Question for the Game Room Folks

[Kilroy]

I'm starting (finally)  on  setting up the game room/lounge/man cave,  and thinking ahead on power requirements.

I already know there well be an arcade section, jukeboxes and a few pop (soda) machines,  so my question is what are  the  man cave/ game room folks doing  for outlets?

The walls are brick, I may  drywall at a later date, the area stays warm, so insulating isn't an issue. For now they are  getting painted two toned.

 My brother is an electrician, so the labor end will be cheap and  Lowe's and Home depot are my new best friends.

Also updating the  fuse box( yeah, go figure)  to a breaker box, so I'll have available circuit.

So i am curious to  hear howw  others have handled the   need for an outlet. Or 8

[mznb1u]

Jim,

That is a good question.  I know there will be certain codes as far as so many outlets every so many feet and so high off the floor that your brother will know.  I have been thinking about how I will set mine up as well and I plan to go a bit overboard on the power because once the walls are in it is tough to add more.  I plan to do dedicated outlets for the soda machines because I don't want a hair dryer or popcorn maker tripping a breaker and taking the soda machine with it.  If I end up with a pinball, I would likely dedicate a circuit to that as well.  Other than that, I would think you would be all set with what is typically called for by code--unless you want to put some power high up on the wall to light up signs, clocks and such.

Good luck, we are all counting on you!

  Tim

Jack Butler: Wanna beer?
Ron Richardson: It's 7 o'clock in the morning.
Jack Butler: Scotch?
Ron Richardson: Not during working hours. Ooooh, sorry pal.
Jack Butler: No problem. Come on over here Ron. Let me show you what I'm doing, taking advantage of some of the time off. To, uh, add a whole new wing on here. Gonna rip these walls out and, uh, of course re-wire it.
Ron Richardson: Yeah, you gonna make it all 220?
Jack Butler: Yeah, 220, 221. Whatever it takes.

[bcharlton]

I did an outlet every 6 feet.  I also raised them 18 inches off the floor as my basement has flooded.  I would have your brother set up a separate box with 3 or 4 dedicated lines.  It will make your life easier have the gameroom have it's own power source and circut breaker.

Good luck.  I love my "escape" from reality 1950s style maltshop.

[Grey Wolf]

When I finished our basement, the inspector made a point to point out that the fridge needed a separate breaker just for it.  So I would assume each soda machine needs it's own also to be within code, especially since the older machines draw a bit more juice than modern units on initial kick-in.  Your brother would be the best to answer this though since he is an electrician.
Code in a non-bedroom basement is an outlet every 12 feet so a 6 ft extension cord can reach an outlet from anywhere.  If the living space includes a bedroom, it is every six feet (here in WI anyway).  No more than 12 outlets can be on the same breaker also, but depending on what is plugged in and what the draw is of each appliance, it could be drastically reduced as I mentioned with the fridge.
You have to look at the max amperage draw of the appliance, and add each appliance's draw on the same breaker together.  It cannot exceed the 15 or 20 amp rating of the circuit breaker.  I would not want to exceed 12 amps on a 15 amp breaker just to be safe.
It my area, neon signs need their own breaker also.

[kbareit]

Jim, You don't need all that. Just get a couple power strips and a bunch of extension cords.   

But all kidding aside each of your soda machines should be on it's own circuit. As far as the rest of it follow local code and you can't go wrong.

[Roadman]

When I had my basement done, I had a 20 circuit subpanel installed and I'm down to only one open spot. I have a dedicated outlet for my USS64 coke machine and WD5 coke  chest, circuits for the lights, another frig, dishwasher, stove, treadmill, TV area, ejector pit pump, bathroom fan, heaters required  a couple, dehumidifier, etc. They add up faster than you think.  Keep in mind that most basements are a little dark and need the extra lights, heat, dehumidifier.   

[mznb1u]

Or this will work just as well--especially if Beverly D'Angelo comes along with the package!

