Posted: 11/8/2014 8:44:21 PM EDT
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I've got a problem that I need help solving.
I have a 15 amp (maybe 20) circuit that I have no control over but have unrestricted access to. It is in my garage, but I cannot replace the circuit breaker or anything like that. Where it gets interesting is that I have an electric motorcycle that draw 14amps and chest freezer that I want to buy that draws 5 amps. Is there anyway to make it so that when the freezer wants power the power is cut from the bike? Thanks |
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It got interesting before the electric motorcycle.
Why do you have a breaker in your garage, that you have no control over, and also can't change? And maybe this is a stupid question, but what is an electric motorcycle? I don't think I have ever heard of one, but I'm not a motorcycle guy. |
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Quoted:
It got interesting before the electric motorcycle. Why do you have a breaker in your garage, that you have no control over, and also can't change? And maybe this is a stupid question, but what is an electric motorcycle? I don't think I have ever heard of one, but I'm not a motorcycle guy. I have an outlet in the garage at my apartment. The line goes somewhere....I know not where. So I can plug things in, but I can't even verify the capacity of the breaker. Electric Motorcycles |
| Would anyone even notice if you get an electrician to wire you a new outlet? It would probably take him 15 min. Im not an electrician but i would think something like a chest freezer would have more of a continuous pull, as opposed to something like a well pump that turns off and on. |
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Quoted:
15 amp outlet looks like this http://www.doityourself.com/forum/attachments/electrical-ac-dc/1390d1340674173-outlet-115v-220v-photo.jpg 20 amp outlet looks like this http://www.showmecables.com/images/catalog/product/5_20r.jpg Good Luck If it was done correctly In the garage of a rental....who knows |
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in my apartment (large 40+ unit building, detached rows of garages) I had a breaker for my garage in my panel in my apartment. ( i know because I tripped it every once in a while) have you checked the panel in your apartment? do you have one? The garages aren't associated to specific apartments. The garages connect to a common hallway and you can get any of the three garages at random. Although, I have been thinking about the fact that I'm not sure where the circuit breakers are. I hope they exist. |
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Quoted:
15 amp outlet looks like this http://www.doityourself.com/forum/attachments/electrical-ac-dc/1390d1340674173-outlet-115v-220v-photo.jpg 20 amp outlet looks like this http://www.showmecables.com/images/catalog/product/5_20r.jpg Good Luck You are allowed to use either one on a 15 or 20 A circuit. The only 'gotcha' in the code is that you must have more than one outlet on a 20 A circuit to use 15 A receptacles. Note that a 'duplex outlet' is counted as two devices. An actual 20 amp load has a horizontal pin. There are just not a lot of them in use. |
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You could build a "controller", or ...
Get a short multi-outlet 15 amp cord. Plug in 2 of the small programmable timers that have built-in outlets. Program the frig timer to go off in the middle of the night and your MC charger to come on only when the frig is off. 
Stay safe |
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Quoted:
You could build a "controller", or ... Get a short multi-outlet 15 amp cord. Plug in 2 of the small programmable timers that have built-in outlets. Program the frig timer to go off in the middle of the night and your MC charger to come on only when the frig is off.
Stay safe Good idea and easy to execute. Grove |
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Quoted:
You could build a "controller", or ... Get a short multi-outlet 15 amp cord. Plug in 2 of the small programmable timers that have built-in outlets. Program the frig timer to go off in the middle of the night and your MC charger to come on only when the frig is off.
Stay safe Likewise, your freezer is fine for several hours without being plugged in as long as it's kept closed. You possibly have the timer setup as follows. Lets say you normally get home from work and take your bike out for a spin or go to dinner etc. It would be unusual for you to get home past 10 pm. From 10 pm -1 am the bike is charging, from 1-3 the freezer is running (to let it catch up) then it switches back to bike from 3 - 7 etc. Just adjust the pattern as necessary... For a better possible approach consider that as your bike reaches full charges the current draw for the charger should drop to a very low value. You can use this to your advantage if you know the current draw of both items. I would recommend buying a cheap "Kil-a-watt" meter at your local big-box store and just checking the current draw and power consumption of both things... |