Electrical Help: 220v Wall Heater into a 220v Outlet?

Edit: No longer need help with original topic, please see post 14 on page 2 for input. Thanks!

I'm setting up a small sized grow in a bedroom in my home. I'm getting close to the maximum output of the 15 amp 110v circuit in there. I'm not running anything too crazy, but the 600 hps, inline fan, 250w veg light, etc adds up and I'm about at max capacity.

I have a newer 1000w cadet wall heater in the room which is on a 220v 20 amp circuit. I was wondering if this would be a viable energy source for me. This is hooked up to only one other 1000w which isn't essential to be in use. I would probably like to convert it to 110v but from my research it appears this may be a more complicated process. Anyway, would it be possible to take the wiring to the heater and install an outlet? I'd want everything to be reversible so I can uninstall it when I put it up for sale. I can post pics and provide more details if needed.

I'm also not opposed to having an electrician do the (hopefully small amount of) work. I could just tell him I'm putting a server in there or perhaps a tanning bed. Fuck, I'm not even sure what kind of 220v plug I would have him put in. I'm helpless but more than willing to learn.

Thanks in advance.

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Here is what you do bury one of the hot wires and pig tail (take a wire nut and a piece of wire to make two ground wires out of the one) your ground. Use the remaining hot leg for 110. use one ground as ground and the other as nuetral, but this will only make one plug you could also get rid of the two pole breaker and use the existing wire, buy a more suitable breaker and use the other hot wire as a nuetral in the panel use the power in the box to make a new circuit wont be watchin this thread so p m me if needed

If you have a 220v why would you convert it to 110v? You'll get alot more amps off a 220v than a 110v...Im surprised the USA still uses 110v tbh, 220v is way more useful.

Can your stuff not run at 220v?

EDIT: Example your 600w light on a 110v uses 5.4amps roughly. On a 220v circuit it'd only use 2.7amps roughly. If you've a 30amp 220v circuit you'd be INSANE to change it.

bryon209 said:

Here is what you do bury one of the hot wires and pig tail (take a wire nut and a piece of wire to make two ground wires out of the one) your ground. Use the remaining hot leg for 110. use one ground as ground and the other as nuetral, but this will only make one plug you could also get rid of the two pole breaker and use the existing wire, buy a more suitable breaker and use the other hot wire as a nuetral in the panel use the power in the box to make a new circuit wont be watchin this thread so p m me if needed

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Thanks for the info. I probably won't do it myself unless it was pretty straightforward. I'm thinking of keeping the 220v as it should be easier to convert (and convert back). Plus that way the other heater could still run on the circuit if need be. I need to look and see if I have a 3 or 4 wire set up behind it..

Harrekin said:

If you have a 220v why would you convert it to 110v? You'll get alot more amps off a 220v than a 110v...Im surprised the USA still uses 110v tbh, 220v is way more useful.

Can your stuff not run at 220v?

EDIT: Example your 600w light on a 110v uses 5.4amps roughly. On a 220v circuit it'd only use 2.7amps roughly. If you've a 30amp 220v circuit you'd be INSANE to change it.

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I would probably just run the light(s) on it. The 110 would be convenient in that I could run all of the other shit on it (fans, cfls, etc).

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Thanks for the replies. It appears that it is a reasonable request. What kind of 220v outlet am I looking for? Are they pretty standard? I saw the tanning bed ones were specific. I'd like to be able to use it for at least two lights (two sockets). I assume that for ballasts and whatnot they are a standardized prong?

How much would you expect an electrician would charge to come over and make the switch? Or is this a DIY type job?

Also, does anyone have a resource to educate ones self on electricity/wiring? I was thinking about taking a home inspector's class on electricity/wiring lol.

Getting a socket put in from an already installed circuit? If he doesnt have to rip your walls out to do it (ie. your growing where the heater is) it should be cheap enough to avoid the hassle of doing it yourself if you get me. If they charged you $50 they'd be making easy money like. Im not sure about the socket type you'd need and if 220v runs on the standard American type plug...Im in Eire, and we only run 220v here with UK type plugs so Iv never used 110v (nor do I see myself ever really!).

TJefferson said:

Thanks for the info. I probably won't do it myself unless it was pretty straightforward. I'm thinking of keeping the 220v as it should be easier to convert (and convert back)....... What kind of 220v outlet am I looking for? Are they pretty standard? I saw the tanning bed ones were specific. I'd like to be able to use it for at least two lights (two sockets). I assume that for ballasts and whatnot they are a standardized prong?.....? Or is this a DIY type job?.....

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it could be DIY if comfortable working w/ electric. 220 outlets plugs differ mainly based on the amount of amps they can draw. you need to get 220 plugs for both lights & then match the outlet.
be safe, with the wire at the location of the outlet,I cant see an electrician charging over $100 to tap in 2 outlets. late for work, I will check back later

Thanks for the responses guys, I really do appreciate it. After spending most of my day yesterday evaluating my options (lol) I've decided that the bedroom set up, upstairs is not very feasible. It gets to be 75-85 in there over the summer without an additional heat source. Plus I'd probably have to vent the heat out of the roof or get an A/C in the room and it would just be a perpetual cluster fuck.

I've decided I'll just set it up (tents) in my basement. It's about 700 sq ft down there and always cool, even in the summer. Plus the slider down there opens to my private back yard which is full of vegetation. It's really a much better set up, aside from sacrificing that space for recreational use.

