Electrical amps vs volts

[Poke]

What's your panel schedule like? All electric heat, stove, dryer, etc. and a large square footage it could make sense.

2 electric dryers, 2 electric ovens, one small baseboard electric heater set at 60. Geothermal is electric heat, very efficient but it’s pumps and fans. Well pump. 2600 finished feet. Basement is 2600 unfinished not heated.

 

[87manche]

I have had energy audits over the electric bill. Nobody finds anything. Even tried with a meter plugged into one appliance at a time and logging the readings

ok?
so what's the question then?
If you've verified that it's working as intended and you have massive loads like giant desert aire dehumidifers and shit, then yeah, tons of power.

 

[grumpy356]

This is how it works

Fun fact, it only takes 1/10th of an amp to kill you

I've Heard the 1/10 of amp thing my entire life (from everyone from my dad, to my shop teachers).

Never once have I actually read of anyone, much less known anyone ever being killed by 1/10 of an amp.

And I've known some people who have been shocked pretty bad (and been tingled myself pretty good.)

Don't get me wrong. I don't support sticking your pinkies in a live panel, I'm just sayin is all i'm sayin.

 

[Stingray]

I've Heard the 1/10 of amp thing my entire life (from everyone from my dad, to my shop teachers).

Never once have I actually read of anyone, much less known anyone ever being killed by 1/10 of an amp.

And I've known some people who have been shocked pretty bad (and been tingled myself pretty good.)

Don't get me wrong. I don't support sticking your pinkies in a live panel, I'm just sayin is all i'm sayin.

I've been hung up on a transformer right at the transformer leads pretty good, I promise you more than 1/10 of an amp passed through me at 120v.

 

[300sniper]

I've been hung up on a transformer right at the transformer leads pretty good, I promise you more than 1/10 of an amp passed through me at 120v.

Voltage passed though you, not amperage. Your body resistance was the load in amperage.

 

[MuntCuffin]

I've Heard the 1/10 of amp thing my entire life (from everyone from my dad, to my shop teachers).

Never once have I actually read of anyone, much less known anyone ever being killed by 1/10 of an amp.

And I've known some people who have been shocked pretty bad (and been tingled myself pretty good.)

Don't get me wrong. I don't support sticking your pinkies in a live panel, I'm just sayin is all i'm sayin.

I would think it would also depend on voltage, ac vs dc....


65 series battery is what, 850 cca? Grab both post with yer hands, you don't feel anything.

You do get a tingly feeling when you ground out your sweaty arm tightening the positive leads on semi batteries, but thats 4 1050 cca batteries.

Fuck alternating current. I'll pay to have that shit done if its anymore than stabbing in a switch, socket, or ceiling fan.

But 12v speaks my language.

 

[300sniper]

I would think it would also depend on voltage, ac vs dc....


65 series battery is what, 850 cca? Grab both post with yer hands, you don't feel anything.

You do get a tingly feeling when you ground out your sweaty arm tightening the positive leads on semi batteries, but thats 4 1050 cca batteries.

Fuck alternating current. I'll pay to have that shit done if its anymore than stabbing in a switch, socket, or ceiling fan.

But 12v speaks my language.

If semis use 12v, you’d get the exact same “tingly feeling” as you would in a car battery.
The CCA is the max available load the battery can handle, and has nothing to do what you’d feel.

 

[MuntCuffin]

If semis use 12v, you’d get the exact same “tingly feeling” as you would in a car battery.
The CCA is the max available load the battery can handle, and has nothing to do what you’d feel.

Only happens on the semis 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

[TheLivingBubba]

2 electric dryers, 2 electric ovens, one small baseboard electric heater set at 60. Geothermal is electric heat, very efficient but it’s pumps and fans. Well pump. 2600 finished feet. Basement is 2600 unfinished not heated.

Does all that run at the same time throughout the day? The easiest way I can think of is if your breakers are labelled well enough that you know what your high draw items are clamp the load coming off the breaker and check vs the name plate of said pump / dryer / item, etc.. Or Clamp your mains and start flipping breakers to see how much the load drops.

 

[GonPostal]

I find the metered Amp draw readings somewhat puzzling....

Assuming 240/120 service voltage in your house, and as you say the instantaneous amperage draw reading was 150 - 180 amps.

Further assume that your load split is roughly 75/25 for 120v usage (outlets, lights, etc) vs 240v usage (Water heater, AC, dryer, etc). So, applying the load split to your 150 amp draw; 113 amps at 120v and 37 amps at 240v.

Volts x Amps = Watts

113a x 120v = 13,560 watts or 13.5 kw
37a x 240v = 8,880 watts or 8.8 kw
Total instantaneous kw load draw pencils out to about 22 kw. That's a pretty high instantaneous residential draw......

Do you have a SmartMeter that displays instantaneous kw usage, that you could reference against known "at the moment, operating" electrical items in your home?

If no SmartMeter, Google "how to clock your residential electric meter". Some simple math with also provide you with instantaneous kw usage.

 

[TanTJJim]

I've been hung up on a transformer right at the transformer leads pretty good, I promise you more than 1/10 of an amp passed through me at 120v.

It's very possible you're right, it sounds like people think 100mA anywhere through your body being lethal which is incorrect.

My understanding is that it's 100mA through your heart that can become lethal. 100mA through just your hand or other appendage will hurt like hell and may cause tissue damage but not be lethal.

Voltage passed though you, not amperage. Your body resistance was the load in amperage.

100% this. Most people don't realize the resistance through their body is pretty high and it takes either a lot of voltage or a lot of bad luck for electrical shocks to kill you.

 

[Animalmother]

Voltage passed though you, not amperage. Your body resistance was the load in amperage.

