Happy Tuesday CopyLady family! Today we will talk about one of the most important things that one would need to reliably run a copy machine: Electricity!
Ahh yes, Electricity. Something that was once considered a luxury in it’s infancy, is now a necessary part of everyday life. The workhorse of your office, the copier, definitely needs proper electrical power to do it’s thing!
Let’s dive into what you need to power your office copier:
OUTLETS: These are the two biggest variables. The majority of console office copiers will use around the same amount of power as a full size upright vacuum cleaner or microwave oven. Smaller desktop style copiers and printers will use about as much power as your average desktop computer.
Most copiers will be more than fine on a standard 15A wall outlet, like the one below. The plugs for these will have two vertically parallel blades along with the rounded ground pin.
Some copiers, mostly the higher speed machines, will require a 20A outlet, like the one below. This is usually indicated by the plug having one blade horizontal, and one vertical. These cannot be plugged into the above outlet. Copiers using the above style outlet can also be connected here.
Some specialty copiers and printers (Usually industrial plotters), will require a 240V connection, which requires this type of outlet on a dedicated circuit:
Of course, if your building’s outlets look like the ones below, We highly recommend consulting an electrician to get these (and the wiring) upgraded.
NEVER use a “cheater” plug (2 to 3) adapter to plug a copier (Or anything) into one of these! Doing so can create a shock hazard, as well as negate any surge protection devices put in place. Note that CopyLady will NEVER connect a copier in this manner.
CIRCUITS: This is just as important as the outlet you’re plugging into! Your building’s circuits do have limits, which are dictated by the wiring, and the circuit breakers protecting them. This is where having your breakers properly labeled comes in handy. The current rating for a given breaker will be stamped or printed right on the handle.
In the case of most modern office buildings, most of your circuits will be 20 Amps. (Breakers will have “20” or “20A” on them). Older buildings will have 15 Amp circuits on some outlets. (Breakers will have “15” or “15A” on them). Bear in mind that a full size office copy machine will consume as much as 12 Amps when fully running (Printing and copying). You will definitely want this on a 20A circuit.
If you MUST run your copier from a 15 Amp circuit, the copier MUST be the only thing on this circuit. Small desktop machines can safely run on a 15 Amp circuit with other small items, such as lamps.
And, again, just like the old 2-pin outlets, if you’re in an old building, and you see THESE when you pull that door open, call an electrician, you’ll definitely want an upgrade.
A few other things to consider:
* Your copier will come with an external surge protector. DO NOT REMOVE THIS unless instructed by CopyLady.
* Do NOT try to connect your copier to a battery backup unit (UPS). The UPS will not be able to supply proper power to your machine, and could damage it.
* If you MUST use an extension cord to run your copier, use a heavy duty cord made with 14 or 12 AWG wire. Using a smaller extension cord can result in unstable power to your copier, as well as heating of the smaller wire, constituting a fire risk.
* Do NOT plug your copier into an outlet that is not retaining plugs. If the plug falls out or pulls out extremely easily, consider getting that outlet replaced.
* Again, do NOT use a 2 prong to 3 prong “Cheater” plug. This breaks the ground connection between your copier and the building’s wiring system. If you do NOT have properly grounded outlets, contact an electrician.