Setting up a new room 7`x14`

Renfro

Well-Known Member
another question maybe you can help clarify for me.

The drivers i am using are these
https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/HLG-480H-48A/1866-2551-ND/7704116

That controller i just listed states " 20 Amps/240 Volts/60Hz./4000 Watts"

Whats the math on figuring out how much amperage the drivers/lights will be using and does the "20 amps" the controller states, does this mean thats what it can handle?

i hope those questions made sense.
I read the manual for the Helios 11. It takes a 30 amp breaker so you can run 20 amps without problem. It could probably handle up to 24 amps total before the breaker trips.

Amps x Volts = Watts
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
From what I gather thats just a timer for CO2, it won't actually read what the CO2 levels are so you are just guessing based on variables like room volume and CO2 regulator setting.
Ok not what I'm looking for at all lol. It seemed cheaper than the others, I guess that's why.
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
I read the manual for the Helios 11. It takes a 30 amp breaker so you can run 20 amps without problem. It could probably handle up to 24 amps total before the breaker trips.

Amps x Volts = Watts
So that driver says 10a and 48v = 480watts

Does this mean 3 drivers will be using up 30 amps? For some reason that don't seem right.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
480 watts / 240 Volts = 2 Amps Input. Of course nothing is 100% efficient so it probably draws a tiny bit more than 2 amps.
 

TintEastwood

Well-Known Member

diggs99

Well-Known Member
Something else to consider is the hit on your electrical circuit(s) when any combination of lights and other equipment are powered on simultaneously.
Ya thats kinda what got me thinking about amperage.

Wondering just how much juice these drivers suck up from the panel.

thanks @Renfro i obv had the numbers all mixed up lol...that makes much more sense
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
Correct me if wrong. I understand many running high wattage run separate timers / light switch boxes. My terminology is probably off. Lol

(my hades 2 is a combined unit, timer and light relays)

This Titan is an example...
https://www.amazon.com/Titan-Controls-4-Light-Controller-240V/dp/B00WBZZUW0/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=light+controller&qid=1558322885&s=gateway&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1


Like Renfro, I own several Inkbirds. Happy with them. They even have a new wifi model.
Yep i looked at the spartan series, will take another look

the inkbirds are def on the cheaper side, havent seen many complaints or bad reviews tho.
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
Let me see if i got this right guys, bare with me lol

3 x 480w drivers @ 120v would be 12 amps correct? So they could safely run on a 120v timer, plugged into one of my normal plugins i already have? am I on the right track here? Do i need to worry about overload hit when it all turns on?

I have another separate plugin on a different line that i can use for my environment controller,exhaust fan, humidifier, osc fans etc.

Will this work fine? or is there other reasons i should opt for the 240v versions of everything and wire my panel accordingly?
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
Let me see if i got this right guys, bare with me lol

3 x 480w drivers @ 120v would be 12 amps correct? So they could safely run on a 120v timer, plugged into one of my normal plugins i already have?
That will work if the breaker doesn't trip. Thing is that 12 amps is right at the 80% on a 15 amp breaker.
 

Renfro

Well-Known Member
If your 120 volt feed is a 20 amp then you are set.

If your breaker panel is in an area that can get hot (like mine is in a garage) then a breaker can trip easier in hot weather. So in cool weather you may get away running right at the limit, hot weather it might start tripping, messing with your light cycle.
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
My panel is in the basement, in the room next to my grow room. Room temp in there is prob around 72-74 in summer.

I notice my panel has some that are double 20s and others that are single 15s, can a single 15a be switched for a single 20amp? are they even a thing? lol

when you say 120v feed, are you referring to the 120v light timer being 20amp?

Slowly getting my head around all this electrical stuff


side note away from electrical: should i put anything on the ceilings? wrapping walls with panda film and gonna throw down some vinyl on the floor, or just paint it. not sure if i should cover ceiling too?
 

Apalchen

Well-Known Member
Covering the ceiling is a pain but I do it to try to seal some smell into the room. I wouldn’t recommend just switching out the 15 amp breaker with a 20 amp breaker as the wire used I’m sure was rated for 15 amps. What you could do is switch it out with a cheater breaker also called a tandem breaker. It fits the same spot as your single 15 amp breaker but adds an extra circuit. You could replace the breaker in the box now with one(as long as your box allows it in that spot some boxes only allow them in certain spots) you would just disconnect the hot wire from the breaker your taking out and put it back on one of the two spots available on the new breaker. The other spot would then be open so you take one wire the color you want want to be hot most people use the black one and hook it to the breaker and hook the other two wires to your ground bar in the box. You then run this out to your new outlet.

Problem solved you now should have 2 15 amp breakers and you can safely divide up your load.
 

Apalchen

Well-Known Member
Also yes they make single 20 amp breakers but I think the option I posted above is a better option as it give you a little more room for more load for fans or whatever else.
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
Ok thats good to know, when my electrician stops by ill have him do this for me when he does the other stuff i need done.
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
What do you guys think of running a small 4" fan for intake from outside? ill be exhausting heat out through the exterior wall up high, you think i could/should place a fan down low and pull some fresh air in the room, maybe run some flex hose and have it at the opposite end of the room to where the exhaust fan and filter will be pulling from?

does the same cfm equation apply? or does it not matter if its just for intake?
 

Roger A. Shrubber

Well-Known Member
depends on the ambient temperatures outside. if its getting pretty warm, it won't be much help. better to pull in the ac cooled air from the rest of your house if that's the case.
those tables of cfm numbers are a guideline. the real test is do you smell anything in your house? if so, you may need to run your fan a little harder, or you may need a larger filter
you'll need a filter if you do run an outside intake fan, or you'll get a ton of dust and bugs
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
depends on the ambient temperatures outside. if its getting pretty warm, it won't be much help. better to pull in the ac cooled air from the rest of your house if that's the case.
those tables of cfm numbers are a guideline. the real test is do you smell anything in your house? if so, you may need to run your fan a little harder, or you may need a larger filter
you'll need a filter if you do run an outside intake fan, or you'll get a ton of dust and bugs
Thanks Roger

Smell isnt a concern, this is all about getting fresh air into the room. I plan to run my lights during the night, so ambient should be cooler. I will def filter it somehow to keep dust and bugs out. I dont think heat is gonna be an issue either to be honest. I have good exhaust and will be using LED strips for lighting. According to most, higher ambient temps are ideal for LED grows.

I wont have ac in the house until later this summer unfortunately, so looking to keep things under control until this. Same with Co2, hopefully by late summer/fall ill be all setup for both.
 

diggs99

Well-Known Member
well heres a rough sketch of what ive come up with so far

its designed for drip and drain to waste for this run. once the coco girls are done ill switch the tables to ebb and flow

please tell if any looks dumb or can be done better, always open to suggestions on ways of doing things betterroom sketch.png
 
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