100v or 220v?

gritsgrav · Jul 16, 2013

Got a question about the differences between the performance of a 220v and 110v 400w HPS lamps. I have a closet to grow in. It has a light fixture with 110v on the ceiling that I can wire into. It also has 220v floor heater in front wall. I can use either one, one's as easy as the other, but is there an advantage to using the 220v since it's already there?
It's 2' by 6'9" and 7' tall btw.

DONNYS · Jul 16, 2013

gritsgrav said:
Got a question about the differences between the performance of a 220v and 110v 400w HPS lamps. I have a closet to grow in. It has a light fixture with 110v on the ceiling that I can wire into. It also has 220v floor heater in front wall. I can use either one, one's as easy as the other, but is there an advantage to using the 220v since it's already there?
It's 2' by 6'9" and 7' tall btw.
View attachment 2739253

there is no difference in performance
220 vs 110 the only difference is amps
no savings on watts u charged for
so best run 110v

Julius Caesar · Jul 17, 2013

Always safer to use 120v.

DONNYS · Jul 17, 2013

Julius Caesar said:
Always safer to use 120v.

that too...................

joe macclennan · Jul 17, 2013

Julius Caesar said:
Always safer to use 120v.

wrong

DONNYS said:
that too...................

and wrong

220 is safer due to it pulling less amps. Therefore less of a fire hazard. Why do you think most baseboard heaters are wired for 220?

To the op, If you are only running a 400 the circuit in the ceiling should be fine.

Edit: with that being said it never hurts to have a dedicated circuit for grow lights.

Julius Caesar · Jul 17, 2013

joe macclennan said:
wrong

and wrong

220 is safer due to it pulling less amps. Therefore less of a fire hazard. Why do you think most baseboard heaters are wired for 220?

To the op, If you are only running a 400 the circuit in the ceiling should be fine.

Edit: with that being said it never hurts to have a dedicated circuit for grow lights.

120v is safer for the person installing and using the equipment. Baseboard heaters are not constantly plugged in and out.

120V @ 2 amps is far safer to accidentally touch than 240V @ 1 A.

joe macclennan · Jul 17, 2013

Bottom line if you don't know wtf you are doing you shouldn't be messing with it.

220 is safer due to it pulling less amps meaning less of a fire hazard.

Who constantly plugs or unplugs their lights anyway? Sounds like a good way to get hermies to me.

EDIT: and actually 120 will grab you where 220 will often knock you off.

DONNYS · Jul 17, 2013

electrical fires are caused by malfunctions
so less amps wont change that
may extend life of components but lot a whole lot

DONNYS · Jul 17, 2013

joe macclennan said:
Bottom line if you don't know wtf you are doing you shouldn't be messing with it.

220 is safer due to it pulling less amps meaning less of a fire hazard.

Who constantly plugs or unplugs their lights anyway? Sounds like a good way to get hermies to me.

EDIT: and actually 120 will grab you where 220 will often knock you off.

thats what timers made for

ArCaned · Jul 18, 2013

joe macclennan said:
: and actually 120 will grab you where 220 will often knock you off.

This is the key point. Use the 220.

thinn · Jul 18, 2013

My ballast imo was running a little hot (solistek 600) at 120. It would have been fine but I ran 2220 anyway to have a dedicated line for my ballast. The ballast at 220 was WAY cooler then. I have put that one in the closet for now as I upgraded to solistek matrix's but that is the only difference I noticed. Ballast stays plugged in at all times, I just turn it off with the remote. Use it properly and you wont have any probs....and it will free up some amps on that circuit just incase you run other essentials like fans.

gritsgrav · Jul 18, 2013

thinn said:
My ballast imo was running a little hot (solistek 600) at 120. It would have been fine but I ran 2220 anyway to have a dedicated line for my ballast. The ballast at 220 was WAY cooler then. I have put that one in the closet for now as I upgraded to solistek matrix's but that is the only difference I noticed. Ballast stays plugged in at all times, I just turn it off with the remote. Use it properly and you wont have any probs....and it will free up some amps on that circuit just incase you run other essentials like fans.

That's pretty much what I needed. The heat from the ballast does concern me, good to know that I can run it cooler with 220v.

I'm not considering which voltage is better to be electrocuted by- I think I'll skip that part altogether. I'll be putting this in permanently so there won't be any plugs to fiddle with or cords to get zapped by. I know better than to use extension cords for permanent wiring.

Thanks for the tips everybody.

SFguy · Mar 20, 2014

thinn said:
My ballast imo was running a little hot (solistek 600) at 120. It would have been fine but I ran 2220 anyway to have a dedicated line for my ballast. The ballast at 220 was WAY cooler then. I have put that one in the closet for now as I upgraded to solistek matrix's but that is the only difference I noticed. Ballast stays plugged in at all times, I just turn it off with the remote. Use it properly and you wont have any probs....and it will free up some amps on that circuit just incase you run other essentials like fans.

what he said...^^^^^

chuck estevez · Mar 20, 2014

yep, 220 is always easier on the equipment. Like Joe said, if you have the option, 220 is always the better choice.

hyroot · Mar 20, 2014

220 /240 runs half the amps and 10% less watts. Safer and better.

chuck estevez · Mar 20, 2014

hyroot said:
220 /240 runs half the amps and 10% less watts. Safer and better.

it doesn't really run half the amps, It runs half the amps in 2 wires. 110 runs twice the amps in 1 wire.

hyroot · Mar 20, 2014

chuck estevez said:
it doesn't really run half the amps, It runs half the amps in 2 wires. 110 runs twice the amps in 1 wire.

you just stated it runs half the amps lol

is that some family guy yoda-ism. "I'm not Yoda, ok I'm Yoda"

chuck estevez · Mar 20, 2014

hyroot said:
you just stated it runs half the amps lol

is that some family guy yoda-ism. "I'm not Yoda, ok I'm Yoda"

the 2 wires together have the same amps as 110 does in 1 wire. I never said 220 runs half the amps of 110

hyroot · Mar 20, 2014

Half the amps are being used. My led pulls 1.5 amps on 110/120 and 0.5 amps on 220/240

my old 1000w pulled 8.9 amps on 110/120 and 4.6 amps on 220/240. Regardless of the wires. Around half the amps are being pulled at the wall.

chuck estevez · Mar 20, 2014

hyroot said:
Half the amps are being used. My led pulls 1.5 amps on 110/120 and 0.5 amps on 220/240

my old 1000w pulled 8.9 amps on 110/120 and 4.6 amps on 220/240. Regardless of the wires. Around half the amps are being pulled at the wall.

you totally don't get it. THERE ARE 2 LIVE WIRES IN 220V, EACH 1 CARRIES HALF THE AMPS. 220 volts running 4 amps per wire is 8 amps. The same thing in 110 would be 8 amps in 1 wire. 110 only has 1 live wire and 1 return wire, this is why you must run heavier gauge when running 110 volts

I have over 20 years working with electricity.

your 1000 watt pulled 8.9 on 110 and 4.6 TIMES 2 on 220v

if it used half the amps on 220, My electric bill would be less, BUT IT ISN"T!!!

100v or 220v?

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