Can my electrical system take the load?

Summer is upon us, and already 100 degrees outsi​de.
The breaker box has posted the following information:

Std 120/240 V AC 3 wire 1 phase
125 Amp max

If I set up a 12000-14000 BTU portable air conditioner in the room where the flowering box is...
Lets say it is cooling at 1100 w, and dehumidifying at 950 w....
Will I be ok?
There is the light, ballast, fan, etc also plugged in (different outlet). Alarm clock, table lamp.
Also tv, computer, and xbox setup (temporary situation) different socket.

Not sure how to evaluate this. Electronics - - not my strong suit.
But the place was built in the 70s, before modern power needs were even dreamed of.
Power strips in nearly every outlet in the house, nowadays.

As long as the overhead or underground service lateral wire coming from the utility supply is rated for 125 amps ( the same size wire in free air overhead will have more capacity than an equal size conductor within a pipe run underground) than you will have 250 amps available at 120volts. In other words, you have much more available at the main panel than you would ever need according to your demand.

you're asking for a fire, each circuit in the room can handle 15 amps and any equipment that turns on and off (the fans or motors) the drew is more than when running. If your light dims you got a problem. Run an extension cord for the de- huy and that will help, do not do this with your AC fire hazard. Always check the cords when the power comes on. Grab the cord right at the plug and gold on to it when the light or whatever, if it gets warm, unplug it that's fire again. Try one big thing and one little thing on each circuit and put them on timers so they don't come on at the same time. Google bedroom electrical circuit to see how the circuits are laid out.

YOU DO NOT GET A SECOND CHANCE WITH ELECTRICITY, IT WILL FUCKING KILL YOU DEAD! Please be very careful and also if you share the house with someone you love be even more careful.

Peace

you're here looking for answers and that's a good thing, but remember not all answers or ideas are great as these guys will find out

Are those flip flops? omg

Now you two have confused me. Let me paraphrase what I read and see if I got you right.

Each circuit can handle 15 amps.
How do I figure out how many amps are used in the room?

The grow lights, ballast, and floor fan are run 6pm to 6am.
I suppose the air conditioner would run 24/7. And maybe the duct fans(?)
The alarm clock is always on.
The computer/xbox/tv is on and off throughout the day or night depending on work schedules.
These are all in the same room, and I imagine on the same curcuit.
There are 10 or 12 curcuits in the breaker box. Some appear to be designated for the home HVAC, refridge, water heater, stove, kitchen, Lroom.
The bedrooom curcuits are not marked as such but there are a few switches that are blank.
We have not had any flickering, or power outages that cannot be attributed to a storm, or downed power lines.
Never had an electrical issue here of any sort. Not even a blown fuse.

The portable AC unit IS the dehumidifier, its a multi use unit. I read that I should not put the portable AC on an extention cord,is that right?
I may be able to run a cord for one of the other things.

You did talk over my head in your replie, so dumb it down for me, guys.
Thanks for helping.!.!.!.!

If you have some basic math skills------do a search on "ohm's law------every question you have will be answered there.

I'm an electrical engineer-----but too lazy to try and teach electricity 101.

A~~~

The circuit is located in the breaker box...there should be a schematic in the breaker that tells you what circuit controls what receptacles (receptacles are what you plug in to in any given room.My room has three duplex outlets/receptacles and those outlets are on the same 20 amp circuit as the back of the house.

Get a book on basic household electricity...read,learn so you don't potentially cause a fire hazard or kill yourself.

most of your appliances will have the power rating on them have a look.

Actually, most of your branch circuits used for receptacles are probably 20 amps. 15 amp circuits are mostly used for lighting. So, lets say 20 amps x 120v = 2400 watts. Now, according to the NEC, you are only really suppose to use 80% of that, which comes out to 1920 watts. How they expect the average person to know when they reach 80% is beyond me, but just going by the book here. It does not matter if there is one receptacle or ten on a given circuit, the total draw should not exceed 1920 watts. almost all appliances have the power rating stamped on there somewhere. You will definitely need at least one more 20 amp circuit. I can guarantee you that if you tried running even half of those appliances at one time it will kick the breaker. A 14000 btu AC unit will use almost 1500 watts itself. That isn't something you want to try doing yourself unless you know what you are doing.

