats all that on the circuit right?
12 years ago
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,273
Worst case scenario is you start a massive electrical fire and you and your 10 computer nerd friends will have to run to the dreaded *gasp* outdoors in order to escape the fire. The rays from the sunlight will cause you to immediately burn up and explode (If you don't have a good image of what that would look like, watch the movie "Blacula")
12 years ago
2 1
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
says the person with over 23,000 posts
12 years ago
6 1
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Rusticles
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 1,337

The electrical system is designed to protect itself,  If you overload the circuit the breaker should trip before anything hazardous can happen.  If your house is old than you might have a problem with the older methods of wirring.  However I have seen many breakers hold far more than their rating for an extended period of time.

12 years ago
1 0
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howlongcanausern
Posts: 4982 - Karma: 1,737
what makes you think your computer draws 2-3000 watts
12 years ago
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louie.mirags
Posts: 6015 - Karma: 5,027
This and the post above about the breaker tripping have you covered
12 years ago
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clive_bixby
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 499
Alright, so, when I say circuits, I mean like every breaker is its own circuit. So if you look in you're breaker box at home, you'll see like kitchen room 1 office etc, and that means its has its own circuit. All of those receptacles fall under the one circuit (i.e. all the receptacles in the office belong to one circuit.) So lf I were you I would go find your 2 or 3 30 amp breakers find out what rooms they are and run cords into wherever this party is going.

Addressing what rusticles said, sometimes lower amperage breakers can pull some more current, but that is pretty stupid to do, especially if you know you are doing it. Depending on the electrician and how tidy his work is, you just really never know because he's the only one who see's it. Don't take chances with it, and as far as him saying the breaker will flip, don't assume anything. Most electrical fires start due to poor joints, or nicks in cable or some other dumb shit. I've seen low voltage commercial grade transformers short and not kick the breaker (an electrician I was with had the heads up to hit it pretty much instantly) in the high voltage panel its being fed from.

Do your house a favor, use the higher breaker. Oh and don't spill mountain dew on the surge protector.
12 years ago
2 0
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clive_bixby
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 499
|* |/|/ |/| |)
12 years ago
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Rusticles
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 1,337

Exactly dont rely on the breaker to hold above its rating or attempt to push it above that. 

@Clive_bixby where you're from you have receptacle circuits in your homes that are rated above 15Amp?? the only receptacles in our homes (Canada) that are 20amp are kitchen recepts and they have special T slot receptacles.

12 years ago
1 0
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,273
Yeah but I've had sex on a girl
12 years ago
2 0
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TheTurnt
Posts: 6 - Karma: 38
Word up man! just today I tampered with the breakers and my roommate started screaming and was upset his computer shut off haha. I will pull out the modem when I am stoned out and the second the modem goes out theres yelling lol.

I will look for the higher amperage breaker there was a 40 and a 30 and a lot of 20's and one 15.
12 years ago
1 0
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montanan
Posts: 1787 - Karma: 1,346
just dont let anyone fuck around with the breaker at your party, drunk kids + electricity = fireworks mo fuckers !!! haha have fun dont fuck up your house tho, not worth it.
12 years ago
1 0
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.frenchy
Posts: 18231 - Karma: 12,403
Who says he didn't post on mobile NS this whole time while he was outside.
12 years ago
1 0
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ronin480
Posts: 200 - Karma: -1
clive_bixbyAlright, so, when I say circuits, I mean like every breaker is its own circuit. So if you look in you're breaker box at home, you'll see like kitchen room 1 office etc, and that means its has its own circuit. All of those receptacles fall under the one circuit (i.e. all the receptacles in the office belong to one circuit.) So lf I were you I would go find your 2 or 3 30 amp breakers find out what rooms they are and run cords into wherever this party is going.

Addressing what rusticles said, sometimes lower amperage breakers can pull some more current, but that is pretty stupid to do, especially if you know you are doing it. Depending on the electrician and how tidy his work is, you just really never know because he's the only one who see's it. Don't take chances with it, and as far as him saying the breaker will flip, don't assume anything. Most electrical fires start due to poor joints, or nicks in cable or some other dumb shit. I've seen low voltage commercial grade transformers short and not kick the breaker (an electrician I was with had the heads up to hit it pretty much instantly) in the high voltage panel its being fed from.


Do your house a favor, use the higher breaker. Oh and don't spill mountain dew on the surge protector.


You wouldn't run power from a computer to 30 amp general purpose circuit. I've been in the trade for 14 years and never have I seen a residential computer draw over 2000kw! Generally anything that would draw that amount of power would be on a three phase system in a data center; which would be hard wired to a power distribution center. If you have your computer plugged in and it isn't tripping the 15 or 20 amp breaker, it isn't drawing enough to damage the circuit it is on. The electrical system will regulate itself and the circuit breaker will trip if there was an issue
11 years ago
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