Need help with wiring plan

[_Dude]

I'm drawing up a plan to rewire my room. The existing wiring is shit and I don't want to repair it, so I'm putting in a subpanel and starting fresh using conduit.

For reference, here's everything I'll be running:

2 1kw HPS (12/12)
3 400w MH (18/6)
2 148 CFM Dayton blowers (12/12)
8k BTU window AC unit (24/7) (I think it's 8k BTUs)
Full size refrigerator (24/7)
Mag drive pond pumps (24/7):
1 675 GPH
1 350 GPH
few other small draws like fans and air pumps.


I've attached an image of the part that I'm wondering about. I plan to put the subpanel next to the breaker box, run conduit to an outlet and then up to the ceiling. Then the conduit will run all the way around the room at the ceiling, and drop in 3 places for double gang outlets.

I'm trying to figure out how to set it up so the 2 HPS lights and the 2 blowers all run on a single timer, with a minimum of threaded wiring, a minimum of mess, and maybe with a light switch to turn them all on and off at once.

How would the electrician types here solve this?

 

[MTF-Sandman]

You can probably squeeze it all in on a 30a/240v circuit, but personally I'd go with a 50a/240v (on 6/3 wire) so that you have some leadway for future expansion.

If you want to run 2k of light and those tiny fans on the same circuit, you're most likely gonna have to use a 30a/120v circuit for them (10/2 wire) since the fans probably won't do 240v. That means you're basically gonna need to use a timer hooked up to the coil of a relay to control that circuit's power.

 

[_Dude]

You mean 6/3 wire on the whole thing, all the conduit? Geez, what's that gonna run me? I was planning on 12ga wire.

What are my options if I run the lights and fans separately, and the fans separately?

 

[bartender187]

The wiring from the Subpanel or timer board to outlets can be 12g (20amps)... 6g is for wiring from the 50amp breaker in the main panel to the sub panel main lug....

 

[_Dude]

Okay no prob there I think I can afford 6" of 6ga wire lol.

So I how many and what kind of circuits in the subpanel? A 240v for the HPS lights, and a 120v or two for the everything else?

 

[MTF-Sandman]

Are the fans capable of running 240v? If so, that'll make things much simpler since you can just add a 30a/240v breaker in the subpanel and feed a short run of 8 gauge to a timer (Intermatic T104 or WH40) and run all the outlets from the timer.

Your AC will be 120v most likely, so a dedicated 15a/120v run to it will be plenty. Same thing for the fridge. A 20a/120 running to your veg area will take care of the 3 400's and the misc stuff in there. Another 20a/120v to the flowering area will also be needed.

So you're gonna need a 30a/240v, 2 15a/120v, & 2 20a/120v breakers for the subpanel. You should be able to run it off a 30a/240v circuit from the main panel...but it's gonna be fairly close with the 80% safe usage rule of thumb.

 

[_Dude]

Are the fans capable of running 240v?

Don't know Sandman. They're Dayton 4C446 blowers is all I know.

As far as I can tell they're rated for 115 volts but I know squat about electrical stuff.

But, I priced those Intermatics and they're like 60-70 bucks. I've got a lot of other expenses right now (including this wiring job) so I'm going to go with using a couple of 2gang outlets with cheapo timers for the HPS and another 2gang and timer for the blowers.

Thanks for the help.

 

[TrustNoOne]

dude, you'd do better with the intermatic timers. the contacts are heavy duty will handle the kind of power you're talking about better than any cheap plug in. i'm sure you'll be glad you spent the 60 bucks. good luck.

 

[_Dude]

Does the timer have to be 240v? There are a couple of 120v 40amp Intermatic timers here for 35 bucks:

http://www.electricsuppliesonline.com/inti.html

Like this one:
http://www.electricsuppliesonline.com/intitin.html

 

[Dlux]

If you can, always go for the 240v in all your electrical...it uses less amps. A 15a on 120 will only support one 1000w...15a @240 will take two. As said above, spend the cash on the best equipment and you will not go wrong. While you are at it, spend an extra $20 and buy a good how-to electrical book...you make a mistake in your hydro set up and you flood the room...an electrical mistake and you burn it down.

 

[TrustNoOne]

you might want to consider spending extra for the 2 pole intermatics. it's like getting twice the timer for 10 or 20 bucks more. check it out.

 

[_Dude]

So NO, the timer doesn't have to be 240v? I want to put my blowers on the timer too, if possible, and they're 120v. Plus 120v timers are cheaper.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

The timer needs to be the same voltage as the lights...if you run them at 120v, then a T103 will be fine (and can control the fans as well) - but you'll need to run 10/2 wire to the timer to keep it safe.

 

[_Dude]

Ok thanks. I thought so but I wanted to be sure before I buy everything.

 

[bartender187]

Search ebay, I picked up a T104 for 20$ to my door.

 

[TrustNoOne]

So NO, the timer doesn't have to be 240v? I want to put my blowers on the timer too, if possible, and they're 120v. Plus 120v timers are cheaper.

they're only cheaper by 10 or 15 bucks. buy the rite stuff the first time is the best advice i can give you. you're doin your research , you'll do fine.
you can pull 120 legs out of a 240 timer but you may want to have someone who is experienced with wiring to help.
mtf and bartender know what they're talking about , i'd follow their advice.

 

[MTF-Sandman]

you can pull 120 legs out of a 240 timer...

You can, but you still have to feed the timer with 240v for it to work on most of the models. I tried to get around this a year ago with a WH40 on a 120v circuit without any luck. Put it on a 240v breaker and it hasn't missed a beat since.

 

[Guest]

A WH40 needs 240V to run the clock,120 wont do it.You'll also need to pull a neutral if you want to take a 120v leg off a 240V timer,makes no sense to me.