Experienced Electrician! Here to Answer Any and All Growroom Electrical Questions

[TNCLYN]

Thanks for all the helpful info.

Would there be any problem(s) using portable generators to run some lighting? Not concerned about fuel costs, just would like to know if it's an option.

Does it need to be the 'sine wave' type? I would use a pre-made electrical box w/ a 30 or 50 amp plug built in to plug into the generator.

Thanks for any help!

 

[BigBudBalls]

hey i was wanting to hook up 5 1000 watts, so i think i need what like 100 amp circuit breaker cause of fans and stuff , will it be okay if i hooke one ballast up each to a wall socket or what should i do, is the wall wire good if i just hook it up one a piece? thanks ahead

a 100 amp breaker? You *better* see how much your service is to the house. You can't just add as many breakers as you want. Most houses from what i've gathered are in the 100-200amp range of service.

 

[BigBudBalls]

Not growroom question, just general electricity
If you have a circuit feeding a light then into a receptacle, and you simply cut the wires going into the receptacle and put electrical tape as thick as original insulation around each conductor, what happens on those wires? Since there is no pull on the electrical tape side do they remain empty? Or would you want to wire the hot and neutral together? Seems like something I should know but guess its been to long since I've done any electrical, forgetting it all haha. Thanks

Yeah, you forgot it all.

Use wire nuts and tape them off (or even better heat shrink tubing)
and DO NOT tie the hot and neutral together, INSTANT dead hot and tripped breaker.

 

[BigBudBalls]

Thanks for all the helpful info.

Would there be any problem(s) using portable generators to run some lighting? Not concerned about fuel costs, just would like to know if it's an option.

Does it need to be the 'sine wave' type? I would use a pre-made electrical box w/ a 30 or 50 amp plug built in to plug into the generator.

Thanks for any help!

Don't know for sure, but doubt it needs to be a true sine wave. a ballast/transformer should still run on a square wave. THe induction happens on the collapse of the voltage on the primary.

 

[AquafinaOrbit]

Yeah, you forgot it all.

Use wire nuts and tape them off (or even better heat shrink tubing)
and DO NOT tie the hot and neutral together, INSTANT dead hot and tripped breaker.

OK good because that's what I did. (I didn't use electrical tap, just wirenuts but I'll go back and fix that (The tieing wire thing together just came to me last night as I was typing and boy was I high haha.) Anyway what I am mainly interested in is whats going on in those wires? Since there is no positive/negative connection or load. Thanks again

 

[Danielsgb]

the open circuit voltage for a 150w HPS ballast should be real close to 120v... if not theres an ignitor/cap problem. you need a mercury vapor lamp (same wattage as the hps) to tell the difference. if the mercury vapor lamp lights, its a ignitor problem, if its not, its the cap, or potentially cap and ignitor.

if your voltage is really low, like 100v, then its most likely the ballast core has an internal fault... (magnetic ballast only)

for the original poster, i would check one thing first- make sure your lamps are snug in the sockets... you would be amazed just how many 'bad ballasts' have loose lamps.
then check your wiring. make sure you have a known working HPS lamp to verify the ballast as well. a mercury lamp should only be used for testing/diagnosing.....

Sorry my drawing sucked. I did a nicer one last night and the file was the wrong size. It was late and I was frustrated. This one shows how I have it wired. The Pic shows my mess. My friend that helped me some said the red from the timer connects to the Black from Ballasts. I have all the Whites connected. I have one extension cord ran to my flowering chamber to each socket. I've looked over those diagrams and I can see I have something wrong. (or more than one) I once mis-wired it and it tripped the GFCI while testing some things. Could that have ruined both ignitors? I put the ground bar in and all extension cords in/out are on it along w/ ballasts and timer. I'll have to get a merc. bulb if I need to test/diagnose. Once again thanks for patiently helping me with this. I made sure the wire nuts were tight. I've been looking at those diagrams and I can see I just have a mental block with how this should be done to work

 

[Danielsgb]

Can I use Hot Glue to hold/clean up the wire for this little fan? I have this tiny fan to help cool my 400w MH ballast. It seemed to cool it noticeably by feeling the ballast after 10-15 min. on. I was using hot glue for a aerocloner project and thought some could work for this. I have low/temp and normal hot glue.

