Grow Room Electrical

[fishwhistle]

Usually cheaper to do a panel upgrade than to add a new meter anyways.They wont even add a 2nd meter in my area unless you have the proper zoning,i have edison though and they suck,lol.

 

[Smokey503ski]

I called the electric company and they said no issue with running a second meter.
My buddy had his shop done and he said he only had to pay a little one $2k to have the electric company do there thing from the pole to the structure. Then his electrician went from there.
I really don't want to have to go into the homeowners house. Smells like Fucking cat piss.

 

[fishwhistle]

"Smells like Fucking cat piss"
Im taking it thats not a strain description?lol.

 

[Smokey503ski]

I wish it was. Lol

 

[MSH]

Honestly all of that is Braille to me I'm in the United States and that's all I know and I know that very well but the picture you're showing me are nothing like it is over here plus you can't even see what's going on inside the panel I'm sorry I can't help you on that one

Alright, thanks though! - what about making the main panel bigger than 63 amps, can I just have the main 63A breaker replaced, you know that?

 

[Dr.stickerdick]

You COULD establish a new ground at the sub panel by driving a new ground rod,I did this and it works fine.My run was so long (225') and such big wire(1/0) i wanted to cheat any way i safely could.My new ground was tied into a ufer bar(rebar)in my footings as well as a new 10' ground rod i drove in.
Im sure someone will chime in and say its not code blah blah blah but it works well.

I think you should look at 250.38(A) (1). Just because it works doesn't mean it is right OR safe. Peace

 

[fishwhistle]

I think you should look at 250.38(A) (1). Just because it works doesn't mean it is right OR safe. Peace

Perhaps you can enlighten me and explain the difference and the safety issues between having a ground(Ufer tied into foundation rebar AND 10' driven ground rod)at the subpanel vs a 225' 1/0 ran back to main panel to achieve the same ground?
You dont need to quote code here,I mean if we are going to follow letter of the law we shouldnt even be growing MJ right?Its federally illegal,do you follow that rule/code too?
What im trying to say is spit it out,if there is something inherently unsafe or their is a danger dont just drop a one liner on us,better to explain what will/could happen and why so we all can learn,right?

 

[dorjewright]

I made a mistake with the neutral wire size. I'm wondering if its serious.
For the first 45' from the meter of a 175' run I pulled 2 #6 wire for the hots; but I thought I could down grade the neutral to a #8 for that first 45 feet (thereafter its all#6). Right or should I re pull with #6?

 

[usstoner]

I made a mistake with the neutral wire size. I'm wondering if its serious.
For the first 45' from the meter of a 175' run I pulled 2 #6 wire for the hots; but I thought I could down grade the neutral to a #8 for that first 45 feet (thereafter its all#6). Right or should I re pull with #6?

So you bought 175ft. of wire set a junction box then ran more wire...why?....cause you thought you could downsize the neutral? First mistake is making any kind of splices in a feeder wire...yes we do it...but not like your doing it...you need 100% neutral meaning if you run #6 wire as your hot wires you need a #6 neutral...

 

[usstoner]

I made a mistake with the neutral wire size. I'm wondering if its serious.
For the first 45' from the meter of a 175' run I pulled 2 #6 wire for the hots; but I thought I could down grade the neutral to a #8 for that first 45 feet (thereafter its all#6). Right or should I re pull with #6?

Sorry bro didn't mean to sound like an asshole. you'll be fine with what you did...but in the future run all your conductors the same size...you used to be able to downsize your neutral but now the code wants 100% neutral...

 

[hiboy]

Alright, thanks though! - what about making the main panel bigger than 63 amps, can I just have the main 63A breaker replaced, you know that?

You will need to see what wire size it is in your area in the United States number four is rated to 90 amps number 6 is rated to 50 amps

 

[hiboy]

I made a mistake with the neutral wire size. I'm wondering if its serious.
For the first 45' from the meter of a 175' run I pulled 2 #6 wire for the hots; but I thought I could down grade the neutral to a #8 for that first 45 feet (thereafter its all#6). Right or should I re pull with #6?

You're only supposed to degrade wire at the end but it's always better to stay the same the whole way especially a length like that because you will have voltage drop. How many amps are you going to pull or how many watts

 

[hiboy]

So you bought 175ft. of wire set a junction box then ran more wire...why?....cause you thought you could downsize the neutral? First mistake is making any kind of splices in a feeder wire...yes we do it...but not like your doing it...you need 100% neutral meaning if you run #6 wire as your hot wires you need a #6 neutral...

If he's going to be running all 240volt and the only 120 he needs is for some fans it's okay to downgrade it but obviously better not to
Code is not to downgrade but we know what he's doing so I put my ok on it I don't like to stick my head out anywhere hahaha

 

[Dr.stickerdick]

Perhaps you can enlighten me and explain the difference and the safety issues between having a ground(Ufer tied into foundation rebar AND 10' driven ground rod)at the subpanel vs a 225' 1/0 ran back to main panel to achieve the same ground?
You dont need to quote code here,I mean if we are going to follow letter of the law we shouldnt even be growing MJ right?Its federally illegal,do you follow that rule/code too?
What im trying to say is spit it out,if there is something inherently unsafe or their is a danger dont just drop a one liner on us,better to explain what will/could happen and why so we all can learn,right?

sorry for delay in responding been doing 12's .
The separate structure needs a grounding electrode, and the ufer is excellent. the neutral & ground can't

connect at the sub. the ground & neutral must only connect @ the source( main panel or disconnect).
if something goes wrong past sub panel, the source must know and be able to clear the circuit.

