Brian,
Very cool article, I hope to try this out soon. I am concerned about the information that you presented regarding the circuit loads. I am not an electrician, but what I was taught doesn't exactly jive with what you presented, which could be a potential fire hazard if it's not fully understood or misinterpreted.
It's true that most standard electrical outlets are rated at 15A to 20A, but the circuit itself is what matters. The homeowner should first verify, at the circuit panel, what 'size' circuit breaker is installed for the circuit they intend to use, usually 15A for a standard room circuit and 20A for a heavy appliance circuit.
Once this is determined, then you need to determine the current load on that circuit. This includes, lights (like recessed lighting and chandeliers), computer, appliances, stereo, tv, clock, anything that draws power on the circuit. Once you determine the load, then you're left with how much you're able to add to that load.
It sounds as though you were plugging each board into the same outlet (circuit). That being the case, you would need to divide the balance of the remaining load among the eight channels to derive the max draw for each channel.
For instance, say you have a 15A circuit. On that circuit, you have the following load:
Computer - 2A, LCD Monitor 1.5A, Computer Speakers 1A, Stereo System and powered subwoofer 6A = Total 10.5A, leaving 4.5A remaining.
4.5A / 8 = ~0.5A for each channel or an aggregate of 4.5A dispersed across all eight channels which is far less than the 15A that the article alludes to.
Can't wait to try it!
Thanks,
Jim