Why external PSU's?

[thunderhead]

Wilkinsi take some wellys to Shobet and pretend that you are a sheep... It'll all be good for the welshman :ROTF:

[shobet]

Don't you fucking start, dunderhead.

[wilkinsi]

Wilkinsi take some wellys to Shobet and pretend that you are a sheep... It'll all be good for the welshman :ROTF:

Since it's your idea, YOU go!

[thunderhead]

Nah im allright... I'd rather stay home and fiddle with my distro board

[wilkinsi]

I've been advised to measure total watts used by each device against the total usable at the mains. 13 amps x 230 volts - 1990 watts. Then calculate the total amps usable by all the equipment connected to the power distribution unit. I doubt all my equipment uses that many watts simultaneously. I have also been told the speakers/monitors will use more than the other devices. I might get an RCD adapter at some point but it doesn't seem essential.

[Rsmacker]

OK, pay attention now Wilks.

Your Ring Circuit (no, NOT that kind of ring) will be rated at 32A if it's wired in 2.5mm2 T&E, like most houses are (unless you live in an ancient place that has still got rubber insulated stuff, or worse, lead). Even if it's a single radial circuit it will handle 20A all day long every day. Modern PVC insulated cable has a huge tolerance rating, and will put up with serious overloading (though this doesn't mean it's OK to do it, I'm talking theoretically).
Now, despite the capacity of the cable, you are plugging a distro board into the wall socket with a 13A plug top. Once again, it will probably let you draw nearly 20A on a good day before blowing, though, again, don't try it, fuses are there for protection. Protection of the circuit, and the property, not you!! Fuses prevent massive overcurrent being drawn, degrading the cable and burning your house down.
Even if you ignore the diversity factors of your kit, 6 bits of outboard gear are not going to make a Bussman 13A fuse even think of blowing. (Some of those shitty Chinese fuses are a bit dodgy though - AVOID!)

So, you plug into the wall, right?

Now, even with your distro unit, you only have a 13A plug on it, so what's the difference between the 6-gang B&Q board and your rack unit? About £250 I'd say! :ROTF:

The real benefit of those expensive units is when you have a 32u rack full of kit and you roll it off a truck into the venue, whip the case lids off, jam a 16A (or even 32A) Ceeform connector into the back, and bingo, all your outboard stuff is live. Even then, a row of steel-clad 13A sockets bolted to a 19" blanking panel does exactly the same job. It just doesn't look as cool as a nice Canford or EMO distro unit.
Unless your distro unit has a sexy ammeter telling you what you are pulling, or it makes a cup of tea, I honestly think they are not worth splashing out for. Maybe it has a sexy little light on, or some fancy LEDs on the front to make your rack look cool, but it's just vanity.

If your distro has an isolator and individual circuit MCBs, great, but once again, no point if you are plugging into the mains at home, there is already a MCB/fuse at the consumer unit, and a smaller one (13A) where you plug in. These units are only of any use if you are banging 32A straight out of the main power distro into your rack, then you can segregate the circuits safely.

Unless you have a 32A or 16A ceeform outlet in your room, you should have saved yourself the bread, put it towards your new guitar, and tucked the ugly 6 gang into the back of the rack. Job done.

Oh, and you may well have RCD protection in your consumer unit if the house was built relatively recently, or has had a rewire. Although laying out the massive sum of, ooooh, about £5.00 for an adaptor is never a bad thing, might save your life one day when someone runs a lawnmower over your power cable. (Though if someone is mowing your bedroom, you have far more important things to worry about.)

Erm, so what was your question?

Fuck it, can we PLEASE get back to discussing whether you are going to swallow or not?

[wilkinsi]

No. But thanks for the technical info (about fucking time), and my Samson PB10 cost me a mere £80. I paid nothing for the tacky extension board cuz it was a(-n unwanted) gift.