When you don't, you can have neutral current on conductive parts. If you have ever been touching a metal or wet surface and touched another wet or metal surface then felt a tingle, that may have been neutral current.
The demands of the code book aren't to sell more parts, it is based no human lives lost.
peace

 

[dorjewright]

Going to pull another #6 for the neutral. So should be to code 3 # 6s and a #8 for the ground.
I plan to use 1 grounding rod (the meter panel is already grounded with a rod) at the main panel which at the moment has a bonded grounding bus. I think I will need to remove that right?

 

[Randog3]

will a digi ballast that has been on 120 for 6 months, then put on 240. fry in one night?

Digi ballast should auto flip no problem

 

[Lazerus00]

Hey @hiboy ! Awesome thread, really appreciate the help!! So I live in a house that about 30 years old and have set up in my basement to grow. In a separate room in the basement used to be the washer and dryer so i believe there is a 220 or 240 plug in there, i forget which it is. Basically i was looking for an answer on what type of sub panel or how big of a sub panel i will need for my expansion, or basically what to ask the electrician for. Okay so this is all going to be in a 15 by 11.5ft room. I want to have it all on 120 plugs if possible. I will just list all the equipment:
-8in hood with 2 1k lamps in it powered by 2 1k digital Galaxy Gro Amp ballast
-Mars reflector series 192
-8in inline fan
-6in inline fan
-8in can fan x2
-6in can fan x2
-2 small commercial humidifiers (one for each tent)(they are the small ideal-air ones model 700860)
-1 70pint dehumidifier
-1 10,000btu window a/c unit
-8 small 6in clip on fans
-4 small 8-10in oscillating fans

Again I have no idea about anything electrical and just don't wanna get screwed...if you could possibly give my an idea of the size sup panel i would need to power a room with all that stuff in it on 120v plugs. Any and all info will be greatly appreciated! Please and thank you!

 

[Randog3]

Hey @hiboy ! Awesome thread, really appreciate the help!! So I live in a house that about 30 years old and have set up in my basement to grow. In a separate room in the basement used to be the washer and dryer so i believe there is a 220 or 240 plug in there, i forget which it is. Basically i was looking for an answer on what type of sub panel or how big of a sub panel i will need for my expansion, or basically what to ask the electrician for. Okay so this is all going to be in a 15 by 11.5ft room. I want to have it all on 120 plugs if possible. I will just list all the equipment:
-8in hood with 2 1k lamps in it powered by 2 1k digital Galaxy Gro Amp ballast
-Mars reflector series 192
-8in inline fan
-6in inline fan
-8in can fan x2
-6in can fan x2
-2 small commercial humidifiers (one for each tent)(they are the small ideal-air ones model 700860)
-1 70pint dehumidifier
-1 10,000btu window a/c unit
-8 small 6in clip on fans
-4 small 8-10in oscillating fans

Again I have no idea about anything electrical and just don't wanna get screwed...if you could possibly give my an idea of the size sup panel i would need to power a room with all that stuff in it on 120v plugs. Any and all info will be greatly appreciated! Please and thank you!

If you run all 120 your lights will draw about 10 amp a piece. If you run lights at 220/240 it they will draw half of that. Count up the amps the rest of your equipment draws. Then that total should be no more than 80% of your amps available in the sub panel. Remember just because you put a 100 amp breaker in your sub panel doesn't mean you have 100 amps. Check your service and make track how many amps are already being taken out of your main panel box by rest of house. So if you have 100 amp service and your microwave, fridge, and Ac.... Pull 60 amps. You only have 40 left on your service and that's probably not enough. Likewise when you count up your amps for the grow room and it totals like 80 amps you will need 100 amps available to be able to run 80....80%. I would recommend running lights at 220.

 

[Lazerus00]

If you run all 120 your lights will draw about 10 amp a piece. If you run lights at 220/240 it they will draw half of that. Count up the amps the rest of your equipment draws. Then that total should be no more than 80% of your amps available in the sub panel. Remember just because you put a 100 amp breaker in your sub panel doesn't mean you have 100 amps. Check your service and make track how many amps are already being taken out of your main panel box by rest of house. So if you have 100 amp service and your microwave, fridge, and Ac.... Pull 60 amps. You only have 40 left on your service and that's probably not enough. Likewise when you count up your amps for the grow room and it totals like 80 amps you will need 100 amps available to be able to run 80....80%. I would recommend running lights at 220.

thank you so much for the info man!!! I think i might have been a lil un clear....im only running 2 tents a 5x5 and a 4x4....i dont think i will need anywhere near 100 amps....im thinking maybe a 60amp or 70 amp box so id run anywhere between 40 and 50 amps....okay i get it...i will be moving in about a year to year and a half so when im in a more permanent setup ill go 220/240 but for now i feel like my life would be easier if they were all 120s

 

[Randog3]

thank you so much for the info man!!! I think i might have been a lil un clear....im only running 2 tents a 5x5 and a 4x4....i dont think i will need anywhere near 100 amps....im thinking maybe a 60amp or 70 amp box so id run anywhere between 40 and 50 amps....okay i get it...i will be moving in about a year to year and a half so when im in a more permanent setup ill go 220/240 but for now i feel like my life would be easier if they were all 120s

220 is very easy to install....I've seen people just run Romex out of their panel box to a plug. Not recommended but may work in a temp set up. I run everything in conduit. Also make sure you size your wires for the current they will need to carry.