Help Electricity Emergency!!l

cannakis

Well-Known Member
So HVAC Unit blew other day...

Plugged in old window unit into opposite grow room and Tripped Breaker immediately, and has continuedr since

Getting HVAC fixed soon, but temps inside house reach 95+ With Thick Humidity.

2 - 4x4 600w hps & mh
1 - 180cfm ecoplus blower
1 - 12kBTU Idylis PACunit
3 - 23w cfls
2 - 4" Personal Fans
1 - 2' Box Fan

Both Ballasts are connected on opposite sides of Grow room, And running through Timer...

As well One Ballast and All Fans are running through 3 - Surge Protectors and Timers.

There are 3 - Outlets all of which have One Ballast and PACunit on One outlet Each.

So is the problem just the Heat? Is the breaker toast? Am I going to have to get heavier duty extension cords?

Thsnks
 

Budget Buds

Well-Known Member
Reduce your lighting as much as possible. If need be get rid of the mh in veg and just run the cfls on the timer for them till you get things fixed.
 

Flagg420

Well-Known Member
You speak of opposite sides of the room, but more importantly are they going on different circuits? If the whole room runs on one breaker it wont matter where you plug in.

What size breaker are you using? (that keeps blowing)

What size is the main its running off?

If you have not already... run a 240v line specifically for lighting, it cuts the amps in half when ya split it across a dual pole breaker (240v) as well as taking the draw completely off the room's breaker(s)
 

cannakis

Well-Known Member
You speak of opposite sides of the room, but more importantly are they going on different circuits? If the whole room runs on one breaker it wont matter where you plug in.

What size breaker are you using? (that keeps blowing)

What size is the main its running off?

If you have not already... run a 240v line specifically for lighting, it cuts the amps in half when ya split it across a dual pole breaker (240v) as well as taking the draw completely off the room's breaker(s)
Holy shit! Okay so here's an Even bigger problem... I Rent!!!! So I can't overhaul shit yet...

It's running on a 20A Breaker with 100A Main... FUCK!!! I have No idea what I'm doing!!!!
 

Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
It sounds like you have put everything on one circuit.

If the breaker instantly flips when you try to turn it you have a ground fault. A wire has come loose somewhere in that cuircuit, the breaker is doing its job.
Water in an outlet can also do the same thing to the breaker.
 

cannakis

Well-Known Member
It sounds like you have put everything on one circuit.

If the breaker instantly flips when you try to turn it you have a ground fault. A wire has come loose somewhere in that cuircuit, the breaker is doing its job.
Water in an outlet can also do the same thing to the breaker.
We'll see that's what I was wondering because it has NOT tripped before for the past 3 months... ONLY Until I plugged that window unit in did it overload...

But you say water... Does heat play a part too I read online it does... So could the Excess heat because HVAC is down and it's So Humid down here do you think that That could add to it tripping?

It didn't trip for a day on Sunday but then it did the next day...

Reduce your lighting as much as possible. If need be get rid of the mh in veg and just run the cfls on the timer for them till you get things fixed.
Hahaha this was EXACTLY what I was Trying To avoid! I had been running cfls for three years with Horrible results!!
 

Carolina Dream'n

Well-Known Member
We'll see that's what I was wondering because it has NOT tripped before for the past 3 months... ONLY Until I plugged that window unit in did it overload...

But you say water... Does heat play a part too I read online it does... So could the Excess heat because HVAC is down and it's So Humid down here do you think that That could add to it tripping?

It didn't trip for a day on Sunday but then it did the next day...


Hahaha this was EXACTLY what I was Trying To avoid! I had been running cfls for three years with Horrible results!!
Your temps really shouldn't change anything.

Id put my bottom dollar that you have both your 600s and everything else on the same breaker.

The "easy" solution is extension cords to known different cuircuit.
 

CanadianONE

Well-Known Member
Grab a no contact voltage tester from home depot or just plug a lamp into each circuit and shut down the breaker and see if they all go off at same time. If they do all plugs are on one circuit. Best place to start IMO
 

cannakis

Well-Known Member
Grab a no contact voltage tester from home depot or just plug a lamp into each circuit and shut down the breaker and see if they all go off at same time. If they do all plugs are on one circuit. Best place to start IMO
Yeah they are definitely All on the same breaker
 

cannakis

Well-Known Member
You speak of opposite sides of the room, but more importantly are they going on different circuits? If the whole room runs on one breaker it wont matter where you plug in.

What size breaker are you using? (that keeps blowing)

What size is the main its running off?

If you have not already... run a 240v line specifically for lighting, it cuts the amps in half when ya split it across a dual pole breaker (240v) as well as taking the draw completely off the room's breaker(s)
I really do like all this... Any good links so I can read up and gain some knowledge?!
 

CanadianONE

Well-Known Member
You can but will need something like an 8AWG wire size to handle the 30-40A that plug could potentially put out.
 

cannakis

Well-Known Member
You can but will need something like an 8AWG wire size to handle the 30-40A that plug could potentially put out.
Would it be advisable? I Wish I could guy and remodel the house but Of Course it's Not my property...! So I want to keep the Hole Punching to a minimum.

And yeah I was Definitely pulling about -20+A...
 

CanadianONE

Well-Known Member
I don't see any issue with using a properly sized extension as long as you mount the receptical up off the floor and make sure to use quality properly sized component to make the extension cord. If you don't have any experience with 220V then I suggest getting help from someone who does or an electrician.
 

CanadianONE

Well-Known Member
Not much difference from running a properly sized extension VS running a longer cable from main panel into room.
 

cannakis

Well-Known Member
I don't see any issue with using a properly sized extension as long as you mount the receptical up off the floor and make sure to use quality properly sized component to make the extension cord. If you don't have any experience with 220V then I suggest getting help from someone who does or an electrician.
Swoo! This stuff is getting serious! A wire from the main panel!?!

No experience 220V?! Receptical mounted? I just had my ballast on top of tent...
 

CanadianONE

Well-Known Member
You can make an extension from 8awg wire to plug into the dryer receptical that's in the next room. The extension would need a female end (receptacle) but as I stated you really don't want this laying on the floor where it could get wet. That dryer plug is 220V. The other thing you could do is run heavy duty extension cords from another 110V receptacle that isn't on the same breaker switch.
 

Budget Buds

Well-Known Member
A dryer is usually on it's own breaker but not always and it usually runs about 4k watts when on, You say you get shitty yields when you run cfls and want to avoid it but you have to do what you have to do. My 5 k btu ac unit runs 400 watts , guesstimates put your 12 k at around 1000 watts but it may be lower. 2 600 watt hid lights , 69 watts of cfl, 55 watts for the 2' box fan, 1-200 ish for the 4 personal fans. your up there buddy in wattage. three days of cfl on you're veg is not going to break your grow and you gotta do what you gotta do to combat the heat issue your having . 2500 ish watts being reduced to 1900 is a considerable difference and would make a dent in your heat problem too. JMO Good luck :) BB
 
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