Electrical Usages

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

I am trying to figure how many amps I will need to run a new tank.

120G

a dual 250W with T5 actinic fixture - 6.3 amps

Return pump Mag 12 - 1.6 amps

I dont know what a 7x54W Constealtion T5 light would run

I need help with these

Skimmer pump ?

heater 300W Won Titanium?

Tunze stream 6000?

missing something?

I also have on the same circuit
40 in LCD TV, cable box, DVD, XBOX, Stereo, Lamps.

The circuit is only 15 amps. Will it work or should I scrap the idea?

[Lyscer]

To figure out your maximum usable power use the formula
wattage = volts * amperage

so if you have a 15amp breaker and 120 volt line you have 1800 watts available. However, most electricians recommend that you don't use more than 80% of the circuit which leaves you with a usuable 1440 watts. If your wattage consumption gets to be 80% or higher, from my understanding it becomes a fire hazard.

That being said, you can easily google the items on your list, find the wattage that they are rated for, add them up and determine if you are using more watts than what you should be. I recently did this and found that the circuit my tank is on was running at 75% of the usable wattage, so I ran a new circuit dedicated just for my tank that doesn't have tv's, radios, etc.. on it. Hopefully if I am off-base someone with more experience can chime in.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

If you are correct in that

lights - 604 watts
pump1 - 110 watts
pump2 - 110 watts
Heater - 300 watts
tunze - 20 watts

tv 240 watts

this is not counting the dvd, stereo, cable box, lamps, etc.

Looks like no tank or no reef tank. Cant get another outlet/circuit ran without ripping the whole celing down in the living room. And I am not going to do that.

[Pmolan]

Originally posted by Rob_Reef_Keeper
Cant get another outlet/circuit ran without ripping the whole celing down in the living room. And I am not going to do that.

I dont know your situation specifically but usually when running lines you only need to cut a few small holes to fish the line with rods.

For instance... You run it parallel with the joists in the ceiling then you cut at the corners of the wall/ceiling to make the transition down the wall.

[Cope]

Buy a fish tape, a device made for pulling wire, look to a home supply store or something like granger.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Correct but unfortunately in my living room the joists run perpendicular to the way the wires need to be run. The ceiling has some sort of swirling texture to it so you just cant patch certain areas. The whole thing would have to be replaced to make it match. the wall next to where the tank would be is a bathroom that is tiled floor to ceiling and I am not redoing that either.

Here is a layout of the house. The joists run top to bottom.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Looks like it may be a FO is anything. What is needed for FO comapared to reef? Lighting it? If I dont have the lights I can probably squeeze this on that circuit.

[Pmolan]

Where do you eat dinner? I dont see a kitchen.

[jokerjp]

Before you give up on the reef consult an electrician. You'd be surprised at how a pro can see a solution where us amateurs can't.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

The kitchen is upstairs with the other bedrooms/dining room.

[Pmolan]

You could get another circuit to the tv from the bedroom behind it. At least that will lessen your load.

[the floor guy]

theres a way it can be done call a pro

[flameangel88]

That is very true. It was very simple for the electrician to run a dedicated 20amp line with GFI for my tank when I was upgrading the house wires. Once they isolate which outlet goes to which breaker they can separate the line at the junction box and tie it to another breaker. If you go ahead with this made sure you change the outlet to GFI at the same time.

Originally posted by jokerjp
Before you give up on the reef consult an electrician. You'd be surprised at how a pro can see a solution where us amateurs can't.

[reefergeorge]

That is way too much for a 15 amp circuit. With that said any good electrician can get a line in there.
Is there an attic, or crawl space?

[wayoutacontrol]

You would be suprised what a good electrician can do, trust me I have fished in lines that others have said were impossible.
What is the ceiling like in the bedrooms? What kind of finish is on the outside of the house? is there a deck anywhere? You might not need a circuit al the way from the panel.
The 80% rule is not because of fire it is because that is the continous rating of the equiment. A 15 amp breaker can handle 15 amps occasionaly, or 12 amps continously. And remember your heater is not going to jun continously.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

Above the area is the kitchen/dining room, the lower level is the foundation.

The bedrooms and living room are all sheetrock and have some sort of swirl texture to the ceiling.

I'll call an electrician but I dont see how without either ripping the ceiling down or going outside the house and coming back in and a pipe around the side of the house will look hideous.

