I ran into a wall!

HGK420

HGK420

Well-Known Member
So just a future note for everyone so your not a fucking idiot like me. When the main breaker in a house says 100 that means its only 100 amp total. Idk why I thought because it had 2 legs it was 200 amp total service, 100 amp per leg but its not. Time to really get my pro on and loose about 6 amps from my diet!

Anyone else found any cool ways to get all the juice they need. Do they make some sort of transformer for lights? Like a light controller that turns 5 amps onto 15 or something? I got alot of inefficient cooling issues that I'm gonna work out and that should shed 15 Amps but id still like to know if I can squeeze a few more somehow. Lemme know any ninja skills u guys got.
 
ElfoodStampo

ElfoodStampo

Well-Known Member
eh, You can run as many amps off your meeter that you want. I'm not an electrician, you can add another service panel off your main. You would need to disconnect the meter and add a distribution block. Each one of those legs are 120 volts. 2 legs allows you to run 220 appliances. Its really 240V service. Without it you couldn't run an oven or an electric dryer. Your service isn't the problem, its your main breaker and box. Its an economic box. Call an electrician or start doing some homework, that your life will depend on!! :blsmoke:
Good Luck!
 
HGK420

HGK420

Well-Known Member
Had one over tonight. Only have 100 amp service. The lines comin in are small and were gettin warm! 54 amps on one 56 amps on the other I think he said. Not too bad but I still wann be under. I've never had a use for my automatic extinguishers and id like to keep it that way!
 
HGK420

HGK420

Well-Known Member
Ya il be outa here long before I upgrade. I got a watchdog fire extinguisher right over it and a big ole class c hand held on sitting at the bottom of the stairs about 20 feet from the panel.

Uhhhh idk what I'm really talkin about. Everything has an amp rating. I'm not sure what it a means. But I know like your breakers are 15 amp breakers or 20 amp breakers. And if u go over they pop. Well my main is a 100 amp and the electric guy checked it and it was prit near 110. I got it lowered now and I'm gonna fix my cooling issue. Then turn it back up. Ultimate fix is get all new ballast. I'm mostly electronic anyway just a few more needed.

Fun note: 8bulb 4 foot t5 banks are 4 amp. An electronic 600w on 240v is 2.72. Good thing hortilux just came out with a new 600w blue bulb! I'm gonna get rid of a couple t5 banks I think.

Still tho doesn't it seem like someone would of made some sort of transformer so you can get juice to ballasts or fans when you need to squeeze a bit more out?
 
HGK420

HGK420

Well-Known Member
At a relatives house. Ya hortis got a brand new Blu one. 150 or so maybe 130ish if there isn good discount. Suppose to be BRIGHT!
 
Nutes and Nugs

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
HGK420 said:
Ya il be outa here long before I upgrade. I got a watchdog fire extinguisher right over it and a big ole class c hand held on sitting at the bottom of the stairs about 20 feet from the panel.

Uhhhh idk what I'm really talkin about. Everything has an amp rating. I'm not sure what it a means. But I know like your breakers are 15 amp breakers or 20 amp breakers. And if u go over they pop. Well my main is a 100 amp and the electric guy checked it and it was prit near 110. I got it lowered now and I'm gonna fix my cooling issue. Then turn it back up. Ultimate fix is get all new ballast. I'm mostly electronic anyway just a few more needed.

Fun note: 8bulb 4 foot t5 banks are 4 amp. An electronic 600w on 240v is 2.72. Good thing hortilux just came out with a new 600w blue bulb! I'm gonna get rid of a couple t5 banks I think.

Still tho doesn't it seem like someone would of made some sort of transformer so you can get juice to ballasts or fans when you need to squeeze a bit more out?
Click to expand...
Sorta amazing that 600 only pulls 2.72 amps.

A transformer would only draw more power overall.

A new breaker panel is what you need if you were living there longer. Then again, the wires to the house should also be upgraded.
In my part of town if you want to do that, the new line has to be buried underground. Costs way to much to upgrade.

Best thing to do is run your garden when you sleep or use the least amount of power or like you said, lose some amps.
LED lights?
 
