Can I run 5500w off that electrical panel?

[paparov]

Hello, I am planning on doing a grow in a 10x10 room. I am gonna use air conditioner along with 6x600w HPS.

Max rated electrical draw of the 12000 BTU air conditioner I have is at 1330 W. Plus 6x600w HPS, we get at ~5000w (without calculating the extra amps ballasts draw when they ignite).

Besides that, I am using 3x450 cfm blowers, rated at 105 w each.

Plus 2x250 cfm blowers for active intake, rated at 65w each.

Plus 6 clip on fans rated at 30 w each.

All that equals to 5350 watts (~5500w).

I live in Europe, we have 240v here. I included a pic of the electrical panel.

How would you recommend to do it if this is possible? I was thinking of running extension cords to draw from as many outlets as possible and split the total draw.

 

[ODanksta]

Its not about the watts but the amps. And sorry I cant help

 

[bravedave]

So do both the 40 amp circuits feed that room? In general terms you can just take your wattage/voltage to come up with your amps...so in your case 5500/240 = 23 amps. So if one of those 40 amp circuits exclusively feeds that room, you would have plenty. Although even after rounding up the wattage I would still take the amps X 1.5 or around a 34 Amp need.

Of course, the outlets themselves will have some maximum amp they should handle and the wire thickness itself if going to be decided on based on the same. Personally I think you could cut down on the lights in that 10x10.

 

[paparov]

First of all, thank you for your answer! These 40 amp circuits feed my whole house. But from what i get, one 20 Amp circuit turns the kitchen on when i flip the switch in the electrical panel and another 25 Amp circuit feeds the water heater when i do the same thing. I don't know if i make sense, that's why i wrote next to each breaker what i see in my electrical panel in the pic i uploaded. I don't have many electrical devices in my house. Only a fridge that draws about 330 watts and a computer which draws about the same or less? Do you think i could use the circuit of the water heater to turn on some of the lights? I don't know if this can be done. Anyone who has any idea about this? I can live with taking cold showers.

 

[gucio19]

Hey. You could use circuit from water heater. But remember 20a x 240v = 4800 Watts. Run water heater when the lights are off. Use nice cables min 2.5mm2 Cu, better 4mm2.

Run lights from water heater and ac with other devices from kitchen. Install also high temperature cut off switch to be on safe site.

Why do you have two pole breaker for heater and kitchen? I live also in europe. We have got 1pole breaker=240v, 3pole breaker 400v. Runing 2 pole breaker with two phases gives 400v. I run this for my induction plate.

 

[bravedave]

Ok...so you have 80 amps coming into your house with 81 amps already designated with circuit breakers. You have so few you should be able to determine exactly which controls what, down to the outlet, pretty easily (seriously, I have a garage with a more complicated setup). Again though ...you are overloading that 10x10 room with stuff you don't need IMnewbO.

 

[paparov]

Hey. You could use circuit from water heater. But remember 20a x 240v = 4800 Watts. Run water heater when the lights are off. Use nice cables min 2.5mm2 Cu, better 4mm2.

Run lights from water heater and ac with other devices from kitchen. Install also high temperature cut off switch to be on safe site.

Why do you have two pole breaker for heater and kitchen? I live also in europe. We have got 1pole breaker=240v, 3pole breaker 400v. Runing 2 pole breaker with two phases gives 400v. I run this for my induction plate.

Hey, nice idea! Although i am not good in things considering electricity and i may as well use the breakers that feed the rest of my house besides the kitchen and the water heater. Going to check things out before deciding to mess with the circuits from water heater and the kitchen. How should i do it?I don't know why this is the case with my kitchen and heater. From what i understand, one pole breaker in the bottom left feeds the kitchen and the other one in the bottom left feeds the water heater. The pole breaker in the bottom right feeds the rest of my house. Now that you mentioned it, i have seen 400v written on the breakers too. I don't know, is this bad if this is the case?

 

[SnapsProvolone]

Just tossing this out there, 12kbtu/hr is gonna be a cunt hair shy imo.

I dunno what your main breaker is rated at.

Your double pole breakers should feed 480v so your likely good to go imo.

 

[paparov]

Ok...so you have 80 amps coming into your house with 81 amps already designated with circuit breakers. You have so few you should be able to determine exactly which controls what, down to the outlet, pretty easily (seriously, I have a garage with a more complicated setup). Again though ...you are overloading that 10x10 room with stuff you don't need IMnewbO.

