ballast question...

ok, so found out im havin to move ina couple weeks, which sucks cuz had to chop 2 of my 3 down cuz they wouldnt be done in time, but anyways...

i had a buddy who was an electrician come to this house and install 2 outlets, each runnin on their own 20 amp circuit for my tent...now im sure in the next house it will be in a standard bedroom runnin on a 15 or 20 amp circuit altogether, so my question is this...

as far as the ballast goes, how hot is TOO hot? i mean even now it gets hot enuff u dont wana touch the fucker, but how hot does it have to get before its a sign of drawin too much power for that circuit? and also, if everything i have plugged up is too much for the circuit to handle, will i kno right away, or could electric surges/fires be one of those things that take weeks to happen? just tryin to plan ahead, out of everything with this whole ordeal, an electric fire has been my biggest concern, even over getting busted lol any help would be appreciated! +rep for responses

don't think i'm wrong on this but you never know..

i don't think the circuit you put your ballast into makes any difference in the temperature of the ballast. the ballast get's hot by nature, that is just how physics works in this case. afaik the time to worry about "hot" is not the ballast but the wiring inside your wall which could possibly ignite if of inferior quality and not designed for high load and such.

also depends on what power ballast you are using. i run my ballast and everyhting off standard wall sockets without issue for the past ever, no special fuses installed, no contactors etc. no issues.

and please, keep your +rep to yourself, i was almost inclined not to bother replying after seeing that last bit..

ok let me rephrase the last part...i kno gettin caught is a big ordeal, but im out in bfe w/no neighbors, nor do i sell anything, so gettin busted was LESS likely to happen of the two....and i know ballasts are supposed to get hot i just didnt know HOW hot or if you could get a warnin sign from them...thanks for answerin anyway

i dont know what you mean , ballasts get hot . there arent warning signs. well smoke is one

There is only one thing to worry about and that is the timer you plug the balast into. Basicly as the other poster said, the balast should not get any hotter than it is already getting. It is in a firebox right??? That is important.

What is important when drawing alot of power is what you plug that sucker into. If it is directly into a timer then the timer may get wasted from the current after a while causing a short. Use a relay switch if you have one and make sure you plug it all into good qaulity multi plugs. As long as your house is wired correctly the power should trip if anything goes wrong.

I am running the following from 1 plug in my grow room. 1 plug only !!

# 4 x 60w CFL's
# 1 X box fan
# 1 X 25w Heating pad
# 1 X inline extractor fan
# 1 X tower fan
# 1 X 400W HPS

All from one standard power point. I use a good Qaulity multiplug with surge protection and a 240v relay for the HPS.

Hope this puts you at ease. I have been running that set up for a year now with no probs. Touvh wood

thanks TheDude, that helped greatly! im usin a 600w cooltube w/digi ballast, 425cfm inline fan, 90w squirrel cage fan, 200w aquarium heater, small pump...id like to build two small grow boxes, one for clones, the other for a couple mothers...the rest is ina hydro tent. good to know i wont have to go make any huge changes for my small , soon to be SOG!

LightningMcGreen said:

thanks TheDude, that helped greatly! im usin a 600w cooltube w/digi ballast, 425cfm inline fan, 90w squirrel cage fan, 200w aquarium heater, small pump...id like to build two small grow boxes, one for clones, the other for a couple mothers...the rest is ina hydro tent. good to know i wont have to go make any huge changes for my small , soon to be SOG!

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I think you should be ok. Most places at least have a power box that will trip if there is a problem. As long as you keep a eye on it for the first few days.