3000w Flips My Breaker, What are my options? HELP!

Plugging a dryer , 3 1kw lights and an ac into a pigtail seems reckless to me... to the op- go through each breaker on your board and see if you using them all. Make sure no extra slots avail before doing any pigtails or anything. Dont forget that every "strip" that has multiple outlets on it will have a size amperage to use on it or it can melt whats inside the strip and wires will connect which = a bad time. I currently do not use 220 but i doubt you will easily find a strip to use a dryer and all lights and an ac ontop of that without the strip and wires getting hot. Im not an electrician at all but ive learned on my own and wires garages and houses without problems. 110,220 ect. Do alot of reading and you may save yourself bunch of money. Look into a sub-panel or upgrading your box mabe. There is many safe options as well as possibly dangerous ones. I bet if your sitting on the curb with police and fire department trying to save your house you will be kicking yourself in ass in jail.

Mabe try to do a run with just your 1000w light an try to train and maximize your yeild best you can to get enough money for the wiring. It will also slightly raise your electric bill so wont be huge jump. After that run what happens if you decide to build veg room next to it or add co2 ect. Things that need electric. Possibly a heater for night time... having room to grow and play with will help you.

legallyflying said:

That's exactly what I thought.

go here: http://www.dxhydro.com/index1.htm

tell him what you want to power and he will e-mail you back the next day. Pimp ass systems for CHEAP!! This guy rocks!! Your 30 amp dryer circuit can handle 5,000 watts

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This is kind of what of I was telling him to do..the only problem is that 30amp circuit can't handle 5000w...a 5000w load is equal to 41.6amps...typically a 30amp dryer is ran in 10 gauge wire...40amps is ran in 8guage and 50amps is ran in 6guage and so on..

Also a common misconception is that wiring up in 240v is less of an amperage draw on your circuit...the only thing that wiring it up 240 does is take the load and split it between the two hots..the draw on your overall power is the same just the load is dispersed more efficiently your bill at the end of the month will not change...5000watts is 5000w whether on 1 circuit or 10..

nonuggets said:

30 amp x 220v = 6600 watts on the circuit. you can easily run 6 1000k lights on that.

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You are correct as long as all the loads are 220v...the only problem is someone might see that and think they can run for example (3) 1000w lights at 220 and then start plugging in 120v fans, pumps, small ac's etc thinking they had another 3000w of power to utilize which will then potentially start overloading one phase of the 220v circuit..

But yes if all your loads were 220v you could do that...If your loads are 120v though to reach 6000w you would need 50amps..

nonuggets said:

30 amp x 220v = 6600 watts on the circuit. you can easily run 6 1000k lights on that.

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NO, you can not. a 1000w ballast uses 5 amps on 240v and you really never want to use more than 75% of the available load. 4 is the most, safely. 5 would be pushing it, and 6 would trip it or cause a fire.

Ok guys,

I called my electrician buddy, the guy came out, I told him I was trying to run these 3 ballasts, I had all the materials already, heres what I went a bought from Home Depot:

(1) 25ft 6 Gauge WHITE wire
(1) 25ft 6 Gauge BLACK wire
(1) 25ft 6 Gauge RED wire
(1) 25ft 6 Gauge GREEN wire
(1) Roll of 25ft 220 wire (to run to the outlets)
(1) 12space 24circuit 125a Sub Panel (installed in the grow room)
(3) 20a Breakers for the sub panel (each 20 amp for each light)
(1) Double Pole 50amp Breaker (installed in main box)
Conduit
(3) Blue Box covers and (3) outlets

So first thing is the guy says he thinks I bought too much wire and why.. lol.. but then he gets to work, he installs the Double 50amp in my main box, and runs some of the thick 6 gauge wire from the 50amp into the conduit and into the grow room, he then installs the Sub Panel in the grow room and then he wires it up and installs the 3 20amp breakers in the sub panel, everything was going good, and then he said "I know how to do this stuff but Im drawing a blank on wiring the outlets (the outlets I got were 20amp/125v) from your 220 box.. " he couldnt remember if the white and black go on the same 20amp and then he wasnt sure how they are suppose to connect to the outlets,

For the most part, I got everything done, I just need to know how to wire the outlets from my 20amp breakers in my new sub panel in my room

the two hot legs go to the outlet posts and then the ground wire. i dont believe the have the neutral.

superstoner1 said:

the two hot legs go to the outlet posts and then the ground wire. i dont believe the have the neutral.

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Ok, yeah there is 3 wires in the 220 wire, BLACK/WHITE/GROUND, that guy grounded the ground wires in my Sub Panel box on the ground bar, and left the WHITE and BLACK hanging, so do the white and black both go into (1) 20amp breaker? and then do the white and black both goto the same side on the outlet?

the outlets i got are 20a/125v

you are saying 240 volt here and 120 volt there, does not compute. you need 240v outlets.

Damn yeah I really pulled a stupid on this one.... all my ballast are switchable ballast from 120/240, All i need to do is install the 220 outlets and get a different cord for my ballast , I was trying to figure out how to run my ballast with the current power cords that came with the ballast (120v), I can just go buy 3 cords that that will work for my ballast that have 220v ends on them right and just install normal 220 outlets ( i was trying to install normal household outlets "120") the cord I have for my ballast only has a 120v end on it , it wouldnt plug into any kind of 220 outlet, i just need to get the right damn power cords , damn i feel retarded..

Here is some pictures also, I need you guys to check out this dude's wiring job.. tell me if it looks okay

and thanks all you guys for your help and bare'n with me

yes , i had to get the 240v cords for my ballasts and they were $8-10 each.

