Grow Room Electrical

[Bib4tuna]

I was told you can run 14 100 watt light bulbs of a 15 amp circuit. What wire is used for the outlet? is the wire white or yellow, white wire is for 15amp outlets and yellow wire is for 20 amp outlets. What plug is the timer plugged into is it a 15 or 20 amp outlet. If you know you have a 20 amp plug and yellow wire from the outlet to the breaker panel you probably would be safe but if its a 15amp circuit with 15amp outlet and white wire I would be scared of starting a fire. But like the other person said you will probably trip the breaker if its a 15 amp circuit.

Also theres no breaker just the main & the box with the screw in fuses. When the fuses are overloaded the spring breaks in the fuse breaks & the fuse blows. Thats why i get stressed about overloading and starting fire. But if 20 amp can handle 250 w light & couple fans then i should be good.

 

[Dan789]

I was told you can run 14 100 watt light bulbs of a 15 amp circuit. What wire is used for the outlet? is the wire white or yellow, white wire is for 15 amp outlets and yellow wire is for 20 amp outlets. What plug is the timer plugged into is it a 15 or 20 amp outlet. If you know you have a 20 amp plug and yellow wire from the outlet to the breaker panel you probably would be safe but if its a 15 amp circuit with 15 amp outlet and white wire I would be scared of starting a fire. But like the other person said you will probably trip the breaker if its a 15 amp circuit.

For any load that runs over three hours non-stop or uninterrupted it's 80% of the circuit maximum rating...that continuous load would limit you to 15x100x80%=only 12 lamps @100 watts on a 15 amp circuit, 16 for a twenty amp circuit...NEC 210.19(A)(1)(a) or (b).
PS, #12 romex, (yellow) is good for 20 amp circuits, #14 romex (white) is good for 15 amp circuits...

 

[Moshmen]

I’m stealing stuff from this thread ! Thanks for Info , I’m pretty frikken handy but if there’s something I’m not sure of it’s electric , I’ll be using the info to wire a RV trailer/grow room . Utilizing a breaker box and RV house plug in system

 

[Dan789]

I’m stealing stuff from this thread ! Thanks for Info , I’m pretty frikken handy but if there’s something I’m not sure of it’s electric , I’ll be using the info to wire a RV trailer/grow room . Utilizing a breaker box and RV house plug in system

Stay safe, don’t do anything sketchy, use and abide by all applicable electrical codes...

 

[Bib4tuna]

For any load that runs over three hours non-stop or uninterrupted it's 80% of the circuit maximum rating...that continuous load would limit you to 15x100x80%=only 12 lamps @100 watts on a 15 amp circuit, 16 for a twenty amp circuit...NEC 210.19(A)(1)(a) or (b).
PS, #12 romex, (yellow) is good for 20 amp circuits, #14 romex (white) is good for 15 amp circuits...

K,this was like this before I moved in. I don't know if they thought they could run more off 30 amp fuse. Since wire running to outlets is white I should replace with 15 amp fuses then?

 

[Bib4tuna]

For any load that runs over three hours non-stop or uninterrupted it's 80% of the circuit maximum rating...that continuous load would limit you to 15x100x80%=only 12 lamps @100 watts on a 15 amp circuit, 16 for a twenty amp circuit...NEC 210.19(A)(1)(a) or (b).
PS, #12 romex, (yellow) is good for 20 amp circuits, #14 romex (white) is good for 15 amp circuits...

Sorry to be a pest about this. Im assuming the person before ran the 20 amp with white wire cuz it was just in the garage & not running anything heavyduty but if i should replace with 15 amp fuses do you have a suggestion as to which kind also since it will be continous power with the light. For example the screw in fuses come TL,SL,T,& W. Thx again for all the info!

 

[Dan789]

Sorry to be a pest about this. Im assuming the person before ran the 20 amp with white wire cuz it was just in the garage & not running anything heavyduty but if i should replace with 15 amp fuses do you have a suggestion as to which kind also since it will be continous power with the light. For example the screw in fuses come TL,SL,T,& W. Thx again for all the info!

