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Moving part of an existing circuit to a new breaker means rewiring the entire circuit. The difficulty depends on how good your access is, but will almost certainly involve opening up the walls.
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May 25, 2019 03:57
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The smartest lightbulbs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BB6wj6RyKo
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May 25, 2019 03:59
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shame on an IGA posted:They're easy once you wrap your head around how the contacts are arranged inside the switches and you do some testing to determine what position each switch is in the string. shame on an IGA posted:also switch problems are fun because they're really disguised digital logic circuits and once you "get it" Totally agree. Love troubleshooting 3 and 4-way issues. And just plain installing them. They can be a pain sometimes (lotta walking back and forth) but the "Ah-Hah" payoff is great. Just make sure you tag your travelers. Tape 'em together or something. To help out the next guy. shame on an IGA posted:you also understand how computers work at the very deepest most primitive level. Wait. What?
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May 26, 2019 02:04
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Ferrule posted:Wait. What? A processor is literally just billions of transistors/logic gates
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May 26, 2019 02:25
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More specifically, a 3 way and 4 way switches are just XOR gates.
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May 26, 2019 02:26
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Yep, allll this microchip tech poo poo that we swim in all day is just incremental improvements on switches flippin switches.
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May 26, 2019 03:14
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Woof Blitzer posted:How hard is it to add a circuit to a breaker box and move part of an existing one to it? I have servers that suck up power and ended up on the same circuit as the A/C unit and it's starting to trip now that it's summer. The hardest part would depend on how your house is built. Do you have access to the attic above or basement below? You'll need to get a new run of NM from your panel to this circuit. Do you have a spare slot in your panel? The next hardest part is mapping out your branch circuit and figuring out where to best split it. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 19:50 on May 28, 2019 |
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May 28, 2019 19:40
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BIGFOOT EROTICA posted:I can tell you from experience, cheap Chinese LED strips can be anywhere from "Outstanding" to "Wildly inconsistent brightness and color from strip to strip and individual LED to LED". It's a roll of the dice, but for diffuse lighting like you're doing you'll probably be fine. Ok, this has all been remarkably useful. One of the most useful posts anyone has ever responded to me with, so thank you. Here's what I came up with, revisiting based on your recommendation. These light strips: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/322...sAbTest=ae803_4 are 3528s, and use 24watts at 500cm, rather than the 72w of the 5050s, according to the table you linked. I'm estimating using roughly 25 meters of them, give or take 10%. (I need to measure more accurately later.) That's a total of 125 watts of lighting, which is less than half of the 288 watts I had previously picked out. At 12 volts, 125 watts is ~10.5 amps. A 15 amp psu derated 20% would be 12 amps, so that gives me some head room. (I'd spring for the 20A 240W power supply just to give myself the overhead, assuming that won't harm anything.) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32918458668.html Assorted notes/remaining questions: 1. I'd buy waterpoof 2. 15a psu, or 20a? 3. The diffusers seemed outrageously expensive on Ali (all $80+), and on Amazon, they come out to like $2.50 a meter, which is surprisingly pricey. I figure I'll start without them, since they're pointed upwards towards a ceiling, and add them if necessary. 4. I'm all for the dimmers, but those are also really expensive for the scope of the project at this point. Given that I've cut the overall wattage by more than half, I'm hoping that's a sufficient decrease in light levels. Like the diffusers, I figure I can start without one, and if the light is still too much, add one after the fact. Does this seem reasonable, or am I being hardheaded/obtuse about anything?
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May 28, 2019 21:35
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The Wonder Weapon posted:
All seems reasonable. You can make diffuser out of pretty much anything; the white 2x4 commercial fixture lenses cut up pretty nicely into strips. And you're going to want a dimmer eventually. We will say "I told you so" later.