 

[IAm5toned]

Sorry my drawing sucked. I did a nicer one last night and the file was the wrong size. It was late and I was frustrated. This one shows how I have it wired. The Pic shows my mess. My friend that helped me some said the red from the timer connects to the Black from Ballasts. I have all the Whites connected. I have one extension cord ran to my flowering chamber to each socket. I've looked over those diagrams and I can see I have something wrong. (or more than one) I once mis-wired it and it tripped the GFCI while testing some things. Could that have ruined both ignitors? I put the ground bar in and all extension cords in/out are on it along w/ ballasts and timer. I'll have to get a merc. bulb if I need to test/diagnose. Once again thanks for patiently helping me with this. I made sure the wire nuts were tight. I've been looking at those diagrams and I can see I just have a mental block with how this should be done to work

ok man i edited this diagram a little for clarity's sake.
if your still having problems, what you need to do is make it simple first, before you go start buying stuff like a mercury lamp.
let me kinda guide you in the right direction for a second if you dont mind.
first thing is you need to simplify the problem. having all the components hooked up at once adds more possibilities of a problem, or what we call in the field points of failure. here is a checklist for how to test your setup. if your scared of using a volt meter to test live elctricity, then stiop right here, and have a pro or someone more knowledgable run through this for you...
you said you had a tester that read 120v your going to need it here:
1. disconnect the timer output (red) from the rest of the circuit. leave the power hooked up to the timer and turn it on so that your lights would be on if you had the red wire connected to the rest of the circuit
2.check AC voltage from the timer output (red) to the incoming neutral (white) on the power circuit.
3. if you have 105-135VAC, then the timer is good. go to step 4. if not then:
a) verify incoming power is on. if it is,
b) verify you have the timer programmed correctly. if it is, and you still have no voltage on the red wire, than
c) timer is bad
d) replace timer and proceed to step 4
4. shut the power off momentarily to the timer.
5. next we want to work with just one ballast at a time here.
6. while the power is off, connect a single ballast with working lamp installed as shown in the diagram to the timer output (red), neutral (white) and ground (green)
7. when your done, turn the timer back on.
8. if lamp lights, connect next ballast and repeat. if not-
a) check 'open circuit voltage' at the lamp socket. this means remove the lamp from the socket, and with the power on, take a AC reading between the center pin of the light socket (the very center contact in the base of the lamp socket) and the threaded base (threaded metal insert that the lamp actually screws into) your looking for something real close to 120v, give or take 5 volt in either direction high or low. if you do not have 120v, verify wiring and repeat this step
b) if you are confident of your wiring and lamp will still not start CLICK HERE
c) if this resolves your issue with the first ballast, shut the power off to the timer, connect the second ballast as shown in the diagram and repeat step 8.

do this untill you figure out what the deal is, then when you take the proper corrective actions to resolve your problem, then hook everything back up the way you want it too work.

by the way that link for the troubleshooting .pdf is a very handy document... if you or anyone reading this is going to play with HID lighting I highly suggest you read it/download it......

 

[BigBudBalls]

OK good because that's what I did. (I didn't use electrical tap, just wirenuts but I'll go back and fix that (The tieing wire thing together just came to me last night as I was typing and boy was I high haha.) Anyway what I am mainly interested in is whats going on in those wires? Since there is no positive/negative connection or load. Thanks again

Whats going on in the wires is the same thing going on, on an outlet with nothing plugged into it. It has power right to the end. (of the hot, neutral should be zero or a couple millivolts)

do label the wires live for future ref.

 

[AquafinaOrbit]

Alright thanks.

 

[Danielsgb]

ok man i edited this diagram a little for clarity's sake.

do this untill you figure out what the deal is, then when you take the proper corrective actions to resolve your problem, then hook everything back up the way you want it too work.

by the way that link for the troubleshooting .pdf is a very handy document... if you or anyone reading this is going to play with HID lighting I highly suggest you read it/download it......

