Electrical questions.
- Thread starter Peter421
- Start date
Amperage is probably less than 10. Thanks a lot. I think I will be safe just plugging in 1 lamp per outlet.
Leothwyn
Well-Known Member
Per outlet isn't the issue - it's per breaker. Usually all of the outlets in a room run off of the same wire and breaker, unless they were wired up for something special. In fact, there could be multiple rooms running off that same breaker and wire. Do you know how it's wired? If not, can you go under your house or in the attic and follow the lines to see what's happening?
bigbuddy69
Member
One 1000 watt ballast is equal to 8 amps (normal metal halide or HPS,not sure about the new fancy electronic ones), so therefore running two 1000 watters on one outlet requirs a good 20 amp wiring configuration.
Keep in mind the typical home has one 15 amp drop to each room (not even that usually), that in turn is daisy chained to the other outlets in the room (or rooms). If thats all you have, then plan on adding a new curcuit breaker to the panel, and running another drop to the room, or two to be even happier
I had that problem, and lucky for me I don't have a land lord, so I just added two new lines to my room. Id trip fuses all day if I hadn't done that.
Keep in mind the typical home has one 15 amp drop to each room (not even that usually), that in turn is daisy chained to the other outlets in the room (or rooms). If thats all you have, then plan on adding a new curcuit breaker to the panel, and running another drop to the room, or two to be even happier
I had that problem, and lucky for me I don't have a land lord, so I just added two new lines to my room. Id trip fuses all day if I hadn't done that.
StoneInLove
Well-Known Member
15a breakers are indeed typical. I ran a 1k hps and 8k btu window shaker off of one circuit. I drilled a hole into the adjacent room and ran a short extension cord to access another circuit. Kinda redneck but that's how I roll. Take a small table lamp and plug into an outlet. Go through your panel breaker by breaker and find the one that shuts it off if it isn't labled. Unplug the lamp and test it in the rest of the outlets in your room. If another is hot, you've got another circuit in there. I wouldn't crawl anywhere to figure that stuff out. Your breaker has the size marked on it.
bigbuddy69
Member
If you're renting your house then StoneInLove has a great idea, I almost did that at my place. Just get a nicely rated extention cord, they get hot when the amps exceed the extension cords rating. Ive had them melt timers before...fyi
Hmm. Well I have two rooms I could be using. I have a bedroom and one kitchen. I'm pretty sure they are seperated. So 8-9amps per room + a few appliances should be alright? I'm not too keen on circuit breakers and all that, is it expensive to buy and have someone install it? I'm not worrying about hiring a technician to do it
Edit: Appliances would be .50-1 amp oscillating fans (maybe 2), duct fan(s), and a few flourescant bulbs. I'm not going to be using a centrifugal fan for exhaust. I'm looking to purchase a duct fan that blows 600+CFM. (Not as ideal but I can't stand the sound of centrifugals)
Edit: Appliances would be .50-1 amp oscillating fans (maybe 2), duct fan(s), and a few flourescant bulbs. I'm not going to be using a centrifugal fan for exhaust. I'm looking to purchase a duct fan that blows 600+CFM. (Not as ideal but I can't stand the sound of centrifugals)