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May 29, 2019 00:30
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You really want a dimmer. Plan your wiring and layout in such a way that you can easily add one in without a crazy amount of work. I have not used one of these myself but it looks to do what you need https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32794...Fg1559093870788
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May 29, 2019 02:39
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BIGFOOT EROTICA posted:You really want a dimmer. Plan your wiring and layout in such a way that you can easily add one in without a crazy amount of work. Ok, maybe I'll give this a shot. A few last quick questions: 1. Is 24 gauge wire sufficient? This table (https://learn.adafruit.com/wires-and-connections/wire-guages) says that's good for up to 3.5 amps, and by my (probably wrong) math, all of this should only be .9 amps. 2. I'm going to find an old computer power plug, cut the end off, and wire that to the LED power supply. That sound ok? (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32918458668.html) This is the setup (sans dimmer switch; I'm getting there) in my head. 
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May 29, 2019 19:53
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Silly question but my search didn't turn up any results. Are there smart switches and faceplates for multi switch boxes?
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May 29, 2019 20:25
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The Wonder Weapon posted:and by my (probably wrong) math
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May 29, 2019 20:37
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RabbitWizard posted:What's your math? This site (http://www.ledlightsworld.com/page.html?id=38) claims that 500cm of the LED strip I'm using is 24w. I'm using four of them, for 96w. P/V=I, so 96w/110v = .87a. This site (https://learn.adafruit.com/wires-and-connections/wire-guages) says 24 gauge is rated to 3.5a, and I've got a bunch laying around, so I might as well use it. The Wonder Weapon fucked around with this message at 20:47 on May 29, 2019 |
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May 29, 2019 20:42
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The Wonder Weapon posted:This site (http://www.ledlightsworld.com/page.html?id=38) claims that 500cm of the LED strip I'm using is 24w. I'm using four of them, for 96w. P/V=I, so 96w/110v = .87a. Well, you said it's "probably wrong", so I asked  Sounds good to me!The Wonder Weapon posted:2. I'm going to find an old computer power plug, cut the end off, and wire that to the LED power supply. That sound ok? (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32918458668.html) Edit: I mean it will work and probably not be a fire hazard or something.But where I am it is not allowed to power something fixed with a flexible cable. RabbitWizard fucked around with this message at 21:19 on May 29, 2019 |
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May 29, 2019 21:08
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RabbitWizard posted:Well, you said it's "probably wrong", so I asked What is the alternative?
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May 29, 2019 21:48
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The Wonder Weapon posted:This site (http://www.ledlightsworld.com/page.html?id=38) claims that 500cm of the LED strip I'm using is 24w. I'm using four of them, for 96w. P/V=I, so 96w/110v = .87a. Am I misunderstanding something here - shouldn't it be 96w/12v (or 96w/24v) to get amperage on the 24 awg wire between the power supply and the LEDs?
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May 29, 2019 21:50
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Yeah you're connecting the fixtures to the 12v side so that's gonna be at least 2A/strip, plus bigger wire never hurt anything but a budget. I'd go with 18 or 16ga MTW.
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May 29, 2019 21:56
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Rhyno posted:Silly question but my search didn't turn up any results. Are there smart switches and faceplates for multi switch boxes? All my switches are decora style so my existing plates worked fine. There are combo plates out there to mix and match toggle and decora style switches. I found some on amazon last time I looked
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May 29, 2019 22:21
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New switches are cheap, even the decora style. As long as you have room I'd replace all the switches in a multi gang box to keep the style the same.
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May 29, 2019 23:02
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Dumb question: Twice now, the high-voltage wires in my ancient AC compressor unit have burned out to the point of severing. It was a different one each time. Could this just be an age thing, like the wires are corroding and so the current going through a smaller 'pipe' is making them heat up more, or....???? The first time it happened, the black-with-blue-stripes wire burned, so I cut off a few inches from the end and replaced the terminal. Did the same for the brown wire, since it didn't look great. Before:  After:  That was six months ago. This week, the brown wire burned completely through.
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May 30, 2019 17:37
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Bobulus posted:Dumb question: Twice now, the high-voltage wires in my ancient AC compressor unit have burned out to the point of severing. It was a different one each time. Could this just be an age thing, like the wires are corroding and so the current going through a smaller 'pipe' is making them heat up more, or....???? Do you have an ammeter, and what is the rating of the fuses/breaker?