Ok...so you have 80 amps coming into your house with 81 amps already designated with circuit breakers. You have so few you should be able to determine exactly which controls what, down to the outlet, pretty easily (seriously, I have a garage with a more complicated setup). Again though ...you are overloading that 10x10 room with stuff you don't need IMnewbO.

Exactly! 80 amps! 40 for kitchen and water heater, 40 for the rest of my house! I was thinking exactly that, determining which outlet controls what. Only that i wanted to do it with the 2x10A breakers and the 1x16A breaker that feeds the rest of my house, leaving behind the circuits of the water heater and the kitchen. Why do you consider i am overloading it? In terms of lights, 3600w/100square foot equals to 36 watt/square foot. And the recommended is 50 watts/square foot, meaning i should have 5000 watts to provide optimal lighting conditions.

Something else i am wandering about and because you seem very experienced, i would like to hear an opinion from you on this. I have 3x450 CFM blowers for exhaust. And 2x250 CFM blowers for active intake. Also, i have the appropriate carbon filters for the exhaust blowers. Do you think i am ok in terms of air exchange and odors? Would you improve the ventilation if you were me? Thank you!

 

[paparov]

Just tossing this out there, 12kbtu/hr is gonna be a cunt hair shy imo.

I dunno what your main breaker is rated at.

Your double pole breakers should feed 480v so your likely good to go imo.

Along with the exhaust i believe, i should be able to do it in terms of temperatures. I have noticed that bare bulbs in vertical position produce much less heat than horizontal setups. I had 6x600w HPS in a 7x10x7 space in my previous setup with exactly the same ventilation setup except the a/c and temps ranged from 80-82 F. Now. with the same setup in a bigger room and with a/c, don't you think i would be able to do it? The air coming from outside when the setup will be full on, will range from 55-60F. The a/c says on the box that it has a cooling capacity of 3600w?

I suppose that the main breaker is rated at 80 amps? I hope this is the case, that i am likely good to go. I also got some relay timers, i had noticed that the cheapo analog timers were tripping all the time in the past when i had multiple 600w. I am paranoid about keeping 12/12 when they flower. Of course back then, i did not have in mind the same data i have now.

 

[SnapsProvolone]

So you plan to exhaust your conditioned environment? You're setting up for an epic fail imo.

 

[paparov]

I know its not the most efficient way. A/C will be running non-stop. I am willing to pay the leccy bill. Why do you think i am setting up for an epic fail other than this? I don't like CO2 and the stuff that comes with it. You think i won't be able to keep up with the temps?

 

[SnapsProvolone]

Lets say you vent your AC. I'd assume you'll loose at least 60% of the cooling BTU's, when depending on ambient temperature you'll be gaining perhaps half that. Kinda like a monkey chasing it's tail around a flagpole.

If you seal up and run AC, you need ample dehumidification and supplemental co2.

If you vent hard core, you can keep room temps within 5-7 degrees F of your ambient.

Pick one way or the other, sealed or vented. You can setup for both but only use one at a time. For example in the winter you can vent and in the summer run sealed.

 

[paparov]

Lets say you vent your AC. I'd assume you'll loose at least 60% of the cooling BTU's, when depending on ambient temperature you'll be gaining perhaps half that. Kinda like a monkey chasing it's tail around a flagpole.

If you seal up and run AC, you need ample dehumidification and supplemental co2.

If you vent hard core, you can keep room temps within 5-7 degrees F of your ambient.

Pick one way or the other, sealed or vented. You can setup for both but only use one at a time. For example in the winter you can vent and in the summer run sealed.

Perfect explanation and metaphor! You know, i had wondered many times what happens in the case i vent the a/c and you are the first to come with a satisfying explanation! I knew from the beginning the proper way is to use co2 with the a/c. But i don't feel comfortable playing with co2 and not only because of the upfront costs. You said about venting hardcore. I am bringing air from outside my house to my growroom. Air that when the setup will be running whole will be at the 60-70F range, less as winter is coming. I have about 1000 CFM of exhaust for this room that is approximately 1000 Cubic Feet after regarding losses due to the carbon filters mainly (ducting of my exhaust fans is short and straight). Setting the a/c to run to its max performance (at 16C) along with my exhaust, you think i could do it? Now i have only 1 600w running. I tested it without the a/c and temps climbed to 80F. Then i set my A/C to 75F and the room stays at 75F.

