I don't follow your logic here. The #10 wire that he had is ok for a 30
amp breaker. Which by the way (the #10 wire) is "a little more than 1/2"
as you advocate, for the 50 amp breaker but was obvious it was not heavy
enough for the 50 amp water heater.
Also why would it be ok to use smaller wire in a barn with too large a
breaker on it? Barns do burn too.
73
Gary K4FMX
Keith Dutson wrote:
This is not a house, no humans live in the barn. The electric water heater
is a pulse unit, only about 30 percent average power drawn from mains.
Keith NM5G
-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Gary Schafer
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 8:49 PM
To: keith@dutson.net
Cc: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] RE: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 25, Issue 139
Why do you think the wire rating should be any different than in the house?
Wire size should be rated for the full amount of the breaker. A 15 amp
breaker will not trip at 15 amps immediately. It takes several minutes.
Some it takes almost twice that to ever trip them.
An electric water heater is a pretty constant load.
73
Gary K4FMX
Keith Dutson wrote:
Barn wiring is pretty simple. Your wire needs to be rated at a bit
above half the breaker amperage to handle the anticipated constant
amperage. Max current only happens when lights are first turned on and
motors/fans start.
It's not like a house where you would be running several appliances at
one time.
Keith NM5G
-----Original Message-----
From: towertalk-bounces@contesting.com
[mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of Mike Maddox
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 3:34 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] RE: TowerTalk Digest, Vol 25, Issue 139
A funny story along this line...
I was looking out the window toward the barn one night and saw all
lights going from bright to dim for a second or two, then back to bright,
etc.
They were so dim it is almost as if someone was flicking the light switch.
My XYL had just finished riding horses with some friends, and they
were taking saddles off and putting the horses back in the stalls.
Later while we were having supper I remarked about the lights. She
said it was the water heater. Seems she installed one of those
"instant" water heaters. The next day I went out to see the heater. It
is 230/240V, 50A.
The mains to the barn is ONE 50A circuit on 10 gauge romex!
No, my XYL is not a ham. I'll let you guess the color of her hair.
<grin>
The heater now has its own 50A circuit.
Keith NM5G
Hope you are now using 6 gauge wire for a 50 amp circuit. 10 is rated
for 30 amps. There are a lot of those kind of set ups around. Maybe
it's the horse<sense>! I've got a horse fanatic nearby that only has
a 60 amp service to her house (a total electric house) and 60 amps going
to her barn.
Can't understand why parts of her walls get hot, and electric
appliances don't seem to last very long. Gave up trying to explain it to
her.
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers",
"Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free,
1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
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http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
TowerTalk@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
_______________________________________________
See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
_______________________________________________
TowerTalk mailing list
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