Circuit Breakers

W9TR

W9TR

Active member
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
603
Location
The Neutral Zone
Has anyone researched Circuit Breakers as a thing that can impact power delivery and the sound of your system?

Miniature Circuit breakers used in home electrical systems are complex devices. There are a number of types available with different operation mechanisms: thermal, thermal-magnetic, hydro-magnetic, arc-fault, residual current fault, etc.

Here is one brand that has audio-specific breakers:

Doepke - For Audiophile Applications
 
In the US, by AHJ law circuit breakers have to be 'UL' listed for the 'UL' listed breaker box that they are in.
But anyway, circuit breakers will have no impact on day-to-day AC power quality.
 
Actually breaker box (panel board) quality is of more concern than the breakers that are listed to go in that box. All the major US brands have different quality levels of boxes. Opinions and availability will vary in different regions.
But there are problems when updating breaker boxes. The local AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction)(i.e. city or state government) may require GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) or AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter) breakers. A box full of GFCI & AFCI breakers is very expensive and add nothing to the AC power quality.
 
Back in December I started a thread on getting my stereo room and homes electrical panel and grounding taking care of. Rex didn't go after the breakers in either panel. His main interest was in getting an good earth ground. Cleaning up my main panel and adding a sub panel with the tin and aluminum eliminated to get to a copper to copper connection. Below is a link.

Getting my electrical house, stereo room in order
 
The connection to Planet Earth has nothing to do with day-to-day AC power quality!
This is a century old misunderstanding in many electrical fields.
The Planet Earth connection is there for safety.
 
I find it interesting that we spend money on fancy outlets, fancier power cables, and it is all fed with a $15 mass produced breaker with stamped contacts.
We need another thing to obsess about, now that noise in digital audio systems is a solved problem. :)
 
W9TR said:
I find it interesting that we spend money on fancy outlets, fancier power cables, and it is all fed with a $15 mass produced breaker with stamped contacts.
We need another thing to obsess about, now that noise in digital audio systems is a solved problem. :)
Click to expand...

Tom, Shhhhhhh, let the sleeping dogs lie ............. :evil:
 
Of course fuses would be a much better alternative than complex nonlinear circuit breakers. We could then argue about which ones sound the best; Eaton, Square-D, or Bussman. Then audiophile companies would plate the ends with Rhodium or other precious metals and silkscreen the barrels in pretty colors with directional arrows and add new ‘audiosuperfuse’ nomenclature. Not to mention the $1000 up charge for cryogenic treatment. And then of course they would invent a new test like DCTD (Direct Current Time to Destruction) which no one understands and even its inventors can’t measure.

It’ll sound bitchin’! But don’t take my word for it, let your own ears be the judge.
 
W9TR said:
Of course fuses would be a much better alternative than complex nonlinear circuit breakers. We could then argue about which ones sound the best; Eaton, Square-D, or Bussman. Then audiophile companies would plate the ends with Rhodium or other precious metals and silkscreen the barrels in pretty colors with directional arrows and add new ‘audiosuperfuse’ nomenclature. Not to mention the $1000 up charge for cryogenic treatment. And then of course they would invent a new test like DCTD (Direct Current Time to Destruction) which no one understands and even its inventors can’t measure.

It’ll sound bitchin’! But don’t take my word for it, let your own ears be the judge.
Click to expand...

You aren't far from the truth.
 
What’s more surprising is that there aren’t any audiophile breakers on offer. I guess the UL, CSA, and VDE certification costs would be prohibitive. There was a company, gigawatt I think, that was doing something a few years ago but I haven’t heard anything for awhile.
 
Costs would be astronomical. The breakers would need to be 'UL' listed for each brand & model of breaker panel. Everything at 'UL' is extremely expensive. Each 'UL' Standard paper and there are many, costs several hundred dollars.

UL 489 Standard circuit breakers are “intended for installation in a circuit breaker enclosure or as parts of other devices, such as service entrance equipment and panelboards.”
$798 and up
 
I use the "Doepke" circuit breaker in my audio(power) setup for about 2 years now.
This little piece sounds great. Better than a commercial off the shelf breaker!
 
Darrel said:
Back in December I started a thread on getting my stereo room and homes electrical panel and grounding taking care of. Rex didn't go after the breakers in either panel. His main interest was in getting an good earth ground. Cleaning up my main panel and adding a sub panel with the tin and aluminum eliminated to get to a copper to copper connection. Below is a link.

Getting my electrical house, stereo room in order
Click to expand...

I was going to suggest people interested look for posting by Rex on other sights.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top