How Much Can I Plug Into Single Outlet

[BluntMazter86]

How many lights on a 15 amp circuit?​

Im purchasing 2 600w lights to run with and I already have a 250w running. Im wandering if the 2 600w could be powered off of one single outlet. Also wandering if I need to run the exhaust fans on a different outlet. How much could I potentially plug up safely?

 

[Darth Fader]

good question. I've always wondered that myself.

 

[BluntMazter86]

Together we will find out my friend.

 

[Tobor the 8th Man]

You have to know how many amps the fuse/breaker for that particular plug has. Plus what other plugs are on the same line from that breaker. Then you have to add up all the amps from each item plugged in that line.

Many breakers are 15 amps. How many amps does each 600w use?

 

[zDisturbedz]

It all depends on the size of the breaker that your outlet is on. 15 amp breaker I think you might be pushing it on 2 600's but should be ok. For me I put each 1k on a 15 amp breaker just to be safe. As far as fans and everything else I would put them on a seperate breaker and just leave one 15 amp dedicated just to your lights. Just always want to keep about 20% of the available breaker space free to prevent over working the breaker. I beleive that percentage is a little high but that is what I do just to make sure I don't burn my house down.

 

[gudkarma]

if you rock digital ballasts on the 2 @ 600w , you'll be pushing 13 amps easy.

are you running them 24hr ?
or 12/12?

same space for all the lights?
different spaces?

with the 250w added another 2.5 amps.

with 2 @ 600w & 1 @ 250w your total = 15.5 amps just for lighting. that's not fans, pumps, do-dads, and whatever.

you're gonna create a serious issue... i think it's called FIRE.

if someone tells you it's still under 1500w ...and it's all good... they're stoopid.

check your breaker box, and if you know which wire comes from the outlet you're using, it can easily be 15a or 20a.

most likely, the breaker will be 15a.
not uncommon to be 20a though.

always play safe.

 

[ent]

Here's what you do if you're not sure. Draw a map of your house. Like a floor diagram. Indicate all your electrical outlets and electrical items on switches. Then go locate your panel box with the circuit breakers on the side of your house (usually). It will be near where your electricity enters your house. Open it and you'll see a bunch of switches on the circuit breakers. Most if not all of them will be ON. Number each switch. Turn off number 1. Go into your house. Locate all the electrical switches and outlets that no longer get power and number them 1 on your floor diagram. Continue to do this with each switch until your floor diagram is completed with labels.

Next on each circuit breaker there will be a number. Most likely 15. This indicates 15 amps of electricity. The wires used can only handle 15 amps as well. The breaker ensures that no more than 15 amps go through the wires as anything higher would create heat and be a very immediate fire hazard.

Once you have it all diagramed it is easy to find out how many watts is too many. You are likely 120 volt. Volts * Amps = Watts. Or. Watts / Volts = Amps. For example your 2x 600 watts would be 1200 watts. Divide 1200 by 120 volts and you are pulling 10 amps.

Also rule of thumb is to run at 80% of the max watts. So on a 15 amp circuit the max you should run is 12 amps or 1440 watts. (15*120*0.8)

It's important to diagram the circuit breakers so you ensure that the circuit you use for your grow room remains clear from other electrical devices. Also keeping this diagram will let you know the easiest way to run an electrical cord from another outlet in your house that is on a different circuit breaker in case you need additional power. Although it is much better to get an electrician in and run a couple dedicated circuits for your grow room with new wiring. You don't know what lived in your walls and chewed on wires from previous tenets.

Be Safe.

 

[InvisibleM]

Some good answers here, ent's is right on. Look on your equipment for the exact amps it will draw....

Now for another way of looking at it. How old is the house, does it have modern wiring? I wouldn't run much on real old wiring (before romex).

The circuit breaker protects the wiring, if you draw too many amps the breaker will trip. If it does go to plan B.....

An electrician will just run a new circuit to the room, I always do.

 

[BluntMazter86]

Thanks everyone for the input! This is an older house so the wiring is in question. I have the outside breaker box but I also have inside fuse boxes, with the little glass fuses that you screw in. There are 2 fuse boxes, one in the kitchen and one in the utility room which is also my "grow area" and I believe they are on seperate power sources. The one in the utility area is labeled for 100 amps. 20 amp fuse to the porch light, 30amp for the washeing machine outlet(this is where the 250 watt is plugged) and a 20 amp for all other outlets in the room. The dryer is is also on this ciruit but it has no glass fuse it just has a pc of tape marked dryer, stuck to the bottom of the panel under two black square shaped fuse plug thingy majiggers. Hehe maybe a pic will be better :)

 

[BluntMazter86]

Here we go. I will get outside tomarrow or saturday to check out the main box. But from what i can see, is I should be able to plug 600 watts, my fans and other dodads up to any of the outlets in the room except for my washing machine which has my 250 watt and two mini fans. And I guess I can just run a dropcord from another room that doesnt have much going on for the other 600, just to be on the safe side? Thanks again everyone for the help!!!

 

[cenTEX_OG]

You should look into purchasing a brain from your local grow store. A brain usually plugs a fat gauge wire into your 240v plug (i.e where your store plugs into or where your washer plugs into). you run this 240v wire from your plug to your room. the brain consist of multiple 110v plugs like the ones in most bedrooms. That away you have extra fuses preventing fires and all your lights will be on one timer.

i used to have one when i had 4k watts in my garage. VERY worth the money even if you have to get a custom one made. most grow shops will make you a custom one for a couple hundred dollars.

