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#13763 09/11/02 08:11 AM
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,503
T
Member
Ha sanyone experienced this? An Apple Power Mac G4 causes a startup surge tripping a 16A breaker @ 230V to trip if more than a few light bulbs are connected to the circuit. Considering this and the fact that Macs are sold all around the world with the same power supply it would be about impossible to run such a thing on 120V. Has anyone experienced this? The problem always occurs when the switched power strip computer, monitor and loudspeakers (very small) are connected to is switched on. When monitor and speakers are switched off seperately everything is fine.
If not, you just turn on the strip and sit in the dark.

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Joined: Jan 2001
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Tom Offline
Member
The inrush combined with the characteristics of your wiring system or circuit breaker may be causing the problem.

Why don't you just put the thing in a sleep mode & never turn it off? Or, why not run a dedicated circuit for the computer?

Where the heck did you find a 16 amp breaker?

Tom

[This message has been edited by Tom (edited 09-11-2002).]


Few things are harder to put up with than the annoyance of a good example.
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 33
M
Member
ditch the mac, buy a PC...that will solve your problem.

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,142
Likes: 4
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Tom,

Quote
Where the heck did you find a 16 amp breaker?
Don't let the name fool you, ...
The 'Ranger aint from Texas [Linked Image]
He's actually from Vienna, Austria and is a regular poster here in the Non-US area.

[Linked Image]
Bill


Bill
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,503
T
Member
Yep, my name can lead to some misunderstanding. It's actually areference to my real given name Ragnar that someone spelled Ragner and changed to Ranger. (The TV series "Walker Texas Ranger" is also broadcast over here). This is the history of my nickname.
Putting the thing to sleep mode would get some people onto my throat... I come from a family of cheapsies, also in Europe it's far less common to let equipment run all time.
Not exactly the best idea.
Dedicated circuit..
Was what I was thinking of. I was just curious how 120V circuits would handle this problem.
Our breaker sizes in Austria are for residential almost only 13 and 16A, 13 A being standard, reqiring 1.5 sq mm wiring (equivalent to AWG #16), 16A typically for dedicated circuits for washers and dishwashers, requiring 2.5 sq. mm wire (#14) @230V nominal voltage. Actual voltage typically around 234V.

Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 29
F
Member
I say ditch the mac get a PC Macs suck

-A very happy PC user

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,236
Likes: 1
Member
OK, easy guys...

No flamebait... The mods don't take well to that sort of thing.

Chevy vs. Ford, Coke vs. Pepsi, Macs vs. PCs, it's a very tired debate.

The new OS-X is unix based and is infinitely more stable than the PC platform. PCs have better software selection.

Just spelling out the facts.

-Another happy PC user with an open mind.

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-Virgil
Residential/Commercial Inspector
5 Star Inspections
Member IAEI
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Joined: Aug 2002
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J
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I have had the same problem with a PC in the states. Its all in the power supply, er not the Operating system. I was livin g in an old (USA standards) house that would trip breakers when my computer was on, if someone used a picrowave, or if I turned on the computer while the microwave was on. I split the circuit into into two of those small breakers. That solved it. The computer wasnt on a dedicated, but I took the microwave off and gave it it's own.

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,527
B
Moderator
I am unfamiliar with that particular computer, but this may explain why some switchmode power supplies with universal AC-input voltage {~90-264V, DC~400Hz} have higher inrush with higher line voltage. The supply’s ‘front end’ is a bridge rectifier connected to a DC electrolytic capacitor on one side, and the AC line to the other.

In series with the rectifier’s AC side are low-range inductor(s) to shield it from a small degree of garbage on the AC line—like transient components much faster than 50-60Hz. Another series-connected device that is intended to limit inrush is a thermistor or positive-temperature-coefficient resistor. A marginal-value PTC may be just “on the edge,” and could have originally tested good (not trip) before it left the factory, but the end user’s application slightly different; id est, 115V in factory test is now 230V in the field.

All else being the same, higher AC voltage may lead to higher momentary current. A device like a Fluke 87 with a 1ms peak-reading mode could probably show the inrush-current spike.

Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,236
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Could a small (say, 500VA with voltage regulating) UPS address the inrush problem?

They're about $175...


-Virgil
Residential/Commercial Inspector
5 Star Inspections
Member IAEI

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