Question about wattage on Ai Prime

[Yates273]

I am currently running 3 Ai Primes on my tank. On the My Ai it shows my wattage is at 22 watts. My question is does that apply to each light or all 3. Reason I ask is because I want to hook all 3 lights up to a 3 outlet surge protector and then plug into one of outlets on my Eb832 to save space on the energy bar. I also want to make sure it’s safe to do Thanks

 

[Spare time]

22w means that is the total you are using. You are currently using less than half of the light's capabilities in terms of wattage. Currently, you are not using much of your lights potential

 

[Yates273]

Should I slowly raise the percentages. Scared I’m gonna harm my corals with too much light. They are on a 40 gallon breeder. Also I keep the uv low because I heard too much UV can irritate corals

 

[oreo54]

Each 120VAC outlet has a rated load capacity of 7 Amps

but..

The max load for the EB832 as whole is 15A or 1500 watts, whichever is less.

so nobody can answer your question w/out knowing all of what is plugged into the bar

AI Prime power supply 100-240 1.5A...
Without measuring it you have plenty on one plug (4.5A vs 7A).

Granted the DC load is considerably less, even at full power, approx 60W and what you run it at even less.

EB832 per Neptune
WARNING – DO NOT EXCEED ELECTRICAL RATINGS:•The maximum load rating of each individual AC outlet is 7 amps; do not exceed this.•The total current/power draw for all active outlets must not exceed 15 amps or 1500 watts, whichever is less. • The combined total maximum load on the (2) DC24 outputs and the (3) 1LINK ports must not exceed 100 watts.

But to go back a bit..
3 x 60 (hey who knows if you'll crank the lights up, and this prob includes a fudge factor or 2) 180W @ 110 = 1.6A (1.5 @ 120)

Best guess w/ the above is the power supply draws 1A on the AC side @ 60W DC side.
So likely load w/ 3 power supplies would be 3A on the one plug leaving 4A for the remaining, worst case.

Dealing with what you could do beats what you have in my way of thinking.

ANYONE care to verify, please?
Remember I assume full load on the DC side (for safety) and ignore inrush current.....

Point is don't take my word for it.. just learning some of this stuff..

https://www.ia.omron.com/data_pdf/guide/22/powersupply_tg_e_8_3.pdf

 

[Yates273]

Currently there is a 200 watt heater a Coral box DC4000 Dc return pump and a Bubble Magus curve 5 skimmer plugged in.

 

[oreo54]

Coral box 24v 30W= approx .5A on the AC side (asuming an ac/dc power brick).
Heater 200w 120 = 1.67A
Skimmer 18 watts, 120 V ~ 60 Hz / 0.6 A
=2.77A out of 4 remaining..
+ 3 = 5.77A out of 15 total system amps..

Seem right to you?
Keep in mind a lot of assumptions but looks OK to me..
BEST to get someone else to verify ..

Only major discrepancy is the coral box listed in Apex as .2A..
I did use 120 by mistake though.
@ 110 heater is 1.82A
.6 vs .5 rounding error? The .6 was from BM..

Why isn't the heater listed?

 

[blasterman]

LED lights are notorious for power factor issues due to the current constant drivers. These things can suck instantaneous current like a black hole.

So, actual run current is fine, but a lot of these lights can pop a 10-15 amp breaker pretty easy when turned on at the same time.

 

[oreo54]

LED lights are notorious for power factor issues due to the current constant drivers. These things can suck instantaneous current like a black hole.

So, actual run current is fine, but a lot of these lights can pop a 10-15 amp breaker pretty easy when turned on at the same time.

Yea that is why I "ignored" inrush current for the time being. Needed validation.. thanks..

The inrush current varies depending on the application timing and the presence of an inrush current protection circuit, but is usually several to several tens of times greater than the steady-state input current.When two or more Switch-mode Power Supplies are used, the inrush current is the sum of the inrush currents for each Power Supply. Check the fusing characteristics of fuses and the operating characteristics of breakers, and select fuses and breakers so that external fuses will not burn out and breakers will not be activated by the inrush current.

https://www.ia.omron.com/data_pdf/guide/22/powersupply_tg_e_8_3.pdf

That said.. there are probably a lot of AI Primes plugged in in 3 or more to a circuit.

Hmm.. just dawned on me that that is slightly different..
One would plug each in at a time so all wouldn't be energized at the same time.. they would "idle" there..
Inrush is about 5ms...according to Omron.

Thing is even if on separate plugs on the same bar, unless you stagger them as to "on" you still get an additive inrush that could exceed the 15A .

Tricky those 5ms.

Suppose one could sort of test it on a power strip (not the Neptune one) and see if it trips the 15A breaker by using the on switch.
3A going to 30 @ surge.
Not likely a great test. 10x current "feels" unlikely.
Hmm.. build your own power strip w/ an in line fuse holder and substitute fuses (progressively smaller) till one blows..
Cheaper than an oscilloscope or a meter capable of measuring 5ms transients.

 

[oreo54]

Hmmm . A quick question.. There really is no need to hook the AI Primes to the bar AFAICT so.. why?

One a side note.. apparently some people SAY they do crazy things with them.

I'm running 3 AI Hydra 26 HD on one EB832 outlet, 2 200W heaters on another, 2 MP40 powerheads plus a Gyre on a third, an ozonizer plus its air pump on a fourth, and a sump light plus backup battery charger on a fifth. Return pump, skimmer and reactor each have their own. No problems at all with any of it as far as the Apex is concerned. I recently bought an EB4 to give myself a bit of elbow room. I prefer the EB4 over the EB8 because, like the EB832, it's all mechanical relays and no TRIACs.

The 15A limit is probably to protect the wiring inside (all outlets use relays.) seems sensible.
Since the relays isolate you from the control circuit.. surge shouldn't be a "critical" issue.

I figure if I talk enough an actual electrician/electronics person will chime in..

 

[Yates273]

As far as heater not listed it was on the off cycle when I screen shot that. I really appreciate the responses. I have a basic understanding when it comes to electric. It appears there are many variables with what I want to do. Here’s the bar with the heater on

 

[oreo54]

Outside the box thinking.. Replace 3 bricks with one power supply.
If in-rush currents add you are just dealing w/ 1:

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Inrush current COLD STAR 60A/115VAC

60A vs 180A