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

IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
that is only with solid state timers (digital)
if it is an electromechanical timer (mechanical) you will be fine...
as far as plugging in all that stuff to the surge protector, it wont make a lick of difference. the 'trickle' that bleeds through a digital timer (which is nothing but an optical relay) will go through the ballast everytime, as the ballast will have the path of least resistance.

if your seriously worried about trickle currents harming your ballasts, try using the timer to run a rated relay to control the lights, instead of running the lights through the timer.
 
lostsoul420

lostsoul420

Well-Known Member
hey guys im looking to start a DIY solar panel system to support a 600watt light with accessories. Soil so no need for hydro plug ins.

Basically i need to know how many voltz i would need to support this size grow. Also what kind of batteries would i need to be charged up enough to support this amount of wattage useage.

+rep for viable information.

peace :leaf:
 
greenmachine1

greenmachine1

Member
thx for the info on solar, and my floros. The reason i freaked out a lil is because. This months bill came in, and i have been slowing running my lights. Bringing them on a lil more each week, with the timer. My bill jumped double from last month, and i thought it was because of my lights being on more. It is about time for my seeds to be here. So i have almost got my light schedule on full swing now, close to 20 hrs a day. Are you sure i have nothing to worry about with a 4 tube t5? Its my first grow on my own, and inside. So i am starting to get a lil paranoid about the whole thing. One more thing i was wondering. Isn't most indoor door receptacles 110v? and my light says 120v, the inline fans i want are 120v also. Is it ok to run them in normal outlet?

thx
 
greensister

greensister

Well-Known Member
IAm5toned said:
that is only with solid state timers (digital)
if it is an electromechanical timer (mechanical) you will be fine...
as far as plugging in all that stuff to the surge protector, it wont make a lick of difference. the 'trickle' that bleeds through a digital timer (which is nothing but an optical relay) will go through the ballast everytime, as the ballast will have the path of least resistance.

if your seriously worried about trickle currents harming your ballasts, try using the timer to run a rated relay to control the lights, instead of running the lights through the timer.
Click to expand...
As far at the path of least resistance goes, then the trickle should go to the LED in the switch of the surge protector first, then the incandescent light which is plugged in closest to the switch, then the fan which is next to it, then the CFLs.
I dont know much about a timer on a rated relay, thats why i purchased timers. They are both electronic.
 
B

bmiquet

Member
IAm5toned said:
you have a direct short on your service entry conductors... you need a pro before your house burns down. you should disconnect the power to the panel immediatly and contact a professional.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the insight. I have disconnected the entire panel and I am running on backup circuits I have from another part of my property. Not ideal, but it will work for a while.

The root of my problem still exists. Due to the location of my panel, hiring a pro isn't as easy as it sounds and is not a solution at this time. Can this challenge not be overcome with a little education and further understanding of the problem?

What does "direct short on your service entry conductors" mean if you were describing to a 15year old? Can I not trace the line or take apart the panel and put it back together disconnected and fix the problem that way?

Any further insight is appreciated.
 
L

Luv2Gro

Well-Known Member
i have an older 400w light with magnetic ballast... the wires on the ballast that connect the cap to starter to transformer are getting a little brittle... my question, is this something i need to be concerned about?? i mean there is obviously a lot of heat so it seems logical that insulation would turn hard over a period of time but just wanting to be safe rather than sorry.
 
Sub Zero

Sub Zero

Well-Known Member
IAm5toned said:
actually it could be just a sticker... like the one shown in the pic in the link you posted. the pumps were manufactured for sale in Cali.... so they have nameplates. you prolly pulled them off tho im guessin :lol:

the reason i say i need the faceplate is i need the power factor of the motor to calculate the inrush. without being there with an ammeter to see what the true power vs. apparent power is, theres no way i can calculate the inrush. but with a 25w motor, a good guess would be about 4 amps per motor for a duration of .02 seconds
Click to expand...
Thank you very much, I'll be changing res this Saturday morning, I'll have a look for the sticker. I'm sure it's there, I just don't recall it...:eyesmoke:
 
IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
greensister said:
As far at the path of least resistance goes, then the trickle should go to the LED in the switch of the surge protector first, then the incandescent light which is plugged in closest to the switch, then the fan which is next to it, then the CFLs.
I dont know much about a timer on a rated relay, thats why i purchased timers. They are both electronic.
Click to expand...
no, it wont. the path of least resistance will be through the ballast. a ballast has zero resistance at low voltage
 
O

oldpotter

Member
I've got acreage in the middle of nowhere and have a power shed. I need to get 120v 60 amp. to a covert grow op over 1000 feet away. can I run an underground single alum cable for 120v? place a grounding rod at the location and only need one wire? dont need 240v and need to bury the wire un-noticed with my backhoe. what size alum wire would I need for 1000feet @60 amps? you are awsome for helping everyone. thanks for any help you can offer.
oldpotter
 
IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
dont bury aluminum wire. it wont last.
but if you must know... to run 1000" underground you would need 500mcm aluminum to get 60 amps because of the voltage drop.
for copper, you could almost get away with 4/0, but really and truly you need 250mcm.
1000' is a long way to run wire underground as well... code says u need a box every 300' foot.

Voltage Drop Calculator

edit/note:
on the calculator it says enter one half the total distance of the circuit. the total distance of the circuit is the length of the hot + the length of the neutral, as current travels up one wire and returns on the other... since your running the cable 1000' foot, 1/2 the total length is 1000'....
 
