Quick and easy question for anyone w/ 100w tube amp

ap

Member
Can you please look on the back near the AC plug and tell me how much power it consumes at 120V 60hz? I'm trying to figure how much current I need to allow for a hypothetical worst case scenario of four 100 watt amps :eek: in my soon to be wired garage studio. I went to the store and the biggest they had was 50:confused: . Thanks.
 
It's possible I don't quite understand your question, but there seems to be a lot easier way to do this. Just look at what the amps are fused at (main fuse)? 50 amps should be plenty for the amps. I don't know of many 100w amps that are fused at 12 amps. :D
 
I don't have an amp to look at so I can't see a fuse either. The labeling for the power consumption is usually printed near the fuse. Either way is just easy I guess. However, the fuse is rated slightly higher than it would actually consume at peak power, or else it would never reach peak.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned the 120V 60hz part since most list the watts anyway. It's just that some devices are designed for 120 or 240 V operation and are thus labeled for current consumption at each voltage. I would like to know what it says at 120 V because that's what I'll be hooking it up to.

10 amps at 120 V is 1200 watts. The same device would only draw 5 amps at 240 volts. That's why I specified the voltage. If you find the watts printed,and it's more likely you will, voltage doesn't matter.

50 amps would allow for 6000 watts! 6000/4=1500 watts average for each hypothetical amplifier. I hope they don't draw near that much!

When I said the biggest the store had was 50, I was referring to a 50 watt amp.
 
I just looked at some various schematics for 100w guitar amps, and most are from 1-3 amps. Some solid state current driven amps may draw more, but still not that much. Sorry 'bout my first response. I figured you had at least one amp to help get you close. I've run an entire P.A system and light show on a 60 amp per leg service before (that's a rack of Carver PM1.5's, all the stage gear, and about 20 par 64's...we did have to keep an eye on how many lights were on at the same time though!). You should have no problems. Good luck to ya!
:D
 
Thanks. Just to make sure, those were tube amp schematics? I would think solid-state would consume much less power for a given rated power output. I just assumed solid-state was more effecient.
 
Super Reverb mains fuse: 2 amp

Mesa/Boogie MKIII simulclass " " : 3 amp

JCM 800 50 watt " " : 3 amp

Carver PM 1.5 " " : 12 amp

I think a 50 amp service would be enough for your entire studio unless you want to go deaf.:p:D
 
Vaccum tubes work on a principle of voltage gain while solid state works primarily on a principle of current gain. The schematics I looked at were 100W tube guitar amps. Solid state amps will generally draw more current for the same power output.
 
You guys are over my head in electro-speak, but here's my info in case it helps.

Amp: '69 Fender Super Bassman (100W RMS into 4 Ohms)

Next to the convenience plug on the back, it says 200 watts max, 117 volts, 60 Hz.

Next to the ground polarity switch, it says 2.7 amps, 117 volts, 60 Hz.

It uses a 3 amp Slo-Blo fuse.

I hope this means something to you, cause it doesn't to me!:confused:
 
I've had who knows how many amps/racks/tape machines etc. going at one time, and never remember throwing a breaker. Plug in a drill or circular saw, though, and it's a different story. It's electric motors and such that eat up the amps. That's why your A/C will make your electric bill $7000.00 but your studio never will. Don't worry about it. 50 amp breakers will handle anything you got. Just make lots of separate circuits with an outlet for each and you will also not have 60 cycle hum to add to your home recordings :)
 
Wattage = Voltage * Amperage

110Watts = 110 * 1

A good rule of thumb for power amplifiers and lights at 110v is 1 Amp per 100watts. That gives you a little room for safety.

On a typical 20amp circuit your good to 2000Watts
 
Back
Top