# Temporary wiring question



## anibis (Jan 12, 2007)

The house I just moved into was built in the 1920s, the wiring upstairs is from the 1960s-70s so it does not have the 3rd grounding wire.  I'm an electronic geek so I need to figure out a temporary way to run a new wire upstairs so I get the 3rd prong and my own circuit.  

Currently I have 2 100ft 16ga extension cords running down the laundry shute (we don't use it) to a new outlet I just installed (it's the only outlet on the breaker).  Everything is working just fine, I'm just a little worried about the extension cords, they never get warm so I know they're not overloaded.

Would I be better off running 14ga electrical wire and have an outlet in my computer room so I could ditch the extension cords all together?  The only problem is I would have to use the same route as the extension cords so the wire would have to be on the outside of the walls, would this be any better/safer? 

Thanks in advance.


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## anibis (Jan 12, 2007)

I figured I should specify what needs to be hooked up to the new circuit

3 Computers (all 3 are very powerful, 450w power supplies)
17" LCD
19" LCD
32" LCD
3 External HD's
DVR Box
Router

Everything listed above are run through 2 900va UPS's although only the computers and the 32" LCD are on the battery.

All the lighting and the electronics that don't need a UPS are on the room's circuit.


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## anibis (Jan 13, 2007)

I checked my UPS software and the input freq. is 59.9hz, it is the only meter in red, is this normal?  I have no clue what this means...


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## petey_racer (Jan 13, 2007)

60hz is perfect. I don't know why you are in the red being so close.
I would get one or two dedicated circuits up there as soon as you can. I do NOT like the idea of cords being used like this. Especially such small cords.
#16 @ 100' is tiny.


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## JoeD (Jan 13, 2007)

You could run your new circuits up the laundry chute as well. Then fish them into the walls and install new receptacles.


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## glennjanie (Jan 14, 2007)

A PVC conduit in the laundry chute would be a big help. For 3 computers, I would want 3 individual circuts, then you could plug in a 6 opening recepticale to allow everything a place to plug in.
Glenn


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## anibis (Jan 14, 2007)

Thank you for all your responses, I went ahead and changed out the extension cords.  

I used about 70 feet of 12ga wire following the same route as before, I rent so I didn't want to be knocking holes in the drywall so I couldnt fish it, I used a 20a breaker.

Can I install individual circuts with one wire?  I'm still a novice at this whole electricity thing so you will have to break it down to lamens terms, also what are the benefits to adding circuts?  I would only need to add one more because the computers run off two UPS's, I don't want to buy another or run a computer without one.  Heres how I have everything wired up:

2 900va Belkin UPS's

UPS1:
 Off Battery
  AMD64 3200, 450w ps, powerful video card, 2 hard drives 
  AMD Athlon XP 3000, 450w, average video card, 3 hard drives
  2 External HD's
  19" LCD 
Off Surge 
  1 External DVDRW
  Small house fan

  17" LCD

Load at peak: 62%

UPS2:
  Off Battery:
   AMD64 3200, 450w, good video card, 2 hd's
   External HD
   32" LCD TV
   Router
 Surge:
   Cable DVR Box
   PS3

Load at peak: 40%

I know this is a ton of power, I generally do not run everything at once, usually only 2 computers are on at any given time, only 1 at night.  Do you think I'll be okay with my current wiring or should I add another circut?  I care about saftey most, I don't want a fire.

Another thing, my I/O voltage fluctuates in the 126 range, is this normal?  

Thanks for your help.


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## anibis (Jan 14, 2007)

Thank you for all the replies, I ditched the extension cords today.  

I ran about 70 feet 12ga off the outlet I installed the other day (where I used to have the cords plugged into) so it's about 80 feet from the breaker box with 2 outlets, 20a breaker.  

Quick question, when I hooked the wire up at the first outlet to go upstairs there was only one connection for the earth ground, I just put them both together and tightened, is this correct?  I just started doing electrical work when I moved here before that all I had done was install fans, I have the mind for this kinda thing so I catch on quick.

How do I go about installing individual circuts?  I have 2 ups's and I would like to have a surge protector for other things as well.

I have two circuts since the original room wiring is still in place, most electronics that don't have the 3rd prong on this circut, lighting, space heater, surround sound, etc..

Everything on the new circut:

2 900va UPS's on one outlet

UPS1
Battery:
2 fast computers
2 external hard drives
19" LCD

Surge:
Small fan
External DVD+RW

UPS2
Battery:
Fast computer (media center)
32" LCD TV
External HD

Surge:
PS3 sometimes
Wireless router

My cable modem and main wireless router are on the first outlet on this circut as well, remember both ups's are plugged in one outlet.  

The other circut is loaded up too, the wiring is so bad if I have the space heater on upstairs and run the microwave downstairs in the kitchen the breaker trips, I don't trust the electricity one bit.

What is the average i/o fluctuation range you can expect?  

What else should I do?  I care about saftey above all, I don't want an electric fire because of old wiring.


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## anibis (Jan 14, 2007)

I ditched the cords, I installed 80ft of 12ga wire following the same route, I rent so no punching holes in the drywall.

I have both ups's plugged in the same 2 receptacle outlet, is this bad?  I have two circuts because the original wiring is still in place, electronics that are two pronged are on this circut.

Would another circut require another wire?  I don't want a fire because of an overload, I want things to be as safe as possible, am I in the safe range right now with everything I have on the new circut?

Thank you everyone for your help, I've been thinking about doing this for a living, I like being on my feet.


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## petey_racer (Jan 14, 2007)

The fact that you rent would have been a helpful tidbit in your _first_ post.


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## glennjanie (Jan 14, 2007)

Is your wire Romex cable? Is it in a conduit? If the romex wire is 12/3 w G then you mightbe able to make two circuts with a common, common. You must make sure the common wire is not over ampped with the two circuts under load. The common wire is also a current carrying wire when the circuts are in use, don't overload it.
If you ran a PVC conduit you could pull single wires (THW) and still use only one common (white) as long as it doesn't over amp.
Glenn


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## petey_racer (Jan 14, 2007)

He should not be doing ANY wiring in a place he is renting.
Call the landlord.


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## JoeD (Jan 15, 2007)

You can't use NM as an extension cord. It need to be properly wired and fastened in place.


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