Power Confirmation

[MrTechie]

Hope all is well. I have a simple question that to me makes sense to
say yes - but I thought I would ask before anything.

So I am only doing 5000 lights. The Incand mini's that are pushing
only 0.2 amps per string. So if all my calculations are correct...

50 boxes of 100 strings x .2

should only put me at 10 amps draw.

Now here's my question. The outlet is on a 20 amp breaker.
Even with ALL the lights on (5000 of them) that should only
pull 10 amps, split up over my box (16 channel controller)

So my question is - is there any reason I couldn't just run
1 single extension cord to the controller from the outlet,
and then split the connection at the controller's end with
a dual plug adapter?

My left side only pulls about 2.4 amps and the right side
pulls about 7.6 amps. So there is only a draw of 10 amps
between 16 channels.

Make sense as to what I am asking? I would say 'yes'
you can run a single extension cord to the controller
out of one single outlet and split the plug to feed
the left and right side of the controller. But I'd like a
more professional opinion first.

Any responses are appreciated greatly!

[George Simmons]

I can't say I'm a "professional" but I DID sleep on a waterbed last night.

Two of my controllers have similar loads and I've got them both powered just as you describe. No problems yet.

[MrTechie]

George,

Thanks for your reply! So single extension cord
from one outlet to the controller - then dual outlet
adapter at the controller side, which feeds the box
of 16 channels with a 10 amp load (or closely to that)

To me it makes sense as to no reason why it can't be done!

[Surfing4Dough]

Should work (but I didn't sleep on a waterbed last night so who am I to say).

[basis21b]

One thing to watch is that your cord is of sufficient gauge to handle the amount of current it will draw. A big factor in this is the distance from the outlet to the controller. There is voltage drop across long distances so keep that in mind. If the cord is not of sufficient gauge it will get warm (warm being a relative term...). Melting the snow is ok, melting the insulation not so much.

[jimswinder]

George Simmons wrote:

I can't say I'm a "professional" but I DID sleep on a waterbed last night.

plus he snores...

and don't ask how I know...I just know, OK?

use the "don't ask, don't tell" policy...

[MrTechie]

the cord is a 13amp extension cord!

So everything seems to come into play
for a 'yeah - it will work!"

Thanks for the input guys and girls!

Oh and I definitely dont want to know how
you know he snores!

[George Simmons]

MrTechie wrote:

Oh, and I definitely dont want to know how you know he snores!

Neither do I...

[jimswinder]

George Simmons wrote:

MrTechie wrote:

Oh, and I definitely dont want to know how you know he snores!

Neither do I...

Attached files

[TJ Hvasta]

Jim, if you can hear George, in Seattle, thats some mighty loud snorin'! LOL (I was stayin' above board!)

[MrTechie]

My ex said I snored - and I told her:

"Listen, I stayed awake all night last night
and didn't hear myself snore once!"

Thus the reason she's my 'ex'

[Guest guest]

TJ Hvasta wrote:

Jim, if you can hear George, in Seattle, thats some mighty loud snorin'! LOL (I was stayin' above board!)

I saw Jim on TV tonite, and while he wasn't snoring, he did almost shed a tear on camera..and it wasn't when they showed the Weber Tree before its collapse..

Seriously...a very cool piece..hoping the local TV station posts the video...

I feel for his son, though, as he is put into slave labor lifting lights to the roof...

[Wayne K]

With no more load than you have I would use a single cord into the controller and then put jumpers on the terminal strips that are on the circuit board. That is the way all of my controllers are setup. I think I have one controller pulling about 13-14 amps and have had no problem with a single feed cable to the controller. I am using the power supply cords that LOR has.

Wayne

[Nurples]

jimswinder wrote:

use the "don't ask, don't tell" policy...

You can only use this policy for a little while longer. They just passed a bill to lift this policy. They are just waiting on the President's signature.



This means that I will have to shower next to openly gay men... Not sure how that's gonna work out with people.



--Earl

[jimswinder]

Nurples wrote:

This means that I will have to shower next to openly gay men... Not sure how that's gonna work out with people.

So how does that change things...KNOWING they are gay?

Will they now look different being naked next to you?

[TitusCarnathan]

since it is 10 amps I would recommend to use two seperate extension cords most heavy duty cords are rated for 13 amps but for safety I would just run one for each side of the controller and if you want to use the 80% rule like you would for circuit breakers that would give you 10.4 amps you could use so it would work but I would feel safer with two

[Nurples]

To me, it doesn't matter as much as long as he's not "checkin me out". But to others it makes a huge diffrence... If a known person is gay he will most certinly be an outcast. People will walk in and walk out just because he is in the shower. There will be many complaints of sexual harrasment and what not. The list of cons go on forever.



My opinion... I'm against lifting the rule. I believe it will be a major mistake that they will not be able to undo. (no CTRL+Z here...) I'm not a homophobe, but it's not something I want to know about somone. If they want to serve and hide their sexual prefrence, then fine. But don't flaunt it (and there will be guys who will) just because you can.

We could argue the facts and opinions forever... but I'm not a political guy and it all comes down to what the "powers that be" say anyways. We have to follow whatever orders they send down.

[TJ Hvasta]

just remember what they say.. if you drop the soap, kick it back to Oklahoma before you pick it up..

[George Simmons]

I thought DADT was the best option. It was the military officially saying "we're simply not gonna talk about it". And for the last how many years the only ones who DID talk about it were the politicians. Now, it's all people WILL talk about, and that's not going to benefit the mission. The libs who've never served just don't realize the military isn't a democracy.

[Nurples]

George Simmons wrote:

I thought DADT was the best option. It was the military officially saying "we're simply not gonna talk about it". And for the last how many years the only ones who DID talk about it were the politicians. Now, it's all people WILL talk about, and that's not going to benefit the mission. The libs who've never served just don't realize the military isn't a democracy.

Well said Geroge...