Lowering Amps

Capt. Chronic

Capt. Chronic

Active Member
thelastpirate

thelastpirate

Well-Known Member
I guess it doesn't matter. You are paying for WATTS, drawing high amps only creates hot wires. If you are drawing 9 amps on a 15 amp line, you're ok. Circuit breakers are designed to trip before the wire gets too hot and burns your house down.
 
la9

la9

Well-Known Member
When you step up voltage you use more amperage to convert it than leaving it alone.

If you are trying to draw less amps to save on the electric bill then your approach isn't going to work, electric doesn't work that way.
 
CustomHydro

CustomHydro

Well-Known Member
Capt. Chronic said:
Im no electrician but if you plugged in one of these voltage converters that converts 110/120 volts to 220 volts, and you wired your light to run on 220, would you then draw less amperage? Or would it matter?

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No, cuz u will still be pulling your original power from a 120 source. If u want to draw less amps it is really easy!! but it does require opening the fuse box cover to change a circuit breaker. And you have to make sure no 120 appliance or lights runs on the breaker...
You need to get a douple ple breaker and hook up your neutral wire (white wire) to one of the poles and your hot (black)to the other pole. The ground (copper) will stay right where it is. I just did this, and I can now run both my 1k watters off of 15amps at 220v otherwise I would need 30amps @ 110v 30 amps requires 10 guage wiring too. USA is f'd up on some things/
 
NotMine

NotMine

Well-Known Member
You need to lower watts used to save cash...don't worrie bout the ohm's law they have it wrong anyway :)
 
la9

la9

Well-Known Member
whether you use 120 or 200 you are still using the same watts, actually more stepping up to the 220 because you need energy to convert it.
 
fat sam

fat sam

Well-Known Member
on 220 your drawing half the amps twice as much, so its all the same to the meter, they measure watts which is amps x volts so no matter how you wire it its going to cost the same
 
OGEvilgenius

OGEvilgenius

Well-Known Member
Do those converters work that you plug into the wall to lower your amps if you use 220v equipment? They're pretty pricey but seem like a decent way to maintain safety and are cheaper than getting an electrician to come in and try to explain why you're upping the electricity in your single spare room... :)
 
M

mrmadcow

Well-Known Member
they will only lower the amps between the converter & the device drawing power. if you are powering a 1000 watt light,the draw will only be about 5 amps of 220 from the light to the converter. the converter will still draw 10 amps from the 110 outlet to "make" the 220.accually it wil draw more because no converter is 100% effecient so it will take a few watts to convert the power.
sorry no magic bullet here.
 
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