some questions on electricity

[Croissant]

I am moving to a very remote small town in a month or two I am not entirely sure of my housing situation yet. ( probably a small house maybe with a basement, or a 2 bedroom apt.). I am going to be there for about a year. its to small of a town to call in an electrician *period* I have no interest in commercial applications. This place is very far north and ill be gone for most of the summer so outdoor is out of the question. hopefully this information will filter out non usefull responces :smile: Im in North America.

Soo...

in the case of a laundry room how does one convert those funky dryer outlets into something more usefull?

and/or how does one safely extend the dryer outlet with an extension cord to another room?what guage wire?

and how many amps are a dryer outlet on?which equals how powerfull of a set up?

note: its seems to me a dryer outlet or luandry room is the easiest way to take advantage of existing accomodating electrical set ups and possibly the most discreet.

what guage wiring for how many amps?

How does one set up the electrical to support a couple 600s a 400 several 40 watt cfls. and all the other things that go along? and safely.

what other books, links, or resources might be helpfull for such an inquiry?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pandemic]

I did a 220v/110v combo. I made this to just fit my needs but more 220v outlets could be added for a total draw of 30amps, well 80% of 30.


$60.....T-104 Timer
$20.....Dryer Cord 3 or 4 prong
$5.......10-3 Romex 3'
$12.....220v Outlets x2
$2.......110v Outlet
$10.....Boxes and Covers
$5......Clamps

Wiring this is really easy. You only hook up your hots to the timer. Hook up your load (ballast) hots, wire nut the grounds together. For 110v, run a wire from ONE hot. Connect your ground and then you can wire nut the 110v Neutral to the neutral from the dryer cord, you do not use the neutral for the ballast outlets.

This times the 110v. outlets too.

 

[Mr Celsius]

You can go the DIY route, like above... or you can purchase one of these: http://www.nationalgardenwholesale...._BOX&title=Timers __ Instruments&type=product

They already have a dryer outlet attached... its pretty plug and play.

 

[Croissant]

thanks a bunch fellas...

i am wondering pandemic if there is a diy tutorial on setting up that whatever you call that contraption. also if there are any specific model numbers or whatever on the peices you listed? also if it possible to get detailed pics of the wiring with a detailed explanation so somone as electrically dumbfounded as myself doesnt put oneself at risk and can actually pull it off. I am not at all familiar with electrical and wiring jargon either.

 

[Croissant]

i have found a diy step by step of this heres a link

http://www.hydroponics.net/learn/grow-light-controller.asp

 

[Croissant]

i have also found this link very helpfull

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=19480&page=3&pp=15&highlight=diy+timer+relay

 

[Dr Dog]

I am not at all familiar with electrical and wiring jargon either.

Then you probably should not be messing with trying to build your own

Get something premade with a warranty and and approved by your national standards association.

 

[gdawg]

nice work pandemic and good advice dr. dog

 

[yamaha_1fan]

DB2004 builds flip flops for growers. I am pretty sure he could build whatever you needed, then you would just run a plug to the dryer outlet. His site is www.nowirenuts.ca

You could also pick up an electrical book at Home Depot/Lowes and start getting a basic understanding of electricity.

When you have your specific location and exact situation, you could get alot of detailed help from here.

 

[Croissant]

thanks all!