Electrician Question

[BigMacFU]

Hey guys, I'm finding that my apartment only has 15 and 20 AMP breakers, and unfortunately, a few of the rooms are wired into just one breaker set (they're single pole, so pink to a 20 AMP and Black to a seperate 20 AMP, and then white to ground of course). Is there anything wrong with going with something like a 100 AMP or 50 AMP breaker to make sure if my wife is blow drying her hair, I'm watching TV while making us breakfast in the microwave that the breaker's not gonna blow? I'm just wondering if you can ever have too many AMPS for a breaker? I'm especially curious because Summer is coming around and I want to have an AC running (it's gotta be a window kind, not central). I also have all my other important electronics hooked up to surge protectors/regulators, so I'm not worried about "too much juice."

[Bkcloud114]

Sean, I'm not an electrician and I'm sure if I am wrong someone will correct me. I believe that the only problem with doing that is that the wire in the walls might not be rated for higher AMPS, which means that it will carry enough electricity but the wires might get hot. melting the covering that goes over them..... that could be a potential fire hazard.

[Desert Rat]

Sean, I'm not an electrician and I'm sure if I am wrong someone will correct me. I believe that the only problem with doing that is that the wire in the walls might not be rated for higher AMPS, which means that it will carry enough electricity but the wires might get hot. melting the covering that goes over them..... that could be a potential fire hazard.

Exactly! You are defeating the purpose of the “circuit” breaker by increasing the breaker amperage rating in the panel, and looking for trouble (FIRE).

Gonna just have to live with what you got, move, or ask the landlord to rewire (fat chance) .

.

[Kenyth]

Each link in the circuit's chain has a certain maximum rating. Most household wiring is only rated for 15 or 20 amp service. Thus the matching breaker ratings. You can add more circuits to the panel, but you can't increase the breaker rating, with the exception being you have 20 amp wire hooked to a 15 amp breaker. In that case you could safely up the breaker to 20 amps. That scenario is unlikely however. The 100-200 amp breakers are generally the house main service breakers. A home only get's a 100 (older) or 200 (newer) amp service, depending on your house mains and power company setup. Apartments may have even less. I've never checked. At any rate, messing with another persons building electrical system is a sure way to be sued, evicted, or at least poorly liked. In the event something bad (fire, death) should happen because of your actions, you could find yourself in very deep shit! Outside of all that is the not insignificant chance of you electrocuting yourself while messing with high amperage household mains.

Bottom line, don't mess with it....

[nhcigarfan]

Assuming there are other apartments in the building, cut into the walls and splice into the other apartments lines and run the AC that way. he he he

[BigMacFU]

Thanks for the advice guys. I asked some electricians at home depot and they said the same as Tommy and Desert. I did re-wire so that the line goes to a 20-amp instead of a 15-amp. They've got it illegally wired anyway, in NYC you are required to have appliances on separate breakers from everything else. My apt. has 5 rooms including the bathroom and 4 (including the kitchen) are wired to the one breaker. The only room that isn't is the bedroom, and we only use a light in there. It pisses me off too because it's only a 4-unit bldg. and so technically not under NYC housing authority rule. Any chance you know someone Tommy who can force the owners to re-wire?