Powering the sim

[jackpilot]

Preparing for my new setup, I was wondering how many Amps are needed to run it safely

I will use two PCs instead of 5.
One projector
3 interface cards 12v
4 USB hubs 5v
4 monitors+ 2 CDUs
Misc audio and lighting (leds)
(12v and 5v split between 3 PSUs)

My previous setup was running fine on 2 X110v 15A circuits.
Open for comments 
Jack

[XOrionFE]

I think you would still want to use both.   All that on 1 15amp would probably overload it but two should be good.

[Flying_Fox]

I run on 3 circuits - first for sim, second for 3 projectors, third for air conditioning.

[jackpilot]

Thank you both
Any idea of PC and projector consumption ? rough...

[blueskydriver]

Hey Jack,

Simple way to know is look at each device and write down the input voltage and amperage. That info will be on the back of the computer(s) and projector(s), USB hubs and so on, along with looking at power plug-in (wall warts), then you add it all up in amps. From there you divide it out among the circuits you do have. If they're 15amp circuits, only count 12 amps for each one and not the 15A. Make sure these circuits are not be using for other things that are not a part of your simulator (well, you can, but you need too know what those things are, so turn off the circuit breakers and find out...).

If any device is in watts and voltage, but not amps, you need to use a watts and voltage to amps calculator (Google that, as there are tons of them online). Do not worry about output voltage on the device, as it may be in AC or DC, you only need to figure out the AC input amps...

John

[blueskydriver]

Here is a link to a simple read, and it's not to insult the intelligence of anyone; instead, I think the simple explanations or laymens terms is better for people to understand. In the article you will see why 12AMPS is the limit for a 15AMP circuit. Also, read the parts about hot loads like heaters, toasters, hairdryers and so on, that will explain why things can melt, but not trip the breaker(s).

Plus, you'll understand why I added 20AMP dedicated circuits just for the simulator...hint, you are using a standard 15AMP circuit and someone plugs in a high heat device, but you're not told about it, next thing is you smell smoke and it ain't the waffles, but the power remains on, and this circuit has your MIP monitors plugged into it. The monitors go black and smoke consumes your cockpit! Guess what, you just fried the pcb's of the monitors...WHY! AS YOU CURSE AT THE SIMULATOR GREMLINS!! Answer, someone wanted to use the "once a year" electric waffle maker, and they plugged it into the hardly used circuit outlet (that you also had no other choice to use and it just had to be those MIP monitors you purchased a month ago) just a foot or two away from the kitchen itself, using an extension cord...because all the other 15AMP kitchen outlets were in use with the mixer, microwave, dishwasher and really cool lava lamp that looks amazing on top of the fridge!

Okay, that story was made up, but the point is you really should dedicate power circuits for your simulator period. A 50AMP sub panel with 8 each 20AMP circuits is an easy thing too do, and no that is not 160AMPS requirement, because when everything is evenly spaced out you would not go above the 50AMPS...uh, okay, if that happens, you did not plan it correctly or had a bad electrician (if you didn't do the work yourself).

Here is the link:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.familyhandyman.com/electrical/breaker-box/how-circuit-breakers-work/amp

Best Regards,

John

[jackpilot]

Thank you John good point.

(My 2 circuits are dedicated the sim.)

[fsaviator]

I run all my power through UPS.  That gives you clean, regulated power with surge protection.  It also gives you the ability to shut down correctly if there is a power loss.

[Mach7]

So....this thread is very interesting to me as I never considered my household power max amps as I added device after device....I'm fact I am wondering now why I have not tripped a breaker as of yet.

I did some checking in my sim room, of which I have 6 outlets around the room. 3 of those come off of one 15 amp household breaker and the other off a separate 15 amp. Having said this, one 15 amp also protects the room lights... so I will have to account for that as well.

So would I be correct , using the formula watts divided by volts, thinking my slimline visual computers would draw approx 2.5 amps each, with my main computer around 5 ? My calculations are only taking into account the watt rating then dividing that value by 120 volts.

