Is it possible to combine two AC power circuits to double current? (limited household current problem)
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Posted by on February 17, 2005, 3:02 pm
Please log in for more thread options I'm in a situation where I need around 20-24 amps continous of 110V (for a milling electric motor), but my strongest circuit in my breaker box is 20 amps. I have 3 15 amps and 2 20 amps. Is it possible to have the AC circuits in parallel somehow to be able to safely (relativly) use the combined currents? What hardware would I need? Am I concerned with the ac cycles being off in some way? Any other ideas? | |||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Larry Brasfield on February 17, 2005, 3:36 pm
Please log in for more thread options I am addressing only the technical aspects of your question. Nothing I say should be taken as a recommendation that you do this rather than getting your electrical service changed to suit your needs in a conventional, code-conformant manner. It would be possible to design something that would do what you wish safely. It would have to have relays (or equivalent) to be sure that unplugged male plugs did not have exposed line voltage on them, either before starting paralelled operation or in the event a plug was pulled out during operation. Such a system would not be simple to build and would likely cost more than having a electrician come in and do it conventionally. The relay controller would likely require some electronics. And the available power would not necessarily be a simple sum of what is available from each socket unless even more cost and complexity was added to the custom gizmo. It is likely that the currents taken would not be well related to the breaker trip points due to differing wire run lengths, socket resistance, and breaker resistance. > What hardware would I need?
I have not seen such a device for sale. I suspect this is because of the cost issue I mention above. > Am I concerned with the ac cycles being off in some way?
You'd better be. With no offense intended, I must say that question leads me to believe you should not be devising such a device and calling an electrician is your best bet. > Any other ideas?
A generator? It would have other uses and probably be cheaper if your time is worth much. -- --Larry Brasfield email: donotspam_larry_brasfield@hotmail.com Above views may belong only to me. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by on February 17, 2005, 5:06 pm
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>You'd better be. With no offense intended, I must say that
question leads me to believe you should not be devising such
a device and calling an electrician is your best bet. < True, I have no practical knowledge of power AC systems, that is why I am asking the question. I am sorry if that leads you to believe I have no business this matter. Upgrading the circuits is not what I am asking about, I know about this option. Circumstances make this approach better for me. Also this is indoors, so a generator would not work either. Despite all you posted, I still don't have an answer... from what I know from books and school, I don't know what kind of circuits and devices you would need to (assuming you could) combine two ac sources to form one source with (minus losses) twice the power. So any help on this would be great. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Larry Brasfield on February 17, 2005, 5:22 pm
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> >You'd better be. With no offense intended, I must say that
> question leads me to believe you should not be devising such
> a device and calling an electrician is your best bet. < > > True, I have no practical knowledge of power AC systems, that is why I > am asking the question. I am sorry if that leads you to believe I have > no business this matter. Perhaps you would take less offense if I expand on that. Given your unfamiliarity with the electrical issues, you are extremely unlikely to be able to design a safe device for doing what you want. If you go ahead anyway, you or somebody you care about could be electrocuted. If you have to hire that expertise, the whole design and build job will cost more than that electrician. > Upgrading the circuits is not what I am asking about, I know about this
> option. Circumstances make this approach better for me. If safety is not an issue, just wire some plugs together, taking care to wire hot to hot, neutral to neutral, and be sure not to plug them into any oppositely phased outlets. This is a very dangerous solution, which I would not use myself if I had your problem. > Also this is indoors, so a generator would not work either.
The generator would not have to be indoors. > Despite all you posted, I still don't have an answer... from what I
> know from books and school, I don't know what kind of circuits and > devices you would need to (assuming you could) combine two ac sources > to form one source with (minus losses) twice the power. So any help > on this would be great. You need relays that are well enough protected from over-current to not get welded closed and a control circuit to operate the relays according to the criteria that I stated in my earlier post. If that is not an answer, then you appear to be looking for a complete design. Most likely, to get one you will have to pay money, and more than you would pay to take the solution you already know of. Good luck getting a more satisfactory answer. -- --Larry Brasfield email: donotspam_larry_brasfield@hotmail.com Above views may belong only to me. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Posted by Robert Monsen on February 17, 2005, 5:49 pm
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mjp.metals@gmail.com wrote: > I'm in a situation where I need around 20-24 amps continous of 110V
> (for a milling electric motor), but my strongest circuit in my breaker > box is 20 amps. I have 3 15 amps and 2 20 amps. Is it possible to > have the AC circuits in parallel somehow to be able to safely > (relativly) use the combined currents? What hardware would I need? Am > I concerned with the ac cycles being off in some way? > > Any other ideas? > Get a big DC to AC converter. ($189 here: http://tinyurl.com/5njew) Power it off of a 12V auto battery, which you keep charged with a trickle charger off of the AC you have. If you need more time, add batteries. It's not going to power the milling motor all day, but it'll work for a while, and recharge overnight. -- Regards, Robert Monsen "Your Highness, I have no need of this hypothesis." - Pierre Laplace (1749-1827), to Napoleon, on why his works on celestial mechanics make no mention of God. | |||||||||||||||||||
> (for a milling electric motor), but my strongest circuit in my breaker
> box is 20 amps. I have 3 15 amps and 2 20 amps. Is it possible to
> have the AC circuits in parallel somehow to be able to safely
> (relativly) use the combined currents?