-
ICMag with help from Landrace Warden and The Vault is running a NEW contest in November! You can check it here. Prizes are seeds & forum premium access. Come join in!
Growroom Electricity and Wiring
- Thread starter Phillthy
- Start date
For the 99% of all applications that you will be using this for the maximum OCP would be based on the 60 degree column. For the #6 aluminum it would be 40amps.
David
TMEL 32507
Master electrician
I'm interested to hear what you base this on.
I'm a now-retired industrial electrician and have seen very, very little 60° rated wire since the late '70's. TW is as dead as disco. In my experience, 75° and 90° are overwhelmingly the most frequently found, and a look at Home Depot's offerings validate this.
You're right, of course.
OTOH, if the wire markings are just gone or inaccessible then 40A on basically any #6 aluminum wiring is safe.
No, you can't run a cord straight through a hole in the wall according to code. The cord would be susceptible to damage at the entry and exit points. You would need junction boxes with strain relief fittings for the cords on the wall or receptacles and plug inlets with an approved building wire tying the boxes together.
Last edited:
At first this is what I was looking at . I'd have to cut off the plug though and connect the wiring . The plug says indoor use only is why I would run it in through the hole in the wall. Do I really need that plug on there ? I'd like to cut it off and wire in the junction box . Thank you for your comments
Attachments
Is there a reason that the cord can't be removed and replaced with either conduit or sealtite flex? Most cord will degrade eventually from the sunlight. If the cord is rated for outdoor use and isn't easily changed over, then direct wiring it would probably be your best option.
Last edited:
This is the plug w. Cord I had wrapped for weather . I thought I'd run it through the wall. Bad idea . After looking at the chiller instruction manual it says to use a weather proof receptical box but I can't find one for the style of plug . I can open the unit up to see if I can re wire it. I also plan to have the chiller in shade 24/7 and will be disconnecting it and bringing indoors for fall and winter months
Attachments
That plug has a GFCI built into it and shouldn't be removed unless the circuit is GFCI protected. There are many configuration of "while-in-use" weatherproof receptacles available at Home Depot or Amazon.
http://www.homedepot.com/s/weatherproof%20receptacle?NCNI-5
http://www.homedepot.com/s/weatherproof%20receptacle?NCNI-5
Hey Rives thanks for the link . When I first went to my Home Depot to get parts the told me there was no receptical box for outside for the style of plug I have 
after that I started thinking of what I'd do . Run through the wall or replace wiring ect .The same employee also recommended me to use a 35 amp cartridge cause I couldn't find a 30a in that size. BAD ADVICE IMO . I want the weathered receptical 20$ later done . Thank you I will look again
after that I started thinking of what I'd do . Run through the wall or replace wiring ect .The same employee also recommended me to use a 35 amp cartridge cause I couldn't find a 30a in that size. BAD ADVICE IMO . I want the weathered receptical 20$ later done . Thank you I will look againAttachments
So the plug does not fit in the weather proof box ... He was right . I will re wire a new plug . Just picked up a GFCI breaker . Man are they expensive 
To my understanding I will connect both hot wires to hot screws . Leave the neutral screw empty ? Connect the neutral tail wire from breaker to neutral bar . And ground to ground bar ? Do I even need to connect the neutral tail at all ? That's where I was confused before I had two hots and ground only . Thank you rives
To my understanding I will connect both hot wires to hot screws . Leave the neutral screw empty ? Connect the neutral tail wire from breaker to neutral bar . And ground to ground bar ? Do I even need to connect the neutral tail at all ? That's where I was confused before I had two hots and ground only . Thank you rives
Attachments
Last edited:
The neutral connection on the breaker would be for a 4-wire 120/240v circuit, not for a 3-wire 240v only circuit like you have. Although it isn't needed for your current installation, connecting the pigtail to the neutral bar is the safest place to terminate it and the breaker would be ready if you ever need to go with a 4-wire circuit, .
nightridda
Member
It looks fine from what I can see.
I can't tell if the neutral wire is a little too far into the lug - it looks like the screw may be catching the edge of the insulation.
Anyone have a good, reliable Solid State Relay that they are using?
I picked up a couple 25amp, 120v a/c trigger, 80 -250v output. Futek is the brand name. They were cheap, like 7 bucks from amazon.
I'm using them to take a less than 3amp load, 3 600gph mag drive pumps. When the relay is triggered initialy the pumps will struggle to run. If i flip the power strip off then on again they will pump. If I take the relay out of the circuit and run right off the timers contact, they work.
I think the relay is faulty. Justt checking to see if anyone has a brand they trust?
I picked up a couple 25amp, 120v a/c trigger, 80 -250v output. Futek is the brand name. They were cheap, like 7 bucks from amazon.
I'm using them to take a less than 3amp load, 3 600gph mag drive pumps. When the relay is triggered initialy the pumps will struggle to run. If i flip the power strip off then on again they will pump. If I take the relay out of the circuit and run right off the timers contact, they work.
I think the relay is faulty. Justt checking to see if anyone has a brand they trust?
nightridda
Member
Thank you everyone! I am fixing the neutral/insulation issue and the Rolex for the power wire. As of right now I hooked up one Receptacle to it? What slot should I put the breaker in ? And does the hookup look good
It's 12.3 black to breaker as hot. White to nuetral bar.. and ground to ground bar ? Correct ? Any suggestions please let me know .
It's 12.3 black to breaker as hot. White to nuetral bar.. and ground to ground bar ? Correct ? Any suggestions please let me know .
Attachments
Good catch, thanks. I got lost in the trees, looking for the forest.
I've used Crydom, Opto 22, Omron and a few other well-established brands with no issues.
Use whichever slot you like, it doesn't matter. You will want to balance the load between the phases as closely as possible when you start using more than one, though.
You have the colors/connections right.
The ground bar looks as though it has pivoted from the first picture. You must have only one screw holding it in place, and I would want two in order eliminate any movement and provide a better ground connection. Using star washers between the box and the bar to bite through the paint would be an option if the bar doesn't have something equivalent to do that. It would be a good idea to move the ground bar over to the right or the lower left corner so that it isn't mounted on top of the knock-out. Concentric knock-outs don't ground well.