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May 30, 2019 18:21
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Bobulus posted:Dumb question: Twice now, the high-voltage wires in my ancient AC compressor unit have burned out to the point of severing. It was a different one each time. Could this just be an age thing, like the wires are corroding and so the current going through a smaller 'pipe' is making them heat up more, or....???? In your picture it looks like the heat/bad connection is at the termination, so I would suspect a poorly crimped terminal, assuming the screw on the contactor wasn't loose or corroded. Since you say those pictures were six months ago, was the more recent failure similar? What are you using to crimp your terminals?
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May 30, 2019 20:19
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Yeah, the terminal failed again. I just used a pair of wire strippers that had a crimping spot. Talking to handy relatives, they suggested more crimping and maybe some conductive goo(?) smeared on the wire first. Bobulus fucked around with this message at 23:07 on May 30, 2019 |
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May 30, 2019 22:31
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I can't put three-prong outlets in my house, can I
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May 30, 2019 23:04
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You can! But they must be GFCI or Daisy chained off a GFCI outlet.
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May 30, 2019 23:08
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The Wonder Weapon posted:I can't put three-prong outlets in my house, can I Not without running new wiring. Cloth covered wiring never had a ground wire. Included grounds didn't start showing up until the 1950s when wires were covered in plastic. Included grounds didn't become common until the 1960s. You could do the GFCI method like SpartanIvy mentioned. There's a 3 prong upgrade post linked in the OP that I wrote. It covers running new cable as well as GFCI upgrading. Also, some places in the home require GFCI outlet upgrades anyway: bathrooms, kitchen countertops, laundry, garages, outdoors and unfinished basements. kid sinister fucked around with this message at 00:21 on May 31, 2019 |
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May 31, 2019 00:08
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Speaking of GFCI in unfinished basement. Is there an exception for that? I've got a UPS that runs my router, switch, NAS, etc. in the basement. In addition to being a battery backup, it also acts as a power conditioner and cleans up dirty voltage by shunting spikes to ground. So inevitably when the AC compressor kicks shuts off and throws a spike into lines, I get a trip.
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May 31, 2019 01:11
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kid sinister posted:Not without running new wiring. Cloth covered wiring never had a ground wire. Included grounds didn't start showing up until the 1950s when wires were covered in plastic. Included grounds didn't become common until the 1960s. You could do the GFCI method like SpartanIvy mentioned. There's a 3 prong upgrade post linked in the OP that I wrote. It covers running new cable as well as GFCI upgrading. I read your post, and I'm positive I don't understand 90% of it. Let me ask a stupid question anyways. I've already got GFCIs in the kitchen, bathrooms, etc. All the places they're required. Where I don't have them, and where I have all those ancient two-prong outlets, is in the older dry rooms - living room, dining room, etc. The breakers for those spaces are not GFCI, which I've determined by observing a distinct lack of test buttons. If I upgrade the two or three breakers to GFCI for the aforementioned spaces, would that allow me to put the three prongs in? I don't need to put GFCI receptacles in those rooms, just three-prong outlets in general.
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May 31, 2019 01:52
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Three pronged outlets on that wiring must be GFCI protected to operate safely and to meet code, I will explain why when I find good pictures but take our word on it for now. GFCI breakers will do the job. Everything downstream of them will be GFCI protected by the breaker. shame on an IGA fucked around with this message at 02:25 on May 31, 2019 |
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May 31, 2019 02:21
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shame on an IGA posted:Three pronged outlets on that wiring must be GFCI protected to operate safely and to meet code, I will explain why when I find good pictures but take our word on it for now. I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but let's see. I can install this 20a GFCI breaker (https://www.amazon.com/Square-Schne...way&sr=8-5&th=1), or one similar (not sure if I have plug on neutral yet), and then all the receptacles connected to that breaker can be converted to three-prong outlets, even though the outlet boxes don't have a ground wire? If that's the case, would I just leave the ground screw on the receptacle completely unconnected? I watched a video on installing breakers and it seems fairly straightforward. It can't be this easy, can it? All of the rooms in my house that don't already have GFCI outlets are limited to two breakers, which would make this cheap and easy.
