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

[legaleyes13]

@wheels - Thanks man... I have one last question, that if answered will have me sitting pretty. If I pick up a 240v 30A 6 light controller - the kind that has 2 outlets that can be flipped to run separately from the rest, continuous if I choose to. could I plug a non light into it? Like say this atmosphere controller? http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/sentinel-chhc4-cooling-heating-humidity-and-co2-controller-p-2778.html - But the thing about this atmosphere controller is that I'm almost sure that it's 110v or 120v... but lets say I plug it into a transformer then into one of the extra outlets on the lighting controller. Would everything work as long as I'm under the amperage limit?

 

[wheels619]

so I live in the USA in a duplex in the top unit, the house is pretty old and I have no idea how many amp my unit is able to work with, also I do not know which rooms are on the same circuit and how many amps each circuit (room) can hold. Is there any way I can figure this out? I am running about 1000W from what I believe is one circuit(room) and I have an extension cord coming from another separate room which has about 800W running through it. My sockets are all 120V. Also I had to wire two in-line booster fans myself. I used an old computer power cord and cut the end off and wired it, the only problem is that the wires from the in-line booster had aluminum (im assuming) wire but the power cords had copper. I know the wires were the same gauge. I went to my local hardware store and bought some of this anti-oxidizing cream and smeared it all over the wires while I connected and put a wire nut on them. Could this pose as any threat? Let me know via PM, it would be very helpful!

ok this is gonna be a pain in the ass. lol. grab a lamp. turn off one rooms breakers and go thru the rooms and plug the lamp in. if it lights up the one outlet isnt on the same circuit. remember tho half a room may be on one and the other half of the room may be on the other. so check them all. also you have a breaker that should be labeled with the amperage rating. also most outlets even at the old places were at least rated for ten amps. some were rated at 15 amps per circuit tho. it all depends on the year the house was build and the manufacturers specs.

 

[wheels619]

@wheels - Thanks man... I have one last question, that if answered will have me sitting pretty. If I pick up a 240v 30A 6 light controller - the kind that has 2 outlets that can be flipped to run separately from the rest, continuous if I choose to. could I plug a non light into it? Like say this atmosphere controller? http://www.plantlightinghydroponics.com/sentinel-chhc4-cooling-heating-humidity-and-co2-controller-p-2778.html - But the thing about this atmosphere controller is that I'm almost sure that it's 110v or 120v... but lets say I plug it into a transformer then into one of the extra outlets on the lighting controller. Would everything work as long as I'm under the amperage limit?

theoretically yes. but it would cost you more. you can just order a 30 amp 6 plug that has 4 240 volt plugs timed and 2 120 volt plugs continuous power. then you wouldnt need to convert anything. the brand controller you were looking at makes one. not sure if you will be able to run a light off of the 120 portion but you will be able to pull enough for fans and atmo controllers and shite no problem. just dont be running a/c and shit on it unless you can figure out what the 120 rating is for them. cuz you dont want to pull 1400 watts thru something meant for lets say 5 amps. cuz you would be way over by about my guess 7 amps and thats bad juju.

 

[wheels619]

@all

ive been kinda busy lately. so soryy if i havent gotten back to some of you. had to fire my help and this much stuff going at once for me = full time job. but its well worth it. just short on time. so ask your questions away just please give me a day or two to reply. and please not a whole grow setups worth of questions at once. lol. space them apart please. a few here and there would be nice and not 40 at once. ill get back to ya when ui can.

for those waiting on grow setup advice im working on it still just takes a bit of time to plan it out to do it right.

 

[legaleyes13]

@wheels - The thing about going with the 120 continuous outlets is that I would be running an a/c on it... a small one (5,000 BTU), along with a dehumidifier and CO2 generator, all plugged into that atmosphere controller that I linked in my last post. So I don't think that would fit on a 120v 10amp outlet... and it's not like I can use some power from both of the continuous outlets, because I need all of the appliances plugged into the one atmosphere controller... and you said "theoretically yes... but it's gonna cost you more." What do you mean by that?

 

[wheels619]

@wheels - The thing about going with the 120 continuous outlets is that I would be running an a/c on it... a small one (5,000 BTU), along with a dehumidifier and CO2 generator, all plugged into that atmosphere controller that I linked in my last post. So I don't think that would fit on a 120v 10amp outlet... and it's not like I can use some power from both of the continuous outlets, because I need all of the appliances plugged into the one atmosphere controller... and you said "theoretically yes... but it's gonna cost you more." What do you mean by that?

give me 30 min to do some reasearch. how much are you looking to spend and how many watts total are you running? 240 and 120 separately so i can figure out amperage and voltage limits.

 

[legaleyes13]

@wheels - sorry for taking so long, I haven't been around my laptop for the last couple of days... but I'd be running 4600watts in lights, plus a 5,000 btu a/c, co2 generator, 530 watt dehumidifier, 500 watts in 1min on 5min off water pumps, and then about 3 or 4 inline fans... I don't need to run all of this on the light controller of course... and to be honest, I think I have things figured out, but your expertise is definitely definitely welcome... Thanks in advance...

