so i dont have my power set up yet. i am running (3) dual 600wat hps ballasts 24 hours a day.. but they are cool to the touch because of a fan running over them.. they are pulling 1200watts each through their cord.. the cord is a heavy duty $50 cord.. 100ft. 1875watts capacity, 14guage blah blah.. its grounded.. undamaged, basically new.. the house is 8 years old. if that.. the outlet is extremely hot (as well as the plug on the cord) and the outlet is turning a burn cookie color around the slots.. its not too hot to touch, but its hot.. should i put a fan on it? it is also doing this to another outlet upstairs with a smaller yet just as capable extension cord.. the third is plugged into an outlet right there with no burning.. no extension cord.. but the one in the bathroom didn't have an extension cord in the beging but it still burned.. what do you guys think??? they work fine.. i know my amps and i am leaving 4 amps out of 15amps on all three outlets.. any advice please.. and btw, this is temporary..
-
As of today ICMag has his own Discord server. In this Discord server you can chat, talk with eachother, listen to music, share stories and pictures...and much more. Join now and let's grow together! Join ICMag Discord here! More details in this thread here: here.
extension cord extremely hot.. burning outlet!???
- Thread starter Frozenguy
- Start date
G
Guest
pull off the reseptical and wire nut that bitch lol....when ever there is a break which a plug is....when you are pulling power that break will heat up
ScubaSteve
Member
your trying to run too much off that one cord. Try splitting the lights between different outlets and cords.
you say they are running 1200watts each and your cord is rated at 1875watts? you do the math.
you say they are running 1200watts each and your cord is rated at 1875watts? you do the math.
G
Guest
the cord is not hot only the connection...correct?
You need a larger extension cord since you're running a 100' cord...either that or get a much shorter extension cord if it'll fit.
G
Guest
the elcticity will heat up ware there is not a solid connection.....or break if you will
G
Guest
when you pull voltage thru a long run (cord) you get what is known as voltage drop, which in turn lowers the amps you can pull of a circuit.you should also never go over 80% of the circuit rated capacity. which is 12 amps on a 15 amp circuit. your drawing a little over 10 amps with just the lights. go w/ a bigger cord w/ a shorter run.the wire is getting hot do to the resistance on the circuit.
G
Guest
that's why there are always electrical fires. fuckin extension cords make us all look bad!
G
Guest
i still think his cord is not hot only ware it plugs in...but he has not answered
G
Guest
maybe the device is worn out? change the plug. just shut the power off first if you don't know what you're doing. but he should still get rid of the cords.
the cord is not hot.. only the connection. the wall plate and the plug.. and when i say extremely hot, i mean too hot for me to be comfortable with.. thats why i posted.. i can touch it.. i could lick it.. i wouldn't be affraid of a baby touching it.. well i dont think atleast.. i dont have one lol..
its a dual 600watt balast so i cant split it up.. unfortunaly all the power TO the ballast is in one cord where as the power TO the lights is split up.. well obviously..
i see what everyone means about the specs.. i'll get a 50ft for now but that is the shortest i can go.. repeat.. the cord is NOT hot.. and the breaker only broke once when my gf tried to run the vacume cleaner off of it.. boy was she pissed
lol
its a dual 600watt balast so i cant split it up.. unfortunaly all the power TO the ballast is in one cord where as the power TO the lights is split up.. well obviously..
i see what everyone means about the specs.. i'll get a 50ft for now but that is the shortest i can go.. repeat.. the cord is NOT hot.. and the breaker only broke once when my gf tried to run the vacume cleaner off of it.. boy was she pissed
lol
G
Guest
wire nut or have a fire....you can get a short cord.. or new..its not going to help if pulling that much power should be hardwired...fuck the receptical....but now watch the breaker for heat
so you are saying to take out the receptical, get a shorter cord, cut off the plug and hardwire it into the wall?? can i do that???????? i know its heat ya ya, but this is what causes fires? i'd be surprised if a new expensive extension cord would cause a fire if i am well within its uses.. i understand they dont actually expect people to use it for 24/7.. but for maybe another couple days???
and this is an important question to make this as temp as possible.. my breaker box is made by challenger.. home depot said that cutler/hammer will do.. there is a CH type breaker i guess?? what specs do i compare to make sure i can put a breaker into my box?? cause once i figure that out, i just gotta run some wire..
and this is an important question to make this as temp as possible.. my breaker box is made by challenger.. home depot said that cutler/hammer will do.. there is a CH type breaker i guess?? what specs do i compare to make sure i can put a breaker into my box?? cause once i figure that out, i just gotta run some wire..
G
Guest
this thread cant be right.....1875w and your only supposed to use 80% of that...
and your running 6x600w or 3x2x600=3600w ?? no way?? wouldnt the breaker jump?
and your running 6x600w or 3x2x600=3600w ?? no way?? wouldnt the breaker jump?
yeah.. wow i wrote that so fast that i just realized that i was jumping all over the place..
