How much is your electricity bill?

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HeadSh0T

HeadSh0T

Member
Joined 2002
I'm considering building an amp for the first time but seeing the power ratings on transformers people are using is scaring me..

You guys must pay a lot for electricity.

Do I need a high-current circuit in my house to prevent tripping the circuit breakers every time the amp is switched on?

I'm thinking about building either an Aleph30 or Aleph5..

Although the power consumption for these two are 200W and 300W respectively, people are using 1KVA transformers! why is that?
 
S

stefanobilliani

Member
Joined 2002

You guys must pay a lot for electricity.
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Yes , every time the bill is bigger:rolleyes:

I'm considering building an amp for the first time but seeing the power ratings on transformers people are using is scaring me..
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Don't be scared of transformers they are friendly tools
:clown:

Do I need a high-current circuit in my house to prevent tripping the circuit breakers every time the amp is switched on?
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Here in Italy we have 3000Watts at the house circuits and 2 zens V2/channel never tripped the breakers;)


I'm thinking about building either an Aleph30 or Aleph5..
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Why not?;)


Although the power consumption for these two are 200W and 300W respectively, people are using 1KVA transformers! why is that?
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That is to assure the PS continuous and stable , read the article regarding Power Supplies at
Passlabs.com
 
Lisandro_P

Lisandro_P

Member
Joined 2000
It's a matter of design; using a transformer rated for more VA than you need ensures better regulation, less electromagnetic noise (as there's more iron to harness it), and runs cooler. The rating only matters when you first power the amp (hence the need for soft start circuits in really big ones), but once the magnetic field is stabilished it'll only consume what you need, no matter the VA rating. It's not uncommon to use transformers rated for 2x you power needs; in fact it's a good idea.
 
HeadSh0T

HeadSh0T

Member
Joined 2002
I see.. Thanks Lisandro, stefano. I was worried that the lights in my house would dim when I turned on the amp.. and not just mine but my neighbors' as well! :) :hot: (j/k) my wife's hair blower already does that! ;)


I don't have teenage kids.. i've only been married for 3 yrs so I'm the principal consumer of power in my house now. ;)

Already paying through the nose for electricity and natural gas...
I guess a little more wouldn't hurt.. :)
 
jackinnj

jackinnj

Member
Joined 2002
tech-diy.com
Nelson Pass said:
Teenage children are much harder on the electric bill than
power amplifiers.
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College kids are harder on the budget than teens. 4 years of college w room, board and beer money is about a "large and a half". Of course, due to the fact that our socialist legislature in the Peoples Republic of NJ drove out insurance competition, you can easily pay ten grand for a couple cars if you have teens.

In the summer, our electricity can run about $600/mo.
 
HeadSh0T

HeadSh0T

Member
Joined 2002
Dennis Hui said:


At least in the winter you can turn down the heat a bit
let the Aleph double as a space heater. :)

Dennis
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Heh.. That's what I was thinking. Those amps can probably keep a room nice and toasty. I'll just place it near my thermostat :)

I paid on average about $150 per month on electricity.. but then I don't listen to music all day. Just a few hours a day. That shouldn't hurt so much.

I just thought these amps would be drawing 1000W continuously and burn a hole in my wallet (as well as my carpet)...
 
HeadSh0T

HeadSh0T

Member
Joined 2002
jackinnj said:

College kids are harder on the budget than teens. 4 years of college w room, board and beer money is about a "large and a half". Of course, due to the fact that our socialist legislature in the Peoples Republic of NJ drove out insurance competition, you can easily pay ten grand for a couple cars if you have teens.

In the summer, our electricity can run about $600/mo.
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Just cut down on the beer money..

that ought to do it..
 
Brett

Brett

Member
Joined 2002
My big GM70PP tube amps drew nearly 650W from the mains each for 20W/channel. The power consumption didn't bother me, but the added heat on a summer night was a worry when it can be >30C all night.

Now I have two poweramps. One is only 4W/ch* and I use it mainly at night when the neighbours bitch if I crank it up, and a different 20W/ch that's on most of the time. The bigger one also has adjustable bias so I can switch it down to extend tube life when it's on in the background.

*speakers are >>100dB/1W.
 
M

Mark A. Gulbrandsen

Member
Joined 2001
I have a pair of Aleph 2's that I built almost a year ago. Its summer here and even with my large swamp cooler they heat up the living room hotter than hell! I do have the bias resistir pulled out completely and they do run hotter than a normal unit might even so......... So I power them up when I'm going to listen and then when I'm ready to about melt down I pull the plug...... Have been thinking about re-installing the bias resistor or even having a summer/winter switch on them. In the winter I leave them on all the time and they atually help heat up the room then so the savings in gas and electric for the furnace somewhat offset the power consumed by leaving them on all the time.
Mark
 
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