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May 31, 2019 14:06
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The Wonder Weapon posted:
Yes, it can be that easy. Installing breakers in most panels is one of the simpler electricity related tasks. Turn off the main, snap in the breaker, screw down the wires, turn the main back on.
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May 31, 2019 15:11
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The Wonder Weapon posted:I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but let's see. Plus the stickers that say "no equipment ground" on each 3 prong you install like this, which should be included in the breaker package.
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May 31, 2019 15:57
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You guys would hate the town I live in. Everything was built in the last boom, which was the 1950s, and very few people have bothered sticking to code. When I looking for a place, I went around with a ground tester. Of the ten-ish places I checked, two still had the old-style two-prong outlets, and seven had three-prong outlets with no ground, no gfci, and no stickers. Only one had proper wiring, and that was because it had apparently been completely overhauled in the 70s or 80s. Oh, a bunch of the houses used a fuse box that was a known fire hazard, so that's fun.
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May 31, 2019 16:22
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Bobulus posted:You guys would hate the town I live in. Everything was built in the last boom, which was the 1950s, and very few people have bothered sticking to code. When I looking for a place, I went around with a ground tester. Of the ten-ish places I checked, two still had the old-style two-prong outlets, and seven had three-prong outlets with no ground, no gfci, and no stickers. Only one had proper wiring, and that was because it had apparently been completely overhauled in the 70s or 80s. Ah you toured my house? 1947 post war tract house. Zinsco panel with no working breakers near as I could tell. 60amp main with a 40amp ac circuit, plus all the modern conveniences inside meant we were definitely over draw at times. Cloth wrapped rubber insulated wire, and 5 owners worth of "how hard could it be" style extensions. $25k later and it's ready for another 50 years.
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May 31, 2019 16:31
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The Wonder Weapon posted:I'm probably getting ahead of myself, but let's see. I don't say it to discourage you, because you're right, it's a simple process, just don't go touching poo poo in there all willy-nilly just because you flipped the main.
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May 31, 2019 19:34
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Slugworth posted:Just something that I think needs to be said to anyone working in a panel for the first time - The main breaker does *NOT* de-energize the lugs at the top of the panel. You can still kill yourself in a panel with the main breaker off. That was in the video I watched, and I took note of it. I won't touch them! I pulled my breaker box cover off and have determined that I don't have plug on neutral. I also figured I'd get one of the AFCI/GFCI breakers, since I imagine they'll end up standard eventually anyways. Would this be an appropriate choice, then? My plan is to install this in my breaker box for my living rooms, then switch all those two-prong receptacles out for three-prong receptacles. https://www.amazon.com/Siemens-Q120...=gateway&sr=8-1
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May 31, 2019 21:26
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H110Hawk posted:Plus the stickers that say "no equipment ground" on each 3 prong you install like this, which should be included in the breaker package. Bear with me as someone who's from a country where earthed sockets have been required since my grandparents' time, what's the purpose of installing 3-pin sockets with no earth? Future proofing and/or compatibility with 3-pin equipment? Better holding strength for the plug?
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Jun 2, 2019 19:58
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Jaded Burnout posted:Bear with me as someone who's from a country where earthed sockets have been required since my grandparents' time, what's the purpose of installing 3-pin sockets with no earth? Future proofing and/or compatibility with 3-pin equipment? Better holding strength for the plug? When connected through a GFCI you still get the "internal short can't make the product's case hot" advantage. It's not 100% as good as a real ground but it's better than nothing.
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Jun 2, 2019 20:25
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wolrah posted:When connected through a GFCI you still get the "internal short can't make the product's case hot" advantage. It's not 100% as good as a real ground but it's better than nothing. Gotcha.
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Jun 2, 2019 20:47
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