Clevelandblazn5
Active Member
ok so im running 2 600w lights right now i was wondering if i put 2 more would i blow the power breaker on a standard home
Electricity!
- Thread starter Clevelandblazn5
- Start date
allovher
New Member
maybe run extension cords from a nearby room, should be on a different breaker..
UNICRONLIVES
Well-Known Member
anything less than a 20 amp breaker.....yes!! and most houses are ran with 12-2 wire which 4 600 watters would easily max out! 110V right? not 220?!!
Teach a man to fish...
Member
volts X amps = power
so
power / volts = amps
4 X600w = 2400w
2400/120 = 20 amps
but really you have more than 2400 watts. because your ballasts take like 30 watts each + fans + whatever else you got... computer?
so total all your power on the breaker divide 120 then make sure its less than the number written on the breaker.
Don't max it out though, its looking for trouble in my opinion.
good luck!
so
power / volts = amps
4 X600w = 2400w
2400/120 = 20 amps
but really you have more than 2400 watts. because your ballasts take like 30 watts each + fans + whatever else you got... computer?
so total all your power on the breaker divide 120 then make sure its less than the number written on the breaker.
Don't max it out though, its looking for trouble in my opinion.
good luck!
Teach a man to fish...
Member
oops... I meant two lights.. all the info still applies though only the example should = 10 amps
doc111
Well-Known Member
Using extension cords for HID lights is a bad idea. Extension cords are meant for temporary use only. I would explore any and all other options before using extension cords. Good luck and stay safe.
sven deisel
Well-Known Member
here is what i do your ceiling light should be on a dif line than your recpt. test this to make sure by turning breakers off if so replace the ceiling light with a rect. box and bang you have another line ive been saying this alot i think im going to make a thread
mygirls
Medical Marijuana (MOD)
switch the wires in the ballast to 220 volt on all the ballats and you will be fine..
patlpp
New Member
Excellent and safe idea. Many housing electrical circuits have separate breakers for lights.
Bad, dangerous and I don't know why you would suggest that. Please explain how you came to that conclusion. Do you mean use the 220 volt dryer circuit or something?
Professor Puff.n.Tuff
Active Member
teach a man to fish sounds like an electrician or at least someone with experience. you need to give some specifics as to the voltage you are using and the breaker it is ran off of. you simple add the amps together and try to stay under 80% of the face value of the breaker supplying the power.
for example...
your ballast draw app. 5 amps each. 5 amps X 4 ballasts = 20 amps and that is if there is nothing else on it. no circ fans, pumps, other parts of the house may be shared with this breaker also. with all this in mind, if you have eliminated all the other loads on that circuit you can get away with 3 ballast at 5 amps each for a total of 15 amps, you could even stick one other things on it because 80% of 20 is 16 amps. maybe one low volume fan or a pump or a air pump.
an extension cord is NOT a bad idea, it is NOT ideal, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
all extension cords will be rated with a max amperage or the wire size will be disclosed, usually it is on the laminated tab zip tied to the cord. if you only have the wire size know that 12 AWG, American wire gauge, is good for 20 amps. again do not go over 80% load. 14 AWG is good for 15 amps - 80%.
extensions cords if rated properly are no more and an "extension" of the circuit.
all things are manufactured with tolerances, just like anything else, and nothing is perfect. that is why it is industry standard to not load a device to more than 80% its rating.
for example...
your ballast draw app. 5 amps each. 5 amps X 4 ballasts = 20 amps and that is if there is nothing else on it. no circ fans, pumps, other parts of the house may be shared with this breaker also. with all this in mind, if you have eliminated all the other loads on that circuit you can get away with 3 ballast at 5 amps each for a total of 15 amps, you could even stick one other things on it because 80% of 20 is 16 amps. maybe one low volume fan or a pump or a air pump.
an extension cord is NOT a bad idea, it is NOT ideal, but you gotta do what you gotta do.
all extension cords will be rated with a max amperage or the wire size will be disclosed, usually it is on the laminated tab zip tied to the cord. if you only have the wire size know that 12 AWG, American wire gauge, is good for 20 amps. again do not go over 80% load. 14 AWG is good for 15 amps - 80%.
extensions cords if rated properly are no more and an "extension" of the circuit.
all things are manufactured with tolerances, just like anything else, and nothing is perfect. that is why it is industry standard to not load a device to more than 80% its rating.
Professor Puff.n.Tuff
Active Member
Professor Puff.n.Tuff
Active Member
also if you use the extension cord method as a resolution, you can feel the cord after it has been under full load for a couple hours. if it is hot to the touch figure something else out. the only other issue you could face with this method is voltage drop. this occurs when the power source has a long conductor, usually over 500 feet is where you start to worry about it. but in a home you would have to be at the back of the house with extensions cords ran back and forth to the front of the house a couple of times to reach 500 feet.
sorry so many posts, my brain doesnt stop some times.
sorry so many posts, my brain doesnt stop some times.
mygirls
Medical Marijuana (MOD)
because my ballest are muli wire and can do that most of them are. by switching to 220 volt to run your ballast that means you are pulling 3 to 4 amps not6 to 8 running 110 volt. the mopre amps you pull the chances of blowing a breaker is greater..
mygirls
Medical Marijuana (MOD)
very unsafe for running multi lights and fans.. not a good idea at all
doc111
Well-Known Member
I am a retired firefighter. Extension cords can be dangerous and are not designed for continuous use, especially under a heavy load like HID lighting. The OP is free to do as he wishes. I have seen many fires in my day caused by extension cords. The problem is that not many people understand the dangers of using extension cords for extended periods. Trust me, I'm not making this shit up. There are a lot of better options that should be explored before using an extension cord as permanent wiring. Feel free to do what you want though.
Professor Puff.n.Tuff
Active Member
in order to do that you need a 220 volt power supply.
right now he is giving it one wire with 120 volts and the other wire does not have any voltage on it. so all the amps go down one wire...
with a 220 volt power supply you have two wires with 120 volts on them each so the amps can go down both wires. you still draw a combined 5 or 6 amps, but it is half on one wire and the other half on the other wire.
right now he is giving it one wire with 120 volts and the other wire does not have any voltage on it. so all the amps go down one wire...
with a 220 volt power supply you have two wires with 120 volts on them each so the amps can go down both wires. you still draw a combined 5 or 6 amps, but it is half on one wire and the other half on the other wire.
Professor Puff.n.Tuff
Active Member
those fires were cause by one of two things
doc111
Well-Known Member
Please, enlighten us.
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