Hoe Many Computers can a standard 120v line handle without trippin the breaker?

[OverVolt]

See title

I have 6comps in one room, and uhhh, i want to add an air conditioner and 6more PC's, my guess is this will trip my breaker, what do you guys think?

 

[GeoffS]

heh... can you run an extension cord from your neighbour's place?

Sorry... I take the Calvin & Hobbes approach... keep adding until it breaks!

 

[Starrider]

What size airconditioner, and what amperage breaker?

 

[Freewolf]

The AC and six more machines will be too much, at least it was for me

 

[ICXRa]

My guess is that the AC will cause it to trip. A 20 AMP 120V breaker should be able to deliver 16 AMPS continuous not that it's wise to push it that hard, with a few spikes above it without tripping. A normal PC usally represents 1 AMP or less load unless you got a LOT of big fans running along with a loaded PC with raids spinning up and down. So figure you got 12 PC's and at least one monitor. It will most likely trip when the compressor kicks in.

 

[SoulAssassin]

there's only one way to find out.

 

[imported_Thunder]

:shocked: 12 PC's and an Air Conditioner!

Ain't NO way that's going to work!

If you have a standard 2-prong and a ground outlet, then it's only rated for 15A

If you have an outlet with an additional 'right-angle' sorta prong on one, then it's rated for 20A

I know that my SINGLE PC (including monitor, speakers, external stuff like router, usb hub, blah blah) pulls 2.5A, so I think you're about to try to pull off the impossible. More likely you're about to start flirting with disaster.

Make absolutely sure that you run all those PC's through either a good UPS or at least a top-of-the-line surge suppressor, because that AC unit is going to introduce some nasty spikes and drops onto that outlet regardless of how many PC's you have on it. :disgust:

 

[BCinSC]

Put AC on different circuit - the "noise" on the electrical line will wreak havoc with your comps.

 

[networkman]

I rather doubt it'll hold; it might if you're not using any monitors, and just the PCs, but that AC will likely push it over.

I held a LAN party in my basement a while back and had 9 PCs(with monitors) on a 30AMP circuit and that tripped a couple times when someone tried to add another PC to it.

 

[trevinom]

Is that why my breaker kept breaking when I was adding a vacuum on a line that has 8 PC's, 3 monitors, a Sony home stereo system, VCR, DVD player and then was adding the vacuum...it kept tripping. The vacuum is one of those Wet/Dry deals.

Gotta get another line running in there...the wife was thinking of adding an in door AC. Do any of you run indoor AC units like they have at Lowe's?

Martin

 

[mondobyte]

That is the reason that I have 2 dedicated 20 AMP circuits in my computer area (net central) in the basement and a 3rd dedicated circuit for the DSL modem, a switch, and the Irrigation.

 

[SinfulWeeper]

SImple... just keep pluggin them in till it trips. ? answers itself

 

[Rattledagger]

Neither knowing anything about air-conditioners nor your low-voltage-lines, can't give much advice...

Well, how many computers a line can take really depends on the computers, 12 laptops or 12 quad Xeon/Opteron.
Also depends on if you're powering 1 LCD-monitor or 12 big CRT, the latter should on its own be too much for a normal 10 A-line.

Not having the newest and hottest 100W+ graphics card, none of my machines uses 1A.

If the machines is bare-bones without monitor mostly moving dust-bunnies, I'll guess 50W + cpu should cover your requirements. The cpu-wattage can you take from here
Just to test the calculation: cpu 84,7W; dual-cpu + 50w = 219,4W and this is less than 1A as expected.

 

[imported_Thunder]

My curiousity has been killing me on this....

Anyone else wondering if OverVolt hasn't updated due to a hospitalization?

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Rattledagger
Neither knowing anything about air-conditioners nor your low-voltage-lines, can't give much advice...

Well, how many computers a line can take really depends on the computers, 12 laptops or 12 quad Xeon/Opteron.
Also depends on if you're powering 1 LCD-monitor or 12 big CRT, the latter should on its own be too much for a normal 10 A-line.

Not having the newest and hottest 100W+ graphics card, none of my machines uses 1A.

If the machines is bare-bones without monitor mostly moving dust-bunnies, I'll guess 50W + cpu should cover your requirements. The cpu-wattage can you take from here
Just to test the calculation: cpu 84,7W; dual-cpu + 50w = 219,4W and this is less than 1A as expected.

