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, Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:38:15
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Ok, so how exactly is my car analogy was off base? If "car engines have parts that wear after repetitious use", if I use that part 2000 times a minute to travel 1 mile, would it not last longer than if I was to use that same part 6000 times a minute to travel 1 mile?
The 80% rule is in the National Electric Code (NFPA 70). The code also gives you the maximum amount of current that can SAFELY pass through the different sizes of electrical wiring: 14 gauge = 15 Amps, 12 gauge = 20 Amps, 10 gauge = 30 amps, etc...
Have you ever taken apart a piece of Romex or BX that has been subject to overloading? You can tell, especially when the insulation falls apart in your hands. I've seen this when some yo-yo replaces all of their 15 Amp fuses with 30 Amp time delay because those darn things keep tripping and the 30 Amps work just fine! That's the key, the 30 Amp fuse will WORK JUST FINE, doesn't mean they are SAFE to use.
Now the homeowner end up overloading the circuit and passing way more than 15 Amps that the wire was designed for. If you can safely pass 32 Amps of current through a 14 gauge wire, how come the insulation gets destroyed?
What happens after the insulation wears off or falls off? Wires arc, short out, igniting nearby combustibles. Electrical fires due to overloading a circuit are not uncommon.
Of course you don't HAVE TO provide a safety margin for wiring, but it's not a bad idea to not continuously overload the circuit. Feel free to pass 32 Amps of current through all of your 14 gauge wiring in your house, I will keep mine at a maximum of 12 Amps. For me it's a lot SAFER to spend the money, run a couple more circuits, and not endanger myself, my family, or burn my house down to the ground.
posted by 72.84.146...
, Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:38:15, Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:13:50, Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:44:53
, Sun, 17 Jan 2010 07:46:04, Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:38:05
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