Great comments all, please keep them coming. I forgot to mention that HAVC is already serving this pantry space will sized fine for the small expansion. I also will be installing two exhaust fans over the custom sink.
Great comments all, please keep them coming. I forgot to mention that HAVC is already serving this pantry space will sized fine for the small expansion. I also will be installing two exhaust fans over the custom sink.
"I have this feeling of walking around for days with the wind knocked out of me." - Jim Harrison
I built and wired this house 38 years ago. I did all the 20 amp circuits with 2/12/ground. It is a pain to make up the boxes and trim out, but I like big copper.
Unfortunately, the 220v has a 50 amp breaker and is 6 gauge copper. Like the rest of the house, I pulled that one homerun myself. What I'm hoping to avoid is extending existing circuits and create possible problems with overload. Thus, I was hoping to pirate the 220 as is service nothing but that single welder outlet. It has been nearly four decades since I wired this house, so I'm open to ideas.
"I have this feeling of walking around for days with the wind knocked out of me." - Jim Harrison
4x5 black and white printing is as big as I'll get. No color for me. So the Beseler 45V-XL will likely outlast me. As I noted, it is possible I'll convert to a cold light LED source somewhere down the road, but that doesn't seem to be an issue. What brand of CFCI outlets and breakers to your recommend?
"I have this feeling of walking around for days with the wind knocked out of me." - Jim Harrison
If any of you would be willing to share photos of your darkrooms with me, I'd be most appreciative. PM me if you'd rather not post here and I'll get you my email address.
"I have this feeling of walking around for days with the wind knocked out of me." - Jim Harrison
I can send some photos later.
Take your 50A circuit and put a subpanel there. Maybe a 4 position or 6 position box. Then with surface plastic conduit, make everything just right.
My DR has 4, 20A breakers. 1 for heat/AC, 1 for all the lighting, 1 for all the non-lighting, and 1 for general stuff. Then I have outlets up high for safelights. Track lighting has a pull-string switch. If I want to load film, then I OFF the lighting circuit. If I need the heater or AC on, I flip that switch. Outlet cover plates are color coded so I know which outlet goes to which switch. Oh, I don't use the breaker for switches. The subpanel is in another room as it services many other things in the building. But those four circuits come to GFI outlets and then 3 of them to normal 20A wall switches. The general stuff circuit, doesn't have a switch.
It is the stereo, film fridge, clock, ... that kind of stuff.
GFI breakers are expensive and if you get a leak in your circuit, it can be very difficult to trace.
When I leave the darkroom, I OFF all the switches. I've known too many photogs that have had electrical fires in their DR. How many is too many -- more than zero. Two actually.
Hope this makes a little sense.
Are GFCIs really necessary for the wall with the enlarger? Those are intended for ground faults caused by an appliance falling in water. They're required for outlets near water, but otherwise unnecessary. Have them by the sink of course, but just there. I think the enlarger would be happier without it.
I would upgrade the enlarger to some kind of LED light source right away, before even setting it up to use. No point in fooling with the old technology anymore. Do everything possible to minimize the energy required to run everything. Make it so the heater in the Jobo is the neediest thing. Since you're building the room up new, this is the attitude I would take.
GFIs are cheap and provide great protection. Required most everywhere there is exposed ground, earth ground, bare slabs, metal pipes. All damp locations, garages at or below grade, etc. Also within 4' of a door that leads immediately to outside (so that when you're outside and need some power, you don't open the door and get unprotected power).
You are allowed to put a GFI on an old two wire circuit for remodels (no earth or U-ground previously available). This is an easy way to get that third hole in homes that have older wiring. Also, altho you can cascade GFIs, this leads to confusion when there is a fault, so best not to do so.
Your enlarger nor any other piece of equipment won't know the GFI is in place. GFI work on the idea of balanced current. The feed and return wires go through a toroid such that the current to the load vs the current on return can be monitored with the magnetic field. Cute trick. The toroid is not in the circuit to the load.
"Old technology" ... that's what darkrooms are. LED light sources are a lot of fun and very efficient with power, but a cold light is very efficient with power too. Neither are ON very much, so the total output energy is low.
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