The computer power cords are often pretty small gauge wire, I would think that the cord used should be at least as large as the power cord on the appliance.
What gauge wire is used? Solid 22/2? Sorry for the newb question, but I guess I could use good primer on gauge vs. capacity, etc. What's confusing me is that it must be "rated 300V or 600V". Does this basically mean that gauge and length must allow the cable to present a 300V potential at the other end? Surely not, so I must have the wrong idea. Just curious about what it means is all.
I have been having a hard time finding some high temp wire to use inside a furnace. I just need several feet.
Based on the wire gauge table, you can put a maximum of 16 amps through 18 gauge wire.
I think you need to be more conservative than this. 16 gauge is ordinarly rated only to 13 amps, even for short runs. When you can find an 18 gauge extension cord for sale, they are ordinarly rated for 5 amps or 625 watts.
I think you need to be more conservative than this. 16 gauge is ordinarly rated only to 13 amps, even for short runs. When you can find an 18 gauge extension cord for sale, they are ordinarly rated for 5 amps or 625 watts.
Again, very true. You definitely are better off running a larger gauge wire when doing this. I was only adding a couple of feet of wire to the overall length of the cord and that is 18/3 is what I had lying around. Instead of the computer power cable, you should probably go and buy a 16 or 14 gauge short extension cord and use that instead.
Based on the wire gauge table, you can put a maximum of 16 amps through 18 gauge wire.
I think you need to be more conservative than this. 16 gauge is ordinarly rated only to 13 amps, even for short runs. When you can find an 18 gauge extension cord for sale, they are ordinarly rated for 5 amps or 625 watts.
This is a really fascinating thread and it got me thinking way "above my pay grade," as they say. I'd like send the washer status wirelessly. My elk has a Caddx wireless receiver and I have z-troller on Homeseer so I could go two ways. jwilson56 suggested hooking in an NX-650 wireless door sensor - that would go to the caddx. I could also use a Z-Wave door sensor. I assume John was talking about cracking open the NX-650 sensor and using the output of the Mamac current sensor instead of the reed switch.
Then it occured to me that the Mamac current sensor is working by magnetic induction anyway. Couldn't I just wrap a few windings of the one of the AC wires around a bolt to make an electromagnet and use that in place of the magnet piece of the door sensors? I could calculate the number of windings necessary or use trial and error. The whole mess would mount easily in a box and seems even easier to hack together, not to mention cheaper.
It seems too easy. Am I missing something?
As for your home built current sensor... if it were only so simple... good luck with that...hehehe
The computer power cords are often pretty small gauge wire, I would think that the cord used should be at least as large as the power cord on the appliance.
Very good point! Not something you want to overlook and I should have mentioned that in the guide. I did however check before hand and the cord to my washing machine is 18/3 which is what the computer cord is.
What gauge wire is used? Solid 22/2? Sorry for the newb question, but I guess I could use good primer on gauge vs. capacity, etc. What's confusing me is that it must be "rated 300V or 600V". Does this basically mean that gauge and length must allow the cable to present a 300V potential at the other end? Surely not, so I must have the wrong idea. Just curious about what it means is all. <_<
Take a look at this: American Wire Gauge Table. Here you will find all of the wire gauges and the maximum current that each can handle. Computer cords (at least the ones I have) are 18/3 stranded. Based on the wire gauge table, you can put a maximum of 16 amps through 18 gauge wire. Most circuits in your house are 15 amps so for short runs like this, 18 gauge is fine. The 300V or 600V rating is required because your low voltage wiring will be running into the same enclosures as your high (120VAC) voltage wiring and everything has to be rated for the highest voltage present. Hope this makes sense.
What threw me is that the Wiring Your Home 102 guide, in the automation section bullet 4 states "Run 22/4 security wire or CAT5e to the laundry for appliance monitoring". So does this statement have something completely different in mind? I am pre-wring the house next week and had intended to run the 22/4 as suggested.
So back to the gauge thing for a second now (thirsty to understand more), I had a look at the AWG table and see that you've used the "Maximum amps for chassis wiring" rating and not the "Maximum amps for power transmission" rating. Why is that given that the computer wire runs all the way back to the automation panel?
I did not read through the entire thread, but I think some confusion exists between the gauge of wire to use for the applicance's power vs the gauge of wire used for the contact closure from the current sensor.
As was suggested above, the gauge of wire to use for the appliance power (if extending it) should match the cord currently on the applicance. Running a few more feet is not going to create any problems.
You can run 22 gauge (or even Cat5) wiring for the contact closure. If it's a true contact closure and your running it into something like an Elk M1 many, many tens of feet in length will not make a difference.
Of course I may be missing a point somewhere, so please let me know if I'm not stating a correct answer to the actual question/problem! <_<