Growroom Electricity and Wiring

[mowood3479]

I did not know about the savings from up sizing wiring...
Great read... I may need to re run some wires now.. If I'm not too lazy
Thx dislexus

 

[Jhhnn]

One Wire Size Up Means Big Savings:

http://www.copper.org/environment/s...y-efficiency/education/archive/onesizeup.html

It's important to understand that the length of the run is very important when considering that. Their second example is a 100ft run, so you save a quarter as much at 25 ft & even less following the 80% rule. Their single phase example actually violates that rule.

 

[mowood3479]

Yes, the length of the run makes all the difference.
I ran some 10/3 out to my barn 100' run (mayb 85') n now I wish I had used 8/3.
I've been thinking of running another circuit out there n if I do I'll just use the 10/3 for the regular 20amp 120v circuit and use the 8/3 for the 30amp 240.

 

[Ozone25]

Hey guys really quick question.

I have a shed that is connected via a 100ft extension cord, 14 gauge wire. The extension cord is plugged into a GFCI outlet which is on a 15A circuit. I run 2 x 315w CMH lights, a 24 watt water, a 70 watt air extractor, and 2 x 24 T5 lights, and a A51 LED which is roughly 75watts. This adds up to 850 watts. I have 3 very good friends that are all electricians.

The shed itself has 12 gauge wiring where it connects to the 14 gauge extension cord. The house is old and the breaker has only tripped on a few occasions BEFORE I started growing. My main concern is an electrical fire either at the house where the outlet is or at the breaker. Should I consider replacing the breaker for good measure, or do you think since I am under 1000 watts that I should be in the clear. Thanks in advance.

 

[rives]

Hey guys really quick question.

I have a shed that is connected via a 100ft extension cord, 14 gauge wire. The extension cord is plugged into a GFCI outlet which is on a 15A circuit. I run 2 x 315w CMH lights, a 24 watt water, a 70 watt air extractor, and 2 x 24 T5 lights, and a A51 LED which is roughly 75watts. This adds up to 850 watts. I have 3 very good friends that are all electricians.

The shed itself has 12 gauge wiring where it connects to the 14 gauge extension cord. The house is old and the breaker has only tripped on a few occasions BEFORE I started growing. My main concern is an electrical fire either at the house where the outlet is or at the breaker. Should I consider replacing the breaker for good measure, or do you think since I am under 1000 watts that I should be in the clear. Thanks in advance.

You are pushing the voltage drop on that 100 foot cord pretty hard - it's still in the safe range, but barely. Much more load and you are going to start seeing drop-outs on your lighting when loads switch.

IF the circuitry in the house is in good shape, there shouldn't be an issue with a fire at the outlet or the breaker. Depending on the age of the panel, the manufacturer, etc, replacing the breaker might not be a bad option, but it is really impossible to say. Being "under 1000 watts" is irrelevant.

 

[Jhhnn]

Hey guys really quick question.

I have a shed that is connected via a 100ft extension cord, 14 gauge wire. The extension cord is plugged into a GFCI outlet which is on a 15A circuit. I run 2 x 315w CMH lights, a 24 watt water, a 70 watt air extractor, and 2 x 24 T5 lights, and a A51 LED which is roughly 75watts. This adds up to 850 watts. I have 3 very good friends that are all electricians.

The shed itself has 12 gauge wiring where it connects to the 14 gauge extension cord. The house is old and the breaker has only tripped on a few occasions BEFORE I started growing. My main concern is an electrical fire either at the house where the outlet is or at the breaker. Should I consider replacing the breaker for good measure, or do you think since I am under 1000 watts that I should be in the clear. Thanks in advance.

Upgrading to a 12/3 extension cord would help keep the voltage up & current down when the lights fire. That should help prevent nuisance tripping of the breaker. That also reduces the electrical bill somewhat because of lower resistance in the cord. It's also just better for the equipment in general. ~$75 at home depot.

 

[Ozone25]

Thank you Rives and Jhhnn

 

[TerpyTenerife]

Wiring Issues

Wiring Issues

Hey guys i have a question that maybe someone here can answer...
I bought a Raptor 8 from the US, it came wired with a US male plug
I also bought a 600w Nanolux digi ballast, it came wired with an EU female plug.

My questions: Do the raptor 6 and 8 both come with the same power cord?
And
Is this a simply chop off and rewire the appropriate plug?
Heres a picture to help clarify

 

[rives]

Hey guys i have a question that maybe someone here can answer...
I bought a Raptor 8 from the US, it came wired with a US male plug
I also bought a 600w Nanolux digi ballast, it came wired with an EU female plug.

My questions: Do the raptor 6 and 8 both come with the same power cord?
And
Is this a simply chop off and rewire the appropriate plug?
Heres a picture to help clarify

It should be.

It seems to me that I've seen adapter pigtails for sale that will make the conversion from one to the other a little easier.

 

[Jhhnn]

Hey guys i have a question that maybe someone here can answer...
I bought a Raptor 8 from the US, it came wired with a US male plug
I also bought a 600w Nanolux digi ballast, it came wired with an EU female plug.

