Hardwiring ballastsand using breakers vs. receptacles

[blackcat]

hi all.

It was suggested to me by an associate to instead of installing 20 amp safety receptacles and using male plugs on my ballasts to plug-in, that it would be more cost efficient and just as safe to hard-wire the ballasts. He also said to use individual breakers on the ballasts.

He suggested that from my timer (Intermatic t103 40amp) I would go to breakers, and then breakers would be hardwired to my ballasts. He suggested that this would be safer and by eliminating the receptacles I would save a bit of money, or at least recoup some of the costs of buying the breakers and having a safer setup.

I've never run breakers on individual ballasts before. I assume this is to make the breaker flip if the ballasts shorts out alot sooner than to make the main breaker behind the timer flip.

Do I use a 15 amp breaker per ballast or do I run more than one ballast on the breaker? If it is more than one ballast per 15 amp breaker what kind of box do I use to make the connection in?

Thanks

 

[hiboy]

I think thats not a good plan. Why hardwire the whip, a plug costs 5 bucks or so, any problems you just unplug and replace. Are you running 120v or 240v. Power up your intermatic and throw your lights on that, i believe the loads go on 2 and 4 , the feeders are on 1 and 3.
hiboy

 

[420Gator]

yea u can have all the ballast on individual breakers (dont see why tho) and still have them run thru a plug

 

[blackcat]

I'm on 240v

do you use standard junction box to make connections in

 

[blackcat]

yup here is the inside

Thanks! Looks clean!

 

[hiboy]

Aussie
Dont think you got a ground there amigo. At least going to your ballasts.
hiboy

 

[hiboy]

I hear ya, just looking at the yellow wire nut it looks like your greens from your cords are just twisted together but the copper ground in above the box is not in there.
hiboy

 

[weedfarm]

how many lights?

If several lights I would use outlets. With several lights, it would be more efficient to run at 240, less wire etc. Then you could put 2-3 lights per breaker depending on wattage. But you would not have individual control over each ballast.

Also it seems like he wants to come off a DP breaker, feed a timer, then another sub panel. Doesn't really make sense to add another panel just to control the lights

 

[weedfarm]

i am not sure iam not the best with electric but luckly my best friend is a licensed electricain and he assuerd me it is 100% safe he actually does all my electric work and would never put me in danger i posted all this just so he can get an idea what i was using

I suggest you have him look at it again.

Like Hiboy said, the copper ground wire seems to be connected to the box. And the two ballast wires are connected to each other, but not to the box or the ground wire. There is no metal conduit running to the ballasts.

I would ask him to look at it again just to be sure. Even the best make a mistake

 

[hiboy]

Good eye there w. farm my man
hiboy

 

[blackcat]

Ahhhhh i get it. It all makes sense now.