URGENT: My setup on 15 amps, what to do?!?

psychadelibud

psychadelibud

Well-Known Member
Hey guys right now in a single bedroom I have a 4x4 grew tent on one side of room running a 600 watt hps, a digital ballist, 440cfm inline fan and on other side of room i have my veg room running an oscilating fan and 6 flouro bulbs just the basic light fixtures from lowes.

I also have another separate tent that I was going to add which is exactly as the other tent, exact same components. Im ready for setup but was flipping breakers earlier and all of the outlets in the room are on the same 15 amp circut. Is this too much to run on one circut if i install the second tent on same circut? Now what I did figure when flipping breaker, the bathroom right beside the bedroom is on a different 15 amp circut. Im no electrician on any means at all, but i figure my only option would be too run an extension cord from the bathroom into the grow area. Its just so dam close, is there another way I could go about rigging this up? I will do it if no other option just don't want a cord hanging out thru the hall. Please help me asap because i have clones ready to be put into flower.
 
Pretty sure 1440 watts is 80 percent load on a 15 amp breaker.
so add your stuff up, you may need to pull some power from another breaker.
 
15 (amps) x 120 (volts) x .8 (80%) = 1440 max watts.

Soo... let's say 600w max draw from the HPS, 440cfm inline at full speed something like 150w, 500w random stuff... = ~1400w. So just ballparking, I'd guess that breaker is working as intended and shouldn't have anything additional added. No way you could double what's currently on it.

You would have to run a heavier gauge wire from your breaker box for that circuit if you are DIY-minded and comfortable working with electric stuff (I personally am not) which could be a big project. You can not just throw on a bigger breaker for that circuit without doing so (big fire hazard).

I'll caution you about running an extension cord that's going to be drawing that many amps as well (can be a big fire hazard also). Don't cheap out on the one you might use and make sure it is a heavy-duty one that states a rating for over 15 amps.
 
Good god, if you use an extension cord, get at least a 12 gauge, you'll find anything lighter than this will get very warm to the touch and its a fire hazard.
 
Pay an electrician to upgrade your breaker to 30 amps... If you have one you trust or that can be recommended by someone you really trust. It's a bit of work, replacing the breaker is easy but the cables and conductors will most likely have to be replaced as well and running cables is a bitch, unless you know what you're doing.
 
Listen.....I am licensed master electrician since 2002.....do not listen to anybody here except the ones that said "get an electrician". Simple. What you need is a new circuit or two......you can run two three or four as easy as one circuit so get what ya need.....run up in there from your main breaker box.
You know, the reason why I do not like the idea of an extension is that an extension cord is only as good as its weakest connection or point. Since you do not have a twist lock NEMA plug in there then the weakest point would be where your extension cord is plugged into the receptacle or where anything is plugged into the extension cord female end. Now also something you all do not consider is that your houses were more then likely wired by a method known as speed wiring or stab locking. The wires are connected by stabbing them into the back of the receptacle which leads to a very bad connection over time. This reduces its efficiency even more.
I would have my electrician come and run my circuits where you want them and then go around the room and replace the receptacles and wire nut all wires together in box ....ie.....hots to hots neutrals to neutrals grounds to grounds and then pig tail them to the device. This will greatly reduce any chances of something bad happening in the future.
That is not entirely necessary but I would recommend it for sure if it were my house. And after all you just said it is your room and you sleep in there right?
Hope this helps....
W1
 
Is there is a receptical in the bathroom wall that is the same wall as the bedroom grow? If so poke hole through wall and stick a receptical in bedroom off the bathroom box.
 
Do they make a device that will allow you to use more than what you normally could on a 15 amp? like a converter box or something? im sure they would be expensive but that's okay with me, def be worth it.
 
Here the easiest way to do this and the cheapest. ONLY run your two 600w lights on the outlets in your room. Nothing else. If u want you could run two 1000w light just only run flower cycles for 11.45 hours without overlapping the lights. Run an extension cord from the bathroom and get you a good powerstrip and run everything else to that and make sure u stay within your wattage and get a good extension cord.
 
psychadelibud said:
what about this? http://www.amazon.com/Furman-ADP-1520-Adapter-Cord-Socket/product-reviews/B0002GXPF4
Click to expand...

This would not help. You can run a 600HPS digital on any 15A circuit no problemo, but if you are going to run a pair you have to limit that circuit to the HPS only as the other poster said. The fans and fluoros are pushing it over the edge. You can (and should imo) switch to LED for vegging but big fans are a problem. Is there a basement under your room? If so that is your best bet. Run a dedicated circuit right from the breaker box.
 
Truckstop13 said:
Pay an electrician to upgrade your breaker to 30 amps... If you have one you trust or that can be recommended by someone you really trust. It's a bit of work, replacing the breaker is easy but the cables and conductors will most likely have to be replaced as well and running cables is a bitch, unless you know what you're doing.
Click to expand...

If the entire circuit is wired with 12 gauge, you could bump the breaker up to 20A and upgrade the outlets. That would be easy and cheap but you would still be pushing the circuit hard and for extended time.

OP, Can you run your tents in a flip flop timing? That would reduce heat too but youd have to listen to the fan 24/7.
 
Can't do anything in a basement because i live in a single wide mobile home. Very good idea about running them in different flips and the fan would be okay, i run it 24/7 anyways to keep the air scrubbed. Problem is with that when lights are on Im always working on and off with my plants and Im afraid of light leaks in the separate tent. Almost all tents will have multiple pinpoint holes and i dont wanna deal with hermies.
 
psychadelibud said:
Do they make a device that will allow you to use more than what you normally could on a 15 amp? like a converter box or something? im sure they would be expensive but that's okay with me, def be worth it.
Click to expand...


not to be the buzzkill here but this post strongly indicates that you have absolutely no idea how the electricity running through your mobile home works and need to find an electrician. greed can kill you.
 
do what the nice man tells you.

Wicked1 said:
Listen.....I am licensed master electrician since 2002.....do not listen to anybody here except the ones that said "get an electrician". Simple. What you need is a new circuit or two......you can run two three or four as easy as one circuit so get what ya need.....run up in there from your main breaker box.
You know, the reason why I do not like the idea of an extension is that an extension cord is only as good as its weakest connection or point. Since you do not have a twist lock NEMA plug in there then the weakest point would be where your extension cord is plugged into the receptacle or where anything is plugged into the extension cord female end. Now also something you all do not consider is that your houses were more then likely wired by a method known as speed wiring or stab locking. The wires are connected by stabbing them into the back of the receptacle which leads to a very bad connection over time. This reduces its efficiency even more.
I would have my electrician come and run my circuits where you want them and then go around the room and replace the receptacles and wire nut all wires together in box ....ie.....hots to hots neutrals to neutrals grounds to grounds and then pig tail them to the device. This will greatly reduce any chances of something bad happening in the future.
That is not entirely necessary but I would recommend it for sure if it were my house. And after all you just said it is your room and you sleep in there right?
Hope this helps....
W1
Click to expand...
 
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