 

[Flowertop]

You should look into purchasing a brain from your local grow store. A brain usually plugs a fat gauge wire into your 240v plug (i.e where your store plugs into or where your washer plugs into). you run this 240v wire from your plug to your room. the brain consist of multiple 110v plugs like the ones in most bedrooms. That away you have extra fuses preventing fires and all your lights will be on one timer.

i used to have one when i had 4k watts in my garage. VERY worth the money even if you have to get a custom one made. most grow shops will make you a custom one for a couple hundred dollars.

What is this "brain?" I am blowing 15 amp fuses. Even dropped to 75%. We are going to put a circuit breaker in the grow room here any day now - no choice.

So If I am going to put a dedicated box there should I just go with a 220? My main light will be a 1000w with Quantum II. I just returned a magnetic ballast that wasn't blowing the fuses. The Quantum is. I dropped it to 75% and the fuse ran hot. Today it smelled burned and is burning inside so I shut it down and pulled it to cool it. I am going to to outside extension cords to run to 30w outlets until then. Do you think that will be ok?

Then........this brain? Sounds like what I want for my box. Tell me more.
I am just going to run wire to the room and set it up different because this house is too old.

So I am thinking maybe a 220 and 3 outlets so I am covered. What do you think?

 

[fishwhistle]

You should post up in @hiboy's electrical thread(licensed electrician),you have a very unique situation there with old panels,glass fuses and who knows what size or type of wiring.Im not sure even the 80% rule would protect you,especially if your popping glass fuses at 75%.Lots of good advice given in this thread but none of it means anything until you know the whole story.
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/grow-room-electrical.46572/
Be safe and best of luck,FW

 

[mancdank]

You should post up in @hiboy's electrical thread(licensed electrician),you have a very unique situation there with old panels,glass fuses and who knows what size or type of wiring.Im not sure even the 80% rule would protect you,especially if your popping glass fuses at 75%.Lots of good advice given in this thread but none of it means anything until you know the whole story.
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/grow-room-electrical.46572/
Be safe and best of luck,FW

I'm a electrician and there's lots a variables #1 what is your voltage supply over here in the UK we run on 230v in the states it's 115 this will affect the amount of amps needed a simple formula for working out loads is as follows total wattage ÷ incoming wattage = power used so for example if your in the UK for 2 x 600w lights is as follows 1200÷230= 5.317 a if your in the states 1200÷115= 10.434 a now depending on what lights your using a correction factor of 1.8 needs to be applied (standard magnetic ballast) hope this helps :)

 

[hiboy]

I'm a electrician and there's lots a variables #1 what is your voltage supply over here in the UK we run on 230v in the states it's 115 this will affect the amount of amps needed a simple formula for working out loads is as follows total wattage ÷ incoming wattage = power used so for example if your in the UK for 2 x 600w lights is as follows 1200÷230= 5.317 a if your in the states 1200÷115= 10.434 a now depending on what lights your using a correction factor of 1.8 needs to be applied (standard magnetic ballast) hope this helps :)

Ohms law .....
To help anyone
Elementary explanation:
Watts divided by volts is amps
Amps times volts equals watts
Hb

 

[Flowertop]

You should post up in @hiboy's electrical thread(licensed electrician),you have a very unique situation there with old panels,glass fuses and who knows what size or type of wiring.Im not sure even the 80% rule would protect you,especially if your popping glass fuses at 75%.Lots of good advice given in this thread but none of it means anything until you know the whole story.
https://www.thcfarmer.com/community/threads/grow-room-electrical.46572/
Be safe and best of luck,FW

TY!!

 

[Flowertop]

Ohms law .....
To help anyone
Elementary explanation:
Watts divided by volts is amps
Amps times volts equals watts
Hb

TY!!

I'm a electrician and there's lots a variables #1 what is your voltage supply over here in the UK we run on 230v in the states it's 115 this will affect the amount of amps needed a simple formula for working out loads is as follows total wattage ÷ incoming wattage = power used so for example if your in the UK for 2 x 600w lights is as follows 1200÷230= 5.317 a if your in the states 1200÷115= 10.434 a now depending on what lights your using a correction factor of 1.8 needs to be applied (standard magnetic ballast) hope this helps :)

TY!!

I didn't blow the fuse with the magnetic ballast - it started with a digital Quantum II. I am going to try taking the ballast back just in case. For now I am on a good outdoor extension to 30 fuse and no issues. I think since the house is old I am not going to chance it. I am getting an electrician out and going to make sure we don't burn down the house. The 15 ended up running so hot the fuse smelled like burned plastic and was dark inside. New fuse cuz I blew. I have an open 15 from a water pump that we no longer use because we went to "city" water. But I am sure that is direct and in the crawl space. Before I waste time on that other 15 I am just going to get an electrician. Not even gonna screw around. I could even do it myself. I did it to a previous house but that house wasn't as old as this one.

 

[Bulldog11]

if someone tells you it's still under 1500w ...and it's all good... they're stoopid.

I got tired of reading all the nonsense. Please people, before giving electrical advice, pick up a book or something. Jesh.

If you have a 20 amp circuit.... meaning 12 gauge wire with a 20 amp breaker.....Then 2 600's are just fine. 2-600's equals 1200 watts. 20 amp circuit equals 2400 watts, yet you can only run at 80% max load, so 20 amp circuit equals 1920 watts maxed out.

If you have a 15 amp circuit, it has 1800w. Run at 80%, max watts for a 15 amp circuit is 1440. So if you run just your two 600 watt lights, a 15 amp circuit is just fine.


If you use Ohms Law, this stuff is easy.

 

[Flowertop]

ya.....getting an electrician out. Not comfortable just going by internet.