Guest guest Posted July 11, 2006 Share Posted July 11, 2006 OK i need some help. i have a mega tree with 24 strands of c-9's looped back plus a star for a total of 13 channels. i have a 16 channel board for this and 2 dedicated 20 amp breakers. where can i find 12awg wire with outlets on them or do i have to make my own with extension cord wire and plug ends? i have plenty of extention cords but none are 12 gauge. can i use somthing smaller or do i have to just make all these myself, if so does someone have a place where i can get the ends cheap, at menards they are like 3 somthing a piece. thanks for your help :} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 As far as I have read, LOR (even with a heat sink installed) can't handle anymore than 8 amps per channel. So #16 AWG should do the trick per each individual channel. Now you will need the main feed lines (2) to handle 20 amps. #12 AWG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 joshuashu wrote: OK i need some help. i have a mega tree with 24 strands of c-9's looped back plus a star for a total of 13 channels. i have a 16 channel board for this and 2 dedicated 20 amp breakers. where can i find 12awg wire with outlets on them or do i have to make my own with extension cord wire and plug ends? i have plenty of extention cords but none are 12 gauge. can i use somthing smaller or do i have to just make all these myself, if so does someone have a place where i can get the ends cheap, at menards they are like 3 somthing a piece. thanks for your help :}As splicer mentioned, 16awg wire will be more than enough. Each of your channels will be pulling about 3 amps. ( Not sure about the star )...You will have about 17.5 amps on each side with the C9s so the start must be below 2.5 amps ( 300 watts )...You are going to need to replace the stock fuses with 20amp fast acting ceramic fuses that you can get at radio shack. (Model: 270-1041 | Catalog #: 270-1041 ) or equivalent. (Click to see fuses) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 You can get gauge 100' 12 Gauge extention cords for your power cords for $30 at harborfreight here, you will find that most pre-made extention cords that are 12 gauge can only handle 15 Amps or you can make your own with plugs and 12/2 W/G or get 12/3 and share the neutral so you only need one cord instead of two. You will probubly find that using UF-B outboor wire instead of SOOW or SJOOW extention cord wire will be cheeper, plus the UF-B can handle 20 Amps.Hope this helps,Matthew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 If you share the neutral on a 12/3 you must use both phases of power. It is the same you would do for a 220 volt circuit. The legs are 180 deg out phase with each other.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Dan: I purchased the 16 channel controller boards (blue in color) via your recent sale I thought they came with the 20 amp. fuses. Do I need to replace them with fast acting ones from Radio Shack. I have not installed them in enclosurers yet thus I have not tried using them with lights.Thanks for your help in the past - present and future.Harbs (OHIO NEWBIE) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Thank you to all for your help! thats why i love this place. i have plenty of 16 awg so i will get to wiring. I already planned on buying the 2 100' 12awg cords to power the unit so this will work great!! thanks again for the help and the link to radio shack!PS... just found out that my wife and i are going to have a baby boy! it is our first and is due december 9th!!!:waycool::laughing: :happytree::tree: its going to be a great christmas.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 12, 2006 Share Posted July 12, 2006 Congratulations on the baby boy. We actually just had our first baby boy on July 2. Hope it does not interfere too much with the lights this year. The last month can be difficult on the both of you.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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