I'm still having an issue with the power. There are two heaters down there but I'd like to leave them alone. I'd like to have a 220v plug installed down there by an electrician. The laundry room is down there so I'm not sure what kind of options I have there. I'm thinking a plug on the opposite side of the wall should be doable. I suppose I'd have to get an electrician out to evaluate. Problem is, I'd like to have the option to run 2 lights off of the receptacle at some point and I'm not sure how that's going to happen. I'll probably get the ballast first to see what kind of female I'll need. But then how do I run 2 from the same outlet? Power strip? Fuuuuuck...

Most ballasts come with changable leads. A power strip (aka extension lead) would work perfectly, I think they're good for about 13 amps (at 220v) each on average.

Harrekin said:

Most ballasts come with changable leads. A power strip (aka extension lead) would work perfectly, I think they're good for about 13 amps (at 220v) each on average.

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So in theory what I have to do is have a 220v outlet installed which will be compatible now with my ballast plug and also down the road with my power strip plug (which has a female for my ballast plugs). Not too hard I suppose. I wish the 220's were more standardized like the 110's.

Afaik it just has an extra pin for an earth (ground) wire, once again, not sure about American plugs.

Harrekin said:

... A power strip (aka extension lead) would work perfectly, I think they're good for about 13 amps (at 220v) each on average.

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can you link to a 220volt powerstrip for U.S. ?? never saw one & don't believe they exist.

Harrekin said:

Afaik it just has an extra pin for an earth (ground) wire, once again, not sure about American plugs.

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U.S. power is totally different than european! even the wire color codes are different.

TJ, here is a thought, have him put in a 220 volt timer for a hot water heater.you can hardwire the lights right to it. you will need a timer anyway & this would be cheaper than buying a plug in unit.
however,adding 2 110 circiuts might be easier overall.

mrmadcow said:

can you link to a 220volt powerstrip for U.S. ?? never saw one & don't believe they exist.

U.S. power is totally different than european! even the wire color codes are different.

TJ, here is a thought, have him put in a 220 volt timer for a hot water heater.you can hardwire the lights right to it. you will need a timer anyway & this would be cheaper than buying a plug in unit.
however,adding 2 110 circiuts might be easier overall.

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I basically have a dedicated circuit (15A) in the room I'm going to use. But that's only 15x120 = 1800x.8 = 1440 watts to play with, from my understanding of what I've read here. My initial set up (600w hps, T5 veg, fans, etc) would probably be ok as is, but it's at the upper limit. Also, I wouldn't be able to upgrade to a 1000w. I'm not sure how I would explain my request to add more outlets to the room which already has 5 or so, lol.

Edit - There are 9 outlets down there total, lol. I think the previous owners grew here so I need to take a look and see what's going on down there..

I guess I could get something like this?

http://www.hydroponics.net/i/133091

$250 but could be worth it..

UPDATE

Ok, there is a God. I finally got around to testing the wiring down in the basement and was pleasantly surprised.

I have a 15 amp breaker that supplies the outlets, the lights in the garage and basement, and a garage door opener.

There is a 15 amp breaker which supplies the garage outlets and one outlet in the bathroom (WIN). I have a small freezer chest out there, which is not essential.

Also, I have a 20 amp circuit that powers the washer machine. Looks like a 110v. It has an empty plug.

So, I'm trying to figure out what kind of power the freezer, washer (says 6 amps on the plug), and garage door opener (5A) require. But, it appears I should have plenty of power.

Thoughts?

not so good.my small deep chest freezer draws about 7 amps when started.add 5 for the dr opener brings you to around 12.add 250 watts (2 amps) for light puts you close to the breakers tripping point if the lights are on,the freezers condenser is running & the dr is opened. the odds of all the lights being on when the freezer kicks on & you open the door at the same time is small but adding more than a few amps to the circuit isn't a good idea.the washer circuit could take a 1000 watt light w/out a problem. you could run everything if you dont run wash when lights are on.
is the breaker box in the basement? it would be cheap to add a dedicated circuit if so. not a hard DIY project or very expensive if you hire an electrician.

mrmadcow said:

not so good.my small deep chest freezer draws about 7 amps when started.add 5 for the dr opener brings you to around 12.add 250 watts (2 amps) for light puts you close to the breakers tripping point if the lights are on,the freezers condenser is running & the dr is opened. the odds of all the lights being on when the freezer kicks on & you open the door at the same time is small but adding more than a few amps to the circuit isn't a good idea.the washer circuit could take a 1000 watt light w/out a problem. you could run everything if you dont run wash when lights are on.
is the breaker box in the basement? it would be cheap to add a dedicated circuit if so. not a hard DIY project or very expensive if you hire an electrician.

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Yeah the breaker is in the garage which is on the basement level. But, I had another revelation...lol. There is one outlet in the garage that is on its own 20A circuit. It was a 220V at one point and then switched back. I'm going to hook the door opener and freezer up to that which will basically leave me a dedicated circuit via the outlet in the bathroom. I'll also drop CFL's in all of the lights on the other circuit down there so I'll have plenty of room. I just need to check a few more outlets (exterior outlets, exterior light fixture) to see what else is hooked up to those two circuits but I should be good to go.