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Comment by I_dev_outdoors | Hacker News Reader

I think the issue is with older houses that might have 15 amp circuit breakers compared to the modern standard of 20A. One high end desktop computer by itself isn't likely to be a problem, but the way these houses are wired, there are a lot of outlets on the same breaker since they were mostly designed for lighting loads. Our 1950 house in MI will flip the breaker if we use the microwave, toser and bathroom vent at the same time, and my desktop is also on that circuit (with a UPS)

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15A vs 20A is a factor of the gauge of the wires as well. You can’t just swap the breaker for a bigger one. You’ll get heat and depending where that could burn the house down.

I have a relative whose house burnt down due to stapled wiring in the attic. Thermal cycling eventually created a short. When your attic catches on fire the smoke alarms go off in time to save the people, but the moment the ceiling starts to cave in the entire house is involved and you’re mostly trying to keep the neighboring houses from burning.

Good callout. Yeah, I should be referring to the electrical circuit as a 15A circuit and not that it's just a limitation of the breaker.

We have the original fabric sheathed wire as well in the walls still which needs to be replaced to modernize the electrical system.

You have a 15A Fuse. You use a 12A Microwave, a 10A Toaster you have blow your breaker right there, and a 10A Bathroom vent?

if you run a separate circut for the Microwave, and separate your bathroom vent + your bathroom LED lights, you can run all of them at the same time with your toster. Running circuts is comparatively easy, vs installing a new 200A fuse box.

If you have bathroom and kitchen on single circuit you have bigger fucking problems than powering gaming PC, whoever did that abomination needs to be fired.

In 1950, that was probably seen as perfectly fine. I used to own a 1942 home that had 4 screw in fuses for the entire house.

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