My questions: Do the raptor 6 and 8 both come with the same power cord?
And
Is this a simply chop off and rewire the appropriate plug?
Heres a picture to help clarify

The pics don't make sense to me. The top plug in the pic goes in the ballast & the other end of that cord goes to the wall receptacle. You can probably buy a cord w/ a UK plug on the other end or install a different plug. Be sure that the ballast is set for or compatible with UK 220v power. The bottom plug in the pic is one of two styles connecting the ballast to the lamp, so you probably need one of these-

https://www.1000bulbs.com/product/9...BaseShopping&gclid=CPOi7a7G5soCFZWCaQodFzwKhg

 

[rives]

The pics don't make sense to me. The top plug in the pic goes in the ballast & the other end of that cord goes to the wall receptacle. You can probably buy a cord w/ a UK plug on the other end or install a different plug. Be sure that the ballast is set for or compatible with UK 220v power. The bottom plug in the pic is one of two styles connecting the ballast to the lamp, so you probably need one of these-

That's what I thought the when I looked at the pictures initially, but if you look closely it appears that the computer-style female plug is a short pigtail going into a strain relief on the ballast behind it.

 

[Jhhnn]

That's what I thought the when I looked at the pictures initially, but if you look closely it appears that the computer-style female plug is a short pigtail going into a strain relief on the ballast behind it.

I really can't see it clearly. OTOH, I just built 3 computers & that's what a power supply cord looks like, exactly the same as for my 1000w mag ballast. The lower plug in the pic is clearly a hydrofarm style reflector plug.

UK wall receptacles are type G, making the question even stranger.

http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/

 

[Jhhnn]

That's what I thought the when I looked at the pictures initially, but if you look closely it appears that the computer-style female plug is a short pigtail going into a strain relief on the ballast behind it.

I really can't see it clearly. OTOH, I just built 3 computers & that's what a power supply cord looks like, exactly the same as for my 1000w mag ballast. The lower plug in the pic is clearly a hydrofarm style reflector plug.

UK wall receptacles are type G, making the question even stranger.

http://www.worldstandards.eu/electricity/plugs-and-sockets/

 

[TerpyTenerife]

The bottom us plug is coming from the Raptor 8 reflector, and the top is the ballast output, Also im in Spain jhhn and rives i personally thank you both! Im hoping to fix this today

 

[TerpyTenerife]

Im going to try to find a "Pigtail connector" thing today , will he just look at me weird if i ask for that lol?

 

[Avenger]

Take the picture with you when you go shopping. I've never seen an adapter that would work for those two connectors. But Ive never been to Spain either.

Last resort you can cut each connector off and install a hardwire junction.

 

[TerpyTenerife]

Thank for the help guys i bought a male connector plug to correspond to my EU Nanolux, all i have to do i re-wire it now i hope this does the trick and i dont blow myself up lol

 

[garthvader]

Hi all ive got a question ive seen other people on here and elsewhere use 5-15/5-20 outlets wired up for 240vac to run there ballasts. Is this safe to do of coarse they would be clearly labeled as 240

 

[rives]

Hi all ive got a question ive seen other people on here and elsewhere use 5-15/5-20 outlets wired up for 240vac to run there ballasts. Is this safe to do of coarse they would be clearly labeled as 240

No, it is absolutely not safe to do.

If you read through this thread carefully, you will find a number of people who have actually owned up to mistakenly plugging a 120v load into their miswired crap, with the easily predictable results (usually while stoned.....). The insulation levels are the same, and so is the functionality. The problem is that we are trained from the first time that we plug something in that, if the plug fits, it's safe. Cleverly bypassing a 100-plus years of electrical standards to save a couple of bucks is a great way to get a Darwin award for your gear, and possibly yourself. Labels fall off, switch plates get changed, wives try to help out with a shop vac, etc, etc. The reason that electricity is safe to use is because of adherence to a set of standards that have evolved over a long period of time from sad experience, with the insurance companies leading the charge. Why do you suspect that the insurance companies got involved with this? /rant off

 

[Jhhnn]

No, it is absolutely not safe to do.

If you read through this thread carefully, you will find a number of people who have actually owned up to mistakenly plugging a 120v load into their miswired crap, with the easily predictable results (usually while stoned.....). The insulation levels are the same, and so is the functionality. The problem is that we are trained from the first time that we plug something in that, if the plug fits, it's safe. Cleverly bypassing a 100-plus years of electrical standards to save a couple of bucks is a great way to get a Darwin award for your gear, and possibly yourself. Labels fall off, switch plates get changed, wives try to help out with a shop vac, etc, etc. The reason that electricity is safe to use is because of adherence to a set of standards that have evolved over a long period of time from sad experience, with the insurance companies leading the charge. Why do you suspect that the insurance companies got involved with this? /rant off

Yep. Universal constants apply, like Murphy's law- anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Therefore, make it so that it can't go wrong.

Don't fight it- do it right the first time. For instance-

http://www.gordonelectricsupply.com...ocess~search?gclid=CPrEw5rz6soCFY-DaQodVecI8A

http://www.hydrogalaxy.com/growing-...auge-802608/?gclid=CICusffz6soCFQyHaQod6T0Nsw

Dumb & dangerous stuff is also available-

http://www.hydrogalaxy.com/lighting...20-240v-15a/?gclid=CL2W55j06soCFYIBaQodeSYOhA

Choose wisely.