I got it working. Thanks. This is the last part of my chamber. Here's a pic or 2. That was the last main part I needed to do of my whole Op. I started a grow Journal and I'll be Thanking You in it also. This morning after I finished the new diagram I was looking up info. I found the part in FAQ I remember looking at when I wanted to make this. It was your chart. I was LOL big time. I'm so happy to get this done.kiss-ass
Daniels

 

[IAm5toned]

glad to help you out.
and nice work, it looks clean when its all buttoned up

 

[Danielsgb]

glad to help you out.
and nice work, it looks clean when its all buttoned up

I guess you came full circle on that one. I think I saw that on OverGrow.com many years ago when I built the first half on my first grow. Was it your on that site? It went into storage until I got this room started a few months ago. I read yours and figured 2 in a gang-box with a timer would be simple and compact to fit in this grow room. Seems I complicated it a bit too much for myself. This site is amazing. Seeing what people have built has given me inspiration.

 

[IAm5toned]

i made that diagram by pasting the schematic for a 150w hps ballast i found on google onto a schematic i drew from scratch.
RIU is the only site i post on.

 

[Danielsgb]

i made that diagram by pasting the schematic for a 150w hps ballast i found on google onto a schematic i drew from scratch.
RIU is the only site i post on.

Quess the one years ago must have been a little different. Anyway, thanks again. Check out my Journal to see how the set-up you inspired works out.

 

[IAm5toned]

i read your journal b4 i ever posted the first reply

i always go out of my way to help out a patient

 

[Danielsgb]

a cheap thermostat for your needs should be under $20. if you keep the temps under control,humidity should stay reasonable.

manual is located here
http://www.jascoproducts.com/support/manual-downloads/applications/DocumentLibraryManager/upload/15087-15207-56922-Manual-eng.pdf

make sure you set the dipswitches for the proper voltage.- 2&3 on for 220 volts.
your guess of the bottom right is correct if you want to power it from the same 220 volt feed.
to wire it for 220,you will have 2 seperate 110 legs,most likely red and black wires. the first 2 terminals are labeled timer,red goes to one,black to the other,add a jumper wire from the first terminal to the first NO terminal and a jumper from the second terminal to the second NO terminal.next run a red and black wire from the 2 com terminals (1 to each) and attach the fan.the timer case is plastic so it cant be grounded but be sure to ground the fan.

I got this thermostat hunter model 40170
http://www.hunterfan.com/product_detail.aspx?id=29266

Will that work to turn my fan at 85-90 range? It said for electric air conditioning. My humidity's been in the mid-20's so I'm not worried there. Once again thanks
Daniels

 

[IAm5toned]

hunter is a great brand....
im actually not familiar with there thermostats, but they make the best fans in the world, hands down, no competition.
id say you made a good buy

 

[BigBudBalls]

I got this thermostat hunter model 40170
http://www.hunterfan.com/product_detail.aspx?id=29266

Will that work to turn my fan at 85-90 range? It said for electric air conditioning. My humidity's been in the mid-20's so I'm not worried there. Once again thanks
Daniels

Keep in mind that the contacts in a t-stat are not meant to run a load, just a signal to the HVAC equipment. Might need a relay.

 

[SensiStan]

Hi there fellow RIU'ers... Over and over again I continualy see new threads and posts about electrical work question and thought I would post a couple threads to help you guys the same way all of you who have done such a great job having helped me... So, Do you have a grow room question about how to wire something up, or what are the safest ways of doing things? The most important one I see alot is people running lights and fans off power chords... I have wired my own grow room and will post an example of my work.

Please, if you have any questions and are unsure of what to do or if what you are doing is safe, PLEASE! ask me first if you are even a tad bit unsure. I would hate to hear anyone have an electrical fire because they didn't quite know what they were doing when all they needed to do was to ask a couple of questions... I will do my best to point you in the right direction.

If you want to do some wiring your self, I will either let you know if your project is too complicated if your not handy with electrical, or, IF YOU ASK, I will walk you thru your project step by step.

So please, ASK AWAY!!!

You can post questions here but you may not get your question answerd on the thread, best way to go about it is PM me. You will forsure get a response back.

PS Even if you have basic around the home electrical questions, shoot em my way.

Hey thanks for posting this thread ur a very helpful man i want to wire 2 x 200w cfl's + 1 100mm Inline fan to one plug socket . will i be ok ?