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Installing dedicated 10 gauge lines

Everyone keeps saying how important it is to have a dedicated 10 gauge line from your breaker box to your amp (I have a Diablo 300), and a second one to your source components (primarily an InnuOS Zenith Mk 3 streamer/Roon core).

I would love to do this, but isn’t this a major expense, like $15k or more? Does all the drywall back to the breaker box need to be ripped out to install the new lines?

Sorry if these are dumb questions. If the answer to the above is yes and yes, this project definitely won’t get past my wife!

As an aside, on the same 15A circuit, I have my amp, streamer, a Mac Mini that is normally on, my TV, video game consoles, and a network switch. So, obviously not ideal but out of all of these the only things that are on while I’m listening to music, beyond my amp and streamer, are the Max Mini and the network switch which supplies network connections to my tv and game consoles.

Hoping installing the dedicated line installation somehow doesn’t require drywall ripping and replacement?

 

 

 

 

 

 

nyev
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,360 posts
 

If your breaker box has no empty slots, then aren't you also going to have to put in a new bigger one of those, and wire everything into it?

helmholtzsoul
111 posts
 

Lunch break. Thanks be to the lunch wagon, I'm starved

OK! I didn't say anything this morning, is conduit an option?

YOU can buy pre bent conduit and add a nice looking large (er) external route. The nice thing about that is you can pull extra wire at the same time or at a later date with little issue at all. There is also flex armor. That is real popular where sheetrock isn't used but below 8ft the cables have to be covered. Sheetrock, ridged conduit or flex guard.

The biggest thing is good copper and tight connection. 10 to 1 if you checked your main every securement in it would need to be retightened.. 

OK lunch is over and time to bill this wonderful customer. He is such a nice person I think I'll raise my rates via a text message while I'm here. I'm sure he would explode. Only if I'm lucky.. I've never heard a person scream that much at workers.

I understand Spanish better than I speak it. He sure has a  potty mouth. 

erik_squires
17,543 posts
 

Thanks Erik for the tips especially regarding 240V. I would not have thought of that.

You are welcome.

Don’t forget to add a whole house surge suppressor while you are in there though, especially if you are in lightning prone areas.

Also consider using unique, locking, 240V plug and socket so it never gets misidentified.

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gs5556
1,274 posts
 

Calling an electrician is the best advice. They will assess what can and can't be done  within your budget. Also, it's not written in stone you have to go behind the walls. Surface mounted conduits such as WireMold can bring power to almost anywhere. The conduits are fed from a wall box and run on the walls above  base molding to surface mounted outlet boxes -- and come in a variety of colors and styles to make them less obtrusive. Just Google it and go to the images. 

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