wyteboi
Well-Known Member
it does not need to be grounded to work, but it is safer to be grounded. (no its not just for water) can't you just ground the ballast with the wire comin from the panel/outlet ?
Experienced Electrician! Here to Answer Any and All Growroom Electrical Questions
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wyteboi
Well-Known Member
you might wanna check the watts on all those devices just to double check. ALL watts / 120 = amps (as long as your running everything 120v)
but by my calculations you will not be using no more then 11 amps , so you will be fine with that one single outlet IF there is nothing else on the same circuit as the outlet. so u need to turn off that breaker and run around and check everything to see what excactly is on that breaker besides that one outlet and go from there......
im am not the best with words but i know my shit, so if i confused u then , no big deal just post back and tell me!
KolorBlind
Well-Known Member
Thanks Wyteboi, that made perfect sense.you might wanna check the watts on all those devices just to double check. ALL watts / 120 = amps (as long as your running everything 120v)
but by my calculations you will not be using no more then 11 amps , so you will be fine with that one single outlet IF there is nothing else on the same circuit as the outlet. so u need to turn off that breaker and run around and check everything to see what excactly is on that breaker besides that one outlet and go from there......
im am not the best with words but i know my shit, so if i confused u then , no big deal just post back and tell me!
I looked up the specs for my inline fan and it said "Max Watts = 30" Does that mean exactly what it says or is that some crazy electrician talk that actually means "this number divided by another number times x = real wattage" or something crazy? Haha
If not, then my 250w HPS + 3 42w CFLs + 30w Fan = 406 watts. 406/120 = 3.833 Amps. I will also have a small fan or 2 blowing on the plants but I wouldnt imagine they would use too many watts. 3.833 just seems extremely low, but then again this is a pretty small scale grow compared to others.
Thanks again for your time, and if anything about my math seems wrong to you please let me know.
Thanks
KB
Question about adding a capacitor in an HPS ballast setup. Seen a couple diagrams drawn up putting a motor run capacitor in parallel with the common and 120v hot right off the power source plug. Is this proper and safe?
For instance, assuming the correctly sized MF capacitor rated at 330vAC is in the circuit, what happens if the power is on to the ballast and there is no bulb in the socket? Will this screw the capacitor up? Or if the bulb burns out, will there be a problem if power is still being supplied? Just concerned about fire potential or hot oil exploding everywhere should something unexpected happen to the bulb or capacitor itself.
Are these diagrams correct and safe (assuming right components are used)?
For instance, assuming the correctly sized MF capacitor rated at 330vAC is in the circuit, what happens if the power is on to the ballast and there is no bulb in the socket? Will this screw the capacitor up? Or if the bulb burns out, will there be a problem if power is still being supplied? Just concerned about fire potential or hot oil exploding everywhere should something unexpected happen to the bulb or capacitor itself.
Are these diagrams correct and safe (assuming right components are used)?
wyteboi
Well-Known Member
that is correct!
30watts dont really seem right for a fan, but i may be wrong. (its no more then a couple hundred watts, so your good)
we are trying to keep it under 11 or 12 amps, (i am assumeing you have regular 15 breakers? and we dont want to use more then 75% of that.)
godwar
Active Member
Hello this is my first post and hopefully it makes sence. The upstairs of my house was a complete add on and my breaker panle says the whole up stairs is ran off a 60 amp 2pole switch. Does that mean the total is 60 amps or 120 amps? And isn't 60 amps equal to 14400 watts? I ask cause I am building the room in my attic and was either going to have an electrician wire two outlets straight from my breaker or I was just going to splice from a junction box located in the attic.
can i take a mogul base that is ment to be plugged into a ballast and cut the plug off and put a standard 3 prong plug so that i can plug into the wall ? i ask because i bought a mogul base with cord and i thought it would have a normal plug but it didnt . im trying to use it for a mogul cfl bulb 125 watt . it will cost me to return this so id like to use it .
wyteboi
Well-Known Member
Can you tell me what you are cutting off? Is the plug not standard? , i am pretty sure your answer is yes , but i would like u to re-word your question if you would.
wyteboi
Well-Known Member
first off, 60 amp 2 pole just means, its a breaker designed for 240v. 120 on each leg of the breaker , with no more then 60 amps running through each side. So yes , you could get 120 amps outta there, but that breaker was not designed for 2 separate "loads". It is designed for one load at 220v with a max of 60 amps running through it. also that breaker is made to "break" both sides when something goes wrong, so there is another reason why u wouldnt want to run several 110's off that breaker.
7000 watts would be MAXing the 60 amps out at 120v. If you were to use 240v, then you could get closer to 14,000.
Now you could run a sub panel off the 60 amp breaker, or you can just run a couple of wires to the panel. (14guage wire =15 amps and 12g wire =20 amps)
godwar
Active Member
Well I just really wasn't sure of my options and don't think I completly understand electricity. there's alot of power already being ran in the upstairs (3 beds and a bath up there). My buddy help with the floor and said something about that junction box but I dont think he understands either. So hey thanks for everything I think I'll get an electrician up there.first off, 60 amp 2 pole just means, its a breaker designed for 240v. 120 on each leg of the breaker , with no more then 60 amps running through each side. So yes , you could get 120 amps outta there, but that breaker was not designed for 2 separate "loads". It is designed for one load at 220v with a max of 60 amps running through it. also that breaker is made to "break" both sides when something goes wrong, so there is another reason why u wouldnt want to run several 110's off that breaker.
7000 watts would be MAXing the 60 amps out at 120v. If you were to use 240v, then you could get closer to 14,000.