Just like when I used to go into someone’s home as an Electrical Contractor, assume nothing, that’s the constant. Homeowners talk to a neighbor, brother in law or even the resident experts at HD for the 411 on how to install whatever electrical they’re after. Most don’t know shit; get yourself a reference book, check some YouTube video’s, but those are full of mistakes, errors and down-right wrong information. Size your circuits by the capacity of your wire (romex) like I mentioned in an early post... If you use a fuse, a slow blow fuse, (with the spring), again sized for the wire capacity...

 

[Bib4tuna]

Just like when I used to go into someone’s home as an Electrical Contractor, assume nothing, that’s the constant. Homeowners talk to a neighbor, brother in law or even the resident experts at HD for the 411 on how to install whatever electrical they’re after. Most don’t know shit; get yourself a reference book, check some YouTube video’s, but those are full of mistakes, errors and down-right wrong information. Size your circuits by the capacity of your wire (romex) like I mentioned in an early post... If you use a fuse, a slow blow fuse, (with the spring), again sized for the wire capacity...

Thx again for the help. I get what your saying,thats why ive been researching before even making a move. As far the 20 amp fuse im gonna replace with 15 amp ASAP. I think maybe i confused earlier by saying the fuse has spring that breaks when overloads. I guess its referred to as fusible link so as far slow burn fuse i dont believe they fit my box. But im definetly replacing with 15 amp fuse.

 

[Bib4tuna]

Just like when I used to go into someone’s home as an Electrical Contractor, assume nothing, that’s the constant. Homeowners talk to a neighbor, brother in law or even the resident experts at HD for the 411 on how to install whatever electrical they’re after. Most don’t know shit; get yourself a reference book, check some YouTube video’s, but those are full of mistakes, errors and down-right wrong information. Size your circuits by the capacity of your wire (romex) like I mentioned in an early post... If you use a fuse, a slow blow fuse, (with the spring), again sized for the wire capacity...

After researching these types of fuses more of the type that fit my box the W type fuse sounds like the one i need but i could be wrong. It says its reacts fast to the amperage if it exceeds the rating & are used for general purpose circuits & lighting. As you said "Dont assume shit tho",lol.

 

[Dan789]

@Bib4tuna As far as the type fuse, that will be according to your specific fuse box and should be noted on the cover somewhere. Any fuse at the proper current limit will give you protection from over current, and continuous use doesn’t really matter to the fuse, the link will melt just as a function of the electrons flowing through the link, and when too much, will melt. What continuous use is speaking to is how much loading is placed on a particular circuit, continuous use loads shouldn’t be added that exceed 80% of the circuit rating...stay safe.

 

[Bib4tuna]

@Bib4tuna As far as the type fuse, that will be according to your specific fuse box and should be noted on the cover somewhere. Any fuse at the proper current limit will give you protection from over current, and continuous use doesn’t really matter to the fuse, the link will melt just as a function of the electrons flowing through the link, and when too much, will melt. What continuous use is speaking to is how much loading is placed on a particular circuit, continuous use loads shouldn’t be added that exceed 80% of the circuit rating...stay safe.

Got it! Thx again for all the info!

 

[Bib4tuna]

Post any questions for electrical advice here.
hb

It didn't really strike me till today cuz we had thunderstorms & the electric went out for hours but the electric goes out quite often here when it storms. Should I set up generator or can I just move the plants outside when this happens since they're potted?

 

[mfed]

Hi, I just got a warehouse with 3 phase 208v 400amp service, I am going to set 120 x 1150 watt lights.
But I'm still confusing about 3 phase and single phase, I usually turn on 60 lights with 400amp at same time in single phase.
About 400amp 3 phase, I'm not sure if I can run more lights than single phase?
Because someone told me 25% less amp on 3 phase, and also someone told me same amp with single phase.

