Is 1000 watt power supply unit safe on home socket?

darsunt · 07-12-2009, 10:58 PM

Is a 1000 watt power supply unit safe to run on a home socket? Since home voltage is 120, and 120 V X 8 amps = 960 watts, I think that it is. But I want to check to be sure.

Thanks

Red Squirrel · 07-12-2009, 11:11 PM

A socket should supply 15 amps so that is 1800watts so you should be good. If you are talking about a computer power supply, it will only draw it's maximum wattage to charge the capacitor then it wont be using that much (unless all the components do add up to that much, but most likely not, the wattage is just it's capacity).

You can have like 5 pcs running off one socket no problem, just don't plug them all on at once, and even then think you'd be fine as the draw surge would be very short.

darsunt · 07-12-2009, 11:24 PM

Yes it is a computer psu. Thanks for the info.

Noel · 07-13-2009, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Squirrel

A socket should supply 15 amps so that is 1800watts so you should be good. If you are talking about a computer power supply, it will only draw it's maximum wattage to charge the capacitor then it wont be using that much (unless all the components do add up to that much, but most likely not, the wattage is just it's capacity).

You can have like 5 pcs running off one socket no problem, just don't plug them all on at once, and even then think you'd be fine as the draw surge would be very short.

While some of the information Red Squirrel provided was accurate - conversion of amps to watts - the remainder is not. The amperage rating of the receptacle has noting to do with the ampacity of an existing circuit and is not the parameter that needs to be considered to prevent overloading of a circuit!

The rated ampacity of the existing circuit breaker/fuse, the size of the wire running from the panel to the existing receptacle, and the existing load on the circuit are the parameters to be considered.

1000 watts

Yoyizit · 07-13-2009, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darsunt

Is a 1000 watt power supply unit safe to run on a home socket? Since home voltage is 120, and 120 V X 8 amps = 960 watts, I think that it is. But I want to check to be sure.

Thanks

If the voltage drops more than 2v or so with this load you have a bad connection upstream.
If the plug gets hot with this load the socket is worn out.

Scuba_Dave · 07-13-2009, 06:28 PM

Wife's vacuum pulls 12a & she plugs it in all over the house
Now if we had a PC pulling 1000w & she plugged the Vac into the same circuit a 15a breaker would trip. A 20a can handle up to 2400w, so it would be close if there were other loads on the circuit

So verify where you will be plugging it in & other loads
I always have a UPS that my PC plugs into

Red Squirrel · 07-13-2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noel

While some of the information Red Squirrel provided was accurate - conversion of amps to watts - the remainder is not. The amperage rating of the receptacle has noting to do with the ampacity of an existing circuit and is not the parameter that needs to be considered to prevent overloading of a circuit!

The rated ampacity of the existing circuit breaker/fuse, the size of the wire running from the panel to the existing receptacle, and the existing load on the circuit are the parameters to be considered.

1000 watts

True, but if everything is to code, a 15 amp socket should have wire capable of handling 15 amps or more. At least, I would think. I'm not an electrician.

Noel · 07-13-2009, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Squirrel

True, but if everything is to code, a 15 amp socket should have wire capable of handling 15 amps or more. At least, I would think. I'm not an electrician.

Never assume that there is only one receptacle on a circuit. Never assume that the electrical wiring on anything but a newly constructed building is up to code. Even then , trust but verify. Assumptions get people hurt or killed not to mention property damaged.

Noel · 07-13-2009, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba_Dave

Wife's vacuum pulls 12a & she plugs it in all over the house
Now if we had a PC pulling 1000w & she plugged the Vac into the same circuit a 15a breaker would trip. A 20a can handle up to 2400w, so it would be close if there were other loads on the circuit

So verify where you will be plugging it in & other loads
I always have a UPS that my PC plugs into

Good info!
\
If this were my house, I'd run a dedicated 15 amp circuit for the power supply.

Scuba_Dave · 07-13-2009, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red Squirrel

True, but if everything is to code, a 15 amp socket should have wire capable of handling 15 amps or more. At least, I would think

Just as an example: I rented the 3rd floor of a house that had knee wall storage
While checking the place out after moving in I found that speaker wire had been used to put outlets in the last room
It was probably done long before heavy electric use
But it was still there

Bigplanz · 07-13-2009, 09:24 PM

I ran my furnace and a couple of lights on a 1250W, 100 dollar generator from Big Lots last January for almost a week after an ice storm, so, yeah, you should be fine. (My house furnace blower draws about 6 amps.)

Let me tell you, I didn't mind being in the dark (mostly) when the house furnace (natural gas) was working. Get a small generator; it'll run a furnace blower and you'll be ok in your own house while everyone else is shivering in the dark.

Red Squirrel · 07-13-2009, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scuba_Dave

Just as an example: I rented the 3rd floor of a house that had knee wall storage
While checking the place out after moving in I found that speaker wire had been used to put outlets in the last room
It was probably done long before heavy electric use
But it was still there

Speaker wire? holy crap, Not being an electrician even I know that is a huge no no. The stuff people do sometimes is amazing, in a head shaking way.