Growroom Electricity and Wiring

[rives]

When you remove the double-pole breaker, it is going to open up two slots. You can replace it with two single-pole breakers and leave one as a spare, or use a special plug that is made to fill the gap properly. You can just use a conventional 15 amp breaker of a compatible brand, nothing special about it.

Your technique for changing the breaker is fine, but personally I would put the breaker into the panel first before inserting the black wire and tightening the lug. Just make sure that the breaker is turned off, or even better, kill the main to the panel if you can. I find that it is easier to tighten the lug properly if the breaker is installed in the panel rather than trying to do it in my hand, but either method will work. The white and the bare copper wires do not need to be touched.

 

[InnocenTurd]

I didn't realize I could replace it with a conventional single-slot breaker. I thought there was a "special" breaker that I needed to buy. Guess not!!! I know my questions are very rudimentary; however, when you're learning new things, you gotta start somewhere. I don't need much electricity, just enough for my two lights. Please remember that you saved me money and saved my life simultaneously! please have a great holiday season and a happy new year. Thank you! This is the most help anyone has given me without a bill attached.

 

[InnocenTurd]

Just installed my new 15 amp breaker this morning. its wasn't hard at all, just scary! lol. thanks again Rives!

 

[rives]

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[Wise]

I am installing a 50 amp breaker using 6-2 gauge wire. My wire has a hot, neutral and a ground.

I am replacing a 240v 30amp breaker that had two wires going to the breaker and one to the ground panel. So this is where my confusion started. I'm assuming the difference is that it was a 240v? I took all that out....

So my question is where should I wire each one of the wires to on this 120v configuration? My guess is that the hot wire to the breaker and the neutral & ground go to the ground bar? It's no different than wiring a 20amp? Please ease my mind so I can finally get this done.

Thank you.

 

[rives]

I am installing a 50 amp breaker using 6-2 gauge wire. My wire has a hot, neutral and a ground.

I am replacing a 240v 30amp breaker that had two wires going to the breaker and one to the ground panel. So this is where my confusion started. I'm assuming the difference is that it was a 240v? I took all that out....

So my question is where should I wire each one of the wires to on this 120v configuration? My guess is that the hot wire to the breaker and the neutral & ground go to the ground bar? It's no different than wiring a 20amp? Please ease my mind so I can finally get this done.

Thank you.

Let's start by making sure I'm clear on what you want. From what I understand, you want to install a 50 amp, 120 volt circuit. You have a black, white, and a bare wire in your 6/2 cable.

The double-pole breaker feeding the old wire had two hot legs for 240, as you thought. You have the right idea with the hookup - the black goes onto the breaker, but the other two can change based on whether or not this is a main or a sub-panel. In a main, the white and the bare wires can go on the same buss. If there are two busses (separate ones for the ground and the neutral), they are tied together at some point. If this is a sub-panel, they should each have their own buss, and they are only connected at the main panel.

Yes, it will be the same as wiring a 20 amp circuit, just larger components.

 

[MagicChef]

Here's one everyone needs to know,stay the fuck away from GFCI breakers!!Unless you want to be resetting them several times a day.When I am forced to use a circuit protected by a GFCI breaker on the job,I cut the "squiggle" line right off.Fuck those pieces of shit.I'm not big on GFI receptacles either unless you're growing in a couple inches of water lol

LOL Are you growing with HID lighting?

 

[Tyga]

Hoping that one of the more experienced members in this thread could help me out real quick... (rives,madpenguin,electrician). The current place where I'm growing I'm running 600,400W HPS, 4ft 4lamp t5, and a 6in inline so my load is abut 1350W give or take on this 15 amp circuit. A little more than I'm comfortable with, but I was wondering If I would be able to drill a whole threw my wall into another bedroom that sits parallel to my grow thats on a separate 15A circuit and run the proper gauge extension cord threw the wall. literally would only be about 5ft so I would find the smallest extension cord I could in length plus over size the wire just in case. Would this be safe?
I'm familiar with basic wiring but this house is still rocking K&T and me being on the 2nd floor makes any wiring I would have to get done very difficult...

 

[Tyga]

Landlord is aware of the grow and does not mind too much... but I feel if I start calling in electricians It might push his buttons.. which i'de rather not do. You guys think that would be safe? I know I read earlier in the thread that you guys would never run a grow "op" on K&T but since mine is one the smaller scale I want the advice of the pro's.
Keep in mind that with my current set-up on the 15A circuit I've never tripped the breaker once. So I'm hoping the circuit is okay and the breaker isn't faulty..

 

[rives]

It is against code to run an extension cord through holes in the wall like you are describing. That being said, if you used a cord with a heavy jacket and took precautions to protect the cord from being abraded where it was going through the wall, it wouldn't necessarily be a bad option (do I have enough weasel words in here?).

A far better option would be to use "cut-in" boxes that are designed for a remodel where you just want to cut a hole in the wall rather than tear the wall apart. You cut a hole that the box will just fit through, and either a spring clip or rotating clamps will hold it in place. If you could get into the same area of the wall as the receptacle in the other room (between the same studs), you would be able to daisy-chain off of the existing socket wiring into your new box and have a safe, concealed and code-compliant installation.

 

[Tyga]

I'm just not sure how i would go about feeding the wire from the panel in the basement up to the second floor. I wouldnt imagine there is just in open cavity in the wall where i could drop a string with a weight amd expect it to fall all the way down into the basement.. if thats what your sort of suggesting. But if that is likley to work then that would be really easy to run my new circuit.

 

[rives]

I'm just not sure how i would go about feeding the wire from the panel in the basement up to the second floor. I wouldnt imagine there is just in open cavity in the wall where i could drop a string with a weight amd expect it to fall all the way down into the basement.. if thats what your sort of suggesting. But if that is likley to work then that would be really easy to run my new circuit.

