need blueprints for a "power panel" like melevs reef has.....

[agoutihead]

i want to do a power panel on my tank like melevs reef did. same switches and all.

does anyone have a link to blue prints on how to actually hook up those switchboards and how to wire all of those outlets to a surge protector?

thanks!

[agoutihead]

http://www.melevsreef.com/power_panel.html

[agoutihead]

anyone have any ideas???

[davidryder]

You need blueprints? Just mount however many outlets you need in a cabinet and run a cord from the outlet to the back of the power station.

From melevsreef:

"The power centers are made by American DJ, and are Model # 100A. I bought them at Guitar Center for $29 each; they are also available via Ebay. Each unit is designed to handle 15 amps, and has 8 outlets in the back matching the 8 power buttons on the front."

[agoutihead]

yeah, but what about wiring up 16 outlets? what do you wire it to?

im going to be living in an apartment, so im going to have to use the exsisting outlet they have in the wall.

how do i then hook up 16 new outlets into the main one in the wall?

am i making sense?

[davidryder]

well the outlets get plugged into the control center, then the control center gets plugged into the wall.

[agoutihead]

but how do you wire the 16 outlets.... they require 12/2 to be wired right?

or do you put the 12/2 right into the control center? is that how that works?

[davidryder]

Yeah the 12/2 will work and then pick up some 3 prong outlets to put on the end of the wire from lowes. There will be a fairly large selection of plugs to choose from.

[agoutihead]

hmm interesting. so if im going to do three prong... should i do 12/3?

so thats all it is huh? just wire up the sockets with some 12/3 with a 3 prong adapter, plug that into the control center, and then plug the control center into the wall or surge protector?

easy enough!

thanks man!

[davidryder]

Yeah i'm retarded, definitely 12/3 lol

Yeah that's it... much simpler than it looks... have fun!

[agoutihead]

awesome.. thanks man!

its so easy and cheap!

is there a "professional" way to "finish" the 3 plug adapters so it doesnt look like crap and stays held together for years?

[davidryder]

This is what I'm talking about:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002BWBXQ/ref=nosim/?tag=nextag-ce-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B0002BWBXQ&linkCode=asn

You actually take it apart, clamp the wires inside the plug and put it back together. Of course they won't be that expensive at lowes. That part attaches to the 12/3 wire coming out of the back of the electrical outlets and plugs into the power center.

[davidryder]

Found it!

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=45463-334-SA399O-SP-L&lpage=none

[agoutihead]

wow. awesome. this is the only way to go!

[ordy1]

12/2 is a hot and neutral with a bare wire ground right?

12/3 is two hots and a neutral with a bare wire ground Right?

I'm confused.

I had the same question about wireing it up to the DJ control panel.

Before you plug 16 differant things into that one outlet you may want to look around a little more and see what the max wattage and current for the breaker you are hooking into is. There was a thread on this topic not too long ago.

Ordy

[agoutihead]

does anyone have the link to the thread you were talking about ordy?

[davidryder]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9564965#post9564965 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ordy1
12/2 is a hot and neutral with a bare wire ground right?

12/3 is two hots and a neutral with a bare wire ground Right?

I'm confused.

I had the same question about wireing it up to the DJ control panel.

Before you plug 16 differant things into that one outlet you may want to look around a little more and see what the max wattage and current for the breaker you are hooking into is. There was a thread on this topic not too long ago.

Ordy

Each one of those power centers are rated at 15a. And each power center only has 8 outlets. To calculate amps:

Watts/120

That means a 95w pump is .79a. A 300 watt heater is 2.5a.

As far as 12/2 vs 12/3 goes I think you are probably right but that would be confirmed when purchasing the wire.

[ordy1]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9565266#post9565266 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by agoutihead
does anyone have the link to the thread you were talking about ordy?

found the link on my kids laptop:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1034079

Ordy