Your going to burn your house down with you in it.

You don't need 220 outlets or plugs, they are not special or anything, but of you do use 120 then make sure to label them with black marker or something so you don't plug a 120 appliance into them. That really all the 220 plugs are designed to do

Perhaps I am missing something. It looks like your powering a subpanel with 50 amps of 220. From that panel, you want to run your lights on 220 but I don't see a double pole, 220 breaker in that sub panel? Is it just not connected yet? The caption reads "3 20 amp circuits for lights" You would only need one 20 amp 220 circuit to power 3 lights

legallyflying said:

Perhaps I am missing something. It looks like your powering a subpanel with 50 amps of 220. From that panel, you want to run your lights on 220 but I don't see a double pole, 220 breaker in that sub panel? Is it just not connected yet? The caption reads "3 20 amp circuits for lights" You would only need one 20 amp 220 circuit to power 3 lights

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The double pole 50amp was installed in the MAIN BOX
6 gauge wiring was ran from that double pole 50a to my SUB PANEL inside the grow room
The SUB PANEL came with (2) 20a breakers and I bought another one making (3) 20a breakers inside my SUB PANEL

Now im just going to go buy the correct cords and the correct 220 outlets

Now i can just run (1) light per outlet per 20a in my subpanel and I should be fine correct?

You bought the wrong breakers dude. 220aka two pole breakers are the double wide breakers that have two attachment point for your wire (the black and white BOTH) go to the breaker. What you have now are 110 breakers where the black
Goes to the breaker and the white to the bus bar.

You only need one 20 amp 220 breaker and 12 gauge wire.

I mean, you can use the three 20 amp breakers and run the lights, just don't go buying 220 cords and outlets as your going to be running 110. If you plan on expanding or adding air con or
Something then drive the lights with 220. If not, just use what you have. YOu will still have about 15 amps usable power from the sub panel.

legallyflying said:

You bought the wrong breakers dude. 220aka two pole breakers are the double wide breakers that have two attachment point for your wire (the black and white BOTH) go to the breaker. What you have now are 110 breakers where the black
Goes to the breaker and the white to the bus bar.

You only need one 20 amp 220 breaker and 12 gauge wire.

I mean, you can use the three 20 amp breakers and run the lights, just don't go buying 220 cords and outlets as your going to be running 110. If you plan on expanding or adding air con or
Something then drive the lights with 220. If not, just use what you have. YOu will still have about 15 amps usable power from the sub panel.

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Damn, So i need a double pole 20amp correct? Ill go buy that right now, and then Ill buy 3 220outlets, now I already have the wire ran to each socket box, 3 sets of the wiring, one for each outlet, so when I get the double pole 20amp do I just connect all 3 blacks and put them on one side of the double pole and all 3 whites and put them on the bottom of the double pole 20a? I want to get this crap right TODAY

I have a meeting right now but I'll help you out in about an hour. I have a better way to rig it so that you will save some cash on 220 timers.

man sorry to say it but you want about this the hard way, the number 1 thing that can screw up your grow and even your house is electrical, it would have been much easyer to run 1 30amp double pole off of your new panel, to a dryer hookup in your grow room and and picked 1 of these up http://www.hydro-ponics.com/product/26253/powerbox-dpc-4000-240v-4p it will safely run up to 4000watts of lights

and with brakers you should only run no more then 80% of the said amps on any 1 braker, you don't want it at a constant peek

He has a very good point. Funny, I made the same damn point two pages ago.. Just plug a timer into your dryer socket.. DONE.
You installed a whole new subpanel when it really isn't necessary at all. Having a subpanel in the room is nice as you can kill the power fast if need be. That said, you are spending a lot more money than you need to.

I don't know if you can return the panel or not. But your looking at another $100 or more in stuff before you even get where you want to be. Your going to need outlet boxes, 220 outlets (which are not cheap), and then three timers and three 220 cords..

If I were you, I would return the 50amp breaker and new panel and buy a 30amp two pole breaker. Then go here and scroll down to the basic light controller. http://www.dxhydro.com/index1.htm#Lighting_Controllers. Order it without the plug and with a hard wire long enough to run to your main panel. Also order it with 110 outlets not 220.

So it would be 30amp double pole breaker in main panel > wire through conduit > to digital timed light controller> plug in your ballasts with your existing plugs. So your get 4 timed 220 outlets and 4 full time 110 outlets, wire and and everything for $144. Clean, professional, DONE.

As stated before, 220 outlets and plugs are not "tougher" or "higher rated" they simply have a different shaped plug.

Ok, lets not think of new ideas when I was already told to do this Sub Panel in this thread... the money is spent , the guy is paid for doing it, there is NO going back

with that said

I bought 3 cords for my ballast , they were 9 bucks each,
I bought 3 outlets - they were 4 bucks each
and I bought a double 30a for my new Sub Panel it was 9 bucks..

so now I got everything to run it, alltogether everything cost just at $300 , and thats cool with me

here is some pics, i took a picture of the cord I got for my Xtrasun ballasts, I got 3 of those cords, and 3 outlets that they can plug into

Now I just need to know how to wire up the Double pole 30a to my outlets, I have 3 seperate wires going from each outlet box into the sub panel, the wires have a bare wire which is the ground, and a WHITE and a BLACK, I put the ground wires on the ground bar in my sub panel, Now do I connect the black wires to one side of the Double 30 and the white wires to other side?

Nevermind I found it on you tube, white and black now BOTH become hot, they both go into the double pole, then run to the outlets and go on each side of them and then the ground goes to ground . i think Im done and everything should run fine now.. i will update you guys later today