No, what I am talking about is to pull the out the receptacle that you want to hook up to (in the other room, on the other side of the wall and on a different circuit). You would then fish a wire from this existing box over to the "cut-in" box that you are going to use for your new receptacle in the grow room. You leave the cut-in box out and work through the hole that you have cut for it in order to fish the wire over that was fed in through the other box. You then insert the wire into the new box, push the box into the hole and tighten up the clamps that will put pressure on the inside of the wall, clamping it against the flange on the front surface of the box.

You can install the boxes nearly back-to-back after carefully measuring - they need to be offset a bit because the wall isn't deep enough for them if they hit one another. This is very easy to do if both boxes can go into the same wall cavity, and is pretty difficult if you can't get into the same pocket between the studs. Of course, this should all be done with the power off to the circuits in the two rooms so that you don't light yourself up accidentally.

 

[Tyga]

Okay thanks a lot man, it sucks that my apartment is still wired with K&T and on the second floor... I could imagine the fun I would have if I owned a house with Romex.
So pretty much saying by code If I wanted to run the extension cord threw the wall to stay up with code I would just need to run it threw a piece of conduit?

 

[rives]

Conduit with cord grips on the ends so the cord won't get cut by the raw ends of the conduit would probably keep the cord safe, but the use of a cord in your application is against code. The NEC really discourages the use of cords over a locally-placed receptacle, but sometimes reality gets in the way! The link at the end mentions that they aren't to be used unattended, etc, etc.

NEC Rules -
The National Electrical Code contains some rules for using extension cords. Some of the rules state that extension cords are not permitted to be used:
• As a substitute for the fixed wiring of a structure;
• Where run through holes in walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors;
• Where run through doorways, windows, or similar openings;
• Where concealed behind building walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors.

A bit more information can be found here: http://www.casemore.com/Extension_Cords.html

 

[SKUNK420]

extending a 240 volt line?

extending a 240 volt line?

I got a friend who wants me to wire up a 240v panel for two 600w ballasts (2.85amps @ 240v) & 6" vortex fan (1.2amps @ 120v). The room shares a wall with the garage. There is a 240 volt receptacle on the opposite side of the wall in the garage that is wired to a 70amp breaker at the main panel.

The question is can I remove the 240v receptacle and then extend the line using a junction box along with proper sized wire or do I have to make a new run from the main panel? Is this type of thing allowed by code? Nobody is going to inspect it but following code keeps you safe.

The extension will be about 15 to 20ft. Only the ballasts and fan will be on the circuit, that is if the 240v receptacle has 4 wire conductor in it for 120/240 operation. If it only has 3 wires then the only the ballasts will be on the circuit. I estimate the total load to be around 6.3 amps @ 240v.

I also thought about just adding a 240v plug to the feed wire going to the subpanel and then plugging it into the 240v receptacle.

 

[rives]

You can splice the wire and continue as long as it is done properly. The connection needs to be made in a box (preferably metal so that it can be grounded) that is set so that the splices will continue to be accessible and not hidden in the wall. You could do the splices with split-bolts or lugs and carefully tape them - I usually use a few layers of varnished cambric under electrical tape.

The idea of installing a cord on the sub and doing it that way is very similar to some of the commercial offerings available for this. You could feed it with a range cable, but the circuit breaker feeding the receptacle would probably have to be changed - most range cables are rated at either 40 or 50 amps and would need to be protected accordingly.

 

[SKUNK420]

thanks rives for the info.

I just talked with the guy and now there a new problem.

He wants to keep the 240v receptacle for his true 5hp 80 gallon air compressor.
So I now know making the splice is not a problem but now I there is a problem with protecting the wire feeding the subpanel. The subpanel only needs 20amps @ 240v which would be #12 wire but the 70 amp breaker is way to high to protect #12 wire.

I'm thinking I'll have to now remove the 240v receptacle and wire up the subpanel where the receptacle is currently and have a 70 amp circuit for the air compressor and a 20 amp circuit for the 240v intermatic timer that will power the lights.

Of course both cannot be used at the same time unless his air compressor doesn't really need a full 70amps and when it kicks on doesn't cause a power spike or drop that messes with the ballasts.

Too much fun.

 

[Derka]

What would cause the wall socket and power cord of a ballast to heat up? a problem with the ballast or a load issue?

15 amp circuit, 400 watt ballast, multiple gaming rig computers, monitors, and a tv.

 

[rives]

What would cause the wall socket and power cord of a ballast to heat up? a problem with the ballast or a load issue?

15 amp circuit, 400 watt ballast, multiple gaming rig computers, monitors, and a tv.

Sounds like you are possibly pushing it on the load. If you have over a 12 amp draw, it's too much for a continuous load on a 15 amp circuit. The other possibility is that the receptacle is worn out - inadequate spring tension on the contacts will cause cheap receptacles or old ones to heat up.

 

[smoke_tayo]

rewiring 50 amp breaker?

rewiring 50 amp breaker?

the space i'm in currently has a 240 50 amp service coming into it. i thought it was perfect for my 8 light controller. however, the gauge of wire being used is 11. so given the gauge, i only really have around max 4000 watts to use even if the breaker is 50 amps? correct?

i realize i need to replace the wire with gauge 6 or 8 at least if i want to draw more power. the problem is i do not have access to the main breaker switch. i have access to the 50 amp breaker and the rest of the breakers in the space, but i do not have access to the central breaker and therefore cannot kill all power.

is there a way to rewire without turning off central breaker safely? i know you can extend the circuit, splicing two wires together, by just turning off the breaker of the circuit you're working on? but when you rewire from the breaker box is it completely necessary for power to off completely?