Running a 240v into room for 3000watts

[rebornfarmer]

Im running a wire from my one room to fuse box. The lights can be powered by 120v or 240v by simply changing the powercord. My equipment is 3 1000 watt Quantum Ballasts. The equipment will run for about 12hrs a day. My question is with the formula. Since im going with a 240v will it bring the total amps to 12.5 cause of the formula 3000w/240v = 12.5amps. and then my 240v 30 amp breaker will be fine or do i have to go with 240v 8/2 gauge wire 40 amp breaker. thank you so much for your time and input. also is my wiring right? 10/2 for 240v 30amp breaker.
8/2 for 240v 40 amp breaker.
or do i have to run 10/3 or 8/3 for these lights.

 

[Red Reign]

10/2 and a 30 amp breaker will work fine for 3 1000 watt lights run on 240v.

You would use 10/3 only if you need 120v circuits also.

 

[lollipopman]

wouldnt it be safer to do 10/3 and better in the long run

 

[Jalisco Kid]

If that run is just for those 3 1000w I would put it on a 20a breaker. JK

 

[rebornfarmer]

Thanks for your response. Im getting mixed answers but i think im gonna go with the 10/2 30amp double breaker 240v. im not sure the difference in running 10/2 or 10/3.

 

[lollipopman]

i did some reading cause Ive been told 240v needs a 3 wire, so you can do 10/2 your black and white are hot then the the copper is your ground and neutral, but new laws have made it where you do a 240 you need a 3 wire, it up to you but electric is something you don't go cheap on or do it halfass......

 

[surfguy1936]

ya run the 240

 

[bilbohicks]

To meet code you have to run 10/3 - the extra ground is nice, also, I always run GFI - just in case.. I've been zapped by 110vac at least 30 or 40 times, and it's not a big deal (not that I would do it for fun), but twice got zapped by 220vac and fuck.. not cool.

I use 40 or 60amp 'hot tub' GFI boxes, they run around 100 bucks at home depot, the one I'm using currently has a 60amp 220 GFI and came with a 15 amp 120vac breaker and room to add a second.

 

[91stang]

Not sure about quantum but Lumatek says not too hook up a neutral when using there ballasts in 240v. So u can use 10/2 in that case

 

[nughit]

I am not sure why you would use 10/3 for a 240 line. What do you do with the extra ground/neutral wire? Connect it to the ground/neutral bar? What do you connect the other end of the wire to?

 

[Icy Straits]

A 10/2 is two conductors and a bare ground wire. A 10/3 is two "hot" conductors, 1-grounded conductor(white) and one bare ground wire. If you use the bare wire in a 10/2for a neutral you are running voltage through it to ground-not cool. If you run a 10/3 you can install a small sub panel in your grow area and run both 240 and 120 volt circuits on separate breakers but the white wires need to land on a neutral bar that is isolated from the ground. If you are only running a 240 volt circuit just use the 10/2-no neutral is needed.

 

[p3s7]

This is what I have going on for my panel. Also 240v. I hope its clear enough to see. I'm not an electrical dude but I hope this helps you with reference.

-p3

 

[ugmjfarmer]

I thought the minimum to run 15 amp draw would be a 12/3 wire. 10/3 makes more sense for the overhead, but the code minimum would be 12/3.

FWIW, you can also down-rate your neutrals too, but this depends on local code.

 

[ob-1]

240V breaker & wire size

hi y'all
what would y'all say about hooking up a quantum 1000 on a 100A main panel running on 240V , what wire size would i need & a breaker, the panel is around 40' feet away
a 20A 2 pole breaker & 12-2 or 12-3 am i close

 

[weedfarm]

hi y'all
what would y'all say about hooking up a quantum 1000 on a 100A main panel running on 240V , what wire size would i need & a breaker, the panel is around 40' feet away
a 20A 2 pole breaker & 12-2 or 12-3 am i close

there are some variables and different ways to do this.

On 240 that ballast is drawing less than 5 amps. You will need a double pole breaker, and the appropriate sized wire. a 20A breaker and 12/2 wire will work.

this will allow you to run a dedicated outlet for the ballast

 

[dentonland]

this is it: 10/3 not needed. what would u use that extra red wire for>? 3 x 1000 = 3000 watts divided by 230 not 240 is under 14 amps. you could run 12/2 since thats capable of handling that load. 10/2= black wire to breaker, white wire to breaker, copper grnd to grounding buss panel.

 

[dentonland]

looking at your picture with the panel. I"ld take that black and red and put it in a breaker.. back feeding the panel and then you have means to kill all power right there. Safer... and sometimes you might need a quick shut offf. whatever breaker is at your main feeding the sub panel is the same size you should use in the sub
10 guage is 30 amp. 8 guage is 40 amp and 6 guage is 50...