To DIY or not DIY...

[ElussssvReefSD]

The general idea is 80% of the breakers amperage. So like they said on a 20 amp breakers it’s capable of running all 20 amps. But it shouldn’t be pushed past 16 unless you want a constant trip hazard along with other possible problems along the way.

Got it okay. I think I understand, so once I finalize my equip list, est total power draw @ 100% 24/7, and go from there to estimate how many total circuits I'll need to stay within safe parameters with redundancy. Thanks so much @WVNed @AlexG @ca1ore @Blue Tang Clan @Adam Schindler !

 

[Adam Schindler]

Just use 80% max load as the guideline for what you put on each 20a. Figure out max amperage for piece of equipment. Then you can figure out what you want on each breaker. They use 80% as a precaution. If you have something that starts up using more amps and then levels out it’s to make sure you don’t overload it on start up. Hope this helps.

 

[BullyBee]

Hey folks,

So I'm trying to guesstimate how much of my new build project (see below in sig line) I should try to tackle myself, and how much I should leave to the pros.

Reefer experience-wise, the most success I've had was with a 90-gallon AIO mixed reef (monti, birdsnest, xenia, acans, mushrooms, anemone) w/ easy to medium fish (hippo tang, clowns, hawk, flame angel). I managed to maintain that tank well and not kill anything for several years before having to sell everything and move for work.

So, I understand the basics of chemistry, flow, mechanical maintenance etc. I am not afraid to get my hands dirty and am fairly handy with basic home projects and tools. However, I'm not a builder, engineer, plumber, or electrician, and I'm hesitant to take on a large build of this scale and the $$$ investment involved by myself. On the other hand, I also don't necessarily want to just pay someone to come in and do everything for me. I'm the kind of person that wants to be hands on and understand the rationale behind why "this way" is better than "that way".

Luckily, I have found and developed a good rapport with a local LFS (The Coral Corral in case you're in the Tampa Bay and want to geek out with a pretty cool group of reef-nerds, thanks to @Gernader for the suggestion!), who I think will be a really good partner in this project.

So, in your experiences and opinion, which pieces of a build like this would be worth trying DIY, and which pieces would be better left to the pros at my experience level?

Those with the personal experiences on this scale are most welcome, but everyone please feel free to let me know your opinions!

Thank you!

if this were me I would def DIY the sump, the algae reactor or scrubber

 

[ElussssvReefSD]

Just use 80% max load as the guideline for what you put on each 20a. Figure out max amperage for piece of equipment. Then you can figure out what you want on each breaker. They use 80% as a precaution. If you have something that starts up using more amps and then levels out it’s to make sure you don’t overload it on start up. Hope this helps.

It absolutely 100% does. Thanks so much!

 

[Blue Tang Clan]

So just to make sure I'm understanding this right, if using 20 Amp circuits, then the ideal max wattage would be around 2000W per circuit. You would also want redundancy with at minimum the circuit(s) powering the water pumps in case something tripped.

Then, if those circuits cumulatively were too much for the main panel (which will be at least 200 Amps), they would need a their own sub-panel right? This scenario will be made more likely by the fact that all appliances will be electric as we won't have access to a gas line. Also, there will be roof solar panels and an EV charger as well.

So in summary, more electrical than I had originally anticipated, but that's okay.

A sub panel doesn't "add" power that isn't already on the main panel. If you have 200A service, and you have a 60A sub-panel, that doesn't mean that you have 260A at your disposal. Instead you'd have 60A run to a single location and 130A remaining in the electrical panel.

A sub panel only helps when you want to run a single 6 or 8 gauge wire to bring 60A out of your 200A to another location - or if you want control of all the sub-circuits in one switch far away from the regular panel, like a detached shed.

Most people with drywall and electrical already in place would love to have the opportunity to run extra dedicated circuits, but it's way too expensive to do after the fact. My home build just finished 6 months ago and it was $120 to the electrician to run a single 20A circuit anywhere in the house. If you're building from scratch, run dedicated 20A circuits -- there is no reason not to.

 

[ElussssvReefSD]

A sub panel doesn't "add" power that isn't already on the main panel. If you have 200A service, and you have a 60A sub-panel, that doesn't mean that you have 260A at your disposal. Instead you'd have 60A run to a single location and 130A remaining in the electrical panel.

A sub panel only helps when you want to run a single 6 or 8 gauge wire to bring 60A out of your 200A to another location - or if you want control of all the sub-circuits in one switch far away from the regular panel, like a detached shed.

Most people with drywall and electrical already in place would love to have the opportunity to run extra dedicated circuits, but it's way too expensive to do after the fact. My home build just finished 6 months ago and it was $120 to the electrician to run a single 20A circuit anywhere in the house. If you're building from scratch, run dedicated 20A circuits -- there is no reason not to.

Oooooh okay so a sub-panel doesn't add any capacity. Gotcha. Thanks for the explanation.