Electrical Ques. If I can help someone I will...

[lorenzo08]

my question is can you use 220 converter to run your 120 lights, and will it be cheaper ..

yes, you can use them, but no, they are less then 100% efficient so it would cost slightly more to run lights on a converter

 

[ibeblzn]

I have a question pertaining to wiring CFL lights + Fixtures in parallel. I have yet to find a "CFL Parallel wiring guide for dummies" after sifting through google and various forums all afternoon.

Just completed my first grow and the lighting setup I currently have can be improved ALOT! I posted a thread a while back and it has pictures of my CFL light setup (can be found here: https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/118170-first-time-grow-looking-suggestions.html.) I have a few Y connectors connected to this other metal socket that has a white and black wire coming out from the bottom. Each Y connector is connected to just one of the metal sockets. Each of the metal sockets are then wired to a 10 or 12 gauge ext cord, could be wrong on the gauge, I don't remember the exact specifics of it.

After doing some brainstorming on how to IMPROVE my current setup, I figured creating a lighting setup running in parallel would be my biggest improvement and more likely than not, produce better quality bud.

Here's my understanding of how parallel works based off the pictures I have seen and the threads I have read. You need a source of power, such as an extension cord. This is the part i have trouble with, you strip the white and black away from each other, you know down the middle of the two, but do you actually take the wire covering off the white and black line all the way to where the white and black stop from being separated and then connect each white wire from the sockets, to the white wire on the ext. cord and same for the black? Or do you just spread the wire across where you plan to mount the lights, and cut off little slits of the wiring in the black and white( for example, say your holding a cord in your hands, and in the middle there is a slit w/o the plastic wire cover, exposing the wire inside) and then wrap the white wire from sockets into seperate slits? I hope this makes sense. After wired, you can just plug into a surge protector, and then the protector into a timer?

I appreciate you reading this and any insight you can provide me as I make improvements to my setup!

 

[lorenzo08]

I have a question pertaining to wiring CFL lights + Fixtures in parallel. I have yet to find a "CFL Parallel wiring guide for dummies" after sifting through google and various forums all afternoon.

you sound like you have a clue of what you're doing, just need more experience. just keep in mind, safety first. not sure if you're using tape only for your connections, but you should use wire nuts/wire caps, or crimp on couplings.

wiring lights in parallel, you just match up the wire colors. the white wire in the extension cord goes to the white wires on all of the lights, and same with black. just match up the colors. you can use the same type of wire to extend the distance between the lights. like say you have an extension cord connected to a light, you can use the same type of wire to connect to that light, go a distance of 2 or 3 feet, then connect another light.

here's another idea that might improve your setup. I buy the blue plastic outlet boxes from home depot or lowes and screw 2 or 3 of them to a short piece of 2x4 wood, mounting by the back of the box so the wood can be hung on hooks and the opening on the boxes faces down. lowes here has cheap porcelain light sockets for a little over $1 each, and are really good quality. will never melt or cause a fire if wired properly. I first paint everything flat white (wood and plastic boxes) then wire and mount the light sockets on the boxes. screw in the Y socket adaptors into the porcalain sockets, then screw in the light bulbs and plug it in. if you want, you can take it another step further from there, I made V shaped reflectors out of sheet metal and used a flat white oil based spray paint to paint the inside of the reflector to reflect more light back down to the plants. 9,600 lumens with 23 watt cfl's or 15,600 lumen with 42 watt cfl's. works very well on a budget.

 

[ibeblzn]

Ah dude Lorenzo that helps out so much! It's all coming together now. I can basically cut out 'portions' of 2-3 feet from my extension cord, and use those to connect one light to the next using both ends of said 'portion.' This makes so much more sense as I'm sitting here doodling illustrations of hooking the lights up lol. Thanks for the quick advice man I really appreciate it!

 

[lorenzo08]

Ah dude Lorenzo that helps out so much! It's all coming together now. I can basically cut out 'portions' of 2-3 feet from my extension cord, and use those to connect one light to the next using both ends of said 'portion.' This makes so much more sense as I'm sitting here doodling illustrations of hooking the lights up lol. Thanks for the quick advice man I really appreciate it!

no problem. glad you understood my long nonsensical post

 

[Hulk Nugs]

Hey man shit your awesome helping every one out like this .....wellll i hope you can help me ....... i have been working on it all day trying differnt ways of wirring and everything i could think of but im not great with electrical so im asking for some help .....pics below of all the stuff im using.......i am trying to hook up a thermostat to a pc fan so i can controll the temp in my room.....if you need more info or have a question just let me know ......thanks for the thread......hope to hear back from you.

 

[Hulk Nugs]

http://www.ritetemp-thermostats.com/6008.html heres the link to the thermostat they have wiring setups in there but i didnt know what they ment................

 

[fat sam]

its not more efficent, i mean your still using 1000 watts of light, its just when you run 220 it pulls half the amps through so you can run smaller wire, but dont forget your pulling half the amps through each of 2 wires so its still the same to the meter and it wont reduce your bill

 

[Hulk Nugs]

you talking to me fatsam i dont care about the bill i care about the temp and humidity

 

[BigBudBalls]

Hey man shit your awesome helping every one out like this .....wellll i hope you can help me ....... i have been working on it all day trying differnt ways of wirring and everything i could think of but im not great with electrical so im asking for some help .....pics below of all the stuff im using.......i am trying to hook up a thermostat to a pc fan so i can controll the temp in my room.....if you need more info or have a question just let me know ......thanks for the thread......hope to hear back from you.

