Chuck:

Your maintenance dept. is absolutely correct. If all the computers were to
be on and pulling the full 200 watts ou would need 50.9 amps to keep them
going (although this would probably never happen). 200w / 110v = 1.8181
amps * 28 = 50.9 amps
You may also want to consider that any electrical device usually draws more
than its rated wattage when it starts.

You should probably have at least 4 circuits for the computers and another
for ancillary equipment. The server should have it's own curcuit with a UPS.

The worst thing you could do is try to run too many devices on one circuit
and end up with a low voltage draw. This is could be hell on your
equipment. The cost of a few extra curcuits is well worth it.

Breck

At 10:00 PM 7/28/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Hi,
>    This may be off base for this list, but I'm going to give it a go.  I'm
>setting up a 28 workstation computer lab at my school in a classroom that
>has two 20 amp circuits.  The computers will be 200w P166's, and the lab
>will also house a PII server, HP 4000 printer, HP 870 printer, LCD projector
>and a good floor fan (the room has a southern exposure and heats up rather
>nicely).  The head of our district maintenance dept called me tonight with
>concerns that two 20 amp circuits might be insufficient for what we're
>trying to do.  The building was completely rebuilt in 1992 so that the
>wiring meets all current standards.
>    Are we going to be in trouble if we don't increase the circuits and
>wiring to that room?  I tend to think not as computers are not that power
>hungry during usage.  It's the initial powering up that exerts a load.  Any
>thoughts on the matter would be much appreciated.
>
>chuck finnigan
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>

Breck Schwartz                               Senior Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Stout     Project Manager
Menomonie, WI  54751             (715) 232-1587
 [log in to unmask]       FAX (715) 232-3698
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