10/3 or 10/2 to each outlet?


Going to have electrician install 4 dedicated lines from my main panel. If using 10/2 to the outlet, both plugs will share the same circuit. Am I better off going 10/3 wire with a hot wire to each plug and sharing the neutral and ground as in a 10/2 setup? What are the advantages or disadvantages of going 10/2 vs. 10/3 wire? Should I be looking at a subpanel with my runs going to be approx. 30-35 ft?

Outlet 1 - Dual mono amp with 2 cords
Outlet 2 - processor and Dvd player
OUtlet 3 - Cd player
Outlet 4 - Tube preamp

This is the plan, at the moment. Where would you put a 5 channel amp with the above? What would you switch around. I also will use a 1 duplex Stealth mini Digital conditioner and a Regular (3 duplex) conditioner. Would you use 10/2 to all outlets or go 10/3 with some? ANyhow, I value your insights and thank you all for the lesson in electricity. Cheers. Dave
canucks0

Showing 3 responses by jeffcott

Canucks0:
Using a sub-panel to shorten the lengths of the runs is a good idea. Be sure to use adequately sized feeders to the sub-panel. It is also true that for 10 Ga, a 35 foot run is not a big deal. However, if you use a well placed sub-panel, you will minimize costs for cabling.

Theo is right about the 30A breaker. This is, IMO, a very bad idea. Theo's suggestion about 14/4 is interesting and worthy of consideration. You might also do a review on his website the ideas that Russ Andrews recommends.

Chriskeating brings up the point of verifying your ground system. This cannot be overstated. This should be done first. See the thread http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?fcabl&1102789057
for a thorough discussion of grounding systems and AC issues. Seperating the ground source for the runs to the audio equipment (seperate from the house system) is a no-no according to many local codes. Yours may vary. Some seem to have done it with success. If you add ground rods and bond them together you still get much of the benefit.

Using 10/3 in the manner you described with individual hots and a shared neutral and a shared ground is also a bad idea. Sharing the ground....maybe. I would not do it, but then I may be particular. Sharing the neutral is a very bad idea as you are then placing twice the return current flow on ONE conductor AND sharing all of the noise.

The thread above talks about a lot of this in great detail.

Canucks0:
Gs5556 is both knowledgeable and thorough. Listen to what he is saying.

I know it has been mentioned before, but, be sure to ask your electrician to check it carefully. The importance of a bullet-proof grounding system cannot be overstated.

If you are concerned about isolation, ask the electrician to install dedidated isolated ground circuits. The definition is in the thread I referenced earlier. These circuits will use 10/3.

If you want maximum digital isolation, simply provide a seperate circuit for each device. Otherwise, put the processor on one digital and the CDP and DVDP on another digital. What are the chances that you will use both players simultaneously?
Canucks:
Jea is absolutely correct about spending the extra $ to run a ground connection feeder. If it were me, I would also size it at 6Ga. But then, I am the one who suggested being sure to check your entire grounding system to make sure it was adequate or oversized. Make sure that the ground conductors going to your ground sink are also appropriately sized.

If it were me, I would go the extra mile and use the isolated approach. Jea has very clearly shown you your options.

Question to Jea:
With putting all of the audio devices on one phase of service, do you have concerns with load balancing, or are you also using a sub-panel and balancing loads in the main panel? I am assuming from your language that you are using a sub-panel yourself. Yes? Have you wired it 120/230V or straight 120V?