[am3gross]

they may bury the pipe along the side of the foundation to get the wire there. i will tell you this. an electricains job is to run wire and mess with electricity. he can do it. and he can do it so you dont even know that he was there. but if you still dont feel comfortable with that then....

have you thought about a complete t-5 setup. i know many people that have just ho t-5s and they have what ever they want in the tank.

or....

if your set on having metal halides what about doing dual 150s or 175s...

point i am trying to make is there is a way for you to have a reef. i am certain of it. you just have to find the way. that is part of the fun in this hobby... finding ways to make it work! dont give up on the dream before you even get started.

[CleveYank]

I saw an electrical line added within Custom Crown wood trim the person added at the wall/cieling point around the room. Had funky plaster swirls that matched everything else throughout the old vintage house and could not mess with the cielings too. Then it was only a vertical drywall patch at the "in" wall and a vertical drywall patch heading down towards the new outlet they added. I forgot why they had to make the patches down the wall...but there was something in the way on both sides...anyway.

If you are not good with a router and cannot do trim routed out with the line inside. You could try 3 peices of trim. A lower part. And inch of space to lay down 12/2 nm w ground wire flat. A peice above the wire and then final decorative piece that covers the wire. Not too tough if you cut twice and measure once...or something like that.

If you are not positive about which way is your negative or your positive...see the yellow pages under licensed and BONDED electricians.

[S_Stoney_S]

Dont you just wish you lived in the UK? The set up you had above would come in at about 6amps leaving you with plenty to spare.

Just a thought, but use the lighting ring for the tank lights? Might be a fairly easy way to split the load. Or upgrade the breaker.

[MarkPo]

You already have 1 line run to this area, right?

It's generally not difficult to run a second line the same route as the first, just hooked into a different breaker. That's how I setup a dedicated outlet for my tank. The worst method (Because you have to buy twice as much wire) is to simply tie the new wire to the old, and pull the old wire out- If you don't have too many twists, turns, or junctions. Then you use your new 15 amp line to power the old outlet, and your new 20 amp line to power a new outlet for the tank.

Easier method (if you have any access at all) is to just run the new 20 amp line in the same holes, conduit, or whatever your have as the old 15 amp line.

[CleveYank]

Originally posted by S_Stoney_S
Dont you just wish you lived in the UK?

You kidding me? It would take alot more than easier wiring to make me wish that.

Originally posted by S_Stoney_S
Or upgrade the breaker.

If you "simply"upgrade the breaker as our UK associate suggested without upgrading the line? The 15amp line and old work is probably 14/2 wire if grounded at all and would still need to have new 12 gauge or better to go up to 20 amp or better a 30 amp line. And if you do not upgrade the wire and it's gauge 14 you'll create a hazard not to mention it's not according to NEC. I wouldn't want my family sleeping in that house. And if I were having to go to any of the expense and trouble to put in another line? I would go 30AMP just to make sure I didn't have to cross that bridge again.

MarkPo's assumption is inline with what's common. But with older homes and homeowner's getting handier by the day...you never know if you can just fish and run right next to the old line. Hopefully you can. Of course if it's knob and tube, you're done as far as fishing and running along the lines.

[flameangel88]

I'd knob & tube in the bsmt when I moved in and that was the reason I upgraded all the wires and breaker & box. While doing that also had 2 dedicated line going upstair.

[i]

MarkPo's assumption is inline with what's common. But with older homes and homeowner's getting handier by the day...you never know if you can just fish and run right next to the old line. Hopefully you can. Of course if it's knob and tube, you're done as far as fishing and running along the lines. [/B]

[slathrum]

Do you have a crawl space below this room? If so that'd be the route I'd take. If you're careful you might be able to pull off your baseboards and drill holes and run wiring behind them. Digging a small trench and running some PVC would work and could be done in an inconspicuous way, but would be a last resort. It wouldn't take a very big bush at all to hide a 3/4" pull 90 going into the house. Pictures of these areas may help describe what you're facing, but I'm certain something could be done.

[Rob_Reef_Keeper]

there is no crawls space. I am calling electricians tomorrow. I dont see a way but maybe they can without trashing the whole living room. Even going around the house outside I don see how they are going to get the run to the wall I need it on

[Pmolan]

Looks like no tank or no reef tank. Cant get another outlet/circuit ran without ripping the whole celing down in the living room. And I am not going to do that.

The whole thing would have to be replaced to make it match. the wall next to where the tank would be is a bathroom that is tiled floor to ceiling and I am not redoing that either

I'll call an electrician but I dont see how without either ripping the ceiling down or going outside the house and coming back in and a pipe around the side of the house will look hideous.

Even going around the house outside I don see how they are going to get the run to the wall I need it on

Wow.. You are one negative person.