Experienced Electrician! Here to Answer Any and All Growroom Electrical Questions

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BehindYou

Member
Sjerpsy said:
Just a random household Question....my 8 rec room pot lights are setup on 3 dimmers. 2-4-2. Out of the three only one actually dims,the other two are on/off only but still turn the lights on/off.I replaced one of the dimmers and no luck. At this point its not worth cutting any drywall just to make them dim but it was nice when they worked properly!?
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The yellow wirenut is the hot line coming in. The hot is then ran to the dimmer and the switch leg goes to the light. Looking at the switch the lutron switch is rated 600 watts but less with the 3 in the same can. The 2 dimmers that are working as switches are most likely bad. U can turn power off at the breaker and move the switch leg from a one of the switches that do t dim to the one that does to prove the wiring but shit the dimmer is bad. As I said the dimmer is rated 600w so u could move the other 2 lights that don't dimm to the switch that works and not have a problem with overloading.
With dimmers please turn power off before working oN them. Many will fry if u don't. Hope this helps I have used many a lutron and worked as an electrical engineer using the product.
 
B

BehindYou

Member
Sub Zero said:
How did you come up with 2.56 amps???
I like to know how things work... ;-)
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IDK but the pic shows .4 amps. Starting current or inrush current can be 6-9 x the rated. The use of a motor starter WILL NOT reduce the inrush but it's a small motor the spins up quick. If u have a problem with breakers tripping u will need to stagger the startup of the motors. The international electrical code allows the loading of the circuitbreaker to 80% of it's rating. When calculating the load 1.5x the largest load pluss the reamining load.
Starters and contactors are used to switch load when the actual switch wouldn't carry it.
 
IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
BehindYou said:
Starters and contactors are used to switch load when the actual switch wouldn't carry it.
Click to expand...
thats funny, i thought the starter was an current limiting device... hence the heaters.
ps, and i thought a contactor was a switch... just a remote one.

but what would i know.
 
B

BehindYou

Member
outhouse1999 said:
how do i wire a thermostat to a humidistat and the to a dual outlet while taking my power from a single outlet? i want to use this to control intake and exhaust fans
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If u want toturn on the fans on high humid or temp then run power from the single outlet to the the temp and humid switches, tie the output of the switches together and wire it to the quad outlet.
The switches will need to be rated for the current and voltage your using. If you want the fans to turn on when both temp and humid are high wire together in series.
 
B

BehindYou

Member
IAm5toned said:
thats funny, i thought the starter was an current limiting device... hence the heaters.
ps, and i thought a contactor was a switch... just a remote one.

but what would i know.
Click to expand...

The overloads or heaters in a starter are to open the contactor at the predetermined level not reduce it. In 3 phase u can use a reduced voltage starter, a y delta, or a vfd.
 
B

BehindYou

Member
Sub Zero said:
:lol::lol::lol: THANKS:lol::lol::lol:
Click to expand...

Shit been doing EE for years. Locked rotor is just that the current the motor will pull if the rotor ( spinning part ) is not allowed to spin. The slip is the differance in the motor running at no load vrs full load. The motor is listed as fla ( full load amps ) when the motor is operated at it's capacity it will spin a little slower than with no load. As the load is increased the current demand increases.

The pump pic shows it as internally protected, it has the overload built in so it does not need the external overload of a starter.
 
S

sherriberry

New Member
i just had a seimens 150 main breaker go bad.

first off.... can i replace it without dying?

second, can i replace it with a 200 instead?

the seimens box says 150 inside it, but ive since added higher level regular breakers, so i think the 150 is about to reach its peak anyway.

thanks
 
B

BehindYou

Member
Wow. Not to common for cb to go bad. The 150 size is Installed to protect the wire feeding the panel.
If you install a larger 200 you may be opening a can of worms.
The panel needs to be rated for 200 amps, the wiring to the panel needs to support the added load as well as the transformer that supplies power to the panel (owned by the elec company most likely). Most comercial panels are 225amp but the main can't exceed the bus rating. What size wire serves the panel? Is it copper or aluminum?
As for a self install, that's depends on your ability.

I'm stomping on someonez post. Sorry let the electrician guide you.
 
CrackerJax

CrackerJax

New Member
Realize that electricity is quite dangerous.....it sure isn't plumbing....where if you mess up, you just get wet.

Replacing a main breaker means doing it hot. Rules say, you must hire an electrician for that (common sense really).

But if you decide to do it urself. Oh, ur panel should tell you its rating (150-200) Do not try and cheat that rating.

Guidelines:

Always wear shoes (sounds like a no brainer but u'd be surprised)

Tape the shaft of ur screwdrivers with electrical black tape and leave only the tip exposed. When I jerked wire for a few years, I taped every screwdriver I owned after watching a buddy accidentally jump 480..... you don't forget those lessons.

Don't get stoned before you work on electrical equipment. :lol:
 
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