Power Question

[NugNation]

Hi there! I'm just about to start my first indoor grow in the next couple weeks. I'll be installing a 4x4 tent with a 1000w HPS and a couple fans.
Here's my problem: I just checked the breaker in my apartment and all of the outlets and lights in my bedroom seem to running on the same 15amp line. Currently I have a 2' 8 T5 bulb setup in my closet thats vegging my girls and it pulls roughly 200w (192). Will I be able to run the 1000w with a 6" inline fan and maybe one more oscillating fan without tripping my breaker? There isn't much else in the bedroom that draws power, just a printer I rarely use, 2 overhead CFL lights (13w a piece) and my cell phone charger. That means that I would be running the 1000w HPS, a 6" inline fan (not sure how much power these normally draw since I'm totally new to this), the T5 setup and one more oscillating fan for circulation in the tent. What do you guys think?

Also, I have a wall-mount A/C unit right next to where I'm going to be putting in my tent that appears to have a 240v plug (the type you find on electric dryers and other big appliances). Would I be able to find an adapter and/or ballast to run at least my light off this socket?

 

[TrichromeFan]

I would say that you are definitely pushing it, to hook all of that up on the one circuit. The 1k bulb pulls 9-10A. Fans maybe another 2A. Pumps, etc, another 1-2A. That alone puts you close to tripping the breaker. I would advise pulling in another circuit somehow, or scaling down to a 600w to play it safe. That plug you are talking about for your AC sounds like 240v to me. Personally, I would take a 600w with an AC unit over a 1kw with no AC. Heat can be a killer, especially in an apartment. Save the AC at all costs. just my 2 cents.

 

[cacamal]

I would say that you are definitely pushing it, to hook all of that up on the one circuit. The 1k bulb pulls 9-10A. Fans maybe another 2A. Pumps, etc, another 1-2A. That alone puts you close to tripping the breaker. I would advise pulling in another circuit somehow, or scaling down to a 600w to play it safe. That plug you are talking about for your AC sounds like 240v to me. Personally, I would take a 600w with an AC unit over a 1kw with no AC. Heat can be a killer, especially in an apartment. Save the AC at all costs. just my 2 cents.

TrichromeFan is right on with his reply I would listen to his advice:afroweed:

 

[naynay]

I haven't tried these but saw them at my shop. You can look into this and try to find more info. It might be a good solution for you. I think you plug this into your 240v and it gives you more amps to work with, but I like I said, research it cause I haven't used one.

http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/sunlight-240v-power-boxes-c-383_384.html
http://www.powerboxinc.com/index.html

 

[NugNation]

I was thinking about buying a portable A/C unit and unplugging the wall unit, since the wall-unit isn't meant to be used with the tent its just part of my bedroom. I figured a portable one might suck less juice too and I've kinda had my heart set on the 1,000hps. I think I would also have an easier time modifying the portable unit to feed the tent.

 

[Lost]

Portables suck MORE juice :)

 

[NugNation]

i think one of those power boxes might be the perfect solution. if the through-wall a/c unit sucks less juice than a portable then i would assume i would have enough room on the two 20amp breakers the 240v socket is linked to for the light and the wall a/c unit.

 

[Tobor the 8th Man]

Get the adapter and split the 240v into 2 110v. This actually saves money somehow.

Now buy a regular room window a/c and plug it into one of the new 110 plugs. Let that cool the bedroom.

Then plug the auxiliary stuff into the other new 110 line. Use the original 110v line to run the 1000w lamp.

Now you can draw a/c bedroom air into the tent and cool the light. This is the best way actually. Your a/c won't cycle as much because the whole room is like a cool air reservoir and has more volume of air than cooling the inside of the tent. The a/c would either cycle too much or the a/c will run all the time.

That 240 line is really nice. It essentially gives you 3 separate 110v lines. You got it made. A bedroom with 3 separate 110v lines.

 

[NugNation]

That all sounds nice but wouldn't a window a/c unit right above a through-wall a/c unit look sketchy from the outside?

 

[Tobor the 8th Man]

I thought you were not going to use the wall mount. If you think it would look sketchy then just box the window a/c in or buy the portable. If you paid for your own electric then I would think using a small 110v a/c vs a 240v a/c is self explanatory.

I was just shooting from the hip giving you some ideas. Whatever you decide you do have a lot of possibilities because of that 240v line.

Happy planning with a fresh new grow room. that's always fun and you will figure out a nice set-up.

 

[NugNation]

Thanks for the kind words. The wall mount is just built into my wall so theres no way to remove it and the window is right above it so i think an extra window unit would just be drawing unnecessary attention, though i live near tons of students so i doubt anyone would care. I'm going to run the light from the 240v socket for the time being until the summer. If the circuit can run both the light and the a/c without issue then i'll evaluate how much the electric is costing from the a/c and see if it would be better to invest in a portable unit. Thanks for all the advice everyone!