Infamous313
Member
You're the man, good lookin out
A Bored Electrician to Answer Your Questions
- Thread starter IAm5toned
- Start date
IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
lol... not 14mm... #14AWG, # 14 American Wire Gauge, which is a 2.0mm wire in metric units. the insulation type should be thhn, tw, thw ,thwn, or thwn-2
i found a link to the uk equivilant product- make sure u use the heat resistant cable
http://www.bamfordtrading.com/products/80551-3-core-heat-resistant-flex-(3093y)-1.5mm2--1m---delivery-included.html
iloveit
Well-Known Member
Im able to buy these cables from the local hardware stores, I cant see any specs of 600V in the pagelol... not 14mm... #14AWG, # 14 American Wire Gauge, which is a 2.0mm wire in metric units. the insulation type should be thhn, tw, thw ,thwn, or thwn-2
i found a link to the uk equivilant product- make sure u use the heat resistant cable
http://www.bamfordtrading.com/products/80551-3-core-heat-resistant-flex-%283093y%29-1.5mm2--1m---delivery-included.html
would you be able to tell me what qualities make this cable viable please (the one in your link) so I can compare the hardware store bought cable to it? Im guessing mainly the heat resistant capability. Thanks for the link Am5toned.poppinfresh
Active Member
Hey I was wondering can I use this computer power supply to run this automobile fuel pump? Thanks. I want to start a TAG grow and I think it would be perfect for the pump system.
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IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
I need to know the wattage of the fan and the wattage of the pumpHey I was wondering can I use this computer power supply to run this automobile fuel pump? Thanks. I want to start a TAG grow and I think it would be perfect for the pump system.
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IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
well the lamp gets HOT for starters... and you dont want to melt the wire at your connection point... and also its got to be rugged enough to take the pulse of the starter. the heat resistant type is clearly labeled (at least it is in the us) on the outer jacket of the cable... but you can tell by the feel of the wire, the heat resistance will feel stiffer and more durable than the regular type...Im able to buy these cables from the local hardware stores, I cant see any specs of 600V in the page
BucketGrower
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the help ! Is it possible that I might expect a decrease in light output by daisy chaining like this? Come to look at my set-up, I have 3 extension cords running to the spot, then into a power bar that shuts off when too much power is loaded, I have my timer in this power bar, THEN I have an extension cord (with no grounder) plugged into this timer because this timer has only 2 slots to plug into, my light is plugged into this extension cord that runs to the timer.id be worried about the ballast life... daisy chaining cords is a bad idea... you get whats called voltage drop. also risk of fire hazard, having 3 daisy chained together with a continous duty load on it...you better use electrical tape to secure the cord ends tightly to keep them from working lose from each other.
if i was you i would go to hd, buy some 12/2 romex or type SJ cable and make a cord long enough for what you need.
the wattage here is not the enemy, its the the long length of the cords vs. the light being on for longer than 8 hours at a time
Am I seriously hurting my ballast life with this super possibly dangerous set-up?
IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
as long as the surge protector on the power cord is working you should be good to go. test it periodically, theres usually a button on the side for it. and keep the cord free from moisture the best you can
BucketGrower
Well-Known Member
Thanks a ton, every grow site should have a guy like you!
Hi
I have an 8'x24' construction trlr.
It is 220' from the main panal on my house.
The panal in trailer has a 100 amp main brkr. in it.
It has 4 wire (big) 1 blk. one red, 1 grn.,1 wht.
In the panel is also3/20 amp, 1 15 amp brkers.
Im assuming the 15 is for the a/c and the 20,z are for lites and sockets.
If I want to do a major grow what size wire will I need to bury from house main to trlr panel?
And by adding more brkers in trlr. panel , can I get enough electricity to trlr from house at 220' to go big?
Say 6/600 w hps,a fan, a filter and maybe more?
Hope I make sence.
Thanks
I have an 8'x24' construction trlr.
It is 220' from the main panal on my house.
The panal in trailer has a 100 amp main brkr. in it.
It has 4 wire (big) 1 blk. one red, 1 grn.,1 wht.
In the panel is also3/20 amp, 1 15 amp brkers.
Im assuming the 15 is for the a/c and the 20,z are for lites and sockets.