You'd be better off with the ultra old school thermostat. The old bimetal spring with a mercury switch type. The PC fan is DC and typical HVAC are 24volts AC. Or make sure the new thermostat has relay outputs, not triac (or solid state) Plus the newer HVAC thermo's need power (mine for my house is battery powered, thats good for your situation)

 

[lorenzo08]

Hey man shit your awesome helping every one out like this .....wellll i hope you can help me ....... i have been working on it all day trying differnt ways of wirring and everything i could think of but im not great with electrical so im asking for some help .....pics below of all the stuff im using.......i am trying to hook up a thermostat to a pc fan so i can controll the temp in my room.....if you need more info or have a question just let me know ......thanks for the thread......hope to hear back from you.

nice thermostat. it's a millivolt thermostat, it should handle the same power ratings as an old school one, about 500ma at 24 volt max. I'm not a heating/ventilation tech, so I'm taking my best stab at this. it looks like Y and RC are for cooling, so you hook one wire from the transformer and one wire from the fan to Y and RC, then the other wire from the transformer can connect right to the other wire on the fan. make sense?

 

[Hulk Nugs]

yea i get it just one question .....does the wire from the transformer go to either y or rc or goes to both like i have to loop it so it connects to both y and rc ......or do i hook up one wire from the fan to the rc and the transformer wire to the y .....illl go give a shot see what happens there only 12v dc fans so i think i should be ok .....and i could probley hook up two fans to one thermostat with out hurtting anything right ? if it works


thanks for the info man

 

[Hulk Nugs]

grrr alright tried it with the power wire from the fan going to the y and and the transformer wire to the rc didnt work switched it transfomer y and fan to rc didnt work grrr so i made a loop and connnected the y to the rc and hooked up one wire from the fan and one wire from the transformer twisted together and put it under the y witch was looped to the rc didnt work..... i might have blown the fan i dont know i actualy hooked up just the fan with out the thermostat didnt work switch the wires around still didnt work so i might have blown the fan ?????/

well i have one more fan, and im going to try and return the fan that is not working anymore get a new one hehehe.....but i dont know what happend any ideas ?>???? i dont wanna give up im not a quiter

 

[havefungodumb]

my friends got some pics of a few ballest can i get some help, 400 and 1000 or something!

i think they work

 

[lorenzo08]

grrr alright tried it with the power wire from the fan going to the y and and the transformer wire to the rc didnt work switched it transfomer y and fan to rc didnt work grrr so i made a loop and connnected the y to the rc and hooked up one wire from the fan and one wire from the transformer twisted together and put it under the y witch was looped to the rc didnt work..... i might have blown the fan i dont know i actualy hooked up just the fan with out the thermostat didnt work switch the wires around still didnt work so i might have blown the fan ?????/

well i have one more fan, and im going to try and return the fan that is not working anymore get a new one hehehe.....but i dont know what happend any ideas ?>???? i dont wanna give up im not a quiter

try hooking up the fan to the transformer without the thermostat. if it doesn't work, try reversing the wires, it might be hooked up backwards. the white stripe on the transformer wire doesn't always mean positive. factories like to non-standardize things like that.

 

[caddyluck]

hello, great thread ya got here. I have a question... how much power should I ask for for a 20x15 garage? The previous owner said there used to be a old fuse box in there, and there is already about 5 or 6 standard outlets. I plan to run 2 1000w HPS & 400w MH, light movers, pumps, fans A/C floros ect. . I'll downgrade to 600's if I have to. I just need a little info before I call an electrician out. THANKS!! +REP

 

[Isthisnametaken]

I have a question I'm hoping someone can help me with.

I'm looking for a good vegging light, I would like to have flourescent tubes. My space is 30" wide so I have been looking at some of the 2 light x 2' fixtures at Home Depot. The problem is they are dim as hell.

Here's the question. Can I upgrade the ballast in the 2' fixtures with a HO ballast for the 4' fixtures. Will this blow the light out? Or will the 2' bulbs simply not get any brighter regardless of power?

Thanks!

 

[BigBudBalls]

I have a question I'm hoping someone can help me with.

I'm looking for a good vegging light, I would like to have flourescent tubes. My space is 30" wide so I have been looking at some of the 2 light x 2' fixtures at Home Depot. The problem is they are dim as hell.

Here's the question. Can I upgrade the ballast in the 2' fixtures with a HO ballast for the 4' fixtures. Will this blow the light out? Or will the 2' bulbs simply not get any brighter regardless of power?

Thanks!

Not gonna work for ya. Sorry.

Ya can double up on them too (more fixtures)

But look into some T5 HO fixtures. CFLs work well too, but tubes can span a greater distance.

 

[TOKEMASTERFLEX]

hello, great thread ya got here. I have a question... how much power should I ask for for a 20x15 garage? The previous owner said there used to be a old fuse box in there, and there is already about 5 or 6 standard outlets. I plan to run 2 1000w HPS & 400w MH, light movers, pumps, fans A/C floros ect. . I'll downgrade to 600's if I have to. I just need a little info before I call an electrician out. THANKS!! +REP

you definately should have em put in at least a 50amp breaker box in there....that way you always have room for upgrades(more lightstell em you have a big wire feed welder as well as a big air compressor that you would like to put in there

 

[Isthisnametaken]

Not gonna work for ya. Sorry.

Ya can double up on them too (more fixtures)

But look into some T5 HO fixtures. CFLs work well too, but tubes can span a greater distance.

Alrighty thanks for the info.

+REP