Experienced Electrician! Here to Answer Any and All Growroom Electrical Questions
- Thread starter bricktown73
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IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
fail.
2 x 1000w (plus ballast demand) = 2100-2200w
max wattage of a 20amp circuit, @ 120v = 1920w
(continuous duty)
PSA- circuit breakers are only designed to run @ 80%..... fyi.
IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
Please refrain from answering questions on this thread, unless you are qualified to do so or are absolutely certain of the answer, or are quoting another qualified user...
And by qualified, I mean a journeyman, a master electrician, a lineman, or have a decent amount of exp(like 10+ years) in the feild of some kind of electrical installation, or design.
Because if you are just trying to help, and reply to someone with the first thing that comes off the top of your head, your not really helping, your guessing, because you dont know whats actually going on, or the reasons behind it. Electricity is unique in that local conditions play a major role in how your system operates, and what works for you, in Colorado, for ex, might burn down someones house in Australia, or vice versa. Beng an electrician is a pain in the ass, it takes alot of school, (5 years, associates or bachelors... my ass) and alot of time in the field (greater than 20k hours) to be even called an electrician, and being an internet electrician, where you cant even see whats going on... is challenging enough even for the experienced guys...
...Its like this, I suppose... say you were sick, and you went to the hospital emergency room. while your waiting, every other patient in the room comes up to you and pronounces you with a different disease... would you listen to them? hell no! lol..
But the difference between here and there, is that, the people that come here for help, usually dont know whats wrong or what to even look for to fix the problem, and are pretty likely to try anything they hear off of here, if only because they dont know any better; and when someone straight guesses @ an issue, and the poor homeowner/grower goes out, buys the part, puts it together, turns it on only to find out his problem still isnt solved, well, you just wasted that guys time and money, and took the risk of burning his place down, or even getting him/her hurt!
I know you just want to help, and thats ok, but bad advice isnt help!
Be informed.
And by qualified, I mean a journeyman, a master electrician, a lineman, or have a decent amount of exp(like 10+ years) in the feild of some kind of electrical installation, or design.
Because if you are just trying to help, and reply to someone with the first thing that comes off the top of your head, your not really helping, your guessing, because you dont know whats actually going on, or the reasons behind it. Electricity is unique in that local conditions play a major role in how your system operates, and what works for you, in Colorado, for ex, might burn down someones house in Australia, or vice versa. Beng an electrician is a pain in the ass, it takes alot of school, (5 years, associates or bachelors... my ass) and alot of time in the field (greater than 20k hours) to be even called an electrician, and being an internet electrician, where you cant even see whats going on... is challenging enough even for the experienced guys...
...Its like this, I suppose... say you were sick, and you went to the hospital emergency room. while your waiting, every other patient in the room comes up to you and pronounces you with a different disease... would you listen to them? hell no! lol..
But the difference between here and there, is that, the people that come here for help, usually dont know whats wrong or what to even look for to fix the problem, and are pretty likely to try anything they hear off of here, if only because they dont know any better; and when someone straight guesses @ an issue, and the poor homeowner/grower goes out, buys the part, puts it together, turns it on only to find out his problem still isnt solved, well, you just wasted that guys time and money, and took the risk of burning his place down, or even getting him/her hurt!
I know you just want to help, and thats ok, but bad advice isnt help!
Be informed.
smokey green
Active Member
I happen to be a journeyman, been one for 8 years, been an electrician since 99. If you were to use code, then yes I stand corrected, but running those lights 12 hrs a day on a 20 amp with 12 gauge wire will not blow the fuse and IMO is no harm..a 20 amp circuit can be loaded at 1920 watts using the codes 80% load rule. So again, If we are using code.... (as I guess we should be) then I stand corrected.... but bending the rules and running 85% load isnt going to burn down his house. you as an electrician should know this... arnt we all bending the rules here after all?
smokey green
Active Member
FYI Im a journeyman, been one for 8 years, been a certified electrician since 99. If you want to go by code, Then I stand corrected. And yes I know about the 80% load... but he's looking at about 85%. It wont hurt a damn thing as long as its a 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge wire and nothing else is on the circuit.
CODE= A 20 amp circuit can be loaded 1920 watts, 120 x 20 x 80%=1920 watts...
Bottom line is by code, its wrong... but bending the code a bit in this situation wont hurt....
after all, arnt we all bending rules here a bit?
CODE= A 20 amp circuit can be loaded 1920 watts, 120 x 20 x 80%=1920 watts...
Bottom line is by code, its wrong... but bending the code a bit in this situation wont hurt....
after all, arnt we all bending rules here a bit?
smokey green
Active Member
Sorry for repeating twice...lol....wake n bake...
IAm5toned
Well-Known Member
its all good man...
the point im getting @ tho, is if you tell someone its ok to bend the rules this time, they might think that its ok to bend them a little bit more next time... and you can see where that goes!
that post wasnt directed towards you or anyone personally, just in general, and I apologize if it seemed like it was.
the point im getting @ tho, is if you tell someone its ok to bend the rules this time, they might think that its ok to bend them a little bit more next time... and you can see where that goes!
that post wasnt directed towards you or anyone personally, just in general, and I apologize if it seemed like it was.
smokey green
Active Member
its all good man...
the point im getting @ tho, is if you tell someone its ok to bend the rules this time, they might think that its ok to bend them a little bit more next time... and you can see where that goes!
that post wasnt directed towards you or anyone personally, just in general, and I apologize if it seemed like it was.
=
I understand man....and im sorry for coming off the way i did...I did take it the wrong way.. your right, and I know where bending the rules gets a lotta folks...but i did mention in his situatuion, it would be ok...lol....but you are right..and I appoligize...
sladeofdark
New Member
awww listen to you ladies kiss and make up..
