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 Elite Fitness Bodybuilding, Anabolics, Diet, Life Extension, Wellness, Supplements, and Training Boards
 Chat & Conversation
 Any electricians in the house?? Need help FAST!
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| Author | Topic: Any electricians in the house?? Need help FAST! | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder 
Posts: 1159 |
What wire size can carry 6 amps at 130 volts? Anybody know their stuff? Working on a project at home and hitting the wall... help appreciated!! thx ------------------     | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 649 |
well homer simpson, if the xmas tree catches fire, it wont hold it... | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder 
Posts: 77 |
For what distance? That matters too I think. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 53 |
10 gauge wire will handle it just fine. | ||
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Moderator 
Posts: 3184 |
12 guage copper will hold the amps Bro..... Ranger | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder 
Posts: 309 |
Go with 10 if its a long run, or your worried about the amps. 12 should work - but 10 will cover your ass. | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1159 |
It's not a long run -- will 16 work? I wired it with 16, per an electrical manual that my brother-in-law had (and also the journeyman electrician at Lowe's said it would be OK), but my grandpa (who worked in electronics for many, many years) thinks it may be too small -- that it might heat and cause a fire -- I don't want to change it if I don't have to, because it would require tearing up the custom chandelier that I made, but I don't want to burn my house down either... So I guess I will rephrase it as: What is the minimum size wire safe for use to carry 6 amps at 130 volts? | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1159 |
P.S. Thanks for the replies guys. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 309 |
Im not an actual liscensed electrician, so I usually beef things up pretty good. Here is my very unprofessional test for fire hazzards: plug the shit in for a few minutes and physically feel the cable jacket. If there is going to be a problem it will heat up like crazy. If after a few hours its warm, but only WARM - dont worry. If its a problem the cable will be too hot to touch and the cable jacket will get soft. If your using emt - this doenst work as well because you wont notice the heat transferring through the metal conduit as much as with plastic jacketed cable. Again - Im not liscensed but I have wired several homes including my own without any problems. | ||
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Cool Novice 
Posts: 17 |
hey bigtruck, how did that turn out anyway? | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1159 |
That's good advice gearseeker; I've been periodically checking it this way for the last couple days -- I do need to leave them on for a couple hours and get up in the attic to see if the line is getting hot up there (as it can get hot anywhere in the run); but on the visible part it's been OK. My gpa's freaked, cuz when I took down the existing ceiling fan, we discovered that the line had been hot before (the insulation was all melted off, etc); I got up in the attic and cut it back to where it appeared ok and replaced the line from where it was bad, so I think it's OK. | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1159 |
Wasup bad? It turned out good, but it was a major pain in the ass. As I said above, when we took the ceiling fan down, we discovered that the line had been hot before, so I had to go up in the attic and trace the line back to where it wasn't melted and replace that. Then, once we got the light up, it kept tripping the circut -- so I took it apart twice thinking I had screwed up somewhere on the wiring (it has 15 bulbs); of course this screwed up the paint and all of the interwoven wires I had in it. Put it back up, still didn't work, so took it back down and checked each of the sockets with an Ohm meter, sure enough, one of the sockets was bad (which really pissed me off), so I took it out and went with a 14 bulb setup insted (btw -- I went with the clear, smaller bulbs as you suggested). Got it up, worked great. Put up an ornamental ceiling medallion and secured the light in the attic and put in a dimmer. Turned out really nice. I'll try to take a pic and post it. All in all, it would have gone a lot faster if all of the components had been good and the old wiring hadn't been burned. But am thankful I discovered these things as they could have caused major probs down the line. | ||
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Moderator
Posts: 2233 |
The voltage rating should be stated directly on the insulation of the wire by the manufacterer which is usually between 300 to 600 Volt AC. According to the National Eletrical Code, Article 402-5: the ampacity for 18 AWG is 6 Amps and the ampacity for 16 AWG is 8 Amps respectively. Thus my recommendation based on this information is 16 AWG. Because 18 AWG is only rated up to 6 Amps. IMO it is safer to have a 2 Amp "cushion" in case of oversizing lamp wattage. Also let it be noted according to the National Electrical Code, Section 410-24b: The minimum conductor size for fixture wiring is 18 AWG. Class dismissed. Have a nice day! ------------------ | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1159 |
Hey thanks for digging that up BM; I did use 16 so it should be good.  BTW, as I understand it, volts don't really matter much -- it's the amps that you have to watch for. | ||
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Moderator
Posts: 2233 |
Your welcome! I'm happy to oblige, any electrical questions - BRING 'EM ON! Yet another of bikinimom's hidden talents. ------------------ | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1159 |
Well, I've got a couple more projects coming up, so I may take you up on that... | ||
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Moderator
Posts: 3184 |
Very Nice BM.... Being a Lineman for many years, and working with electricity for as long as I can remember...I AM IMPRESSED!!! Are you sure your happy...???
Ranger | ||
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Moderator
Posts: 2233 |
....and I have MANY other little tricks hidden 'neath my posing suit.  tee-hee ------------------ | ||
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Cool Novice
Posts: 17 |
hey truck, can't wait to see the finished product... you guys would be impressed... glad you went with the clear lights... just something about them that gets my fashion sense in a tizzy. and wooohh BM, all those big words you make me feal like a nelly queen! i'll have to go beat up the navy boys in my department to make myself feal better....er scratch that, i better find a marine. | ||
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Freak 
Posts: 1808 |
wow, bikinimom............. you are more fascinating each day (i need a bmom in my toolbox at work to chat with and to help me...lol) ------------------ |
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