Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [amperage]

Amperage is the disfavored term for "current:": the strength of an electric current in Amperes (Sometimes shortened to Amps).

Amperage is the strength of an electric current in amperes (Sometimes shortened to Amps).

Not to be confused with Amps as a shortened form of (Amp) or some derivative terms like (Operational Amplifier), (Pre-Amplifier), or Amplification.

769 questions
13
votes
8 answers

Why does it matter to adjust current if maximum power supply limit is not exceeded?

I found a "0-32V 0-5A Portable Adjustable DC Power Supply 110V/220V" (link available if I'm allowed to write it here) and I wonder why we should have to adjust current output (this device can also adjust current output) if the current load is not…
Aggelos
  • 131
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3
9
votes
4 answers

What is the relationship between the length of a wire, its AWG, and its amperage rating?

The more amperage a given appliance or device draws on a circuit, the thicker the wire needs to be, correct? And this is to prevent the wire itself from becoming a heating element. I understand that a 15A circuit needs a specific minimum gauge of…
Jon Griffith
  • 93
  • 1
  • 1
  • 5
2
votes
4 answers

How do I provide a variable 4-20ma input?

I'm working on an embedded project that takes has an input that ranges from 4-20ma. This is normally provided by an external controller, but I'm working on a test bed. Controlling voltage is easy - just stick a potentiometer in between the power…
RQDQ
  • 520
  • 3
  • 13
1
vote
5 answers

Substituting a 10 Ah sealed lead battery for a 7 Ah one

Can I substitute a 12 V 10 Ah sealed lead acid battery for the 12 V 7 Ah one supplied with my Gallagher S100 solar energizer (for an electric fence)? Gallagher does not offer this kind of technical advice. In principle, would the higher amperage…
Bob
  • 11
  • 2
1
vote
1 answer

Can i increase the amperage of a step up transformer?

I am doing wood burning, and I wanted to use higher voltage. I have a neon sign transformer-10000 volts- but it only has 3mA. It doesn't seem to be enough to push through the wood. Can I increase the amperage or do I just need to get another one? I…
Michael Gordon
  • 11
  • 2
1
vote
3 answers

Is it safe to use a lower rated cable to power a higher amperage device if it isn't constant?

I'm designing a breakout kit for an open source standalone ECU. The ECU has a 40 pin IDC male socket which has all the pins required to run the engine. One of the components will be injectors which use around 3 - 4 amps. Each injector actually uses…
HippoDuck
  • 123
  • 5
1
vote
2 answers

Sandwich maker amperage

I was checking out my Moulinex electric sandwich maker recently and a question popped into my head. On the reverse side of the maker it says that it takes as input 220-240 volts at 50-60 Hz and it's power consumption is 700 watts. From what I know…
goose
  • 17
  • 5
0
votes
2 answers

Ampere boosting circuit

I'm trying to solve a problem in a device where I don't have much room for a stronger power supply, but I have room for some small circuit board "to fly in the air". I need a circuit that amplifies amperage (not voltage) and can't find it. Just…
Ivijan Stefan Stipić
  • 143
  • 1
  • 8
0
votes
1 answer

Combined amps available

If I have 5 AA batteries powering a locking device, what would be the maximum combined available amps available? I know that 1 AA battery has 50mA but I do not know if I can just combine that value to get 250 mA.
lperry
  • 9
  • 1
0
votes
2 answers

Current requirements

I have a device that the output power (watts) is controlled by a software setting. If the software setting is such that you only need to supply 20 amps to the device is that all you have to supply? The device will out put double the amount of power…
LDS
  • 1
0
votes
2 answers

Need help selecting correct irrigation pump start relay

Controller Manual says "Caution: To prevent timer damage, ensure the 24 VAC pump relay current draw does not exceed 0.30 Amps." But relay specs on the Internet, on product packages and in user manuals do not state "relay maximum draw current" or…
JCSunday
  • 1
0
votes
2 answers

What happens when you try to draw more amps than is available?

2 hypothetical situations: Situation 1: A 5-20R wall outlet is extended using an extension cord. The extension cord has a 5-20P plug, but only has a 5-15R outlet. Situation 2: A 5-15R wall outlet is extended using an extension cord. The extension…
user2323030
  • 127
  • 1
  • 2
  • 7
0
votes
1 answer

PC Power Supply Amperage

I have a 450 watt power supply that I am trying to use as a DC power supply to learn about electronics. I watched some videos that show grouping the red, yellow, black wires so I did that but when I test the output, the group of red wires shows 5…
ds1234
  • 3
  • 3
0
votes
2 answers

Circuit amps vs device amps

I've always struggled with some really basic questions around amperage. Like, if you're plugging a 2 amp device into a wall socket, but that circuit is a 20 amp circuits why doesn't it blow up? Then I realized, and want to ask this question: In…
dudewad
  • 265
  • 2
  • 7
0
votes
0 answers

Limiting output amperage on an arc furnace

we have built an electrical arc furnace from a couple of old arc welders. We are outputting around 200 A at 30 volts. However, sometimes it will decide to draw more amps than what our 400 A rectifier can handle (which converts the AC output into DC…
Amos Fox
  • 101
1
2