how many watts on one outlet?

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basement nirvana

Member
I am designing my flower room and re doing the electrical. I will have 2 seperate outlets on different 20 amp circuits. Can I put 2 1000watt HPS lights on one of these circuits (4 lights total on 2 circuits). Anyone running 2 1000W lights on the same house 120volt circuit? And it has 14 gauge supply wire.
 
Silky Shagsalot

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
basement nirvana said:
I am designing my flower room and re doing the electrical. I will have 2 seperate outlets on different 20 amp circuits. Can I put 2 1000watt HPS lights on one of these circuits (4 lights total on 2 circuits). Anyone running 2 1000W lights on the same house 120volt circuit? And it has 14 gauge supply wire.
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lol, so you're re-doing the electrical and you can't answer this question? i'm sorry, i don't mean to be rude, but i don't understand how you can't figure this... let me see if i remember this... you divide the total wattage by the volts to get the total amps. and i think you don't want to be within 80% of the total amps of the circuit. i'm not a big electrical guy though.... i'm sure someone will step in here and give a better answer.
 
B

basement nirvana

Member
Yes, I did that calculation and realize I am within the limit. I was more curious as putting 2000 watts on a surge protector but I have found heavy duty rated ones so now worries there. I just wanted re assurance with the electrical...I want to do everything right!
 
Hotwired

Hotwired

Well-Known Member
Dude leave some room to spare on the outlets.

Usually a small bedroom will be 20 amps max. This includes ALL outlets for the room itself. 20 amps max.

So each 1000 watt light is about 11 - 12 amps with ballast use. Maybe more.

Remember the rule for each outlet is 15% extra left over to be safe.

So if you have a 20 amp room you should only use 17 of those amps to avoid a fire issue.

Get yourself on a 30 amp outlet for those 2 lights. You will have room to spare for a few fans.
 
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IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
a small bedroom is 15 amps. any electrician with his head not up his ass would never waste a 20 amp breaker on a bedroom circuit.

rule of thumb- 1440w of grow equipment per dedicated #14awg cable, 15 amp breaker, max.
1920w of grow equipment per dedicated #12awg cable, 20 amp breaker, max.
2880w of grow equipment per dedicated #10awg cable, 30 amp breaker, max.

those wattages are good for 120v only. it changes if your going to go 240.

and ps- those numbers are factored for continous duty operation. dont play with them. i know you can get more wattage out of the breakers, but if you try to run them with higher wattage than i posted above, the breaker will heat up and trip after a cpl of hours.
stick with those numbers and you cant go wrong.
 
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basement nirvana

Member
So I was considering putting 2 1000 watt lights on the one 20 amp breaker but it is just too close for comfort, I was more concerned with the 14 gauge wire. I have decided to run another conduit line into the room from another room/circuit. When it is all finished I will have 3 separate outlets on 3 separate circuits...it's gonna be sweet. Thanks guys!
 
Silky Shagsalot

Silky Shagsalot

Well-Known Member
see, i knew you'd get some answers. that brings up another question. can you just change out the circuit to a 30 amp one, or do you need to put in a heavier gauge conduit too?
 
roka

roka

Well-Known Member
basement nirvana said:
So I was considering putting 2 1000 watt lights on the one 20 amp breaker but it is just too close for comfort, I was more concerned with the 14 gauge wire. I have decided to run another conduit line into the room from another room/circuit. When it is all finished I will have 3 separate outlets on 3 separate circuits...it's gonna be sweet. Thanks guys!
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14 gauge wire is only good for 15 amp circuit. 20 amps uses 12 gauge. Sounds like someone changed the bedroom 15amp circuit breaker to a 20amp breaker after the fact. Definitely not a safe situation.
 
CLOSETGROWTH

CLOSETGROWTH

Well-Known Member
Stoner McBoner said:
This thread is more important than you guys think. Please, don't bash guys for asking dumb Q's. Any question about electricity is a good one. With people running to the grow shop buying "things that plug in", I think some more education is needed.
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I agree..

Spread the knowledge, and be cool to each other... sheesh. :peace:
 
UNICRONLIVES

UNICRONLIVES

Well-Known Member
you can only run about 1700 watts thru 12-2 wire and definitely not 14 gauge!! better step up to 12-2 at the least..or 10-2 if you dont want to let the smoke out of the wire!!!! and your pushing it for 1 single 20 amp breaker!! the 1k pull bout 9-10 amps at start up!! better make another plan!! its not worth riskin lives!!
 
OZUT

OZUT

Active Member
You gotta change the wire...it you have a 14 gauge wire and a 30 amp breaker, then you're asking for trouble....what will happen is your wire will get over loaded but your breaker won't trip because it's waiting for 30 amps to trip...what happens is it keeps supporting the ampage being pumped and in return your wire starts to burn....ultimately - FIRE!!!....You want your breaker to correctly support your wire....What you could do is run 1 or 2 of the lights to an outlet in another room with an extension cord
 
IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
IAm5toned said:
a small bedroom is 15 amps. any electrician with his head not up his ass would never waste a 20 amp breaker on a bedroom circuit.

rule of thumb- 1440w of grow equipment per dedicated #14awg cable, 15 amp breaker, max.
1920w of grow equipment per dedicated #12awg cable, 20 amp breaker, max.
2880w of grow equipment per dedicated #10awg cable, 30 amp breaker, max.

those wattages are good for 120v only. it changes if your going to go 240.

and ps- those numbers are factored for continous duty operation. dont play with them. i know you can get more wattage out of the breakers, but if you try to run them with higher wattage than i posted above, the breaker will heat up and trip after a cpl of hours.
stick with those numbers and you cant go wrong.
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edited for clarity. i have incorporated the wire sizes for you.
 
M

mrmadcow

Well-Known Member
IAm5toned said:
a small bedroom is 15 amps. any electrician with his head not up his ass would never waste a 20 amp breaker on a bedroom circuit.

rule of thumb- 1440w of grow equipment per dedicated #14awg cable, 15 amp breaker, max.
1920w of grow equipment per dedicated #12awg cable, 20 amp breaker, max.
2880w of grow equipment per dedicated #10awg cable, 30 amp breaker, max.

those wattages are good for 120v only. it changes if your going to go 240.

and ps- those numbers are factored for continous duty operation. dont play with them. i know you can get more wattage out of the breakers, but if you try to run them with higher wattage than i posted above, the breaker will heat up and trip after a cpl of hours.
stick with those numbers and you cant go wrong.
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also note that most outlets are rated for 15 amps so even if you run 10 gauge wire(and a 30 amp breaker) to a single 15 amp outlet and plug a powerstrip into it,you cant put 20 amps of equipment on it.
 
sixstring2112

sixstring2112

Well-Known Member
bottom line-- 14 gage should not be used in a real grow room (growers with 1000 watt lights). and i dont recomend 2 1000 watt lights on 1- 20 amp breaker.if you have the cash to run 2 1000 watt lights in your grow room spend the extra money and put in a seperate 220 line just for lights on its own breaker. 220 is better for your ballast and better on your wallet. then you will have the rest of the power already in the room for all your other stuff.If your ballast is 110 only it should still have its own breaker.I am not an expert on electricity but i have read alot about power on here and through google, and know people that are. good luck and be safe with your power.
 
B

basement nirvana

Member
Thank you stoner mc-b... I realized the amperage rating of the breaker box but was more concerned with the usage of the one outlet and the surge protector. I want to set this room up right and after this post and a little more research I feel I have setup my room adequately for power and safety.
 
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