Now you could run a sub panel off the 60 amp breaker, or you can just run a couple of wires to the panel. (14guage wire =15 amps and 12g wire =20 amps)
its not a standard plug its ment to plug into a hydrofarm ballast ( of any wattage they make apparently ) im going to try and post a pic of it . just click the thumbnail and it should get big enough to see the cord endCan you tell me what you are cutting off? Is the plug not standard? , i am pretty sure your answer is yes , but i would like u to re-word your question if you would.
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wyteboi
Well-Known Member
I am not really knowledgeable on cfl's so if you would send a link to the bulb or one like it then i could tell you if it will work.
I am pretty sure it will work, but not positive.
proheto8008
Well-Known Member
I have a question about how to effectively ventillate 3 seperate grow chambers using a central "lung" room.
i want to use 3 individual exhaust fans for intake on each room, i also want to use 1 max fan as intake pushing air into all three rooms. I want to zone the rooms off by using a motorized damper on the intake ducting of all three rooms.
each room will have a temperature controller. i just cant figure out how to set up the dampers and the thermostats so that i can controll the zones effectively.
im sure there is a semi simple DIY setup that could help me do this.
the gold boxes are temperature controllers. I was going to use them to demonstrate wiring, however i realized after i drew them that that was the reason that i made this post.
basically this is what i need to happen automatically. When any 1 of the 3 chambers gets to hot or too humid i need for this to happen
1. temperature conroller turns on exhaust fan
2. somehow it activates the damper for only the room that has requested the cool air.
3. also activates the central fan
I attatched som msPaint visial aid, lol
i want to use 3 individual exhaust fans for intake on each room, i also want to use 1 max fan as intake pushing air into all three rooms. I want to zone the rooms off by using a motorized damper on the intake ducting of all three rooms.
each room will have a temperature controller. i just cant figure out how to set up the dampers and the thermostats so that i can controll the zones effectively.
im sure there is a semi simple DIY setup that could help me do this.
the gold boxes are temperature controllers. I was going to use them to demonstrate wiring, however i realized after i drew them that that was the reason that i made this post.
basically this is what i need to happen automatically. When any 1 of the 3 chambers gets to hot or too humid i need for this to happen
1. temperature conroller turns on exhaust fan
2. somehow it activates the damper for only the room that has requested the cool air.
3. also activates the central fan
I attatched som msPaint visial aid, lol
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proheto8008
Well-Known Member
so i figured it out i think. It was a fuckin headach but i knew some relay logic was the way to go.
the boxes with the "X"'s on them are the electromagnet side of a relay.(there are 3 of them)
the contacts in front of the boxes are the normally open and normally closed contacts.
If you dont understand this diagram it is an "OR" gate.
it means that if either A OR B OR C is energized then it will energize the other circuit.
I should have known this was the gate to use when i was working over the problem in my head. I kept saying to myself "i want the fan to come on if room 1 OR 2 OR 3requests it to.
the boxes with the "X"'s on them are the electromagnet side of a relay.(there are 3 of them)
the contacts in front of the boxes are the normally open and normally closed contacts.
If you dont understand this diagram it is an "OR" gate.
it means that if either A OR B OR C is energized then it will energize the other circuit.
I should have known this was the gate to use when i was working over the problem in my head. I kept saying to myself "i want the fan to come on if room 1 OR 2 OR 3requests it to.
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kushking840
Member
Hey guys, I was Hoping someone can help me out...I am planning on running 3000 watts in hps and about 500 in other equipment...im pretty sure my house is on a normal circuit. There are 3 sockets in the room i plan to use, would it be safe to run each 1000 watter plugged into each socket and have the remaining 500 watts run from an extension cord. I'm worried i might overload the circuit, does anyone know of way that wont cost me alot of money to get these lights up and running
Thanks!!
Thanks!!
curioushiker
Active Member
If all 3 sockets are on them same circuit running just he 3 x1000 watt lights will overload the circuit.Hey guys, I was Hoping someone can help me out...I am planning on running 3000 watts in hps and about 500 in other equipment...im pretty sure my house is on a normal circuit. There are 3 sockets in the room i plan to use, would it be safe to run each 1000 watter plugged into each socket and have the remaining 500 watts run from an extension cord. I'm worried i might overload the circuit, does anyone know of way that wont cost me alot of money to get these lights up and running
as posted on the previous pages ofthis thread add up your total watts then devide that by the voltage. This will give you the amps that will be pulled by the lights etc etc.
ie. 3 lights at 1000 watts each= 3000 watts devided by 120 volts =25 amps.
Hope this helps.
kushking840
Member
OH ok thanks alot, so would this mean that i wouldnt need an electrician to come set up another circuit.?
ol hippy
Well-Known Member
Hi Sparky, Just wanted to ask can I run : 1 600 watt hps light with 6" exhaust etc, my water and air pumps (for a 4 pot hydro setup 8gal res) small fan , cool mist humidifyer in a 4'x4'x7' tent in my extra bedroom. Would I need to run a special circut or would the standard wall plugs be fine? Thanks guys..
wyteboi
Well-Known Member
Well a standard wall plug is usually a 15 amp circuit, but there are usually other plugs/lights tied in with it, so you wont really have a full 15 amps to work with.
you are gonna want to find out what is all on that circuit before using it.
You need at least a full 15 amp circuit to run that stuff. i would go with 2 -15 amp circuits (just so u can add later) 1-20 amp circuit would be fine also.
add up the watts of every single device and divide by 120 and that is the amount of amps you will be using.
tha dankster
Member
i have a problem. really big problem. everytime my heating and air unit for the house comes on it trips my light. anyone know why?