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Lizard1977

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#142533 16-Mar-2014 10:03
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We are moving things around our house, and that means bringing my large desktop PC and my wife's similarly oversized PC into the same room.  We've got a long desk where both PCs will reside side by side.  The problem is that the room has very few power sockets on the wall.  On the wall we have the PCs against, there is only a single wall socket.  On the opposite wall there is a double socket and two single sockets.  However, the desk won't work on that wall, and the other two walls of the room are already occupied.

I'm wondering whether the power draw on a single wall socket will be too much.  Is there a way to work out the power draw/capacity of the socket?  The equipment that we will be using on that socket includes 1xPC (650W PSU), 1xPC (760W PSU), 2 x LED monitors, 1 x powered speakers (25W RMS), 1 x stereo (70W+70W RMS), and one inkjet printer.

If the single socket can't handle the power draw, then we have the short term option of running an extension cord from the opposite wall around the room but that's not ideal.  It would be better to have an electrician replace the single socket with a double socket.  How expensive would that likely be?

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richms
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  #1006870 16-Mar-2014 20:52
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2.5mm should be 16A if the cable is surrounded by insulation, 20 if it is in free air. Then there is the earth loop impedance which may require derating the cable - same thing that causes derating due to length.

Not uncommon for large houses to have to have 4mm power circuits just to get a 20 amp breaker on it, havent seen anyone have to go to 6mm ever.

Old houses are likly to have a 1.5mm or whatever the inch equivilant was, so that should be on a 10A if it is surrounded by insulation or 15/16 if not.

More to the point is the condition of the wall socket - old ones stretch and get hot from poor connections.




Richard rich.ms

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