Oversizing conductor to the first receptacle

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X-27

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Sometimes the panelboard can't be as close as we would like. On a 20 amp circuit, I am thinking of running #10 AWG to the first receptacle in a room. Then from that first receptacle running #12 AWG to the remaining receptacles.

The specs for this receptacle says it's terminal accommodation is 14-10 AWG. So I don't even have to make pigtails. Is this a reasonable option?

(The HO doesn't want to run his stereo on 119.9 Volts.)
 
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The installation is reasonable, but the reason for it seems a bit irrational.
Somewhere on this site is a thread about a ridiculously expensive receptacle for sound equipment. You should tell the HO about it and see if you can make an upsell.
 
ActionDave said:
The installation is reasonable, but the reason for it seems a bit irrational.
Somewhere on this site is a thread about a ridiculously expensive receptacle for sound equipment. You should tell the HO about it and see if you can make an upsell.
Click to expand...

Actually, I prefer someone that likes things “over engineered”. They're much more pleasant than their opposite. You see no code problem I take it?
 
The HO may not have any choice as to wheather they have run their stereo on 119.9 or lower volts regardless of your efforts, the utility may only be providing 115.

Now, are you performing this work yourself and is this your own building?

Roger
 
ActionDave said:
Somewhere on this site is a thread about a ridiculously expensive receptacle for sound equipment. You should tell the HO about it and see if you can make an upsell.
Click to expand...


381.jpg



* Audio Grade
* Ultra heavy-duty triple wipe contacts
* Silver plated solid brass terminal clamps, mounting stap, rivets, and grounding strip
* Glass filled high temperature nylon housing
* Superior ground contact
* Wattgate Three Layer Plating Process*
* 20A/125VAC

*WATTGATE Three Layer Plating Process
1. Oxygen free copper plating
improves conductivity

2. Electroless nickel plating
necessary to prevent the leeching of the copper through the pure gold layer

3. 24k gold plating
improves conductivity


http://www.wattgate.com/products/381/


Just $147.00 at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Wattgate-Audio-Grade-Duplex-Socket/dp/B000930W4M

Don't forget the female is only as good as the male. ;)

330iBlack.big.png


The male is a bargain at just $77.

http://www.amazon.com/Wattgate-Audio-Grade-Edison-Connector/dp/accessories/B00092RY6W
 
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iwire said:
381.jpg



* Audio Grade
* Ultra heavy-duty triple wipe contacts
* Silver plated solid brass terminal clamps, mounting stap, rivets, and grounding strip
* Glass filled high temperature nylon housing
* Superior ground contact
* Wattgate Three Layer Plating Process*
* 20A/125VAC

*WATTGATE Three Layer Plating Process
1. Oxygen free copper plating
improves conductivity

2. Electroless nickel plating
necessary to prevent the leeching of the copper through the pure gold layer

3. 24k gold plating
improves conductivity


http://www.wattgate.com/products/381/


Just $147.00 at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Wattgate-Audio-Grade-Duplex-Socket/dp/B000930W4M

Don't forget the female is only as good as the male. ;)

330iBlack.big.png


The male is a bargain at just $77.

http://www.amazon.com/Wattgate-Audio-Grade-Edison-Connector/dp/accessories/B00092RY6W
Click to expand...

Not only is the female as good as the male but both are also only as good as the conductor attached so you need to upsell conductors run to panel and possibly even the power cord on the connected equipment. Why don't they put better cords on this equipment in the first place - they should have gold plated conductors for best results.

Now that we have gone this far we need to find panelboard built with the same standards as well as feeders and service equipment all the way back to the power generating plant. Only then will we truly have the best sound possible.
 
kwired said:
Now that we have gone this far we need to find panelboard built with the same standards as well as feeders and service equipment all the way back to the power generating plant. Only then will we truly have the best sound possible.
Click to expand...

On another forum someone Photoshopped a nice gold plated pole mounted transformer. :cool:
 
X-27 said:
Sometimes the panelboard can't be as close as we would like. On a 20 amp circuit, I am thinking of running #10 AWG to the first receptacle in a room. Then from that first receptacle running #12 AWG to the remaining receptacles.

The specs for this receptacle says it's terminal accommodation is 14-10 AWG. So I don't even have to make pigtails. Is this a reasonable option?

(The HO doesn't want to run his stereo on 119.9 Volts.)
Click to expand...


If this guy/gal has quality stereo equipment then I would sell them on the idea of a dedicated circuit for the stereo equipment. Then use some good surge suppression at the equipment.

