Help, would 2 AB800 monolights trip my fuse box?

Hello all,

In my basement, I am limited to the maximum power, which on a AC outlet is typically a 15A/110 VAC line.

I wanted to invest in 2 AB800's but I am afraid I may be tripping my fuse box whenever is uses full power.

Where my studio is setup, I have devices currently drawing around half that say 7 amps, so I only have maybe 8 amps x 110 volts ~ 900 watts available. If I used 1 or 2 Alien Bee B800's and used full power, would it be tripping my fuse box?

Thanks for your help.

AB customer service is generally very good about answering questions.

IMO you should send them an email and get a definitive answer.

Foggy wrote in post #8555890
Hello all,

In my basement, I am limited to the maximum power, which on a AC outlet is typically a 15A/110 VAC line.

I wanted to invest in 2 AB800's but I am afraid I may be tripping my fuse box whenever is uses full power.

Where my studio is setup, I have devices currently drawing around half that say 7 amps, so I only have maybe 8 amps x 110 volts ~ 900 watts available. If I used 1 or 2 Alien Bee B800's and used full power, would it be tripping my fuse box?

Thanks for your help.

What else in on that breaker? Appliances? Compressors, motors, heating coils, fans,etc. can all draw on that breaker and cause it to flip.

I have tried 2 AB800 and 2 AB400 in my living room. I think they all on same breaker, no problems so far.

Give it a try. First off... AB800's aren't actually 800W/s. They are more like 320W/s. On average, they draw about 6 amps each. So yeah, it's gonna matter what else is on the circuit, but 12 is less than 15.

The power you use the lights at shouldn't make any difference. Surely the strobe will charge its capacitors to full whenever switched on. When they discharge at full power it just means it will take more time to charge up again.

Hermes wrote in post #8556283
The power you use the lights at shouldn't make any difference. Surely the strobe will charge its capacitors to full whenever switched on. When they discharge at full power it just means it will take more time to charge up again.

This makes sense, if this AB800 can take portable DC power (battery) - which I think it does. I can't imagine lugging around a battery that can support a continuous output of 700 watts - would be some seriously heavy battery.

I'm curious if anyone has an energy meter which usually can record max current/voltage or power and try to fire it full power a couple times in succession. The meter would report back the max the AB800 has drawn.

The max power draw at the back of the powersupply is 6A/110v which is just under 700 watts which means it is the max theoretical draw which if it did, would mean the fuse would trip with 3 AB800's in one main 15A line circuit (1650watts). But like some appliances, it never really gets up there in practical world situations.

That's why I'm hoping someone has one of these meters or have had power constraints like I do.

Thanks

I tested my B1600 with a clamp-on ampmeter which indicated the load during recycling peaks at about 8 amps, but only for about a second. The duration of peak load for a B800 will be shorter.

So my guess is, if you're already drawing 7 amps on that circuit, two B800's will make the load exceed 15 amps but only for a moment.

Will it be enough to trip a 15 amp breaker? My best guess is "maybe."

Circuit breakers are slow responding devices. They have to be. On turn on a regular incandescent draws 10 times the current it uses when on. An induction motor (furnace motor) typically will draw 4-5 times more current when it starts compared to it's normal running current. So high peak current is not the big issue here. Yes it matters but not that much.

So what you have to concern yourself with is the modeling lamp current as it is continuous. I don't know what the ABs use (150W?) but you are looking at at least 1-2 amps per bulb. Now say that the AB800 takes 2 seconds to charge then you are looking at about 2 amps average (the peak value is a lot higher). As long as you will not be poping off full power shots every two seconds I would think you should be able to have a couple of AB800 on the same circuit.

But phone AB and ask them.

TMR Design wrote in post #8556189
What else in on that breaker? Appliances? Compressors, motors, heating coils, fans,etc. can all draw on that breaker and cause it to flip.

Yes I have other appliances, but they are just computers, lamps which take up around 700W. I'll just make sure the treadmill isn't running