If I want to do a major grow what size wire will I need to bury from house main to trlr panel?
And by adding more brkers in trlr. panel , can I get enough electricity to trlr from house at 220' to go big?
Say 6/600 w hps,a fan, a filter and maybe more?
Hope I make sence.
Thanks
iloveit
Well-Known Member
Thank you very much for your input much appreciated it must be great having electrical knowledge you never need to call an electrician. If you have any manuals/guides (UK version) for a beginner then please send it this way please.
doctorD
Well-Known Member
IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
well what your going to be stuck with is 100 amps, either way, unless you buy a bigger panel for the trailer... no worries tho, a dedicated 100amps is alot for a good sized grow up!
what you need is a direct burial type cable rated for 100amps @ 220'.... which is a bitch, it will get expensive, heres why:
at this point most electricians will tell you that in order to save money on wire (because 220' is not a small distance for 120/240v running underground) you need to buy aluminum cable. i say this is a waste of money, because aluminum wire buried underground will not last 15 years, a fact known to all electricians who have spent a few years in the business. the reason being that oxidation on the surface of the wire will cause hotspots on the cable that will cause the cable to burn in half somewhere underground on the run. usually it takes about a decade to start happening, but i have seen it occur in a 6 month old installation that had been done in a shitty manner...so if you want to do the same job again in a few years save a buck and use aluminum, but if you want it too last you have to go with copper. however if you must use aluminum, what your going to need is #2-2-2-4 quadruplex or #2 SEU type cable. id use the quadruplex, its better cable.
Myself though, Id want copper cable. like a 4-4-4-6 quadruplex or a #4 SEU type cable. you need such a heavy wire because of the voltage drop involved over such a long distance. you will also need to have its own 100 amp breaker feeding the cable, preferably in the main service disconnect panel (if you have a main service disconnect panel. there usually outside close to the meter box. if not, you may be inviting a whole bunch of problems)
Another thing to note:
if you are setting up the new 100 amp panel, fed from your main panel or main disconnect panel, all neutrals and grounds must be separate in the new panel, as it is considered a "sub-panel". This means that your "bonding screw" must be removed. This is a green screw that passes through your neutral bus into the metalhttp://forum.doityourself.com/archive/index.php/t-190237.html# of the new panel, effectively grounding the neutral, which is required in a main panel but forbidden in a sub-panel.
make sure the neutral in the trailer panel is not bonded to the ground! it probably is.... if you cant remove the bonding screw or if the neutral bar and ground bar is one and the same in the trailer, your going to have to buy a new panel so that the neutrals and grounds are properly isolated. kinda sucks but its required by law.
another thing to consider is your local codes may require a seperate means of ground at the trailer. id also recommend it... involves driving a ground rod and using a#8 solid copper wire to connect it to the ground bar (not the neutral bar) in the trailer panel. however dont panic over the cost or added work. like i said 100amps is alot for a grow op, you could safely run about 16 of those lights with all the associated fans and equipment on 100 amps.... means you could cough ahem cough pay it off quickly ahem cough cough with a good crop or two
IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
i dont have any guides, but i can draw you a schematic for just about anything you need
iloveit
Well-Known Member
i dont have any guides, but i can draw you a schematic for just about anything you need
Ah Ill keep that in mind when the time comes to building this larger grow Im planing on but for now Im sticking to store purchased electricals. Thanks alot IAm5toned.
You should start an electronic school for us noobies... Ill never skip he he he.
BizarroOH!
Well-Known Member
hi there i have a electrical related question. I have a 1000 watt MH light that I am running through a timer that has a maximum input of 1725 watts. I fired the light for about 20 min yesterday as a test. Keep in mind that I have given the light its own outlet. After I shut the light off and unplugged it I noticed the metal prongs on the timer were REALLY hot, and it was only on for 20 min. So I guess my question is how safe is it to run this light for 12+ hours, and what are the risks of fire?
thanks dude,
Biz
thanks dude,
Biz
IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
well the risks of a fire are relatively low, however the risk of the timer melting down and failing to operate are pretty high... the reason being is the timer you have is probably not rated for the inductive load created by the ballast.
ill quote myself on why this happens cuz im lazy and dont feel like typing it out again:
just get a better timer, and you wont have to worry about it