Nah just kidding..anyway, i cant message you IAM b/c your box is full but just wanted you and Daniel to know i am going to be installing my electrical by myself. After all the research ive done and the 4 or 5 electricians i had come out and give me quotes, i realize that like alot of things i can handle this myself. I ran my romex and installed my first outlets yesterday and it was a success. I will be filming the installation of the rest of my outlets so everyone can enjoy and learn and maybe i can even grab some rep. I always like to give back and help, and you guys have saved me about $600 with your advice straight up. I started a new thread and so im probably gonna finish up the thread and have it moved to this more appropriate thread later or something.
Nah just kidding..anyway, i cant message you IAM b/c your box is full but just wanted you and Daniel to know i am going to be installing my electrical by myself. After all the research ive done and the 4 or 5 electricians i had come out and give me quotes, i realize that like alot of things i can handle this myself. I ran my romex and installed my first outlets yesterday and it was a success. I will be filming the installation of the rest of my outlets so everyone can enjoy and learn and maybe i can even grab some rep. I always like to give back and help, and you guys have saved me about $600 with your advice straight up. I started a new thread and so im probably gonna finish up the thread and have it moved to this more appropriate thread later or something.
pigeon toe
Member
its all good man...
the point im getting @ tho, is if you tell someone its ok to bend the rules this time, they might think that its ok to bend them a little bit more next time... and you can see where that goes!
that post wasnt directed towards you or anyone personally, just in general, and I apologize if it seemed like it was.
after reading through this little tag team of who knows what?? i have to say ...you both need to brush up a little. it was a fuse, not a breaker. fuses have a totally different load factoring. and fuses are based on the type of fuse used. but then i am sure you guys knew that....Right?
but in all consideration the simple fact that your giving laymen, instructions to do work with out supervision is both helpful and dangerous. anyone who has the proper training knows this by way of the very training they received. be it by the method said training was given, or the work they have acquired over the years by laymen who didnt have a clue. and should have never been twisting wires in the first place.
as i use to tell my employees for years... the most dangerous electrician is the smart one, not the dumb one. at least the dumb one has limits ! but that smart one will always think he/she is one intelligent thought ahead of everyone else.
peace out
pigeon toe
Member
sure didnt expect that response, yeah right ! LMAO you might need a better attitude adjustment program. or better yet just remove the stick from your......
have a good night
have a good night
Hello everyone! This is my first post but I have been reading for about 3 years and growing for about 10. I have a quick question.
Is is safe/possible to plug a C.A.P. MLC-8XT master light controller which is rated at 40 amps into a 30 amp 240 volt dryer outlet? I will only be using 2 1000 watts at 240 volt which I believe is less than 17 amps. I have minimal electrical knowledge and would like to avoid burning down my apartment. I know that I can hardwire the unit but that is not an option. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Is is safe/possible to plug a C.A.P. MLC-8XT master light controller which is rated at 40 amps into a 30 amp 240 volt dryer outlet? I will only be using 2 1000 watts at 240 volt which I believe is less than 17 amps. I have minimal electrical knowledge and would like to avoid burning down my apartment. I know that I can hardwire the unit but that is not an option. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
hi there! thanks for your willingness to help us out! I am a first time grower and am exploring my options when it comes to lighting... i found this ( http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?showtopic=34776&st=0 ) and am very interested in it and want to try to make it... problem is i dont know anything about wiring really, but am mechanically inclined and i think could figure it out if i just had some help... thanks in advance for any help you may offer!
JYMBOJONES
Member
Got a wiring question that Im sure has been a asked billions of times, but I can't seem to find a simple answer.
Here is the scenario:
My breaker box is full, but there is a seldom used 40 amp breaker going out to the barn and an unused plug on its own 20 amp breaker in a hall closet, plus the sockets in my room which are unreliable because they share breakers with other rooms outlets. Would it be safer/easier/cheaper to run a 220 line from the 40 amp breaker to a power board with 4-6 220v outlets and 4-6 110v outlets or just run the lights of the 20 amp hall closet and keep my fans and accessories on the wall sockets? Right now Im running a 600, a 250, and next week will be adding 3 more 600s. I'll be moving in the near future and also be adding AC, so figured now is the time to build a power board if there ever was one. I need some understanding of whether I can splice it off the mainline to a separate breaker box on the power board, or have to go from a breaker. Thanks, any diagrams you want to throw at me or advice is appreciated.
Here is the scenario:
My breaker box is full, but there is a seldom used 40 amp breaker going out to the barn and an unused plug on its own 20 amp breaker in a hall closet, plus the sockets in my room which are unreliable because they share breakers with other rooms outlets. Would it be safer/easier/cheaper to run a 220 line from the 40 amp breaker to a power board with 4-6 220v outlets and 4-6 110v outlets or just run the lights of the 20 amp hall closet and keep my fans and accessories on the wall sockets? Right now Im running a 600, a 250, and next week will be adding 3 more 600s. I'll be moving in the near future and also be adding AC, so figured now is the time to build a power board if there ever was one. I need some understanding of whether I can splice it off the mainline to a separate breaker box on the power board, or have to go from a breaker. Thanks, any diagrams you want to throw at me or advice is appreciated.
Danielsgb
Well-Known Member
Here is IAm5toned's chart.
30a is good for 2880w so you can't run 3 or 4 1000w. A 30a needs a #10awg, and I think you have #12 if I get what you asked. Remember fans and hydro stuff uses watts too. So you can run 2 1000w to the 30a and there is 880w left to use.
Sorry it's only a partial answer, but hope it helps.
Daniels