Then my 22 inch LCD monitors around .41 amps each?

Am I at least close?

Jim

[blueskydriver]

Hi Jim,

I think you'll be okay, but is there anything else on the circuits that you're unaware of? My suggestion is shutoff the breaker and see what else goes off...you might be surprised as to the circuit branching.

As for your computers, with the values you listed, roughly the slime lines are 250watts on the power supplies and the main computer is around 500watt for its power supply? How many 22" LCD's are you using (I forgot)?

You could plug everything into one circuit based on the AMP amounts, but I wouldn't because this is what I was talking about heat build up. With high load devices they draw a lot power and produce a lot of heat, even though you'd be under the threshold for tripping the breaker. So, all that power going to a few high load devices will heat up the whole circuit line (meaning the actual wire in the wall) and anything else plugged into it at other outlets on that same circuit. A good way to check, is feel another outlet that is not used, but is on the same circuit. If it feels a little warm there is no need to worry, but if it feels hot you need to split up where the devices are plugged in. Of course if it feels really hot to touch, you need to turn everything off right now and then split it up. If you do split it up and the same unused outlet is still to hot, you have something else wrong and that could be another circuit right next to the one or two for your simulator.

In other words, let's say for example, you have a circuit that has a 120volt deep freezer plugged into it and the continuous draw is 11.8AMPS when the motor is running (it turns on and off automatically). Next to it is your Sim circuit(s)...let's say two circuits and one circuit is using 10AMPS and the other 5AMPS when the sim is all fired up. So, the deep freezer is causing some serious heat down the circuit it is on, and due to the way breaker boxes are made, the hot wire bus is all the same, meaning all circuits breakers snap onto this hot bus. With your two circuits being next to that deep freezer they're going to get some of that heat because the hot bus is producing the most heat in that location.

Anyway, you have three circuits and they're all running hot, so anything else that cannot take that heat will slowly fade the plastic on the plug brown/black or even melt it. However, it only happens when the sim is running full and the deep freezer motor is on, so you most likely would never notice this because everything is working normally. Once you do discover this and let's say your sim is running, the deep freezer motor is running and you step away from the sim for whatever reason, it will be then the heat finally melted something too the point of starting a fire! You come back to a smoke filled room and/or a small fire (hopefully small), putting it out with your fire extinguisher and never knowing what caused it. Many house fires start like this and it gets called a "a faulty circuit was the blame", but most likely it was due to overloaded circuits without tripping the breaker(s).

I don't want to sound to alarming, but household wiring setups are not designed to maintain non-stop high loads. The only circuits in the house that get setup for high loads is the stove, the fridge, the HVAC, the hot water heater, the washer and dryer units. Anything else that might be a high load like a hair dryer, microwave and etc usually has a GFCI outlet (bathroom or kitchen) with it's own breaker on the outlet that will trip with an overload and thereby, preventing the actual circuit wire from the heat or overload.

Finally, there are so many things that only electricians understand and I am not one, but I do know that a simulator with multiple computers, monitors and so on need more then the standard 15AMP "shared" household circuits. You need a dedicated circuit(s) or at least a household one or two that has nothing else on it, plus knowing what else is on the nearby circuits in the breaker box...

John

[blueskydriver]

Hey Guys,

Some of this topic got carried over to Jim's new post, see it for more info...

John

[Flying_Fox]

Thank you both
Any idea of PC and projector consumption ? rough...

Hi Jack,

Circuit 1
Main FS computer                 240 watt
Avionics Computers (3 notebooks)   120
Instructor station computer (notebook)   40
MIP total            130
TQ               25
Overhead            90
Sound System         250      

Circuit 2      
3 Projectors         670
         
Circuit 3
Air conditioning       600  (rarely turned on )

Total               2165  (plus/minus some )


Main FS computer and projectors run off two UPS units. Since all other computers are notebooks power failure is fine for them.
Sim power runs off GFCI outlet (that includes avionics notebooks).



Nick

[jackpilot]

Thank you Nick