 

[Grapefruitroop]

im not an electrician but i wired all my rooms from scratch...
3Phase means that you have 3 cable bringin electricity to you instead that just one, so they can deliver to you more Voltage and allowing you to use more amps..
With 400 Amps at 208v you could use up to 83,2 KW....
In single phase i assume they will deliver 120v so you will have 48KW to use....
Those 60 lights were 1000w or 600w?
Yes if you have bigger voltage you can use less amp to get the same watts
Voltage x Amps = Watts

 

[mikeross]

I'm in the planning stages of building out a new grow. I'm planning to run 2 sealed flower rooms and a veg room.

I've calculated the load and I'm at approx. 165 amps for the following:
30 Gavita pro's, only 15 on at a time
3 Gavita pro's, for veg on 18hr
2 quest 225's, only 1 on at a time
20 wall fan, all on 24/7
4 36k btu mini splits, only 2 on at a time
5 10" inline fans, only 2 on 24/7, rest is to purge the sealed rooms few times a day, mainly at lights off.
couple pumps on timers, only on for a few minutes, a few times a day for feedings.

I've crunch the numbers and I'm at an over estimate load of 165amps. When I say over estimate the items like the inline fans, pumps are calculated as on 24/7 and items like the a/c and dehumidifiers are calculated at drawing full power which we all know the amp drawn on these items fluctuate by how hard they are working.

Anyways, that 165amps do not include items like my fridge, oven, laundry etc. I also don't know if some of the bigger items like the a/c will have a surge in power when they initially start up. Also even though I'm running these rooms on a flip, when one room isn't using the A/C for example I'm sure its still drawing some power, even though its not running.

I've read some journals with similar setups, actually some with a few more lights, all running off 200amps with no issues. Am I really over estimating my figures here... should I be concerned running the above setup off a 200 amp panel or am I good to go? I'm about 2 months away from starting this project. I'm meeting with an electrician next month whom probably can answer these questions for me but wanted to get feedback from the forums... thank you!

 

[Bigjj]

Hello guys. many great info here but i have not found what i need in the past like 20 pages. i guess i will ask here.

I am in the US and the voltage is 110v, lets make it 120v for easier calculation.

i am in a kind of old house and i heard i get about 50amp from the electricity company. Lets assume this is correct for this case and all ideally speaking.

if i can get all 50 amp and the breaker is also 50amp at 120v, does it mean that with using a 120v to 240v transformer, i can only have a total of 25amp at 240v?

and if i exceed this 25amp at 240v will trigger the 50amp breaker at 120v?

thanks for your input guys!

 

[Grapefruitroop]

I think you r correct! But why would you use a transformer?

 

[Bigjj]

Thank you, I guess it figure it out; my friend told me that device is not a transformer so the amp didn’t change... thanks for you input!

 

[Just09]

Wanting to go 6 [600 600watt leds]but know absolutely nothing about electricity. Don't even knowif leds come in 240v. But i do knowi need 2 20a circuits just to power the lights.but don't know what kind of ac or dehu to use.and what power platform i should set those on

 

[PipeCarver]

Wanting to go 6 [600 600watt leds]but know absolutely nothing about electricity. Don't even knowif leds come in 240v. But i do knowi need 2 20a circuits just to power the lights.but don't know what kind of ac or dehu to use.and what power platform i should set those on

?? say what? 600 - 600watt lights. or 6 - 600w. A 3600 w total 2 - 20 amp 120 v circuits will do the lights A/C & Dehu will depend on room size, the amount of plants, heat generated, exhaust +++. 1 -15 amp circuit should cover your A/C or Dehu and there is enough room left on the 2 - 20 amps for fans & intake & exhaust . Will you need heat for lights off time.. add another 15 amp circuit.

Are you in the USA? Canada? electrical requirements are different in other parts of the world with the voltage supplied.