[tat2nerd]

I just ordered a heat press. The thing is that I live in an apartment. The heat press will have to go in my room and already have 3 power/extension cords in my room. Granted they only have maybe 1 or two items that are in use at a time. I had to get power cords because of where my outlets are in the room. One outlet is behind my dress so i have an power strip that has my tv, firestick and 2 external hard drive. The next one is behind my desk, so the only items on that are my computer, 2 lamps and my silhouette machine. Then behind my headboard is another strip for my phone charger, echo dot and lava lamp (which i rarely use). I have one more outlet that my fan and printer is on. This is the outlet that I am planning on using for my heatpress. I am just needing some advice as to what kind of power strip that I should use so I don't constantly flip the breaker or worse in my apartment. Any help/advice would be wonderful!

Thanks!

 

[Twisted Grafix]

Don't use a power strip. You'll melt it. Same with an extension cord. Plug it directly into the wall. You may have to check the breaker to see what the amperage is to determine if you can use that circuit or not.

NEVER REPLACE A BREAKER WITH A HIGHER AMPERAGE BREAKER JUST BECAUSE IT RESETS. It's a recipe for a potential electrical fire.

 

[tat2nerd]

I am not savvy enough to figure that out. Ugh!! There is no writing on the breakers, so how would i know?

 

[webtrekker]

As a rule of thumb, you're looking at an amperage of 8.3A per Kilowatt for the standard US voltage of 120V.

So for, say, a 1.5kW press, it will be drawing approx 12 Amps. You will also need to factor in anything else connected to that socket, or indeed connected to ALL sockets, if they are on the same ring main.

 

[Amw]

I just ordered a heat press. The thing is that I live in an apartment. The heat press will have to go in my room and already have 3 power/extension cords in my room. Granted they only have maybe 1 or two items that are in use at a time. I had to get power cords because of where my outlets are in the room. One outlet is behind my dress so i have an power strip that has my tv, firestick and 2 external hard drive. The next one is behind my desk, so the only items on that are my computer, 2 lamps and my silhouette machine. Then behind my headboard is another strip for my phone charger, echo dot and lava lamp (which i rarely use). I have one more outlet that my fan and printer is on. This is the outlet that I am planning on using for my heatpress. I am just needing some advice as to what kind of power strip that I should use so I don't constantly flip the breaker or worse in my apartment. Any help/advice would be wonderful!

Thanks!

A heat press should NOT be used with a strip plug, unless it is rated for the correct wattage. You would need a industrial strip plug, not a cheap home one. Cheapest ones i have seen are about $65, but i still would not recommend using one.

Your plugs in your room are all on the same circuit, so they are all sharing from the 15 amp brkr (most likely). Which means that if you are going to run a heat press in there (NOT a 16x20!..they should be on a 20 amp) you will need to be NOT using ANYTHING else.

If you have a dryer plug this would be a place you MAY be able to get enough power and not have to turn everything off in your room.

As far as extension cords go...You CAN use them with a press, but they must be rated for high enough wattage. So for a 16x20 press, 1800 watts you want one rated for 2500+ watts (this is going to have a 20 amp male plug usually). One of our presses is about 18 feet short of reaching the outlet. So we use a ext cord on it (12 awg wire) and it works just the same as every other press we have. Now keep in mind ext cord are only to be temporary. When our lease at that location is up we are moving to a larger building with plenty of extra outlets.

 

[olga1]

if your press pull 1800 watts or more you will blow the fuses, that happen to me

 

[EPRCVINYLS]

Yeah the heat press takes lots of power. When i turn mine on i have to cut off my two small Fluorescent lights and my fan in my room even doing that still makes the main light in my room flicker its like when they flip the switch to the electric chair and all the lights go flickering lol
I really would like to get a electrician to come out and in stall a dedicated outlet just for it.

 

[olga1]

you should do that, you're playing with fire

 

[TABOB]

Apartments have useless electrical system. They are not build for this type of use.


In a house you can always upgrade to a 200amp supply which will be enough to run 10 heat presses at the same time.


The breaker is there to protect the wire. If the wire is too thin it can overheat and start a fire.

 

[EPRCVINYLS]

you should do that, you're playing with fire

Was that directed to me? This house has 200amp service but just as normal everyone room seems to have its own breaker.Ive never made a breaker trip but i do try to cut off everything else in the room that isn't being used.

 

[tat2nerd]

i bought a fancierstudio power heat press. Voltage:110/ Power 1800 watts/ it is 15x15.... is this ok to use in an apartment?

 

[EPRCVINYLS]

i bought a fancierstudio power heat press. Voltage:110/ Power 1800 watts/ it is 15x15.... is this ok to use in an apartment?

It looks just like my Power press i also got the 15x15 and I LOVE it.. the specs for the power are the same as mine. Just make sure you only have it plugged into the outlet with nothing else and or you have other things turned off..

I just put a Window AC unit in my room and i had it plugged into the same plug where my Computer and lights and things are plugged in and the plug was getting hot so i move it to a different outlet ( actually the one i use with my press) and now it stays cooler. having lot of things ran off one outlet is bad..


before anyone says it, I will never have the AC unit and heat press turned on same time I know i would trip a breaker.




Good luck.Hope you enjoy it as much as I have mine.. I was using a small 9x12 before for this one.

 

[TABOB]

The AC and the heat press can be on at the same time, as long as they are on a different breaker. Maybe you are lucky and your room has one or more outlets on a separate breaker.



For 1800w you will need 15A. If your breaker is 20A, then you have 600w more capacity on that breaker. Not enough for the AC, but enough for a few other things.

 

[binki]

Don't use a power strip, you will start a fire. plug it directly in and remove the plug when done.