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Author Topic: Power question I should know the answer to, but don't  (Read 4692 times)

TJ (Tom) Cornish

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Re: Power question I should know the answer to, but don't
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2014, 04:41:34 PM »

If you're really concerned about it, you could mod the amp with a 15A power input fuse or circuit breaker. Then you could replace the cord end with a NEMA 5-15P. Then you wouldn't have to worry about overloading anything -- except for the 15A fuse, which is supposed to fail gracefully.
How would that help?  Adding a fuse to the amp wiring does nothing to protect the unknown venue wiring (which is sized to the breaker size not the receptacle size - i.e. you can have 5-15R on #12 wire from a 20A breaker but you can't have a 5-20R on #14 wire on a 15A breaker), and only increases the voltage drop to the amp by the fuse's resistance.

The 5-15P ->5-20R adapter is fine unless you're trying to pass a UL inspection.  It will have absolutely no measurable affect on amp performance, and as long as you build it with appropriate wire, will be safe.  If there's a wiring overload, the [correctly sized for the wire] building OCPD will trip and protect the premise wiring; which is the whole point of the OCPD. 



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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Power question I should know the answer to, but don't
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2014, 06:24:00 PM »

The 5-15P ->5-20R adapter is fine unless you're trying to pass a UL inspection.  It will have absolutely no measurable affect on amp performance, and as long as you build it with appropriate wire, will be safe.

You're right that there will be no measurable impact on performance, and if the building is wired correctly, the building OCPD will protect the circuit.

However, you're also assuming that the adapter is wired correctly. Putting a fuse in the amp could protect an incorrectly made adapter, and could protect a 59 cent 15A receptacle that may not be able to withstand a sustained 20A load (really 16A but that's another discussion). Although I'll admit it would be far easier and cheaper to just make the adapter correctly.
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Stop confusing the issue with facts and logic!

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: Power question I should know the answer to, but don't
« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2014, 06:24:00 PM »


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