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It's actually not. #12 wire can handle 20A all day every day 24/7 without heating up to a point that it could cause any harm. All wires conduct heat. As long as you don't exceed the temperature rating of the conductor and insulation no harm can be done.Actually the 10 gauge wire is smart for Metal Halides. Devices that produce a lot of heat, tend to try and turn the entire circuit into a heater. There’s a name for this effect, but I forgot what it is.
Do you also tell people to fill their tanks with racing fuel to get their groceries?
A more apt analogy is that using 10GA wire on a 20A circuit is like using a three 2 inch drains on a 55 gallon tank.It's all about standards and your level of them. Like 10GA wire.
I'll edit the post out later on since some want to jab me for it or mock me but my wire to my tank ...... is better. Above standard. Like nice cars.
Hhmmm…. Now I want to hear the thhn vs mtw and solid vs stranded debate!A more apt analogy is that using 10GA wire on a 20A circuit is like using a three 2 inch drains on a 55 gallon tank.
In that case the drain line is "above standard" and can handle 3300gph through it. All that overhead is wasted because the most you will ever run through your return pump is 500 gph. All you really need is a 3/4" line rated for 660gph.
Same thing with 10GA wiring. Unless it's a long run where voltage drop is a concern, you can never run more than 20A through it so that overhead is wasted.
It technically works, but there is no reason to perpetuate the myth to people that 10GA is "better" because it's not. It is equally effective at twice the cost, just like a 3/4" drain on a 55 gallon is equally effective to a 2" drain of a 55 gallon.
It technically works, but there is no reason to perpetuate the myth to people that 10GA is "better" because it's not. It is equally effective at twice the cost, just like a 3/4" drain on a 55 gallon is equally effective to a 2" drain of a 55 gallon.
It didn't trip because it's 12GA. It tripped because it's a 15A breaker. If you put a 20A breaker in, which 12GA can support it wouldn't have tripped.I can tell you right now that when I use my shop vac on my 12GA line for my 55 gallon tank it trips the 15A breaker. New breaker. New outlet. Even new wire. The tank sits 6 feet from the breaker box. It's the entire reason I went overboard on the new feed for my upstairs tank.
These are nice. The actual name for these is a generator transfer box or a generator inlet box.Depend on how much you have invested in your tank. If it is like over $$$$$, I will ask the electrician to put out a conjuction box to your reef tank electric circuit so that you can hook up a generator to it in case of power outage. 2 months ago, I have a power outage of my house for 10 hrs. A $500 3000watts generator do an excellenet job and save all my live stocks and my life.
It is 20A. That was a typo.It didn't trip because it's 12GA. It tripped because it's a 15A breaker. If you put a 20A breaker in, which 12GA can support it wouldn't have tripped.
Then it tripped because you put more than 20A on the circuit. Upgrading to 10GA does not fix that problem. You can't put a 30A breaker on a receptacle feed, so you're limited to 20A even if you use 10GA.It is 20A. That was a typo.
It is 20A. That was a typo.