Who taught you that bullshit?

 

[300sniper]

Who taught you that bullshit?

What bullshit?

 

[87manche]

Does all that run at the same time throughout the day? The easiest way I can think of is if your breakers are labelled well enough that you know what your high draw items are clamp the load coming off the breaker and check vs the name plate of said pump / dryer / item, etc.. Or Clamp your mains and start flipping breakers to see how much the load drops.

he doesn't want to check anything.
just wants to know why he has high usage with a bunch of big ass electrical draws.

 

[Animalmother]

What bullshit?

What you dont know? I thought it was pretty clear in what you posted. Im sure you can figure it out

 

[300sniper]

What you dont know? I thought it was pretty clear in what you posted. Im sure you can figure it out

LOL. Okay.

 

[jeeptj19992001]

How many amps is your electric service?

 

[tracyb]

My homes uses 2x the average home in electric. I’ve had 3 solar companies say that when getting quotes. And these guys working also said the same.

Edit, it was pulling 153 yesterday when tested.

i get that. i run a job shop from my place and average - as per the last mailing- '253% more use than my neighbors'....


however if i'm drawing 150+ amps at a random time, without machines etc in use... i'd be very concerned.
your idea of normal and understanding of the basic math of electricity seem to need a refresher.

 

[Chkn]

Voltage passed though you, not amperage. Your body resistance was the load in amperage.

Who taught you that bullshit?

Glad I’m not the only one who caught it 😂

 

[78bronco460]

Clamp n ammeter on the ground wire and the service neutral if you’re looking for the problem.

 

[300sniper]

LOL. Okay.

Ok, after pondering this. I’ll admit I was wrong. I was thinking the body was the load, but yeah, amps would pass through it, just as a wire.

Sorry, and/ or, my bad.

 

[M92PV4U]

1/10 of a amp has to cross your heart to kill you...


I've seen a loose neutral at the transformer cause intermittent voltage spikes in the house before, pge troubleman re crimped the neutral and fixed it.

Someone should have shut off your main then checked amp draw... pulled meter and checked amp draw...

 

[FJ80]

Ok, after pondering this. I’ll admit I was wrong. I was thinking the body was the load, but yeah, amps would pass through it, just as a wire.

Sorry, and/ or, my bad.

I must be on a pirated Chinese version of this site.

 

[billdacat]

I've Heard the 1/10 of amp thing my entire life (from everyone from my dad, to my shop teachers).

Never once have I actually read of anyone, much less known anyone ever being killed by 1/10 of an amp.

And I've known some people who have been shocked pretty bad (and been tingled myself pretty good.)

Don't get me wrong. I don't support sticking your pinkies in a live panel, I'm just sayin is all i'm sayin.

15kV at 100 milli-amps will kill you quick..Won't know what hit you. I understand that 440VAC is fucking nasty leathal... Been around it plenty of times...

 

[Ksand]

You do get a tingly feeling when you ground out your sweaty arm tightening the positive leads on semi batteries, but thats 4 1050 cca batteries.

I've been shocked by 240 and 128 volt batteries several times. They definitely get the blood flowing

 

[arse_sidewards]

I've Heard the 1/10 of amp thing my entire life (from everyone from my dad, to my shop teachers).

Never once have I actually read of anyone, much less known anyone ever being killed by 1/10 of an amp.

And I've known some people who have been shocked pretty bad (and been tingled myself pretty good.)

Don't get me wrong. I don't support sticking your pinkies in a live panel, I'm just sayin is all i'm sayin.

It's fearmongering clipboard warrior lies. Ain't no different than the "one hit of a joint and their life was on a path to ruin" bullshit they used to tell kids.

In medical laboratory conditions you can start and restart a heart with really low amounts of voltage and current. Being a) ignorant of the different between textbook and lab shit vs the real world and b) willing to lie to make a point the safety industry took the number and ran with it and here we are 20yr later and every worthless textbook engineer knows the number by heart because between school, training, etc, etc, that's what they were indoctrinated with.

As mentioned, the body has resistance, current likes to go across the surface of things. It takes a whole lot of actual current flowing to get any meaningful amount of it through your heart. And even then there's coin toss odds it won't stop your heart, just interrupt its rhythm a bit and then it'll keep going on its own (this is kind of the whole point of a defibrillator).

100% this. Most people don't realize the resistance through their body is pretty high and it takes either a lot of voltage or a lot of bad luck for electrical shocks to kill you.

So then maybe people should STFU with the D.A.R.E-esque "IT only TAkes 1/10TH of aN amp" Reddit bullshit?

 

[87manche]

15kV at 100 milli-amps will kill you quick..Won't know what hit you. I understand that 440VAC is fucking nasty leathal... Been around it plenty of times...

I took 2 or 3 farads worth @ 25KV once.
I woke up on the floor.
fucking bondi blue imacs.
fuck steve jobs.

 

[ThePanzerFuhrer]

I took 2 or 3 farads worth @ 25KV once.
I woke up on the floor.
fucking bondi blue imacs.
fuck steve jobs.

I thought it was tangerine colored?

 

[Outahand]

I took 2 or 3 farads worth @ 25KV once.
I woke up on the floor.
fucking bondi blue imacs.
fuck steve jobs.

That's a lot of coulombs!

 

[87manche]

I thought it was tangerine colored?

fuck all them colors.
but I hated the blue ones the most.

this was the video analog board that failed in every single one of those fucking things. I caught the high tension lead to the CRT cause fucking nasser didn't check the fucking discharge wand.
Learned a lesson, never trust the tool room.

edit:
Finding this photo induced a rage inside of me. I haven't looked upon a video board for an Imac g3 in at least 20 years.