 

[supchaka]

I just wanna say that 4600 watts of light and a 5k btu AC unit don't sound like a winning combo. I'm running a 10k btu with a 600 watt light which is overkill but I couldn't imagine trying to do your scenario

 

[legaleyes13]

I hear ya, supchucka, but I'm doing it anyway... I feel like I have to for power reasons... I'm sure I'm just being paranoid, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm pushing the limit... For the record, it's gonna be 4,000 watts in the flower room and 600watts for veg/clone... and I've used 5,000 BTUs for a 3600 watt grow before and it worked fine, but 1200 of those watts were LED, so who knows...? I appreciate the concern though...

 

[Figong]

I hear ya, supchucka, but I'm doing it anyway... I feel like I have to for power reasons... I'm sure I'm just being paranoid, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm pushing the limit... For the record, it's gonna be 4,000 watts in the flower room and 600watts for veg/clone... and I've used 5,000 BTUs for a 3600 watt grow before and it worked fine, but 1200 of those watts were LED, so who knows...? I appreciate the concern though...

Yup, temps will definitely be up.. hope you plan to run the lights at night and have another form of cooling in mind depending on your location on this earth.

 

[jman1062000]

hey bricktown, or anyone that can help me out i have been trying to find a thread and all over google if i can use a normal thermostat or a program one to control my inline fan, i have a elicent in case it matters. All i want is to control my 2nd fan to only turn on when its hot and turn off when it is normal temp! thanks in advance! 420 KID

 

[herbbilly]

Jman you can get a cheap temp. controlled on off switch. They are used for attic exhaust fans not very accurate but dial in with thermometer and your good. I use em in reverse with cold intake a/c in the winter.

 

[buddingcarl]

Guys, I need some help wiring my Philips 600W ballast (to be used with a 600W Philips SON-T Pia GreenPower). It came with absolutely no instructions so I wanted to ask before I do anything stupid.
The way I understand the diagram, stamped on the top of the ballast, is that live and neutral wires from the power line should go into the two plugs to the left (bottom of the photo) and the live/neutral wires should go from the plugs to the right (upper part of the photo) to the lamp. Am I correct?



EDIT: Found a diagram on Philips' website and now I think my idea must be wrong. If the lamp and the ballast are connected in parallel like in the diagram, then both live should wires should go in the two left plugs while the two neutral wires go together in the two plugs to the right. What do you guys think?

 

[herbbilly]

http://m.alibaba.com/products/e40_socket.html Here's a link is this what you needed bc?

 

[buddingcarl]

http://m.alibaba.com/products/e40_socket.html Here's a link is this what you needed bc?

Yes, I have an E40 socket on my reflector but how does this help me to wire the ballast?

 

[wheels619]

ill be on later to help you figure it out. its w640 am and im gonna smoke a wax bowl to pass back out.

 

[Figong]

Guys, I need some help wiring my Philips 600W ballast (to be used with a 600W Philips SON-T Pia GreenPower). It came with absolutely no instructions so I wanted to ask before I do anything stupid.
The way I understand the diagram, stamped on the top of the ballast, is that live and neutral wires from the power line should go into the two plugs to the left (bottom of the photo) and the live/neutral wires should go from the plugs to the right (upper part of the photo) to the lamp. Am I correct?

View attachment 2575279 View attachment 2575286

EDIT: Found a diagram on Philips' website and now I think my idea must be wrong. If the lamp and the ballast are connected in parallel like in the diagram, then both live should wires should go in the two left plugs while the two neutral wires go together in the two plugs to the right. What do you guys think?

View attachment 2575403

Semi-parallel.. and as long as it's after the initial cap parallel piece, and both of the lamp pieces (from ballast, and ignitor both) get tied into the bulb section, with the ignitor pieces paired (ballast to ignitor) and ignitor-neutral tied in to bulb and main neutral - it should be just fine. The diagram is accurate, and will work as intended - as long as you have chosen the proper ballast that will cooperate with that ignitor. (Have to mention that, as the Philips sets are paired by groups of models, as an aside) If it's the same ballast that was there model-wise, there should be no issues whatsoever. If my word choices leave anything to misunderstand, please let me know and I'll go with a re-wording if that'd help.

Fi-

 

[wheels619]

what that guy said. ^^^^^^^

 

[buddingcarl]

Oh my God, I actually thought that gray brick IS THE ballast... Now I get why it was cheaper than the other models... I guess I'll have to return it and get a no-name "whole package" ballast.

 

[Figong]

Oh my God, I actually thought that gray brick IS THE ballast... Now I get why it was cheaper than the other models... I guess I'll have to return it and get a no-name "whole package" ballast.

If you got just the "gray brick".. you will need a bit more to make it work, yes - namely the ignitor (for the HPS spike required to light it, as a bare minimum..more if it's going to be a switchable for MH/HPS). If you can find a paired ignitor and frame to house it all w/enough electronics knowledge to DIY your own - by all means go ahead. If not, then yes.. you may wish for the whole package setup.