ᐅ Is an Additional Circuit Breaker / RCD Really Necessary for a Home Office?
Created on: 9 Jun 2020 17:23
K
kati1337
Hello!
I need to ask again because we have very little knowledge about electrical work. I’m not sure if our electrician is overcharging us or if these additional costs are necessary and reasonable.
We have planned an office where we want to set up 2 gaming PCs. Originally, we planned for 18 power outlets there (just to have enough), but we are now reducing that to 8. For each PC, we will probably need a power strip (1 computer, 2 monitors, possibly some small devices like a label printer).
The electrician says:
Can it really be true that this creates a chain of costs like this? Is it necessary?
He says that if we don’t do the separate circuit and RCD/GFCI, we can save on the larger distribution panel, but then we wouldn’t be allowed to use power strips there (which he says would be a major fire hazard).
I’m surprised because we have run exactly this setup in our current house (30 years old, with only one RCD/GFCI for everything) for almost 10 years without any problems (or fires). Are we risking our lives every day for years, or is the truth somewhere in between?
I’m not sure what to do here right now.
I need to ask again because we have very little knowledge about electrical work. I’m not sure if our electrician is overcharging us or if these additional costs are necessary and reasonable.
We have planned an office where we want to set up 2 gaming PCs. Originally, we planned for 18 power outlets there (just to have enough), but we are now reducing that to 8. For each PC, we will probably need a power strip (1 computer, 2 monitors, possibly some small devices like a label printer).
The electrician says:
- We need a separate circuit for the office: 150€
- A separate residual current device (RCD) / ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI): 115€
- And because we get an additional circuit and RCD/GFCI, we also need a larger distribution panel: 490€
Can it really be true that this creates a chain of costs like this? Is it necessary?
He says that if we don’t do the separate circuit and RCD/GFCI, we can save on the larger distribution panel, but then we wouldn’t be allowed to use power strips there (which he says would be a major fire hazard).
I’m surprised because we have run exactly this setup in our current house (30 years old, with only one RCD/GFCI for everything) for almost 10 years without any problems (or fires). Are we risking our lives every day for years, or is the truth somewhere in between?
I’m not sure what to do here right now.
Of course, it depends on the power consumption of the equipment. A gaming PC is not just any gaming PC.
But the colleague is trying to protect you from damage, not to rip you off or anything like that. What he says is probably correct.
In my opinion, electrical installations in new builds are generally planned too conservatively.
No one from a distance can say how things currently are for you or whether you are risking a fire every day.
I would do it. Safety comes first.
But the colleague is trying to protect you from damage, not to rip you off or anything like that. What he says is probably correct.
In my opinion, electrical installations in new builds are generally planned too conservatively.
No one from a distance can say how things currently are for you or whether you are risking a fire every day.
I would do it. Safety comes first.
Mycraft schrieb:
Of course, it depends on the actual power consumption of the equipment. Not all gaming PCs are the same.
But the colleague is trying to protect you from damage, not to rip you off or anything like that. What he says is probably correct.
In my opinion, electrical installations are generally planned far too cautiously in new buildings.
No one can say from a distance how things currently are with you and whether you are risking a fire on a daily basis.
I would do it. Safety comes first.Both gaming PCs currently have 600-700W power supplies each.
The monitors consume significantly less (obviously). The PCs are clearly the main power consumers. There is also a printer, but it is off most of the time.
As far as I know from the VDE standards, sockets always need to be protected by an RCD (residual current device).
Edit:
Here is an excerpt from the VDE:
The VDE 0100-410 from June 2007 states that newly installed sockets with a rated current up to 20 amperes indoors must be equipped with residual current devices (RCDs). However, this regulation does not always apply – there are exceptions.
According to DIN VDE 0100-410 (VDE 0100-410):2007-06, newly installed sockets up to 20 A rated current, installed indoors, must be protected by residual current devices (RCDs) with a rated residual operating current of ≤ 30 mA (0.03 A).
Edit:
Here is an excerpt from the VDE:
The VDE 0100-410 from June 2007 states that newly installed sockets with a rated current up to 20 amperes indoors must be equipped with residual current devices (RCDs). However, this regulation does not always apply – there are exceptions.
According to DIN VDE 0100-410 (VDE 0100-410):2007-06, newly installed sockets up to 20 A rated current, installed indoors, must be protected by residual current devices (RCDs) with a rated residual operating current of ≤ 30 mA (0.03 A).
Since I still enjoy gaming myself, although much less than before, I would like to add the following.
A decent gaming PC costs a considerable amount and needs to be upgraded or replaced at least every few years.
One could say that with the suggested setup, you are investing in an already expensive hobby.
A decent gaming PC costs a considerable amount and needs to be upgraded or replaced at least every few years.
One could say that with the suggested setup, you are investing in an already expensive hobby.
Flocko1 schrieb:
As far as I know from the VDE regulations, outlets always have to be protected by an RCD.
Edit:
Here is an excerpt from the VDE:
VDE 0100-410 from June 2007 states that newly installed sockets with a rated current up to 20 amperes indoors must be equipped with residual current devices (RCDs). However, this rule does not always apply – there are exceptions.
According to DIN VDE 0100-410 (VDE 0100-410):2007-06, newly installed sockets up to 20 A rated current installed indoors must be protected by residual current devices (RCD) with a rated residual operating current ≤ 30mA. They are protected anyway. We are building new, and we will get two RCDs anyway.
The electrician wants to install an additional circuit (?) (distribution feed) and a third RCD specifically for the office.
My question is whether this is really necessary.
Tarnari schrieb:
Since I also like to game, though much less than before, I would add the following.
A decent gaming setup costs quite a bit and will be upgraded or replaced at least every few years.
One could say that with the proposed setup you are investing in an already expensive hobby anyway I’m happy to invest in the (admittedly not cheap) gaming equipment. But only if the investment is really necessary. That’s why I’m asking here whether it really makes sense or not. I don’t want to cut corners in the wrong place, but I’d like to hear opinions from others on whether what the electrician suggests is needed. After all, we surely aren’t the only household with two gamers, right?
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