HGK420

HGK420

Well-Known Member
I've been shopping around and 2.72 for a 600w is about the best I can find. Led even got some decent amps flowing. I got 2 air conditioners runnin and 6 fans over all. Wayyyy to much amperage there. I had plans on running a tent or 2 as well but now idk. Maybe if I run a flip box.

See my central is kickin right now too to help cool the house. The heat from the grow heats the house good. I got it going right into the basement. Central is combatting that. That's another 10 amps I bet. Maybe15.
 
Nutes and Nugs

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
HGK420 said:
I've been shopping around and 2.72 for a 600w is about the best I can find. Led even got some decent amps flowing. I got 2 air conditioners runnin and 6 fans over all. Wayyyy to much amperage there. I had plans on running a tent or 2 as well but now idk. Maybe if I run a flip box.

See my central is kickin right now too to help cool the house. The heat from the grow heats the house good. I got it going right into the basement. Central is combatting that. That's another 10 amps I bet. Maybe15.
Click to expand...
You have a lot of electric flowing through your house.
Hooking up a second box (flip box?) won't help any.
You're still only good for 100 amps.

When does it get cool there?
Just hold off a few weeks?
 
HGK420

HGK420

Well-Known Member
Any day now really. When it gets cool that will solve alot of issues. My ballasts are in the same room as the lights too that's a big no no. I need a couple extensions to make that happen tho. It's such a pain getting everything all dialed in...
 
Nutes and Nugs

Nutes and Nugs

Well-Known Member
The hotter the room, ballasts, fans, wiring draws more amps.
Combatting mother nature is hard to do.

Hope it cools off soon.
Gotta harvest.
 
dr.tree

dr.tree

Member
I once helped a "friend" with a problem like yours he melted the meter because we did a self upgrade to a 200amp took ten day of running on a gen to pass all the inspection s and a 750$ fine to get rehooked. Little note to self you need a 200 amp meter not just drops and box, best just calling a pro would of saved a bunch of $$$
 
Murfy

Murfy

Well-Known Member
ohms law-

you are in continuous duty situation, and running at capacity on wires and breakers is dangerous.
 
Jimdamick

Jimdamick

Well-Known Member
HGK420 said:
Had one over tonight. Only have 100 amp service. The lines comin in are small and were gettin warm! 54 amps on one 56 amps on the other I think he said. Not too bad but I still wann be under. I've never had a use for my automatic extinguishers and id like to keep it that way!
Click to expand...
If those numbers represent total load for just for your grow room, then you will have definite issues if you have electric appliances, such as a range, dishwasher, hot water, etc. If those numbers represent your whole house, with everything on, then you should not have any issues. Seeing as you have a cool electrician it seems, I would barter with him, and ask if we could make a deal, some herb for a new panel. You'd both make out.
 
hammer21

hammer21

Well-Known Member
Use sealed light hoods and exhaust hot air out of your room.
mount light ballast out of your room.
install chiller if used out of your room.
bottom line remove everything that creates heat from your room and air conditioners will run less.
use this heat to keep you warm this winter....
 
Lionden

Lionden

Well-Known Member
hammer21 said:
Use sealed light hoods and exhaust hot air out of your room.
mount light ballast out of your room.
install chiller if used out of your room.
bottom line remove everything that creates heat from your room and air conditioners will run less.
use this heat to keep you warm this winter....
Click to expand...
That's what I do to a tee and my lights heat my house in the winter
 
cephalopod

cephalopod

Well-Known Member
hammer21 said:
Use sealed light hoods and exhaust hot air out of your room.
mount light ballast out of your room.
install chiller if used out of your room.
bottom line remove everything that creates heat from your room and air conditioners will run less.
use this heat to keep you warm this winter....
Click to expand...
That's what I used to do. Then I went to vert cool tubes and now vert bare bulb and I don't think I'll ever look back. Things are running more efficiently than ever for me now. (sorry if we're getting off topic but I had to share)
Lionden I thought I saw you were running 18K, would that be on a flip or a single room?
 
slumdog80

slumdog80

Well-Known Member
I have been working with 100amp service since I got here and it sucks. I have to turn off my mini split and veg
lights before I fire up my flower room. After this harvest I will be getting a service upgrade.
 
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