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IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
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join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy

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[Electrical] Laser printer and A/C on same circuit

I printed a few pages on my laser printer today and when it was printing I heard the compressor in the A/C "bog" down like it wasn't getting enough power. Is this a sign the circuit is overloaded. Should I add a UPS to the laser printer so I don't fry the laser printer.

I could shut down the A/C when printing but I don't want the printer to get fried in standby or when the A/C cycles. I do have the printer on a surge protector.

Ideally the A/C should be on its own circuit but there are no available slots in the panel and pulling the wire would be too much effort.

shdesigns
Powered By Infinite Improbabilty Drive
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join:2000-12-01
Stone Mountain, GA

shdesigns

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You would need a big UPS to run the printer.
Dodge
Premium Member
join:2002-11-27

Dodge

Premium Member

The UPS in this case wouldn't be acting as a UPS but more of a line voltage regulator. I think that's what he is hoping for at least, but if I remember correctly not all UPS units have that ability.
LittleBill
join:2013-05-24

1 recommendation

LittleBill

Member

laser printers use almost 1500 watts to heat up, unless you have a huge UPS, it will not support it, most consumer units specifically say don't put them on UPS

cableties
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join:2005-01-27

cableties to IowaCowboy

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Little Bill is correct. A laserprinter will draw many watts to heat up the fuser, and will pulse as the temp fluctuates.

A power strip-surge protector won't do any good.
Nor a UPS (can actually harm it).

Get yourself a Line Voltage regulator sized to the power drawn by the device:

»www.apc.com/products/fam ··· y/?id=67

Roger B lamb
@70.30.145.x

Roger B lamb

Anon

wow? the Air Conditioning unit needs its own electrical circuit in the mains hydro panel? you would have to go OUT OF YOUR WAY, TO WIRE IN A ELECTRICAL OUTLET TO PLUG IN YOUR LASER PRINTER in to this? air contidioners are hard wired, ie the condenser sits outside the house on a ground block or patio stone, but the wires go in, there should be no outlets? you have violated either Canadian electrical code or usa electrical code depending on which province you live in. please fix it asap.

lookwhoitiss
@69.118.94.x

lookwhoitiss

Anon

Guess you never ever ever saw a window AC unit eh?

Whole thread again with the answer in the OP. If an ac should have its own circuit it would be because yes, you are "overloading" the circuit to the point the voltage is dropping...

No if you read anything on a ups you should not be plugging in the printer

You would be more likely to fry the AC than the printer...

A surge, is just that, more... not less, you have an issue of less power not excess...

OP just "wrecked" his car, and is trying to cut tv to pay for a new one, I don't think a UPS for a laser printer is in the budget.

Turn ac off, use printer. /thread.
nonymous (banned)
join:2003-09-08
Glendale, AZ

1 recommendation

nonymous (banned) to IowaCowboy

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to IowaCowboy
I think you would be just as likely to fry the ac unit. Circuit is overloaded a UPS will not solve that.
Plus most UPS and laser printers do not go together.

drewis
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join:2006-09-04
Hamilton, ON

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Mine does this as well. I have no choice as my entire livingroom is pretty much on one 15amp circuit. I dont print very often and it doesnt blow the 15a fuse so im not too worried.
JoelC707
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join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707 to IowaCowboy

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You need a separate circuit for one or possibly both of those items. What size is the AC, or better yet make and model? A UPS isn't going to make a difference honestly and it needs a large one if you were to even try it (1400/1500 VA at MINIMUM).

A single 20A circuit would provide 2400W of power. Laser printer needing 1500W or so plus the AC. I have an 8000 BTU Haier unit that pulls ~850W as measured by a Kill-a-watt (no noticeable startup surge but it has a motor so there will be one). That totals 2350W. If you have a smaller AC that's even better.

Do you know what size circuit feeds the room?

cowboyro
Premium Member
join:2000-10-11
CT

cowboyro

Premium Member

said by JoelC707:

You need a separate circuit for one or possibly both of those items. [...]
Laser printer needing 1500W or so plus the AC. I

No need for a different circuit.
Yes, the voltage will sag a bit during the few seconds it takes for the fuser to warm, but then the power draw drops to about 200-300W within seconds.
JoelC707
Premium Member
join:2002-07-09
Lanett, AL

JoelC707

Premium Member

Lacking the load of the AC, laser printer and everything else on the circuit, and the breaker rating for the circuit we really are flying blind here. I know the laser printer will drop to a lower draw once warm but those few seconds (I've had some older ones stay in warm mode for every bit of 20-30 seconds) are generally enough to fully load (80% rating anyway) a 15A circuit.
iknow_t
join:2012-05-03

iknow_t to cowboyro

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to cowboyro
said by cowboyro:

said by JoelC707:

You need a separate circuit for one or possibly both of those items. [...]
Laser printer needing 1500W or so plus the AC. I

No need for a different circuit.
Yes, the voltage will sag a bit during the few seconds it takes for the fuser to warm, but then the power draw drops to about 200-300W within seconds.

then you add in the AC compressor starting up at the same time..
Kearnstd
Space Elf
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join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ

Kearnstd to Roger B lamb

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to Roger B lamb
said by Roger B lamb :

wow? the Air Conditioning unit needs its own electrical circuit in the mains hydro panel? you would have to go OUT OF YOUR WAY, TO WIRE IN A ELECTRICAL OUTLET TO PLUG IN YOUR LASER PRINTER in to this? air contidioners are hard wired, ie the condenser sits outside the house on a ground block or patio stone, but the wires go in, there should be no outlets? you have violated either Canadian electrical code or usa electrical code depending on which province you live in. please fix it asap.

