Grow Room Electrical

[smokey rises]

Hey Guys! I need help. Working with 50 Amps. I have 4 1,000W bulbs in a 10x10 grow tent and I want to hook the lights and the portable a/c and the chiller up to 240 Volts so I don't burn the place down. I know I can hook the lights to 240 volts, but can I hook the chiller (1/2HP eco plus) and portable a/c (r2d2 9,000BTU) up to 240 volts? Obviously I'll be employing an electrician to do the wiring, but is it POSSIBLE??? Thanks!!

 

[Natural]

You can only run 240 volts on 240v appliances. I think both of those are 120v. You can run everything on the same new 240v circuit..you'll need to size the circuit big enough. Run your new 240v circuit using 3 wire grounded (2 hots, neutral, and ground) to a sub-panel near the grow. In that sub-panel you can divide everything into smaller circuits via individual breakers..240v for the lights and 120v for your other appliances. Then from your sub-panel circuits to new receptacles.
FYI..In the US all residential service is 240v from the pole..2 hot legs of 120v. So, in the breaker box you'll see 240v breakers contacting both legs..the 120v breakers contact one leg and use a neutral wire returning to the service panel via an earth ground to complete the circuit.

 

[Panchojr]

If I plug a 1000 watt light in 120v will I wast more instead of plugging it in 240?

 

[incogneato]

If I plug a 1000 watt light in 120v will I wast more instead of plugging it in 240?

It will use less amps on 240

 

[DankDreamer]

Hi i was wondering if you could help me get an idea of how to power two 28msq rooms with 16x 1000w lights, one 5 ton A/c unit and all the other usual bits.

I have been thinking of using Solar and some sort of generator off the grid, but would i need a small solar farm to run this. What other options are there? wind? mains?

 

[Surfr]

Hey guys I'm wiring up a light controller right now. It a Autopilot 60 amp 12 light commercial controller. Can I use #6 wire?

 

[incogneato]

Hi i was wondering if you could help me get an idea of how to power two 28msq rooms with 16x 1000w lights, one 5 ton A/c unit and all the other usual bits.

I have been thinking of using Solar and some sort of generator off the grid, but would i need a small solar farm to run this. What other options are there? wind? mains?

I'm no electrician but that's a shit ton of power needed. Definitely a commercial diesel generator or an enormous solar bank

 

[Natural]

Hey guys I'm wiring up a light controller right now. It a Autopilot 60 amp 12 light commercial controller. Can I use #6 wire?

yes..copper only though

 

[Surfr]

Anyone here an expert with three phase? I need to pick someone's brain...

 

[Orfarmer]

Hi all, need some advice... I'm having an electrician come by to add new outlet for dedicated power to grow room. My gear so far is 2 1000 w led lights a 30 pint dehumidifier ,heater , exhaust and fans. I know in spring I will need some kind of ac. Question, should I have two added? I have the room and it's a separate panel in garage that has extra room for switches. Would it be good to have two 20 amp 4 plug out let's be enough?

 

[Olyver]

Anyone here an expert with three phase? I need to pick someone's brain...

Ask away, I'm an industrial electrician.

 

[DemonTrich]

Need some electrical wiring help from the power guys.

Have a APCL4DX light controller https://www.hydrofarm.com/p/APCL4DX

I want to only run it at 120v, and will pull power from a dedicated 20amp socket on its own seperate 20amp breaker in my panel. Looking to where and how to wire it.

How would i run power from the socket to this light controller? My buddies ok with running lines and doing electrical work, but want to know how it's done in case he's unsure. And I'd rather not have to go to home Depot or lowes to ask them.

See link to controller.

 

[THELORAX802]

HIBOY........you still around brother?

 

[DemonTrich]

Pic of internals in the controller

 

[icanfarm]

I have three phase power is it more cost effective to run than 240 as far as gavita 1000 de thanks in advance

 

[sixstring]

Pic of internals in the controllerView attachment 647735

should be a book with it or at least a sticker inside that case that says whats waht,like black should be hot,grey should be neutral(or hot if wiring for 240v) and green should be ground on those 3 lugs across the front in the pic.so coming off your 120v line you would have black to black ,white to grey,and green(or copper) to green for 120v.on the breaker side of your 120v wire will be black to breaker,white to neutral terminal and green or copper to ground block.but you know with that controller you will be limited to half the rated max power of 4000w so only good for 2 x 1000w ballast wired this way based on the link you posted.lol just saw how old that was,prob figured that out by now :)

 

[dorjewright]

I've got a grounding question. I have a dedicated meter and electrical panel for my grow room. My electrician says I don't need a grounding rod at the panel since its grounded back at the meter which does have a grounding rod. I thought the panel also needed one???

 

[Natural]

Pic of internals in the controllerView attachment 647735

You loosen these screws enough so the wires will fit. Trim the plastic sheath back enough to where no copper will be exposed..but leave the copper long enough that it seats well. One hot goes in black and the other hot goes in grey..doesn't matter which one. The ground wire goes in green. Your hot wires should be red and black and your ground will be green or bare copper. But, use a multi-tester to check your wires for peace of mind..one probe goes to hot and one will go to a ground.
If you don't know how to use a meter..please learn. Make sure power is off when working the wires and not testing :)

 

[Natural]

I've got a grounding question. I have a dedicated meter and electrical panel for my grow room. My electrician says I don't need a grounding rod at the panel since its grounded back at the meter which does have a grounding rod. I thought the panel also needed one???

You only need a separate ground rod if the run is excessively long. Most sub-panels under 100 foot, take advantage of the ground rod at the meter.

 

[Natural]

@dorjewright if the sub-panel is located in an un-attached structure away from the panel..then you need to install a ground rod at the sub-panel and tie the sub-panel ground to that as well as to the feeder ground rod.