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June 18, 2008
Electric circuits per room
I would like to get a 10000 btu AC in a room, but worry about overloading the circuit.
The circuit box has a few breakers, maybe as many as the rooms in the apartment.
Is there an easy way to find how many circuits are per room? Thanks.
Comments
I just rewired my building. I think one way to figure out how many circuits you have would be to turn off, one at a time, from the panel box, and see what happens. I'd be careful about running a 10,000 BTU AC on old wiring and few circuits. The lines can get real hot and start a fire potentially I've been warned.
Posted by: Brooklynnative at June 18, 2008 4:02 PM
1. Isolate the circuits to the room
2. Are they 15 amp or 20 amp?
3. Is it new metal clad BX conduit or the old cloth-wrapped stuff? If its the latter, 4:02 is right.
4. What else will you be running on the circuit that the A/C outlet is one?? If its just a lamp or 2 you're OK.
Posted by: Bold type guest at June 18, 2008 4:20 PM
Thanks for the advice.
We have 5 lines metal clad bx. One skinny galvanized tube that seems to go to the back. 8 breakers 3@20 amp. We will do the isolation test, but we are also thinking about getting an electrician to provide an evaluation. thanks again.
Posted by: gates_ave at June 18, 2008 8:27 PM
Let a licensed electrician come out for a free estimate and they will know right away.
If you want to use them maybe you can negotiate the price.
Electricity is dangerpus.
Posted by: Ysabelle at June 18, 2008 9:11 PM
Ysabelle- you are (a)dangerpus (what a douche)
Posted by: guest at June 18, 2008 9:28 PM
If your a/c is on an isolated 20 amp circuit you will be fine. If you've got three 20 amp circuits, it's likely that one of them is isolated to the a/c's device, but this is easy enough to ring out. For $5 at any hardware store you can get a circuit tester that checks grounding and polarity too.
Posted by: Smokychimp at June 18, 2008 9:58 PM
Thanks all again for all the helpful tips.
Posted by: gates_ave at June 18, 2008 10:21 PM
If it's a new 10k a/c you will be drawing 900w. High enough but nothing dangerous (regardless of Y). Key thing is what *else* is connected to the same circuit as the a/c; if nothing, you're safe. Otherwise, just keep the other loads on the circuit low.
Posted by: cmu at June 19, 2008 10:34 AM
That much be a huge massive room. Is it a giant loft? If it's just a standard size brownstone living room you don't need such a powerful AC.
We bought 5000 BTU AC's for each of our large rooms in our brownstone and they cool the rooms really well. In fact I have to turn mine off a few times a day because I get too cold.
I wish people would think about the common good a bit more when revving up their AC's. In Summer the overload on the electrical system for the city by all these way too strong AC's by people making their rooms 50 degrees can cause a blackout. Again.
Posted by: guest at June 19, 2008 11:34 AM
Ahhh but do you need SEVERAL ACs?
Posted by: guest at June 20, 2008 9:16 AM
too small an a/c is highly inefficient. check consumer reports.
Posted by: guest at July 8, 2008 8:16 AM
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