Hardwiring Light Controller to Dryer Outlet

[watts]

Grow room is about 65 feet from dryer outlet. Can I hardwire the light controller with 65-75ft of romex, install a 240v plug at the end and just plug it in the dryer outlet?

 

[Iron_Lion]

,,,,,

 

[Hydrolized]

The dryer outlet is probably 30A, check at the breaker box and if so you will be using 10g wire. You can use romex but it's really for enclosed use (in walls)..if your going to be stapling it or running it through studs go for it...if not and it will be on the floor or something I'd get some SOOW or type W 10/3 cable and use that.

 

[Littleleaf]

6 to 8 gage braided wire.

Try to match it to what is coming into the outlit.. but bigger is always better.

 

[growshopfrank]

if you cant find a screw on dryer plug look for Leviton #275 these plugs are configurable for both dryer or stove (14-50 or 14-30) and easy to install as long as you follow the cut/strip instructions
Good luck

 

[watts]

Thanks guys, yes it's 240v 30 amp 3 prong. I'll be running it up the ceiling and through the attic. 3 prong would be 10/2? DO I have to worry about any voltage drops with SOOW cable or anything? If it's enough to matter.

 

[Iron_Lion]

,,

 

[redbudduckfoot]

Just be aware, with a 3 prong you can only run 240v, you cant run 120v off of a 3 prong.

good to know, good to know. thanks for that bit of info.

RBDF

 

[watts]

one guy said SOOW and another SJO. Is there any difference? I also see a SJOOW on google.

 

[rives]

one guy said SOOW and another SJO. Is there any difference? I also see a SJOOW on google.

SO cord is rated for 600v, SJ for 300v. The "W" suffix is for water resistant, the extra "O" is for oil resistant.

 

[watts]

thanks rives. Do I need 300v or 600v for a 65-75 foot run? 600v i'm assuming.

 

[KT420]

If you are going to be running it through the attic, why not just run it all the way to the main panel? Then either add a new circuit breaker or disconnect the dryer circuit from it's breaker and use that. Then you don't need a dryer plug.

 

[watts]

If you are going to be running it through the attic, why not just run it all the way to the main panel? Then either add a new circuit breaker or disconnect the dryer circuit from it's breaker and use that. Then you don't need a dryer plug.

It's an old school fuse type panel. It doesn't have any room to add any circuits and I'm not really comfortable trying to mess with it. I may try to get a better look at things though.

 

[rives]

thanks rives. Do I need 300v or 600v for a 65-75 foot run? 600v i'm assuming.

You are only running 240 volts, so the 300 volt rated cable would be fine.

 

[jm420]

I cant beleive no ones asked what kind of control or how many amps you need .
65 feet of 10-3 will allow about 28 amps wich would be ,2k 8-3would be about 44 amps 4K of lights.6-3 would be about 70 amps.Then take into consideration the lenght from dryer outlet to the panel and chances are its gonna be rated 2/3 of a dryer amps .Better being safe than sorry speacilly with old wires

 

[watts]

240v 30 amps.. ill be running 4800 watts (8- 600's)

10/3 is good for 30 amps and theres no significant voltage drop from 65 feet from what I've been reading. Now if we were talking 100-200+ feet it would be.

 

[jm420]

Let me find the link <I just bought a powerbox and went through this two weeks ago,your footage is maximizing the capibilites of a 10- 3 your better off with the 8-3.
after talking to techs my box with an extension cord of 10-3 at 25 feet will power 4k and a 10,000 btu and the rest of my enviormentals safely .
check out page 24 of the 2012 catalog the charts and directions to do this are right there www.powerboxinc.com.dosnt matter if powerbox or not .its the right way to do it in any sitituation.I hope you got the time to check it out
Peace JM

 

[watts]

their chart shows 10 gauge being able to run 26 amps under 75 foot length. I only need 22 amps to run eight 600's at 240v

 

[jm420]

the quantum 1 k draws 9.9 amps thats how i figure out my needs,yours are diffrent,but you are at the high end an 8-3 would let me sleep better

 

[rives]

Powerbox is using a "rule of thumb" approach to calculating voltage drop for their table, and it is conservative in the extreme. If you do the calculations using the actual resistance of the copper per 1000' for the gauge of wire being used, the voltage drop on 75' (one-way measurement) of 10 gauge copper wire with a 30 amp load on 240v is 5.6 volts. This is a 2.33% drop. For motor loads, you need to keep your your voltage drop under 3%, and for residential loads the drop needs to stay under 5%.