Keeping the power clean as possible will have more of an effect than a slight voltage drop.
 
X-27 said:
Sometimes the panelboard can't be as close as we would like. On a 20 amp circuit, I am thinking of running #10 AWG to the first receptacle in a room. Then from that first receptacle running #12 AWG to the remaining receptacles.

The specs for this receptacle says it's terminal accommodation is 14-10 AWG. So I don't even have to make pigtails. Is this a reasonable option?

(The HO doesn't want to run his stereo on 119.9 Volts.)
Click to expand...

Code wise you are fine assuming you still use a 15 or 20 amp breaker.

In commercial work this is common, as a rule of thumb for 120 volt circuit we increase one size for each 100' of of home run length.

That said I agree with the others, unless the load is unusually high and / or the length unusually long for a home I would not worry about it.
 
iwire said:
... they do show one grade higher (an IG) but I cannot find the price of that either.
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I bet plenty of the self-proclaimed golden-eared audiophiles will believe an IG receptacle is beneficial even in a plastic-box-and-NM-wired house.

I saw a $15,000 pair of 10' speaker wires in an advertisement several years ago, and started calling it the emperor's-new-speaker-wires syndrome.
 
I don't think anyone here actually has a clue as to the power these receptacles have and the miracles they can do, here is just one testmonial.


You can read many more such wonders by clicking here

stars35.gif
Warning: Read the manual; All seven volumes!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
99gecko from Antartica
Make sure you read the entire manual-it's only 637 pgs long.

I ordered 74; one for every appliance in the house. I figured if it was good for a HT, it was good for a nitelite.

Suffice it to say that I was too excited to read the entire instructions and wired up all the outlets backwards, neutral to hot, etc. What the product description doesn't say, is that this puppy is smart enough to correct for DIY'ers. Apparently, it sends a discrete signal back through the electrical grid to the utility notifying them of a botched wiring job. If the utility doesn't contact you within 24 hours, the Wattgate 361a hires a local electrician on your behalf.

Was I ever relieved when a team of Wattgate certified electricians arrived to correct the situation. Unfortunately, Wattgate certified electricians charge over $1300 per receptacle. I don't blame them - they lost 3000 hours to the Wattgate 361a apprenticeship program. Here's the kicker: because I wired these myself, I voided the $119 3-week extended warrantee I paid on each one!

I am very impressed with the Wattgate 361a and the changes it has made in our lives:
Due to a total loss of hearing, I can't actually detect an improvement in sound quality, but I know it's there based on the fact that my speakers rarely collect dust
Our toast never burns, and our coffee maker now turns water into wine
The garage door opens so silently that my wife can now hear me smoking in the car from inside the house
On-line banking? The 361a automatically enters my PIN & prevents me from making an overdraft
Small woodland animals line-up on our window ledge to sing in perfect harmony with our alarm clock
Talking to my mother-in-law on the phone is now a joy in 7.1 Dolby TrueHD surround sound
All of our CFL light bulbs use 1/200th their rated power, have a CRI of 100, and now work on dimmers
In the past 7 months we have had the Wattgate 361a installed, the 14 day weather forecast on the HDTV has been perfect

Thanks Wattgate!
Click to expand...



Roger
 
iwire said:
Code wise you are fine assuming you still use a 15 or 20 amp breaker.

In commercial work this is common, as a rule of thumb for 120 volt circuit we increase one size for each 100' of of home run length.
Click to expand...


Yes, a 20 amp breaker. This home run will be about 80 feet (my copy of the plans are not the latest).

The "119.9 volt" comment was my (poor) attempt at humor. Although, some of these amplifiers can have inrush current similar to a motor.

I agree with other commenters, some of these audiophiles do need..... counseling. Part of the problem is the industry fosters this over-the-top attitude. I remember one time seeing speaker wire that was “fully digital compatible”.
 
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X-27 said:
Actually, I prefer someone that likes things ?over engineered?. They're much more pleasant than their opposite. You see no code problem I take it?
Click to expand...

By all means give the man what he wants. If someone has money they need to spend you are obligated to help them.

No code issue. I would wirenut the 10 home run to the downstream 12 in the first box and pigtail to the receptacle with 12. It is no fun trying to fold 10 back in the box with a receptacle attached.
 
Really what you need is some NM cable with silver conductors then you could use smaller gauge wire and have even less of a VD :cool: oh better yet silver wire that's gold plated so it doesn't oxidize. I think I need to go make a patent. Unobtainium conductors are really the best just hard to find enough unobtanium nowadays.
 
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