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Construct a 30 light sub-panel?
- Thread starter sourstorm
- Start date
if you look in the worms way catalogue you can buy a timer box that supports 16 1000watt lights but must be hard wired into panel. 2 of those outta do u just fine
ROFLMAO - You're going to cool 30,000 watts of lights with a 25,000btu a/c? Give me a break. You need to go back to the drawing board.
Seriously, your electric bill is going to run thousands of dollars every month. If you can't afford an electrician, you can't afford the power bill.
Installing a sub-panel is easy. Just run four wires from your main to the sub and install the breakers. Assuming your main panel is big enough to handle the anticipated load, installing the sub-panel simply isn't that expensive and there's no reason not to get it done by someone who knows what they are doing.
PC
Seriously, your electric bill is going to run thousands of dollars every month. If you can't afford an electrician, you can't afford the power bill.
Installing a sub-panel is easy. Just run four wires from your main to the sub and install the breakers. Assuming your main panel is big enough to handle the anticipated load, installing the sub-panel simply isn't that expensive and there's no reason not to get it done by someone who knows what they are doing.
PC
True that, 30KW would require, get this, 120K BTU of AC! Less if running air cooled lights plus CO2, but still WAAAAAy more than 25K btu. Good catch PharmaCan! Just the ACs alone would max out a 200a panel, homie better have at least 400a, preferably 800A service to pull off that wattage. Unless, hmm.
You doin flip flop rooms? That cuts things in half really.
You doin flip flop rooms? That cuts things in half really.
jordas
Member
It just like lazy said.....your gonna need 150 amps just for the lights and another 100 plus amps to run the ac equipt... by the time you add fans, blowers, timers, enviro control, pumps, etc... 400 amps is a good ball park guess and perhaps even more will be required. But if you are actually considering putting this together then by all means hire yourself a pro to do both the planning and all of the wiring!!
i hope your running this in the middle of nowhere on a very big gen.
E
Eminem
I have installed a couple sub panels, not hard. But I have to agree, if you are asking these vague type of questions, I dont think you are ready for this type of grow
BTW, I suggest two sub panels, rooms running flip flop. One panel runs all 120 items, other panel runs lights on 240
BTW, I suggest two sub panels, rooms running flip flop. One panel runs all 120 items, other panel runs lights on 240
Why don't you start by posting a photo of your main panel and a list of the gear you plan to use along with the amps the various stuff uses. Otherwise, your question is kinda like asking, "How long is a short rope?"
And you really do need to rethink the a/c aspect because the a/c unit(s) will use a lot of power and no one can tell you what you need sub-panel wise until you spec the job.
PC
C
Cheeb
Hey,
Easiest thing to do may be to grab a 24 light controller.
From your main panel you feed it with 120amps @ 240v. Your ballasts (240v) plug into the controller. All of the lights are then "triggered" on and off using a simple 120v trigger cable which you'd plug into a cheapy timer.
I also believe these units have dual trigger cables meaning you could split up the timing schedules "like" a flip flop but with 1 ballast per bulb (so not really a flip). Do two 12k rooms.
That'll take care of your lights..then just make sure you've got the cooling capacity.
Easiest thing to do may be to grab a 24 light controller.
From your main panel you feed it with 120amps @ 240v. Your ballasts (240v) plug into the controller. All of the lights are then "triggered" on and off using a simple 120v trigger cable which you'd plug into a cheapy timer.
I also believe these units have dual trigger cables meaning you could split up the timing schedules "like" a flip flop but with 1 ballast per bulb (so not really a flip). Do two 12k rooms.
That'll take care of your lights..then just make sure you've got the cooling capacity.
vancityj
Member
You're planning on running a two-room flip-flop, I assume; 15-KW's on at one time. This will be about 70-amps at 240V, with your AC being about 30-amps at 240V. Then there will be auxillary fans, inline/s, dehumidifier (7-amps @ 120V), for another 15-amps @ 120V. You're looking at about 115-amps of load; with a continuous load limit of 80%, your needs would be about 144-amps. If you have a 200-amp main service, you'll be fine. As far as the AC goes, a 5-ton, 60,000btu, split two-piece air-cooled, or, a one-piece water-cooled...nice units if you don't have metered water; check out the Thermoplus KAC-060V or Florida Heat Pump FHP-EM060, both around $3500'ish. You'll need two of everything; two burner's (ten, or larger) and a dual-zone CO2 controller, two dehum's, two charcoal scrubbers with inlines. As far as the AC, either buy two of them, or, buy/build a dual-zone motorized damper package like this:
http://www.valleyindoor.com/product.php?productid=801&cat=51&page=1
As someone has stated, assuming that you're paying for the power and not double-feeding before the meter to feed your 240V sub-panel (disclaimer: power theft is a crime, keep in mind), your bills will be $1500+/-, per month.
http://www.valleyindoor.com/product.php?productid=801&cat=51&page=1
As someone has stated, assuming that you're paying for the power and not double-feeding before the meter to feed your 240V sub-panel (disclaimer: power theft is a crime, keep in mind), your bills will be $1500+/-, per month.
You're better to get a sparky to build a panel for you, CAP lighting controllers are crap from what I've heard. The contactors tend to hum every so often, probably some cheap contactors. Plus if you total 4 x 1000W ballasts @ 240 the amperage is 4 x 4.5 = 18A on a 20A breaker, that's not good, then there's a surge, probably over 20A total. You should not load breakers with more than 75-80% rated load. I can build you a skookum panel that will be more reliable and functional than anything you'll find OTS.
Best Regards
sparky101
C
Cheeb
What happens when a contactor craps out?
I have a 16 site MLC from CAP and now you've got me worried. I also have a friend with an 8 light unit..(he only runs 3k on it right now however).
I'm running 9 600w @ 240v on the 16 site..and havnt experienced any issues with it. Its a little loud when the relay flips everything on, but other then that its pretty silent.
Should a "cheap" contactor fail..what happens? risk of fire..or just an unoperable unit?
thanks
I have a 16 site MLC from CAP and now you've got me worried. I also have a friend with an 8 light unit..(he only runs 3k on it right now however).
I'm running 9 600w @ 240v on the 16 site..and havnt experienced any issues with it. Its a little loud when the relay flips everything on, but other then that its pretty silent.
Should a "cheap" contactor fail..what happens? risk of fire..or just an unoperable unit?
thanks
almostoverit
Member
wow, are you on commercial? Costs me 18-31c a kwh. fkn thieves...
apartmentblower
Member
what does "double feeding" mean? I dont want you to tell me how to do it becuase thats illegal but i just want to know what the term means.... so i can hang with the gangsters you know. just kidding but yah i just wanna know what it means.
