Experienced Electrician! Here to Answer Any and All Growroom Electrical Questions

Where's the neutral? I see ground

Is the OP no longer answering question?

I have two breakers and there are 8 circuits that need power. All the branching is done with twist connectors inside a junction box but I find I am connecting four wires under a single connector. Is this kosher? Is it appropriate to use a connector block to distribute power to the circuits?

That 5hit said:

how does this thing look
i mean is it spot on

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it will work but it shares the neutral and ground so it doesn't have a ground. not the safest thing to use but ok for tempary use if your careful.you would not be able to buy one wired like that as it would never pass UL listing.

zvuv said:

.... All the branching is done with twist connectors inside a junction box but I find I am connecting four wires under a single connector. Is this kosher? Is it appropriate to use a connector block to distribute power to the circuits?

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cant answer to what they do in europe but if you are in N America & using 110, I can help. when you say connector,do you mean wire nut? then yes,its ok to put several wires under 1 nut as long as they fit. if by connector, you mean a screw terminal at the outlet, then no,only 1 wire per screw although some are designed w/ a little plate under the screw so you can put a wire on each side.

Yeah this is 110v, single phase. Yes I have four wires in a twist connector. I dont like it and if I add more circuits its going to be a real mess. I could daisy chain them but I dont like that either. Isn't there a neater solution?

Hey spooner- help me out here with the terminology- what is a fuzzy logic and a Gen-1 eng. Thanks.

zvuv said:

Is the OP no longer answering question?

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i recall seeing a post a ways back of OP saying he is no longer actively monitoring this thread

IAm5toned posts on Club Speedy where he is a Mod, or he's on RiddleMe's new site with a lot of veteran growers at Riddlem3.com

I'm in the electrical design phase of my grow room. I've drawn up a system that uses an Intermatic double pole single throw timer wired into a "mini panel" that distributes the power from the timer to my 240V grow light, a 120V light mover and a 120V duct booster fan that brings fresh air into the room.

If I hand draw, scan, and post the layout can an electrician in the group check it out?

Great message board and forum. Thanks.

Can all of your devices can work in both 50HZ and 60HZ(European/American, in that order) frequencies?

markus05 said:

Can all of your devices can work in both 50HZ and 60HZ(European/American, in that order) frequencies?

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Apologies; forgetting we have European and North American systems here.

My units I believe are designated for 60 Hz.

Duct booster fan for make-up/supply air to room:

http://tinyurl.com/3jjgmjv

Light mover:

http://www.lightrail3.com/light-rail-3-5-light-mover/

Grow light:

http://www.specialty-lights.com/1000mh-hpskit-cb6.html

Thanks for the reads and replies.

This is what I'm controlling with this circuit: a 240V 1000W lamp, a 120V fan to ventilate the lamp hood, and a 120v light mover.

Here's the design:



I'll run the ground separately from the 240V line to be able to ground the 120V appliances.

Opinions?

Thanks.

i got a question, they opens a store here were you could buy knives and such but they also sell grow stuff, and they sell high weattage cfls like 100-200 i believe, plus they can order anything you want, my question is, what kind of light socket/ light fixture can i use to be able to run a 100-200 watt cfl? pic or link to the socket would be greatly appreciated

mister632 said:

i got a question, they opens a store here were you could buy knives and such but they also sell grow stuff, and they sell high weattage cfls like 100-200 i believe, plus they can order anything you want, my question is, what kind of light socket/ light fixture can i use to be able to run a 100-200 watt cfl? pic or link to the socket would be greatly appreciated

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I use ceramic sockets. They are cheap and can handle almost any wattage.

@dray86man tx.

zvuv said:

I use ceramic sockets. They are cheap and can handle almost any wattage.

@dray86man tx.

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thx for the reply boss. when you mean ceramic sockets? what do you mean by that? are those the one in home depot for like a buck fifty? maybe a link? imma look it up right now, but if you have spare time maybe give me a link so i dont buy the wrong one + rep

hey i could probally use ur help.... new to rollit up,, dont know how to im

mister632 said:

thx for the reply boss. when you mean ceramic sockets? what do you mean by that? are those the one in home depot for like a buck fifty? ...

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Yep those. Cheap, simple solid and you dont have to worry about overheating or wattage ratings. My 600W HPS lamp uses a ceramic Mogul socket which is the same thing in a larger size.

Why does it appear that my ground bar and common bar are connected in my breaker box?

Thanks

I am not an electrician but it's my understanding that ground and neutral are the same thing. In some 220v plugs, common is used as the ground. The ground wire is really an alternate neutral to provide a return path for the current in case the case is hot due to a short or somesuch.

ground and neutral aren't the same thing. dangerous advice.

Danielsgb said:

ground and neutral aren't the same thing. dangerous advice.

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Well in all the circuits I've worked on, ground and neutral read as connected on a meter. In the main box provided by the county ground and neutral are physicaly connected.