Blew my breaker, plug grounded?

[raggyb]

I 'am an electrician and I 'am confused by this thread lol. You guys sound like my customers when I get there and they already know the answer and use lot's of words to explain it. Go get a electrician to figure it out, I'm sure you can find someone to turn a blind eye or just shut it down for now. Get a 20 amp plug installed in the room for a iron or whatever else you can think of and run with that. Electricity can be a bitch sometimes, trust me I know.

i read a lot of blogs for people trying to fix problems and almost every time i check a blog the pros contribution is always to say call a pro. furthermore they usually don't give the answer. i wonder why, hahahah? there are only a few that say anything helpful. and pros when they come they more often than not don't fix the problem permanently or they totally bullshit you and try to sell you a new system, when only one little thing was wrong. i wonder why on that too i say fecisiously. so if somebudy have any knowledge whatsoever i say give it a try and they will be better off trying to fix it themselves even if they were to fail half the time. That said, if one has no knowledge whatsoever and no mechanical aptitude then don't fuck with electricity, that's for sure.

 

[Boatguy]

i read a lot of blogs for people trying to fix problems and almost every time i check a blog the pros contribution is always to say call a pro. furthermore they usually don't give the answer. i wonder why, hahahah? there are only a few that say anything helpful. and pros when they come they more often than not don't fix the problem permanently or they totally bullshit you and try to sell you a new system, when only one little thing was wrong. i wonder why on that too i say fecisiously. so if somebudy have any knowledge whatsoever i say give it a try and they will be better off trying to fix it themselves even if they were to fail half the time. That said, if one has no knowledge whatsoever and no mechanical aptitude then don't fuck with electricity, that's for sure.

I dont know what to make of this post.
For 1 most electricians arent crooks or salesmen. Secondly, even if you have a mechanical aptitude, accidents happen. Especially if you are inexperienced or foolhardy.
Call an electrician is good advice.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Yeah you have to run a new wire. Try installing electrical equipment specifically for your grow, it's way safer and you know your limits.
Get it done before you start growing, instead of randomly plugging in thousands of watts of power into whatever room your in.

You don't need to run a new wire if your house already has 12 gauge wire. I agree that it's best to run a separate line for the grow room, but most people don't do that. I actually am gonna add a dedicated circuit for my grow room, I just haven't called out an electrician yet.

 

[natureboygrower]

EVERY homeowner should learn how to swap out a busted outlet. Ffs, I could not imagine calling an electrician for that. Probably be $100 minimum service call where I'm at for a $2 part.

 

[Zeus709]

You don't need to run a new wire if your house already has 12 gauge wire. I agree that it's best to run a separate line for the grow room, but most people don't do that. I actually am gonna add a dedicated circuit for my grow room, I just haven't called out an electrician yet.

Houses have 12 gauge wire that go to 20 amp receptacles, not 15amp receptacles. The whole point which is the best one is to have a dedicated line to the grow.

EVERY homeowner should learn how to swap out a busted outlet. Ffs, I could not imagine calling an electrician for that. Probably be $100 minimum service call where I'm at for a $2 part.

Lol how much does burning your house down cost? And trust me not everyone can or should change something as simple as a plug. Just because you can doesn't mean everyone should.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Houses have 12 gauge wire that go to 20 amp receptacles, not 15amp receptacles. The whole point which is the best one is to have a dedicated line to the grow.
Lol how much does burning your house down cost? And trust me not everyone can or should change something as simple as a plug. Just because you can doesn't mean everyone should.

Not all houses have 12 gauge wire.

 

[natureboygrower]

Lol how much does burning your house down cost? And trust me not everyone can or should change something as simple as a plug. Just because you can doesn't mean everyone should.

Burning your house down changing out an outlet? C'mon dude, it's probably happened but that's a bit dramatic. But that's your bread and butter, I wont hate. We arent talking him into getting into his panel, a simple disconnection of some wires with his main off with a tester in hand at the outlet.
Maybe so many people wouldn't be broke if they had some confidence in themselves and took some initiative.

Do you run you're own electrical business? What would you charge for a service that was a one outlet repair?

 

[getogrow]

Not all houses have 12 gauge wire.

Im 100% sure he knows this.
Also not all homes that have 12 wire , use 20 amp outlets. Inspectors are too busy calling out dumb shit to actually call out dangerous stuff like this.

OP , after you get this fixed , have someone run you 2 wires to your panel , so you have 2 dedicated circuits for your grow. (the wire goes from the outlet straight to the panel with no other outlets on it. ) Then have that same person tell you exactly how many watts each outlet can handle to be safe.

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Im 100% sure he knows this.
Also not all homes that have 12 wire , use 20 amp outlets. Inspectors are too busy calling out dumb shit to actually call out dangerous stuff like this.

OP , after you get this fixed , have someone run you 2 wires to your panel , so you have 2 dedicated circuits for your grow. (the wire goes from the outlet straight to the panel with no other outlets on it. ) Then have that same person tell you exactly how many watts each outlet can handle to be safe.

He would if he's actually an electrician. But I don't believe everything I hear. I'm not saying he's not, I'm just skeptical.

