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

Mustafa said:

Hey I was wondering if anyone can help me. I am seeking advice on how to bypass a European electric meter. All i can tell you is that two wires come out of the ground each running into the meter, into the rotating reel. These two wires however seem to lead into the trip switch box inside the building. I am looking to bypass the meter at this location. any help on how to go about doing this ?

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only advice i have is don't do it

Mustafa said:

Hey I was wondering if anyone can help me. I am seeking advice on how to bypass a European electric meter. All i can tell you is that two wires come out of the ground each running into the meter, into the rotating reel. These two wires however seem to lead into the trip switch box inside the building. I am looking to bypass the meter at this location. any help on how to go about doing this ?

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I'm with Buggin, it sounds like a very terrible idea. Pay your bills or get a generator. Don't rip off people or Karma's going to send you to prison for a long ass time.

I've looked and looked, but can't find a straight answer anywhere, so I found this thread...hopefully you can help.

I'm wanting to hook an inline fan up to a single 2-gang outlet from a split-circuit consisting of two switches. By that, I mean I wish to start with an energized 6-outlet surge protector, from there, I wish to run one wire (14-2) to a timer, from the timer, I go to the top terminals of a two-gang outlet. Now, starting back at surge protector...I run another wire (from a different outlet on the same surge protector) to a line-voltage thermostat. From there, I run to the bottom set of terminals on the aforementioned 2-gang outlet. I do not wish to break off the tabs connecting the two sets of terminals as I can only plug my fan into one receptacle.

Will this work? The only concern I have is when the two switches (timer and stat) are both closed at the same time. Will it trip a breaker? Catch the guy's house on fire? Ruin the fan?

Maybe I'm just thinking too hard, but please understand my concern.

Thanks in advance!

Wow, still no takers huh? Well I've been thinkin it over and if the "path of least resistance" rule is true, it oughta work. I pictured it as puttin a jumper from one point to another on the same wire for each the "hot" and "neutral" respectively. Since the power's comin from the same source, I think it'll just "pick" the easiest way to the fan.

I suck at electrical thinking problems, but that's my best.

Anyone?

it wont kick the breaker...

and thats not 2 circuits. its 2 branches off of one circuit.

and ps, if you dont break the tab, then the plug connected to the timer will never shut off..........

I hope no ones asked this yet, but how do you hookup 4 pin plug in style fluorescent lamps? How would you hook it up to a light timer?

you need a ballast first, and a socket for the lamp... then you run the ballast off of the timer.

word man thanks, so the ballast plugs into a wall socket

Uvalax said:

word man thanks, so the ballast plugs into a wall socket

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Why not just buy a floro lamp? a DIY will cost more.

MonstroniuM said:

Check it out, got a 5x5x8 closet with no electrical outlet in the closet itself. Closest one is two feet from the door so I ran an extension cord under the door running my sorry cfl's. Now that its constructed and time to throw up the 400w, exhaust fan, and the other goods, I don't know if its recommended to run it off an extension cord from a room that already has other things plugged in. So with that said I ask your advice on how to equip my new space with out it being rigged on some cords under a door, etc.

Thanks in advance, and I'll wait patiently for your input!

-Monstro

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I am having the same issue.........how do we get power to the closet?? I am running 400w as well, but cant get started because I am unsure exactly what to do. Thanks in advance.

isthislegal said:

I am having the same issue.........how do we get power to the closet?? I am running 400w as well, but cant get started because I am unsure exactly what to do. Thanks in advance.

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The short answer is you run a wire from your breaker box to the closet, install a receptacle, and you're done.

If you're willing to figure out how your house is wired you might be able to tie into a lightly used circuit and not have to run wire so far or install a dedicated line... but that's the best way to go anyway.

the mexicengineer way to get power to a closet....

NEVER put more than 500w MAX in a closet, unless your a licensed electrician with a good understanding of heat shielding, and venting requirements...
but for the ones wondering how to fit a 400w and a fan or 2
use no longer than a 25' #14awg heavy duty cord, and a (1000w minimum) surge protector for the end of it.
you can find this stuff easy @ any big box hardware store like home depot.
but remember, there is a 99% chance that the outlet your plugging into is running off of a circuit that is feeding several more outlets and/or lights....
in other words, do your best to figure out what else is plugged into the circuit your outlet is on, and move it somewhere else. most outlet circuits (and when i say outlet circuits, i mean entire circuits with multiple plugs, not the individual outlets themselves!) in houses will be good for no more than 1440 watts and often the same circuit that the plug is on will also be running lights in the same room; so dont be surprised or come running back here for help when your breaker trips.........

the safest way is to run a dedicated circuit for the grow op, but i realize that is not an option for everyone here, especially those renting or with other 'stealth' concerns...

and remember if you have doubts, consult a pro in person

don't even worry about stealth and calling an electrician... he doesn't care why you want an outlet put in... tell him to do it and walk away... he'll be glad to accept your money