By your calculation that would be almost 2A for the computer.

12 computers and an AC will not coexist peacefully. I would guess 8-10 single-cpu mahcines would probably be okay, if there was only one or two monitors involved.

 

[trevinom]

I have 9 hooked up to my 10A, 120V line. Here are the pictures:

Main Rig
Rack back
Work Desk

I also have 2 17'' and 1 19' monitor on my Work desk, and 1 that I use on the rack.

I also have a 400W stereo system, DVD player, and VCR on the same outlet.

 

[Rattledagger]

Only 10A then 120V :Q

The smallest here is also 10A, but with 230V backing it up can nearly double the #machines.

 

[yelo333]

Originally posted by: trevinom
I have 9 hooked up to my 10A, 120V line. Here are the pictures:

Main Rig
Rack back
Work Desk

I also have 2 17'' and 1 19' monitor on my Work desk, and 1 that I use on the rack.

I also have a 400W stereo system, DVD player, and VCR on the same outlet.

<offtopic>
Have you considered a KVM switch? it might clean up that clutter a bit...
</offtopic>

I remember a thread about this awhile back...I think the jist of that was you are pushing it if you've got more than 6-8 on one(10A) breaker.

Also, taking out the breaker, and replacing it with a piece of #8 copper wire was one suggestion, but YMMV, as this is untested, and known to cause house fires, serious injury, or death. In other words, that last sentence was an absolutely moronic thing to do - DO NOT try it.

 

[silverbullet555]

12 compputers in one room. Definitely will need an air condition, but like everyone else said, circult most likely will not handle it.

I have noticed that when my laser printer warms up to print, it causes the lights to dim a little and the back up beeps indicating a power drop. Makes me wonder what the rating is in that room. I'm only running one computer right now and it does that. Either that or the laser printer is pulling a ton of current for a millisecond.

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: silverbullet555
12 compputers in one room. Definitely will need an air condition, but like everyone else said, circult most likely will not handle it.

I have noticed that when my laser printer warms up to print, it causes the lights to dim a little and the back up beeps indicating a power drop. Makes me wonder what the rating is in that room. I'm only running one computer right now and it does that. Either that or the laser printer is pulling a ton of current for a millisecond.

Laser printers are huge power hogs. My Dad's Samsung pulls over 100W warming up.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: MDE

Originally posted by: silverbullet555
12 compputers in one room. Definitely will need an air condition, but like everyone else said, circult most likely will not handle it.

I have noticed that when my laser printer warms up to print, it causes the lights to dim a little and the back up beeps indicating a power drop. Makes me wonder what the rating is in that room. I'm only running one computer right now and it does that. Either that or the laser printer is pulling a ton of current for a millisecond.

Laser printers are huge power hogs. My Dad's Samsung pulls over 100W warming up.

Do you mean 1000W?

100W wouldn't make the lights flash, and I've seen that happen too. Laser printers have huge peak current draws.

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: 3chordcharlie

Originally posted by: MDE

Originally posted by: silverbullet555
12 compputers in one room. Definitely will need an air condition, but like everyone else said, circult most likely will not handle it.

I have noticed that when my laser printer warms up to print, it causes the lights to dim a little and the back up beeps indicating a power drop. Makes me wonder what the rating is in that room. I'm only running one computer right now and it does that. Either that or the laser printer is pulling a ton of current for a millisecond.

Laser printers are huge power hogs. My Dad's Samsung pulls over 100W warming up.

Do you mean 1000W?

100W wouldn't make the lights flash, and I've seen that happen too. Laser printers have huge peak current draws.

Just looked at the Samsung site and it's 250W printing, warming up has to be ungodly high.

 

[aberant]

bloody americans ! you should do it properly like us brits - 240v, and all ring mains are the same - 30 amps ! Wouldn't have so much to think about then.....

 

[Rattledagger]

Originally posted by: aberant
bloody americans ! you should do it properly like us brits - 240v, and all ring mains are the same - 30 amps ! Wouldn't have so much to think about then.....

AFAIK didn't UK get a -10V at roughly the same time we got +10V so both now has 230V?

 

[JonB]

Laser printers are huge power hogs. Their heated fuser rollers use anywhere from 600 to 1400 Watts. The bigger office style lasers use a thermostat to regulate the temperature better, but the cheaper home or light duty laser printers are designed for rapid heatup just before a print job (and they will dim the lights easily).