You mentioned that the main is 240V single phase ( or sometimes referred to as "split phase 208" by us old timers). Now if you also stated that you had 125 amps max , I would be safe to assume you have a 125 amp main breaker? If yes, how many circuits are you using to supply your operation? I would be safe to assume the max capacity you mentioned before?? 125 amps meaning a 240V (2-pole) breaker rated at 125 amps (or in other words a 125 amp main breaker which you already stated). With this in mind you can load .8 x 125amps @120 Volts x 2 hot phase lines=200amps total available current at 120 V or 100 amps available current at 240V. Remember you would split that 200 amps between phase a and phase b. You wouldnt attempt to tap 200 amps on one hot phase . you would tap 100 on each a and b.Simply don't overload your breakers( meaning 12 amps for 15 amp breaker and 16 amps on 20 amp breakers single pole 120 V ). Remember to know how much each ballast is drawing. Usually 10% more watts than the lamp is common . You have more than enough available power for the average operation and beyond as long as you know not to overload your circuits. Just make sure you have a legible panel directory , and if not mark every breaker that is in the box including the existing circuits. Even if it means shutting each breaker on and off and checking each and every load it could possibly supply so that you can have a balanced load . That means you make sure to have an equal amount of current being tapped by breakers on each phase of the panel gut ( sometimes referred to as the copper bus).You have the capacity according to your specs. Just do it carefully. It's not rocket science but you have to think safety first.

ok wow that is great information. Yes I do need to figure out the basic load in the room/house. I feel like an old dog that cant learn a new trick. LOL
There will be 1 ballast, 400w plus one T5 w 4 bulbs. I have been running the 400w in there with no problems.
That means i would be adding the T5 and the AC into the room. The AC should draw about 1100w
Contraceptionated - Dude it IS rocket science for me.
Now I gotta read another book!!!!

Lol! Clever play on words. Let me make it easy on you. Tell me about what your circuit breaker panel looks like when you swing open the panel door. If you give me a list of all the breakers available ( including spares or empty spaces not used) I can tell you how to go about it.After we determine panel characteristics we can get to what kind of wires or cables are available for the neccessary branch circuits between the panel and the receptacles you intend to use ( whether they are already existing in a convenient location to be plugged into or if you need to pull new cables and install new receptacles). Lets start at the panel and take it from there. It will take a little back and forth over time but after you're done with the job you will have the confidence to be the true master of your grow.

It took me a minute to get this on here for you.
I'm starting to get it a little. I see that each breaker has the amps on it. Didn't see that before.
Does this give you the right info. I'm looking at one of the bedrooms which isn't listed.
Keep it simple for me......

Is this panel fed from a main breaker at another location in the house? Only reason I ask is because I don't see a main breaker at the proper place up top in the yet to be knocked out main breaker space. What is the 50A/220V breaker feeding ? I guess I need you to take the cover off so I could look inside. You don't have a 125A main here to give you 125A capacity ( what you stated earlier on) . Although your panel gut may be able to have that capacity. Take another pic with the cover off and ill respond ASAP.

Yes, I guess it is elsewhere. I have a townhouse = 1/2 of a duplex.
I'll see if I can find the main, and get the cover off. Till then....

I took a picture inside the box. Also took a pic of next door neighbors outside 'works'.
It is NOT (most likely) part of my unit, but identical to my unit.
I did not want to scamper around in the other neighbors carport taking picture, but I will if I have to.
Do these help? List is probably not accurate.



And now the scary looking ones:
Is it me, or does this look really wrong without a protective cover?


Did anyone else see 'The Matrix"?

I need to know where the a and b phase lugs (up top) are being fed from. Looks like you might have a 2-pole 60 amp coming from the basement. If so you would have 5.76kW @ 120 volts on each phase available for all house appliances. Can't confirm that though. You gotta take a look in the basement after the load side of your meter you should have a main breaker housing .

OK, I will investigate furthur. Maybe tomorrow when the neighbors are not home.
And I mean this with love - NO ONE in southern Arizona has a basement!
The ground is like cement. We call it caliche' (kal-ee-chay).
Search for the main breaker pending.......I wonder what a main breaker looks like....

It will be a 2-pole breaker like the one in the upper right of your house panel.

Do you mean one of these? Are those the two poles?
If so the only thing I see are wires going up to the roof (thats where hvac is), and a metal tube that goes into the ground beneath the meter box.
If its on the roof, I have no way to get a pic.
PS Don't u just luuuv noobs?

When you find out where the main breaker is located ill be able to help. Maybe you could ask the super of the building? I don't know if that would arouse suspicion.

Ok got it!
There was a door the size of a 2x3 post-it note just below the meter.
And it fits with the previous description. So here's a pick of the main.
100 amps



My panel - - - Main breaker.

PS So now I know what a 2-pole looks like.