  Tim

[johnieG]

Or drive you to the middle of nowhere & leave you for dead (Clark to cousin Eddy), Hip Hip Hurray for Christmas vacation.  oh & by the way...Chitters full   

[Jim]

Jim,
At my previous house, we added a game room on and accounted for turning on outlets from wall switches for convenience, so consider this...
Code does dictate receptacles every so many feet and one only so far from the doorway, etc, etc, but nothing wrong with adding more! Generally, an outlet circuit(15/20 amp) should have no more than 6 receptacles.
You could utilize 14-3 wire from a wall switch-box to each receptacle and switch the top outlet while keeping the bottom hot/energized so one switch could turn on three outlets(top). Suggest this to your brother and he'll get you setup properly...
If properly planned, you won't have to reach behind jukes, video games and other things requiring intermittent electric. This means you could setup a few pinballs and leave the master switches on; flip the wall switch on and viola! The pinballs all come to life!

If you need a little more info, get in touch with me...

[Creighton]

The arcade folks like 30 amp panel runs 6 machines per circuit. You don't want a master switch that turn's everything on at once.
Can cause current spike problems that will kill vector Arcade game pcbs. There are do-dads that buffer and take care of that.
I would put the soda machines and any other hi draw on cfi and the rest should be fine.
Pics when finished I hope!!
Creighton
 

[MaineT]

http://www.smarthome.com/iphone_apps.html

If your a tech junkie... Or just a geek this worked pretty good!

[Kilroy]

Thanks for the input everyone.  now to get it out of my head an into the  basement
 Heading out now to look at  dinette benches  i found on CL, then to my neon guy to finalize the sign  idea I had.

Tim,  I like the idea, but going one better, I will have a hidden room  behind a bookcase. Now to find the right statue bust to use for the  release switch.   Someone was  making a repop of the Shakespeare bust Bruce Wayne used on the TV show,  but last time I saw one on Ebay, it was  $700. I think a dremel and patience, a few rips to Radio Shack and I can build my own.

[scalebowler]

Tim,  I like the idea, but going one better, I will have a hidden room  behind a bookcase. Now to find the right statue bust to use for the  release switch.   Someone was  making a repop of the Shakespeare bust Bruce Wayne used on the TV show,  but last time I saw one on Ebay, it was  $700. I think a dremel and patience, a few rips to Radio Shack and I can build my own.

That's going to be awesome! Now you need the batmobile in there too

[mznb1u]

Thanks for the input everyone.  now to get it out of my head an into the  basement
 Heading out now to look at  dinette benches  i found on CL, then to my neon guy to finalize the sign  idea I had.

Tim,  I like the idea, but going one better, I will have a hidden room  behind a bookcase. Now to find the right statue bust to use for the  release switch.   Someone was  making a repop of the Shakespeare bust Bruce Wayne used on the TV show,  but last time I saw one on Ebay, it was  $700. I think a dremel and patience, a few rips to Radio Shack and I can build my own.

Just make sure to put the instructions for accessing the secret entrance on the back of a rare Coca Cola poster in the form of an Ottendorf Cipher.  Then you can hide the key to the cipher on the backside of the drum in your Vendo 39.  But you will only be able to read the key with special glasses hidden behind the pins in your bowler.  Ahhhh, never mind, that is too complicated.  Just get an old mermaid figurehead off of a sailing ship.  To access the secret room, you will have to use both hands to size up her treasure chest!

Tim

[Kilroy]

Hey, that has potential Tim...
Doesn't go with the 50's theme, but that's okay, easier to do up  a nautical hangout.

No wait. I can only imagine what the cats would do to the sand bar....

[rayg]

Hey Jim,

 Sound like your game room is coming along nicely that's very cool!  Remember, I'm just down the road from you.... let me know if you need any help ....especially with the arcade machines... being working a few lately.

Ray

[dr galaga]

In my gameroom, I put outlets where the games are located about every three feet. Most of the outlets are on individual switches. I also have some outlets near the top of the walls and up in the floor joists for lights (hooked up to switches too). There are also a few outlets thrown in that are not on switches. I put the Coke machine and our freezer on a single breaker. Put in way more outlets than you think you will need. I had to go back and add more outlets and I have to use a bunch of multi-taps in place.

[collecture]

Always wanted one myself. Can't find the cool video I saw, but here are some sites. I'll keep looking.

http://secretdoorways.com/
http://hiddenpassages.com/
http://www.moltonbookcases.com/hiddenbookcase.html
http://www.minecraftwiki.net/wiki/Tutorials/Secret_Door

[MaineT]

Those websites are cool!! I bet they could do a picnic cooler shelving unit! It would look natural in a game room