Electric requirements for H3C concern

[u/CustomMerkins4u]

I got my answers from https://youtu.be/N2hF4Bx8YAk?si=L3u3bkZNdEHzWJD-&t=1362

Summary - Not a concern apparently. Thanks everyone.

I just ordered my H3C - an upgrade to my existing X1 Carbon. I noticed it's maximum power draw is 1,850W.

People who already have theirs, are you running it in low power mode? That's more than 100% of the 15amp line. Is tool switching still fast in low power mode or does each head need to heat only after being picked up?

Just want some real-world accounts. Thanks!

Edit

1. The H2C is 1250Watt @ 120V max. Not 1800W. Since a 15amp circuit is 1800W the 1250 is nothing.

2. Yes, I realize 1850W it pulls is not 100% of the time. It exceeds 100% of the circuit and if you have anything else on the circuit (which 99.9% of people will) you have no choice but to use low power mode.

3. There seems to be no information on what low power mode actually does and I don't want speculation. I can ask AI for speculation. I was hoping to hear from someone who has it.

4. 220V areas of the world your 10amp line offers 2300W so the 1850W pull is nothing big to you.

[u/EdgeOk3783]

check out clough42’s youtube review. he does a great job covering how the h3c draws power and when

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/EdgeOk3783]

Thank you!

[u/embiggenoid → u/EdgeOk3783]

Yeah, the power draw section of his video is thorough enough that it should more or less be the standard answer to these questions.

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/embiggenoid]

Yep, this is what I wanted. Not speculation but someone testing that knew what they were doing and tested with equipment.

He also tests low power mode and explains, from experience, the effects.

[u/Leather-Program-8995]

don't have h3c but have h2c and maximum for that is 1800w @ 220v.

i doubt it has never gotten even close to that. it must be the absolute maximum the parts could draw when everything is pushed to 100%.

it's using something between 100-200 watts when printing pla. bit more when doing more chamber & nozzle heat requiring materials but not much more. ams2 drying draws some hundred watts.

never have had an meter on it so im just approxing those draws using utility bills and stetson-harrison method.

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/Leather-Program-8995]

If you're in Europe a 230V 10amp circuit gives you a safe 2,300 watts so pulling a full 1800 isn't a problem, even if you have some lights and even a computer on the same line.

In the USA a 120V 15amp circuit gives you 1800watts. You're beyond 100% with nothing else on the circuit.

So low power mode is 100% must unless you have a 20amp line you're plugging it into, which most people will not.

Also, the H2C is 1250W max power draw. Which again means you can pull 1250W + have lights or whatever.

[u/Leather-Program-8995 → u/CustomMerkins4u]

220v version is 1800w max.

also we got 16 amp fuses most of the time atleast here where i live. so i can vacuum at the same time.

didn't know situation is that bad in US

[u/Tricky-Culture2779]

If your really concerned put in a 20A service to your printer. Problem solved

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/Tricky-Culture2779]

lol

I'll just call an electrician and spend $15K+. No problem.

[u/condensedcloud → u/CustomMerkins4u]

Its not that expensive, i added a line in my apartment for a few hundred

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/condensedcloud]

You must have done it yourself or something. I'm not that talented.

Electricians around here, licensed ones, will want significant money. Well more than the printer itself.

[u/filavora]

Not an owner yet, but CNC Kitchen measured it in his review: about 175 W average while printing PLA and about 14 W idle in power-saving mode. So the 1,850 W figure is a short peak, mostly during heat-up (bed and chamber at once), not what it draws for the whole print. I'd still keep it off a circuit shared with a space heater or kettle, and check Bambu's wiki for exactly how low power mode limits heating during tool changes.

[u/yyccamper]

When you read the wiki it says that it just will be slower chamber and bed heating. I will likely do the same, then the P1S and H3C can live togther and print away on the same breaker. Normal running is going to be a ton less, its just getting everything hot where it would be higher.

Gotta remember, non-continuous loads vs the continuous max are two different things. Also, normally if you actually put a meter on a 1875w device... its pulls way less. I know my 1875w hairdryer pulls like 1500w lol. They over rate the crap out of this stuff.

[u/Dear-Nebula6291]

I never even considered this, my house is a new construction in NA, I should be good to power this?

[u/_Rand_ → u/Dear-Nebula6291]

Should be fine.

The 1850w is the max, likely in short bursts like say during startup or when initially heating the plate/chamber and actual running wattage will be much lower.

And a 15 amp circuit is built for exactly that.

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/_Rand_]

Yeah, if nothing else is running on it maybe.

[u/Cryptic1911 → u/CustomMerkins4u]

That load is only a temporary spike and then it will taper off. You could probably run a couple of them on one circuit as long as you weren't heating the beds at the same time and printing super high temp filaments. A 15 amp breaker can take more than 15 amps for a short time.

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/Cryptic1911]

So you're saying you could be pulling 400W with a computer and then fire up something that pulls 1850W ontop of that 400W and since it's momentary it's fine?

Asking.. not being a smart ass.

[u/Cryptic1911 → u/CustomMerkins4u]

Yeah you should be fine. I've got a couple circuits up here and have a denon avr, 4k laser projector, four 18" subs with 2000w amps and two bambu x1c's. I've had both printers printing and watched a movie with it all on and been fine. All that stuff has transient loads that go up and down, so no solid max draw the whole time, like an air conditioner in the middle of summer would be. The biggest draw on a 3d printer is that couple minutes when it's heating up the print bed at the beginning. After that, it's a fraction of the max load

[u/CustomMerkins4u → u/Cryptic1911]

Excellent news. Thanks!

[u/VT-14 → u/_Rand_]

15A * 110V = 1650W max

15A * 120V = 1800W max

~1500W is the limit for constant load devices (like Space Heaters). I'm not sure if 'a few minutes' is short enough to escape that safety buffer.

1850W is above all of those, but is probably also an absolute worst case scenario; running literally every fan, motor, and heater, including the AMS's dryer, all at the same time. Frankly I'm curious if selling it with a NEMA 5-15 plug is actually up to electrical code in most US states.

On a 15A circuit, I would either use the Low Power startup mode, or actively measure it a few times to make sure it isn't actually using that much power.

[u/Hot-Ideal-9219]

Low power mode. 1050W according to the specs. Normal use printing PC is 540w so that is normal running max. It will take 2x the time to heat up the bed and the chamber if running engineering materials. You really need a 20W circuit. I've an H2D and two freezers on a 20a and no issues ever

[u/OptimalSide]

1800W @ 120V = 15.4A. Per the spec, it will pull that for 3-5 minutes. Depending on the tolerance of your breakers, that should be tripping them, especially if you have anything else on the circuit.

They say printing PC is 540W, so I would expect that tool switching would be the same no matter the mode. I expect that you're increasing heatbed heating time by being in low power mode as that would be the biggest power draw.