 

[getogrow]

Burning your house down changing out an outlet? C'mon dude, it's probably happened but that's a bit dramatic. But that's your bread and butter, I wont hate. We arent talking him into getting into his panel, a simple disconnection of some wires with his main off with a tester in hand at the outlet.
Maybe so many people wouldn't be broke if they had some confidence in themselves and took some initiative.

Do you run you're own electrical business? What would you charge for a service that was a one outlet repair?

about 100 bucks but im guessing way more because its "something else too"
49 cent for a new outlet and everyone is happy.

i have to agree with you .... most folks can do anything but wont touch electricity. Changing an outlet with solid advice is pretty straight forward. As an electrician/residential wire guy, i kinda know who can do it and who cant or wont. Im not mad at them a bit but its not that deep.

 

[natureboygrower]

about 100 bucks but im guessing way more because its "something else too"
49 cent for a new outlet and everyone is happy.

i have to agree with you .... most folks can do anything but wont touch electricity. Changing an outlet with solid advice is pretty straight forward. As an electrician/residential wire guy, i kinda know who can do it and who cant or wont. Im not mad at them a bit but its not that deep.

I agree not everyone should attempt to work on their wiring. Some shouldn't even pick up a paint brush lol.

 

[ttystikk]

I wired my basement to handle 100A@240V and when a master sparky checked my work he only found one wire that wasn't quite big enough for the breaker I chose, although it was fine for the load I was running.

I fully stand behind the recommendation of having a pro deal with the wiring if people don't feel confident with it. Risking death by electrical shock or burning your house down is high stakes and paying someone who knows what they're doing is cheap insurance.

 

[Dougnsalem]

Pretty sure all of Canada uses the same 120/240 volt spilt phase power for residential that we use in the USA.

I must have been too drunk, for the last two years. For some reason I thought you were based in the UK. This post of yours tripped me out..... Lol

 

[Renfro]

Take the neutral off the bar as well and check that for continuity.

Because the neutral and ground are bonded at the service entrance you will find continuity between neutral and ground.

 

[bgmike8]

Because the neutral and ground are bonded at the service entrance you will find continuity between neutral and ground.

Ive been appreciating some of your posts lately..
If i took some pics of my electrical set up, would you look it over some time?

I think i did pretty good.
I installed 3 20 amp circuits. Each with just one outlet.
Im confident im wired up all good. Im a little worried about the way the romex or whatnot is just hanging from the panel to the outlets. About 22 feet each kinda ran through the rafters or whatever you Call them in the basement.. I have some metal U nails . i plan to tack them up a little more neatly and securely. I bet its not up to code but i dont think its unsafe...

 

[Renfro]

rafters or whatever you Call them in the basement

Floor joists. Where are the pics?

 

[bgmike8]

Floor joists. Where are the pics?

Ill have to take some. I,might do a grow journal.. I could tag you in it. Im trying to dial in a new room. 5 scrogs that will have 3'x3' screens and a total of 9 600watt hid's

 

[PadawanWarrior]

Ive been appreciating some of your posts lately..
If i took some pics of my electrical set up, would you look it over some time?

I think i did pretty good.
I installed 3 20 amp circuits. Each with just one outlet.
Im confident im wired up all good. Im a little worried about the way the romex or whatnot is just hanging from the panel to the outlets. About 22 feet each kinda ran through the rafters or whatever you Call them in the basement.. I have some metal U nails . i plan to tack them up a little more neatly and securely. I bet its not up to code but i dont think its unsafe...

Some? I appreciate them all, lol.

 

[getogrow]

I bet its not up to code but i dont think its unsafe...

Code here says you need a staple to hold the wire up every 4ft or less. Its not "unsafe" at all unless you run through your basement like a football player an tackle all your gear every day. So yes , common sense says its unsafe but your the one working down there , its fine. Just dont tie metal cords around your neck attached to a lightning rod thats sharp enough to cut through the romex and you'll be fine.

Im guilty too but for fucks sake we are not allowed to hang the light from the wiring ! The weight will pull the wire down a tiny bit at a time and start tearing the romex off at the staple. No big deal just slap some staples on it so its not hanging down. its fine and safe.
Now about the wire your sparky told you is not rated for the numbers but your load will not hurt it...... Thats something you do NOT want to leave that way when you move. ONLY you and that sparky know what that wire can really handle so try your best to get rid of that before moving or selling the home.
Some jackass will come right behind you and use the full 100 amps and burn himself to the ground...... we dont need that on our shoulders.

 

[getogrow]

Because the neutral and ground are bonded at the service entrance you will find continuity between neutral and ground.

In the last 5 or 6 years , we have to separate the ground and neutrals completely and take out the bonding bar in the panel. Im not real up to date on codes but i recall back in 2002 there was one inspector that just was not having the neutrals and grounds together. so we separated them just for him. Today all homes get seperated here. I dont really see the benefit but im not the master writing the codes. some of them sound stupid to me but are actually safer then i think.

The dumbest code i see , is we have to run two ground rods to each home now, one to the panel and one to the meter..... some inspectors HAVE to see the ground wire continuous and not cut between each rod. no clue why that would matter at all. Some inspectors are normal and just want to see both rods connected , it dont matter if the wire is cut or not.