He is likely talking about a window AC or one of those portable ones that sits in the room and just has a hose to the window.

central AC is its own 240v circuit, 95% of portable and window however are 120v units designed for a conventional outlet.

----

On the main OP though, What we ended up doing at our old house in CT was the second floor had two bedrooms but was a single 15A circuit so we ended up in each bedrm having the outlets below said windows get their own 20A just for AC units.

cowboyro
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join:2000-10-11
CT

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The trip curve of a breaker guarantees no tripping for about 2x the rated load lasting 20sec.... or 5x the rated load for 4 seconds...
iknow_t
join:2012-05-03

iknow_t

Member

said by cowboyro:

The trip curve of a breaker guarantees no tripping for about 2x the rated load lasting 20sec.... or 5x the rated load for 4 seconds...

you'll still have the AC struggling to start, which is not good. with the Mexican and Chinese caps they use today in ACs, that's looking for a failure. they barely hold up for a short time in ideal conditions..

DataDoc
My avatar looks like me, if I was 2D.
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join:2000-05-14
Hedgesville, WV

3 recommendations

DataDoc to IowaCowboy

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Put your printer in a different room on a different circuit. The exercise will do you good.

OldCableGuy3
@207.191.193.x

5 recommendations

OldCableGuy3 to Kearnstd

Anon

to Kearnstd
Pretty sure OP is talking about 110v room A/C units, not central A/C

Knowing his background, I am going to buck the trend, I am going to recommend a full electrical remodel, and upgrade of main service entry to include 3 phase which should remedy the situation.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
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join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy to JoelC707

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15 amp circuit. You're talking a house built in 1988 before all these fancy electronics.
IowaCowboy

IowaCowboy

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Problem solved, I'll probably shut down the A/C when I use the LaserJet, I can't afford to have either appliance fried. Even worse, I can't afford to have a fire.

If I ever move to grandma's house, I'll probably upgrade the electric service and have separate outlets installed for the A/Cs. And when the budget allows, a mini split A/C.

We have a built in 240 volt thru the wall A/C provided by the landlord but considering a unit from 1988 that thing would equate to sky high electric bills. It would cost me $500 to replace it, I've priced them. And considering it's in the living room, it does the upstairs bedrooms no good (5th grade science lesson; heat rises as it's downstairs).

assumingmuch
@69.118.94.x

1 recommendation

assumingmuch

Anon

You keep saying 1988, high bills, etc...

I have window ac's that are 10+ years old (hell one might even been that vintage late 80s to early 90's)

They use maybe 10% more power than something brand new according to the label... Hell some cheaper units are the *same* efficiency.

You ever look at the thing, being its 240, it may be inline with similar sized new 115 units... it may also be a power hog BUT

Assuming 1988 = crap is pretty stupid.

OldCableGuy3
@207.191.193.x

2 recommendations

OldCableGuy3

Anon

You're arguing with a guy who wants to replace the toilets in his rental with a different brant because he had to plunge twice.

IowaCowboy
Lost in the Supermarket
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join:2010-10-16
Springfield, MA

IowaCowboy to assumingmuch

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I always look for the Energy Star logo on appliances. It might not seem like a big difference but in this part of the country we have high utility rates. I try to keep the electric bill as low as possible.

Msradell
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join:2008-12-25
Louisville, KY

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Msradell

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said by IowaCowboy:

I always look for the Energy Star logo on appliances. It might not seem like a big difference but in this part of the country we have high utility rates. I try to keep the electric bill as low as possible.

That 240 V air conditioner you have may well meet the Energy Star requirements. It wouldn't have the logo however because the Energy Star program hadn't started back then!

really
@174.108.68.x

really to assumingmuch

Anon

to assumingmuch
The op should get a complete utility survey done on all utilities. Your printer must be dipping an entire phase. Your 1988 ac is not on the same circuit as 120v receptacles. Did some not so handy man do a bunch of halfass electrical work?
graniterock
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London, ON

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I'm in the same boat as OP. Entire 3 bedroom upstairs is basically on one fuse minus the bathroom. 2 computers, window a/c and laser printer on one circuit. Lights flutter a bit when the laser printer or a/c first power on but then seem to be fine. I just cross my fingers they don't simultaneous to power up at the same time. Given all that it was running the vacuum at the same time as the A/C that blew the fuse.
Quattrohead
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shdesigns obviously has no idea what he is talking about, you always put the AC on the UPS, not the laser printer. Printers are not life critical, AC is.
Datadoc and OldCableGuy3, you guys are killing me LOL

John97
Over The Hills And Far Away
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join:2000-11-14
Spring Hill, FL

John97 to IowaCowboy

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Laser printers should not be run on a UPS.

Sly
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join:2004-02-20
Tennessee

Sly to IowaCowboy

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Move the laser printer to another circuit. If the location is not convenient then make it Wi-Fi with one of these if it's USB: »www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 33139009

or this if it's parallel port: »www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 33127043

You can even hide your printer in a closet to keep it out of the way.

cowboyro
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join:2000-10-11
CT

cowboyro to assumingmuch

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said by assumingmuch :

Assuming 1988 = crap is pretty stupid.

The performance of the units degrades with time. A 20 year unit is likely 30% less efficient than when it was built. Studies have found a typical performance drop of 7% after 1 year.
Given that the efficiency of units 25 years ago wasn't that great to start with, a new unit can potentially cut the consumption in half (at least for the first few years).