EACH BALLAST HAS ITS OWN DEDICATED OUTLET.. the outlets are the existing outlets in the house.. but they are seperate breakers.. i have THREE ballasts.. each ballast contains TWO 600watt ballasts. each MAIN ballast has one cord for power. two out of the three 15amp outlets are browning around the slots. no cords are hot.. just the plugs and that is on the 100ft extensino cord.. the 5 ft extension cord is not really that hot on the plug.. just warm..
hopefully that clears some stuff up
EACH BALLAST HAS ITS OWN DEDICATED OUTLET.. the outlets are the existing outlets in the house.. but they are seperate breakers.. i have THREE ballasts.. each ballast contains TWO 600watt ballasts. each MAIN ballast has one cord for power. two out of the three 15amp outlets are browning around the slots. no cords are hot.. just the plugs and that is on the 100ft extensino cord.. the 5 ft extension cord is not really that hot on the plug.. just warm..
hopefully that clears some stuff up
G
Guest
Frozen, Your pulling a lot of juice thru the outlets. If they look discolored , they are worn out. Consider replacing them soon !
if you want any piece of mind you have a professional electrician set you up proper. Are you sure each circuit is dedicated? 1200x2 is 2400 which might be enough to cause browning but not trip a breaker. You might have incorrect mapping of your home's electricity. I have heard of wires having knots and arc'ing maybe even 2 cruicuits located too close to one another. any professional electricians here? you might want to search the internet for information on this topic... im sure there's lots of needs to upgrade home electricity http://www.doityourself.com/scat/basicelectric
oh and long extension cords might be tthe reason if its only occurring on your 100ft line. you need to run a dedicated setup from your main box then everything is easier and safer and no funky extension cords around the house. you bought all the other expensive essential equipment you might as well invest in a professional elecrical setup. I bet you could do all sorts of things with a professional setup like flipflop and 240v special breakers and who knows what else.
oh and long extension cords might be tthe reason if its only occurring on your 100ft line. you need to run a dedicated setup from your main box then everything is easier and safer and no funky extension cords around the house. you bought all the other expensive essential equipment you might as well invest in a professional elecrical setup. I bet you could do all sorts of things with a professional setup like flipflop and 240v special breakers and who knows what else.
Last edited:
Buzzsmirk!
Active member
u need to get ur wiring PROPER
u need to get ur wiring PROPER
I read this entire thread and "frozenguy" is operating on "borrowed time".
the cord end being hot at the recepticle is the result of a "low resistance open " the brass blades on your cord arent getting a tight connection in your
recepticle. this is almost always a recipe for heat if your load is considerable.
the thread reads like "frozenguy" is using extension cords all over his place to run his grow in one place.
the cure for this is to run a service panel to the grow area and distribute the
load from that new panel. I am goin to assume "frozenguy" is not an electrician and NEEDS to hire an electrician to do this for him. the complex side is he already has a grow goin on in his place, this fact complicates the
matter cuzz the electrician doent need or (wants) to know about the grow.
a good pluaseable cover story is in order.
with a grow that large (3600watts) goin on the electrical shortcomings should have been dealt with from the beginning.
I am in the "trade" and "frozenguy" is very lucky to have not had a fire by now IMHO. extension cords runnin all over the house is also a reason to worry. that hopt recep should be changed out reagrdless of the other fixes i suggested. there is also a power dist product on the market from a lighting manufacturer that is a distribution box for a grow of his size that runs of the homes range/stove outlet. If he gets that he just need to plug it in and run it into his grow room/area problem(s) SOLVED!!! its gonna run hiam about 500 to 1000 bucks to buy the unit though. small price in the big picture of it all.
BUZZ!
u need to get ur wiring PROPER
I read this entire thread and "frozenguy" is operating on "borrowed time".
the cord end being hot at the recepticle is the result of a "low resistance open " the brass blades on your cord arent getting a tight connection in your
recepticle. this is almost always a recipe for heat if your load is considerable.
the thread reads like "frozenguy" is using extension cords all over his place to run his grow in one place.
the cure for this is to run a service panel to the grow area and distribute the
load from that new panel. I am goin to assume "frozenguy" is not an electrician and NEEDS to hire an electrician to do this for him. the complex side is he already has a grow goin on in his place, this fact complicates the
matter cuzz the electrician doent need or (wants) to know about the grow.
a good pluaseable cover story is in order.
with a grow that large (3600watts) goin on the electrical shortcomings should have been dealt with from the beginning.
I am in the "trade" and "frozenguy" is very lucky to have not had a fire by now IMHO. extension cords runnin all over the house is also a reason to worry. that hopt recep should be changed out reagrdless of the other fixes i suggested. there is also a power dist product on the market from a lighting manufacturer that is a distribution box for a grow of his size that runs of the homes range/stove outlet. If he gets that he just need to plug it in and run it into his grow room/area problem(s) SOLVED!!! its gonna run hiam about 500 to 1000 bucks to buy the unit though. small price in the big picture of it all.
BUZZ!
Last edited:
G
Guest
Man home depot guys should keep their mouths shut tight sometimes lol,a cutler hammer breaker will not fit a challenger panel,thats ludicrous lol.Nothing interchanges with cutler hammer,period.Get a shorter larger cord and a new 120V 20A receptacle