A problem i see is how i am gonna bring air when it will be lights off. I can't be bringing air that is 60-70F or less when lights are off. Seems i will have to buy another fan and work with timed intake and exhaust. Intake from outside my house during lights on and intake from inside my house with lights off. Gosh, more money one way or the other. I am starting to miss the times i had a 3x3 tent with 400w in the corner of my bedroom. What cfm fan do you suggest me to buy to be bringing air in this 10x10x10 room when lights will be off?

 

[SnapsProvolone]

One of my rooms is an 8400 watt room that's vent only. It's rather large, about 21' x 16' but not all that volume is plant space. I vent that room with a 14" pulling on hoods. I have a thermostat on a fresh air intake. This kicks in as needed.

 

[SnapsProvolone]

That room is flower only. It runs at night.

 

[bravedave]

I

... Why do you consider i am overloading it? In terms of lights, 3600w/100square foot equals to 36 watt/square foot. And the recommended is 50 watts/square foot, meaning i should have 5000 watts to provide optimal lighting conditions.

Something else i am wandering about and because you seem very experienced,
...

I assumed that your 10x10 was your total space. So I pictured a smaller area being covered by those 600s with some space for maneuvering, and maneuvering clones and vegging plants.. What are you doing for a second room? That said, I have read here that 600s are good for like 3'x4' with some saying you can stretch that. I am currently using a 600w MH in a 4.5'x6.5' space with a cheapy basic reflector and the 8 plants I have sitting there seem happy. That said...I rotated them all of veg and half of flower...giving each plant 8 different looks every 4 days. (Something I would not want to do with any more than the plants I had in the space I had). In any case, I would go with 4 1000W. 2 less ballasts to maintain and similar coverage and then I would listen to everything SP is willing to share with you. My "experience" is growing but I do not have much in the lines of growing experience. Yes, you can quote me on that.

 

[SnapsProvolone]

For an area larger than a light, I don't recommend 600's for overhead lighting, instead use 1kW lights for overhead and 600's are perfectly suited to vertical bare bulbs (fuckin trees!). A proper combo of both can be a massive producer.

@paparov bigger is better for your fans, just put them on a controller. I would probably be looking at a 10" vortex on an environmental controller for intake and a 12" for exhausting reflectors off a trunk when lights are on, perhaps full time in summer to prevent PM.

 

[paparov]

I


I assumed that your 10x10 was your total space. So I pictured a smaller area being covered by those 600s with some space for maneuvering, and maneuvering clones and vegging plants.. What are you doing for a second room? That said, I have read here that 600s are good for like 3'x4' with some saying you can stretch that. I am currently using a 600w MH in a 4.5'x6.5' space with a cheapy basic reflector and the 8 plants I have sitting there seem happy. That said...I rotated them all of veg and half of flower...giving each plant 8 different looks every 4 days. (Something I would not want to do with any more than the plants I had in the space I had). In any case, I would go with 4 1000W. 2 less ballasts to maintain and similar coverage and then I would listen to everything SP is willing to share with you. My "experience" is growing but I do not have much in the lines of growing experience. Yes, you can quote me on that.

For an area larger than a light, I don't recommend 600's for overhead lighting, instead use 1kW lights for overhead and 600's are perfectly suited to vertical bare bulbs (fuckin trees!). A proper combo of both can be a massive producer.

@paparov bigger is better for your fans, just put them on a controller. I would probably be looking at a 10" vortex on an environmental controller for intake and a 12" for exhausting reflectors off a trunk when lights are on, perhaps full time in summer to prevent PM.

Guys, i already have 6x600w ballasts and bulbs. I don't see a reason to ditch them all and get 4x1000w! If i had all that money, i might as well get CO2 kit and dehumidifier etc! From the time i switched to vertical, i cannot see a reason to go back to horizontal, except when vegging. This is what i am doing right now. I have already setup the room, its not a plan about how to make it!

The same goes for my exhaust fans! I already have 3x450 CFM fans and carbon filters! And 2x250 CFM fans! I cannot ditch all my growing equipment and get new one! No reason to do that! The way i see it, i only need one more blower for intake to be used from inside my house when lights go off and i will not be able to pull air from outside in the middle of winter.

I have decided to go with 4 vertical doughnuts. Two circles consisting of 1x600w each for the indica phenos and the 4 autoflowers i have going and 2 circles consisting of 2x600w each for the taller sativa/indica hybrids! So, SnapsProvolone, you suggest that i get a 10" inline fan for active intake during lights off. Will keep that in mind!