Wiring help??

[bluenorth]

Hi, I'm trying to figure out how to proceed with my setup, Any help would be greatly appreciated. Here is a pic of my main panel, there is a 220v 40amp breaker (thick white wire)that goes to a smaller box


This is the smaller box


You can see the main feed coming into the center of the box. the small white wire coming out on the left is 120v going to the room which does the 2 plugs and 60w light that were for normal use.
The two red wires coming out on the right were for 220v baseboard heaters no longer used. Here is a close up of the small panel



I've got 4, 120v 600w lights, plus a dehumidifier, two blowers, a couple pumps etc. can I some how use this small panel to run enough 120v power for everything? Thanks for any input.

 

[yamaha_1fan]

Yes I think you can this panel to power everything but if everything is on 120, you will need to replace some breakers.

your lights will pull about 20 amps, your DH maybe 7 based on my DH, fans etc. You should be good. You should only expect to pull 32 amps out of 40 amps. There is a rule that says you should not use more than 80% of your rated usage for more than 3 hours.

I would probably wire 3 circuits of 20 amps each. 2 lights on each circuit and 1 circuit for the misc items. You could do 2 circuits with 2 lights each and just balance everything suh as fans on one, pumps on another.

IME the pumps draw more power than fans but my pumps are big 2400 GPH.

I think you just need to pop in some single pole breakers (20 amp) and run the appropiate wire. You can use the 15 amp thats already in there.

You may consider converting the ballasts to 240 if thats an option and that will reduce the amp load

 

[fumancu]

How far is it from small panel to where you need outlets. is it a straight line to it?It will be a simple fix to do it. .240v doesnt cut amps in half only devides into 2 lines half on each.Really no advantage to it unless your running a big motor.You have 2 lines to work with.I Would put a 4 outlet box on each line. You could also hard wire a timer in for some of the outlets if you like .Just how much you want to put into it.

 

[BritishColumbia]

Most DH's use 15 amps,you really need to let us know what type of fans/pumps and DH you have just to be safe because your pushing it pretty close and a small surge could blow the breaker.If you have the cash i would suggest a 60amp breaker just to be safe.

 

[bluenorth]

It is about 20' to the room from the panel. I have 4 lumateks that only run on 120v. Also there is the dehumidifier (6.1 amps), 3 air pumps 180gph water pump, a 449cfm exhaust, 300cfm intake, a fan and a couple monitors. I'll spend and do whatever is needed to make this work. I will have to run a new line from this panel, should I run 240v to the room and deal with it there, or go with 120v from the panel. If I use 120 would I need two timers as I'm sure 4-600's could not run on one circut. If I go with 240 could I run it to a timer and have 4-120v recepticles come off it, plus a couple un-timed recepticles at 120v?

 

[BritishColumbia]

Yes i would run 240v,6 gauge off a 60amp breaker to a sub-panel,you don't need a 40amp breaker or 6 gauge wire but it doesn't cost much more and if you deside to add an ac or more lights then your good to go,nice and safe you know.

 

[Guest]

Most DH's use 15 amps,you really need to let us know what type of fans/pumps and DH you have just to be safe because your pushing it pretty close and a small surge could blow the breaker.If you have the cash i would suggest a 60amp breaker just to be safe.

15A for a Dehumidifier? The one in use in my grow is a floor model Comfort-Aire 30 pint capacity pulling 4.7A at max setting. The one you are referring to must be the "Mother of all Dehumidifiers". Bluenorth indicated his was rated at 6.1 Amps.

TyStik

 

[gdawg]

i agree with british columbia, run to a sub in the room, then a 20amp line to a mechanical timer.

 

[fumancu]

He has to move the sub.Or unwire it and buy a new one.it is to far from where he needs it .he should use this wire to the sub.
http://contractorservices.homedepot...1995&pid=cf167b20-eeaa-47f5-81e5-a95f75d9ac2b
Put in 4 20 amp breakers in the sub.use two for timed outlets and two regular outlets.use EMT for everything from sub to outlets. I will put up a few links last time they said links didnt work .Ill try again though.
use this wire from sub to outlets and timers.Comes in differnt colors
http://contractorservices.homedepot...2423&pid=7e9a81d1-97c1-4024-b689-6cf89843d03d
Timer. If you wire it right you can use one timer for two outlets on seprate lines
http://contractorservices.homedepot...3060&pid=e888366d-4692-4645-9652-e57ca3702f55
Getn the 60 amp breaker for the main run everyting in conduit from the sub it will look good and be safe
Allso use 20 amp outlets
Get proper clamps to hold wire in place going into all boxes.

 

[bluenorth]

How about someting like this?

http://www.progressive-growth.com/proddetail.php?prod=43060

Could I run a new line off the 40amp breaker or change to a 30amp breaker and run a new line. If I ran 30amps at 240v would that actually be running 2- 120v giving a total of 60amps? otherwise I cannot understand how they say you can run 6x 1000 watts plus extras off 30amps .

 

[fumancu]

You could keep the breaker in the main if you want you half to run a new line ether way.But a 60ampWould give you 2 30 amp lines .240v is just two 120v lines you split it up in the sub panel.you need the wire in the link to the sub from the main. The link you had would work but build your own with EMT is easyer and cheaper .Your doing samething with sub panel.This will be more power than you should need.

 

[bluenorth]

Hi fumancu, I was thinking (always leads to trouble) that with the timer from the link I gave that I wouldn't need a sub. I could remove the existing sub from the main and run new wire from the main to the timer. What do you think, if I hooked up a dryer recepticle on the end, this unit would just plug in. I still don't get how there would be enough amps for probably 8000 watts. I would like to make my own, what is EMT?

 

[fumancu]

What you would have to do is unwire the sub you have there.Replace the breaker in the main with a 60amp. Get the wire in my first link.Run it to where yo want it wire a dryer plug to that.Plug in the thing from your link.Timers and every thing would hook to that.That would be the easiest.EMT electral metal tubing. they sell it at depot easy to work with I could guid you through pretty easy.whatever way will work fine.Probadly lot cheaper with EMT.8000w is pushing it eather way.For that much I would run 2 lines

 

[bluenorth]

No, I'll most likely never go over 4000w total. I'm just a bit confused because the panel/timer they're selling say's you can run 6-1000w timed @120v, plus 2 untimed outlets @ 120. It's says it's 30 amps, so your saying to run a 60amp breaker to it? I truely appreciate your help, I know it can be frustrating to explain things to someone who isn't getting it.

 

[fumancu]

Hey no problem I got nothing but time. With a 60amp double pole in your main. You get 2 30 amp lines to work with. Your 600w lights are pulling 5amp each.You could put 2 on each line total 10amps.still have 20 on each for whatever.What there selling is the top limit.6 1000w 8.5 each 3 on each line 25 .5 amps. 4.5 left for 120v not much.Allso you shouldnt run more than 80% for to long.