IF he asks.. tell him your wife/gf/mom/boyfriend/you wants a outlet in the closet for some kind of charger and you want it on a separate breaker because you keep tripping one vacuuming back there so you need to fix that.. two birds one stone

or make up some other BS... really don't matter

Thanks all for the fast responses...talk about help!!!!! Anywho...the closet is 3 x 3 x 7, I am using the pulsar mini combo 400w thingy, lol. I actually went to school for computers and electronics. I have repaired small appliances and have even put sockets in (basically just changed an old socket) even got shocked the first time i tried to change a socket (because I was to lazy to turn the power off). nice little tingle, lol. I have never done anything as serious as running a dedicated line or installing a new box. I want the grow to have its own panel, so if anything goes wrong with the electricity of the grow, it wont affect others in the house. I have been searching here on RIU and other sites, but cant seem to find a defenitive how to for closets....maybe i am not putting in the right search terms.

hey isthislegal-

if you have access to a 240v dryer outlet, they make some fancy lighting controllers that just plug right into the outlet for the dryer, no mess no fuss no tools.some even come with a 25' cord...
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=55781

or if your a DIY kinda guy you can go to HD, buy a 60amp loadcenter, some #10 romex, and a nema rated male cord end, a breaker or 2, a timer relay, and make it yourself...
since you already now the basics of power, than you know that you could never actually pull 60 amps out of a receptacle, but since your concerned about safety the loadcenter gives you the ability to install GFCI and/or arc fault breakers on all your devices, and have overcurrent protection and groundfault protection right there inside the grow op. the bonus to this is that if you used all 4 slots in the 60 amp panel, then if you had a problem with one device and it kicks a breaker, it wont shut off the other devices on the breakers!
just remember if you do build something like i described, your will always be limited to the wattage of the outlet it is plugged into. a standard 120v receptacle is good for 1440w... and most of those standard receptacles will be on 15amp breakers feeding other receptacles in the same room as well as the lights.

IAm5toned said:

hey isthislegal-

if you have access to a 240v dryer outlet, they make some fancy lighting controllers that just plug right into the outlet for the dryer, no mess no fuss no tools.some even come with a 25' cord...
http://www.htgsupply.com/viewproduct.asp?productID=55781

or if your a DIY kinda guy you can go to HD, buy a 60amp loadcenter, some #10 romex, and a nema rated male cord end, a breaker or 2, a timer relay, and make it yourself...
since you already now the basics of power, than you know that you could never actually pull 60 amps out of a receptacle, but since your concerned about safety the loadcenter gives you the ability to install GFCI and/or arc fault breakers on all your devices, and have overcurrent protection and groundfault protection right there inside the grow op. the bonus to this is that if you used all 4 slots in the 60 amp panel, then if you had a problem with one device and it kicks a breaker, it wont shut off the other devices on the breakers!
just remember if you do build something like i described, your will always be limited to the wattage of the outlet it is plugged into. a standard 120v receptacle is good for 1440w... and most of those standard receptacles will be on 15amp breakers feeding other receptacles in the same room as well as the lights.

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IAm5toned thanks a million brotha!!! That HID controller really makes my job simple. I'm sure I could build one, but I feel more comfortable with the professionally built one. My cousin is a licensed electrician...but I read somewhere "NEVER TRUST ANYONE WITH A SECRET THAT YOU CANT KEEP" so I will keep it to myself. I really really appreciate everyones help. Just took a load off of my shoulders. kiss-ass

Ok, so change of plans, It just dawned on me that we have a sauna tub, whirlpool tub or whatever it is that you call it. You push a button the back of the tub and bubbles come out. We never use the thing and its all by itself. So I got lucky and it wont cost me much at all to get electricity in my closet. I just remembered that youtube has videos of EVERYTHING, so for any DIY'ers like me who have the ability but need visual aids... here ya go http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=home+electrical+wiring&search_type=&aq=f

Thank you all again, I'm a very happy man...I will be growing before I know it!!!

IAm5toned said:

it wont kick the breaker...

and thats not 2 circuits. its 2 branches off of one circuit.

and ps, if you dont break the tab, then the plug connected to the timer will never shut off..........

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Didn't say it was 2-circuits. And as for this tab business, why wouldn't it shut off? I understand there could be backfeed when the stat closes, but that doesn't concern me. I thought the tab just connected the top and bottom outlets. Breaking the tab makes the outlets independent of one another. I need them tied together so that if either switch is closed (timer or stat), both outlets on the receptacle will be hot.

oh, then i misunderstood your original post. it will work, just make sure the timer and stat are fed from the same source

Ok, I have just started to grow weed. I am pretty clued up about it all thanks to you guys here on this forums, but the lights are my biggest issue. I have my cupboard, which is quite large, and I will be getting the rest of the equipment soon, v.v.soon, but I just need to know how I would hang and power two flourescent tubes hanging from the ceiling of the cupboard.

I can't seem to find an adapter of any kind that would be a plug on one end and an adapter for the flourescent tube on the other end, as that would be perfect lol. So I'm hoping you guys can help me on this matter. And if someone has already asked this and you are annoyed at having to answer a similar Q, I'm really sorry!!

Thanks guys, oh, and I suppose this is my first post too lol, so a big stoners welcome to you all! 4:20