I'm planning a small household/portable PA system and I'm wondering just how much juice I can put into it without frying a standard household circuit.
In particular I'm looking at the amps + smps from red rocks audio.
Say:
2x 750W for mains
1x 1200W for sub
= ~2700W
How much can household circuits take? The powerboards for sale around here say 10A 2400W....
Thankyou
In particular I'm looking at the amps + smps from red rocks audio.
Say:
2x 750W for mains
1x 1200W for sub
= ~2700W
How much can household circuits take? The powerboards for sale around here say 10A 2400W....
Thankyou
The fuse/breaker system is designed to prevent that.how much juice I can put into it without frying a standard household circuit.
Isn't the Au system 240V 50Hz AC. with residential breaker limiting to 10A?
If that's the case the breaker will trip @ 2400 watts ( approx ).
I run a Crown Macro 2400 on a circuit of that capacity.
Remember to divide the total maximum peak output with at least 8 and probably 16 because the average level in music is usually recorded at -12db (though some recording companies don't follow this recording standard but I have yet to see any recording with worse than -9db average).
So a standard European household could sustain 240x16x10=38400 watt per phase, so if you have a 3 phase household 115K watt soundsystem is feasible.
Just remember not to turn all amps on at the same time.
So a standard European household could sustain 240x16x10=38400 watt per phase, so if you have a 3 phase household 115K watt soundsystem is feasible.
Just remember not to turn all amps on at the same time.
Saturnus said:Just remember not to turn all amps on at the same time.
That's 4 sure!
Saturnus said:So a standard European household could sustain 240x16x10=38400 watt per phase, so if you have a 3 phase household 115K watt soundsystem is feasible.
Yes, but there are a couple of problems that comes into consideration here. Given 100 % efficiency, any amplifier without PFC would mean a reduction by about 40 % of that power and even if your average music has a ~12 dB crest factor, if you would play Chemical Brothers - Under the influence on repeat, you would be screwed anyway
The UK uses a ring wired power distribution system.
Each ring is usually made from 2.5sqmm two core + earth.
This ring is usually fused at the distribution board @ 30A.
This ring is usually limited to between 50 and 100sqm of floor.
A socket outlet is limited by the fuse in the plug top ranging from 1A to 13A.
Two sockets are capable of 26A.
Two double sockets could reach the 30A limit of the ring. That's about 7.2kW from each ring.
If music is being played @ 20dB below maximum output from ClassAB amplifiers, then expect to be able to power upto 30kW from a ring.
two rings adjacent to each other could manage upto 60kW of amplification power.
I have 5 power rings in my house. I never bother with worrying whether I might overload the distribution system.
Equally the distribution system can deliver such enormous power, that I do take care to close rate all the fusing used in each piece of equipment.
Each ring is usually made from 2.5sqmm two core + earth.
This ring is usually fused at the distribution board @ 30A.
This ring is usually limited to between 50 and 100sqm of floor.
A socket outlet is limited by the fuse in the plug top ranging from 1A to 13A.
Two sockets are capable of 26A.
Two double sockets could reach the 30A limit of the ring. That's about 7.2kW from each ring.
If music is being played @ 20dB below maximum output from ClassAB amplifiers, then expect to be able to power upto 30kW from a ring.
two rings adjacent to each other could manage upto 60kW of amplification power.
I have 5 power rings in my house. I never bother with worrying whether I might overload the distribution system.
Equally the distribution system can deliver such enormous power, that I do take care to close rate all the fusing used in each piece of equipment.
Saturnus said:
Just remember not to turn all amps on at the same time.
How come? Does it help if the amp modules have soft starts?
Thanks everyone for input
Hi,
a ClassAB amp idles along @ ~ 1 or 2% of maximum power input.
When playing music it probably runs at 10 to 20% of maximum power input.
At start up with a well proportioned soft start it probably draws 100 to 150% of maximum power input.
Simultaneously switch on 10 off 200VA amps and there's a chance that you could draw 10 * 200 * 1.5 / 110V ~30Apk.
Once started this 10 amp assembly may tick over with just 300mA, when music is off, rising to 3 to 6A when playing pretty loud.
a ClassAB amp idles along @ ~ 1 or 2% of maximum power input.
When playing music it probably runs at 10 to 20% of maximum power input.
At start up with a well proportioned soft start it probably draws 100 to 150% of maximum power input.
Simultaneously switch on 10 off 200VA amps and there's a chance that you could draw 10 * 200 * 1.5 / 110V ~30Apk.
Once started this 10 amp assembly may tick over with just 300mA, when music is off, rising to 3 to 6A when playing pretty loud.
If you have noticed there is an inrush of current at turn on to the PS.How come? Does it help if the amp modules have soft starts?
You can see lights "dim down" momentarily at turn on.
Staggered turn on prevents a breaker trip.
Hi,
Average power drawn with full volume music is around 1/8 of max output, when I safety test any A/V product the 'Normal condition' is set to 1/8 of max unclipped measured output power in nominal load, anything above that like 1/3 is considered abnormal condition which has higher tolerance like max temp.
My 2 cents
Eric
Average power drawn with full volume music is around 1/8 of max output, when I safety test any A/V product the 'Normal condition' is set to 1/8 of max unclipped measured output power in nominal load, anything above that like 1/3 is considered abnormal condition which has higher tolerance like max temp.
My 2 cents
Eric
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