Grow Room Electrical

[SodaLicious]

O.k. so after much research I found a tutorial on a DIY Flip Flop. AWESOME!! I would love to post the link here for anyone else that is interested it having their electrician build one of these.


Can I post a link to another forum???

 

[dorjewright]

Post any questions for electrical advice here.
hb

Reports here on electrical fire from failed bulbs has me pretty worried. Is there a fail safe way to get the power to shut off when this happens? From what I understand the breaker in the main panel didn't trip. SOmeone suggested an inline breaker. If this is a fix should it be installed before or after the ballest?

 

[ShibbyWilsk]

Ok electrical question. So I ran a 10/2 from a 30 amp 240 v pushmatic breaker, the 10/2 goes to a 30 amp GE water heater timer and from the timer I want to wire two Nema 6-20 receptacles. Here is the problem they dont make a small sized Nema 6-30 receptacle the highest is the 20 amp ones. I am running 4 600w lights off of it pulling 11 amps. My question, is it fine to run the two Nema 6-20 receptacles on the 30 amp circuit or should I chalk it up and downsize the pushmatic breaker to 20amp 2 pole? See i wanted to keep the 30amp breaker in so I can upgrade in the future with more lights. I see all other lighting controllers doing the same running lower rated receptacles on higher amp breakers such as C.A.P MLC4.

 

[bakershredhead]

Hey Hiboy I'm looking at a warehouse space that has 3 phase 240 with 2 200 amp panels so a total of 400 amps. I know three phase is different than two phase but would the amp draw be the same with my ballasts? I know when you run them on 240 it's cuts the amperage draw in half from 9-10 to 4-5 amps respectably. What would be the maximum number of lights I could run? The owner has told me he can run more power if I need it as his main space has 750kva. I would like to start with two 25 light rooms on a flip for cost reasons but am wondering what I would be able to grow (pun intended) into when I want to expand. Thanks for taking the time to read this.

 

[daliwarpaint]

this is probable an easy (or dumb) question but when you have something on a timer when its off on the timer its not pulling electricity like bill purposes right my bill was super crazy high I just want to confirm this to be true

 

[Natural]

Ok electrical question. So I ran a 10/2 from a 30 amp 240 v pushmatic breaker, the 10/2 goes to a 30 amp GE water heater timer and from the timer I want to wire two Nema 6-20 receptacles. Here is the problem they dont make a small sized Nema 6-30 receptacle the highest is the 20 amp ones. I am running 4 600w lights off of it pulling 11 amps. My question, is it fine to run the two Nema 6-20 receptacles on the 30 amp circuit or should I chalk it up and downsize the pushmatic breaker to 20amp 2 pole? See i wanted to keep the 30amp breaker in so I can upgrade in the future with more lights. I see all other lighting controllers doing the same running lower rated receptacles on higher amp breakers such as C.A.P MLC4.

There is no code for splitting 220v in the States..but think of it this way..it is code to run lower amp 120v receptacles on a bigger circuit i.e. a 15 amp receptacle on a 20 amp circuit. If your running 600's you could use nema 6-15's pigtailed with at least 10 AWG through a splitbolt or aluminum lug for each hot leg..just be sure to wrap those junctions REAL REAL GOOD!

BTW CAP controllers use their own receptacles the Universal X-plug http://www.discount-hydro.com/products/C.A.P.-Universal-X%2dPlug-120{47}240-Receptacle.html ...still wanna call them and ask them what allows them to have 220v going through these..cause they look like regular 120v p-lugs...with the sideways mark on the right tells me it is a 20 amp style receptacle.

 

[washburn4life]

HB,

I am a fellow electrician and I was wondering if you see any reason to use digital ballets compared to coil n' cap other then the <100w.restiance from the coil?

Also I usaly rock Phillips 1000w MH (BT37) and the Phillips 1000w Gro HPS I get them from my wholesaler for dirt cheap like $40 each I have never noticed any difference in performance between high end grow bulbs and Standard Bulbs. Have you?

 

[washburn4life]

this is probable an easy (or dumb) question but when you have something on a timer when its off on the timer its not pulling electricity like bill purposes right my bill was super crazy high I just want to confirm this to be true

The timer in off position will not let any power run through the timer

 

[deniro]

What are the advantages of having 50 amp circuits instead of a 15 amp?

