RE: Power consumption

We run about six to ten video games off any single 15 amp circuit breaker,
and can run six pinballs. We only use three 15a breakers for our showroom
and have up to twenty pins, jukes and videos on with no problems, plus the
bench in the back is also running monitors and amplifiers under test...I
figure the average video (vector) game draws about 1.5 amps, and pinball
about 2 amps...(fifty #44 bulbs @.5a/6.3VAC = 1.36A/115VAC -off topic, but
some of us have the odd pinball)

John :-#)#

At 08:50 AM 10/11/00, Matthew Sell wrote:

>When I got my first Atari vector game, I hooked a Fluke 41 Power Quality
>Analyzer to it to see what it really was drawing, and what effect the
>power supply had on the rest of the house.
>
>The game drew about 1.5-1.7 amps while running, and since it has a linear
>power supply was not generating any nasty harmonics (like those cheap
>switching supplies do).
>
>I have my games connected to X10 appliance modules, and for parties switch
>up to six machines at once with a 15-amp module.
>
>
> - Matt
>
>
>
>
>
>>At 05:57 AM 10/11/00 -0700, you wrote:
>>>Harry, and everyone else,
>>>
>>>Almost every game I've ever seen says it draws 3A. When I wired up my
>>>basement arcade "Joel's Penny Arcade" (my wife's name is Penny -- how
>>>convenient!) I brought 20 amp service to clusters of three dual outlets. My
>>>rule is, I can plug exactly two machines into each dual receptacle, but not
>>>more. So, on my 20 amp line, I'll never draw more than 18 amps if I chose
>>>to have all 6 machines powered up simultaneously. I was reasonably
>>>comfortable with the 10% margin of safety on top of the margin that's
>>>already built into the ratings for the wire. I put outlets every 4 feet of
>>>wall space so that with the machines against the wall, I do not have to run
>>>wires all over the place. It gives a very straight shot from the machine to
>>>the wall. Yes, that's a lot of outlets to outfit the arcade, I used 15.
>>>And given the geometry of the room, I'll never be able to violate my power
>>>consumption rule. In all, I ran 120 amp service to the arcade, 100 amps for
>>>the games, and 20 amps for the lighting. I think the only problem with this
>>>approach was that all those outlets slowed me down when I was putting up the
>>>wall board. You have to cut out holes for all the outlet boxes.
>>>
>>>It was worth it though. The arcade has been complete since January, and
>>>when I got to power up all my games at once for the first time ever, it was
>>>cool.
>>>
>>>Joel-
>>>
>>>
>>> > -----Original Message-----
>>> > From: Harry Collins [mailto:bp100a@hotmail.com]
>>> > Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2000 9:36 PM
>>> > To: vectorlist@synthcom.com
>>> > Subject: VECTOR: Power consumption
>>> >
>>> >
>>> > to all:
>>> >
>>> > does anyone have some figures for how much current (or watts)
>>> > a "typical"
>>> > game machine consumes? Some typical and worst case values
>>> > would be helpful.
>>> > I'm trying to wire my basement arcade and need some idea as
>>> > to how many
>>> > machines I can hang on a 20 amp circuit.
>>> >
>>> > /harry
>>> >
>>> > ______________________________________________________________
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>>
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  John's Jukes Ltd. 2343 Main St., Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 3C9
  Call (604)872-5757 or Fax 872-2010 (Pinballs, Jukes, Video Games)
  http://www.flippers.com
         "Old pinballers never die, they just flip out."

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Received on Wed Oct 11 13:03:10 2000