P

pityrules

Member
PS Even if you have basic around the home electrical questions, shoot em my way.[/QUOTE]

Thank you kind person! I am an R.N., a property manager and a grower for personal use, and I definitely appreciate when others want to share their knowledge to reduce harm.

I think that you have inspired me to start my own thread offering assistance with medically related questions!
 
H

haze901

Member
hey guys i gotta wire up a 6m x 6m granny flat with 1x light circut, 1x power circut and a oven circut. the distance is 35 - 40m run from the msb, unsure what size cable to run here. i mean if i run 10mm sub mains to it it will be overkill but wont have any probs and will have room for expansion. i will have 2x 20a and a 10a circuit thats 50a there in circut rating and you prob wouldnt want to pull 50a out of a 6mm wire. but in reality the granny flat will not be drawing that much current. it will only have a handful of gpo's and a couple of lights and an oven. hot water and stove cook top are gas. what do you recommend? i am talking 240v Ac power here too.
 
L

Luv2Gro

Well-Known Member
hey pity, i have a 400w magnetic ballast... i was inspecting it and noticed the wires are a little brittle... is this normal since they obviously get hot being attached to and running next to the ballast?? i think i'm alrite but would like another opinion... anybody???
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
lostsoul420 said:
hey guys im looking to start a DIY solar panel system to support a 600watt light with accessories. Soil so no need for hydro plug ins.

Basically i need to know how many voltz i would need to support this size grow. Also what kind of batteries would i need to be charged up enough to support this amount of wattage useage.

+rep for viable information.

peace :leaf:
Click to expand...
600W? Get 3-4 times that of solar power. cloudy days, shorter winter days, latitude position on the planet, charger inefficiencies, inverter inefficiencies, etc. monocrysataline (sp) do better with watts per sq ft, but amorphous do better with shade.

Volts doesn't matter. the battery bank (is an off grid or back up system is used) the charger and inverter will do all of that.

as far as batteries..... a lot.
600W (plus the ballast overhead of 75w) so 675W for 12 hours
675 x 12 hours = 8100 watts
round up for issues and such to 10000watts
so for 12 hours of light... @ 12VDC batteries, that would be 12 batteries of a 70AH ratting. (and thats @ a full discharge)

(or any combo giving the 12x70AH)
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
greensister said:
As far at the path of least resistance goes, then the trickle should go to the LED in the switch of the surge protector first, then the incandescent light which is plugged in closest to the switch, then the fan which is next to it, then the CFLs.
I dont know much about a timer on a rated relay, thats why i purchased timers. They are both electronic.
Click to expand...
the surge suppressor light is most likely a neon bulb.

If the timer is electromechanical it should have a tiny click as the relay closes.
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Luv2Gro said:
i have an older 400w light with magnetic ballast... the wires on the ballast that connect the cap to starter to transformer are getting a little brittle... my question, is this something i need to be concerned about?? i mean there is obviously a lot of heat so it seems logical that insulation would turn hard over a period of time but just wanting to be safe rather than sorry.
Click to expand...
Replace it if ya can. a few layers of heat shrink tubing will do good too (leave the old crumbling stuff in place.)

Electrical tape is not a good choice. The insulation is that way because of heat and electrical tape will just 'ooze' and be a mess (oh how I hate electrical tape after a year)
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Happy to help (I'm no eletrician, but know my stuff, and know when I don't know it; aka: no ego)

I prefer a magnetic since they are fixable. Only 2 or 3 parts. Igniter and cap are cheap and the ballast (x-former) being the high dollar item.

As far as longevity, tough to say. Digitals are still new. High bay mag's can last years and years. Keeping then cool is going to be the key (look at the post about brittle insulation, that heat related)
If its running, let it do its thing.

wyteboi said:
5toned or bigballs (bubbz) , I am just a mere resi guy, i know nothing about motors, ballast or even high voltage. I can make a home safe and almost tell you why/how, but thats about it.
Thank you guys very much for helping out :clap: , i am sure at least one fire was prevented with this thread.

ok, do you guys think a magnetic ballast will outlast a digital or vice verca ? Also do you think the benefits of a digital ballast would make it worth getting? I have had magnetics for many years now without ever replacing one. Is there any reason to replace a 10 year old ballast? The amps and volts are still the same as the new one next to it?
Thanks,




wb:joint:
Click to expand...
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Get a second timer and run 1/2 on each. Stager the start by 2 minutes. its an inrush prob.

rome35 said:
Having Electrical issues

Running 6 1000 watts with the new Lumatek ballasts on 220 V through a timer with 6 guage wire going to a 50 amp breaker. Every day the 50 amp breaker pops at start up. Once I reset it, I never have a problem the rest of the cycle. My concern is that it pops on start up every time...like some type of surge. When i test the amperage after resetting the breaker it measures 27 amps. What is happening?
Click to expand...
 
IAm5toned

IAm5toned

Well-Known Member
I also prefer magnetic ballasts over digital.
heres why-
i have a 19 yr old magnetic ballast. it works just as good now as the day it was first installed.
it was used on a photo cell switch (on during dark hours) for 18 years, everyday.
for the past 14 months or so, it has been used for 24/7 mother lighting, except for 2-3 days when i moved last nov.
show me one digital ballast that will last that long with no issues.....
 
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