 

[BlazeAllDay]

Post any questions for electrical advice here.
hb

i have a 600 wt lumitek only about 3rd grow. the fuse now pops and i could smell electrical. can this be fixed at home because the recite is MIA. anyone have this problem? thanks for your help

 

[jkbeing]

What are the advantages of having 50 amp circuits instead of a 15 amp?

Having three 1000w HIDs on a 120v line, versus having one.

 

[Natural]

Having three 1000w HIDs on a 120v line, versus having one.

wow so because you can add you decided to answer electrical questions! gtfoh!
The largest single pole 120 volt breaker/circuit you will find in any US residential is a 20 amp service and 15 amp and 20 amp breakers use different gauge wire; for this reason you cannot replace your 15 amp breakers with 20 amp breakers at the service panel.
50 amp circuits are run using 220 volt style wiring..a completely different wiring arrangement.
If you guys have basic questions, the best thing to do is to go out and buy a Basic Wiring Book and read it several times to upgrade your knowledge of understanding.
ELECTRICITY IS NO JOKING MATTER!

 

[jkbeing]

wow so because you can add you decided to answer electrical questions! gtfoh!
The largest single pole 120 volt breaker/circuit you will find in any US residential is a 20 amp service and 15 amp and 20 amp breakers use different gauge wire; for this reason you cannot replace your 15 amp breakers with 20 amp breakers at the service panel.
50 amp circuits are run using 220 volt style wiring..a completely different wiring arrangement.
If you guys have basic questions, the best thing to do is to go out and buy a Basic Wiring Book and read it several times to upgrade your knowledge of understanding.
ELECTRICITY IS NO JOKING MATTER!

He did not say he was replacing a 15amp breaker with a 50amp breaker, and your right, there is no 50amp 120v. It was a bad example of mine. Hey, if I said four on that line then I would GTFOH! But I was just trying to give an example, I never said to change it out. Right?

 

[Natural]

so maybe answer his question better...in reality with 50 amps @ 220v he could safely run 80% of the amperage capacity..which is 100 amps @ 120v. You do the math JK..how many 1k's can you run off of a 50 amp breaker..safely?

 

[jkbeing]

Dude, I gave a vague answer to a vague question. Why didn't you answer his question in the first place? He really needs to do the research, But if he had 50amps @240, he could do 7 1k's safely. 5.5ampsX71k's=38.5amps@240. 80% of 50amps is 40amps.

 

[Natural]

Most ballasts run reasonably under 5 amps @ 220v and under 10 amps @ 120v. The correct answer is 8 1K's per 50 amp circuit....6 1K's per 40 amp...4 1K's per 30 amp; all of these higher amp circuits run on 2 legs of 120v i.e. 240 volts. The correct number for any 120v circuit, which only runs one hot leg of 120 volts is always 1K, whether it is a 20 amp or 15 amp there is only room for one 1k light.

 

[Natural]

i have a 600 wt lumitek only about 3rd grow. the fuse now pops and i could smell electrical. can this be fixed at home because the recite is MIA. anyone have this problem? thanks for your help

I wouldn't open a digi ballast..this usually voids any warranty..most of the digi's out these days have a fairly long warranty..I would take that ballast back to place of purchase and if they do not help you get in touch with the manufacturer. 9 times out of 10 they will replace it or repair it.

 

[BlazeAllDay]

sounds like a winner!

 

[washburn4life]

Most ballasts run reasonably under 5 amps @ 220v and under 10 amps @ 120v. The correct answer is 8 1K's per 50 amp circuit....6 1K's per 40 amp...4 1K's per 30 amp; all of these higher amp circuits run on 2 legs of 120v i.e. 240 volts. The correct number for any 120v circuit, which only runs one hot leg of 120 volts is always 1K, whether it is a 20 amp or 15 amp there is only room for one 1k light.

This Is what I have discovered! have you ever amp probed the difference between digital balest and coil and cap

 

[deniro]

Having three 1000w HIDs on a 120v line, versus having one.

Does it also reduce the electrical consumption or not?
Thanks everyone!!