Building New Growroom

Whats up guys! I havent been on RUI for a while, but with my recent project underway I find myself with questions I can't ask just anyone...

So heres whats going on... In the past I always used either a small grow space or a growtent (which leave me with limited space to grow). I decided it was time to upgrade to a larger space in hopes that I'd turn out some larger harvests .

Lets start with going over the space I have...
I'm using a room that is about 14'x14'... inside that room I have built 2 additional ways so that i close off a 12'x12' space and leave a 2' space around 2 sides of the room. The purpose behind leaving the 2' foot space was so that I cold keep my ballasts and other heat producing gear seperate from my growroom. Also I feel this may be an easier way to control the air flow to and from the room as well as to the air cooled lights.

I have most of the gear I will need from previous grows, aside from a few things.

So lets go over the layout... I'm going to be pulling air from outside the 12'x12' space to cool my four 1000w lights and then push it back out of the room so that the scented air from the room is never involved in the light cooling.

I will have my 13,000 BTU A/C unit's exhaust connect into the exhaust for the lights, so i can force all of the heat out through one line. The exhaust will pass through an in-line carbon filter before leaving the room to make sure there is no scent leaving.

Since i'm using a different source to cool the lights im going to need air input as well as output for my 12'x12' room. This will be my first time using CO2 as well...

So if anyone has any input on how my ventillation system should work for the room as well as the CO2, that would be much appriciated...

My biggest "snag" right now is getting a sub-panel built in my room which runs off the main-panel... I understand the concept and most of the construction of the box... however my electric knowledge is lacking... I need to build this sub-panel, but do not know how many breakers and of what ampage i will need for the box in order for it to be able to power all of my gear...

Here is a shot of my sketch of the room... i've yet to add in a few things, but it should give a clearer idea of the floor plan.

-Mitus

So after doing some research... all of my gear adds up to about 60 amps. So I guess I'll be needing to build a 60 amp Sub-Panel... Any electricians out there!! ahaha...

Now begins the search for "do it yourself" sub-panel info... wish me luck or tell me what to do!

-Mitus

im setting up similar room im a first timer i was given 4 1000 watt hps air cooled lights can anyone tell me how much i will yeild

Thanks for the useful post usda101...

usda101 said:

im setting up similar room im a first timer i was given 4 1000 watt hps air cooled lights can anyone tell me how much i will yeild

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correct me if im wrong, but i think the most you can get out of each 1000W light under optimal conditions is a pound per light.

That would most likely depend on the size of the plants, the number of plants under each light, the strain, and several other things. 1 pound is a fair estimate, but I've seen much less and more than double that under one light.

Anyways... thanks for dropping in my thread and changing the subject...

-Mitus

Mitus said:

Anyways... thanks for dropping in my thread and changing the subject...

-Mitus

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Easy there Mitus, stop being so huffy and take a big puffy

Hey checkin out your post. Just curious how were you thinking of scrubbing that a/c exhaust through a carbon filter. I can give you some electrical help if you want. What kind of timers are you gunna use, and 60 amps sounds like alot. you must be runnin your ballasts on 110. Go 220 and its 4.5 amps a piece for 1000 watts.

as i am new will be lookin for lotta help bear with me please .

there has been an electrician in here lately, scroll through the new posts

Mitus said:

So after doing some research... all of my gear adds up to about 60 amps. So I guess I'll be needing to build a 60 amp Sub-Panel... Any electricians out there!! ahaha...

Now begins the search for "do it yourself" sub-panel info... wish me luck or tell me what to do!

-Mitus

Click to expand...

Hey dude... I'm no electrician. I did however rewire my house, so I know a little bit.

I don't think you will need a 60A sub panel. I think you could get away with a 40A with 2 - 20A breakers. I may be wrong on this... just off the top of my head.

Big thing to keep in mind when running wires and setting up breakers. MAKE SURE the wires you are using are rated HIGHER than the breaker they go to.

If you use a 30A breaker... and 14 gauge wire... the wire is rated LESS than the breaker... so if there is an overload on that circuit the wires will fry somewhere in your walls and never trip the breaker. Possibly a major fire hazard.

I would give you some tips on the air flow situation... but I don't really understand it as you explained.

One thing to consider. You shouldn't be sucking any air out of the space while the co2 is going. I think people run it for 15 minutes at a time. Maybe an hour at a time. Not really sure on the good way. I've just done budget co2.

I hope this gets your thread on track my friend.



ps. nice drawing.

exellent drawing really gives simple insight to new growers like my self an illustrates the simplicity of it all

How would I have to build the Sub-Panel differently if I wanted to run the ballasts on 240v?

jigfresh said:

Hey dude... I'm no electrician. I did however rewire my house, so I know a little bit.

I don't think you will need a 60A sub panel. I think you could get away with a 40A with 2 - 20A breakers. I may be wrong on this... just off the top of my head.

Big thing to keep in mind when running wires and setting up breakers. MAKE SURE the wires you are using are rated HIGHER than the breaker they go to.

If you use a 30A breaker... and 14 gauge wire... the wire is rated LESS than the breaker... so if there is an overload on that circuit the wires will fry somewhere in your walls and never trip the breaker. Possibly a major fire hazard.

I would give you some tips on the air flow situation... but I don't really understand it as you explained.

One thing to consider. You shouldn't be sucking any air out of the space while the co2 is going. I think people run it for 15 minutes at a time. Maybe an hour at a time. Not really sure on the good way. I've just done budget co2.

I hope this gets your thread on track my friend.



ps. nice drawing.

Click to expand...

My main-panel is rated for 200 amps. Or thats what I think it said on there... the writing is pretty faded.

I think i'd probably go with the 40 amp sub-panel ( two 20 amp breakers ).

What gauge wire should I run for the 40 amp sub-panel to the main-panel?

How do I connect the sub-line to the main-panel?

I was thinking of adding a fan that is solely dedicated to vacuuming air out of the room after a CO2 bath... which would be possibly 15-30 minutes (I may end up buying a meter which will help with that). Then I'd probably work it out to have that air connect to my exhaust system.

I'm also working on getting a recycling flow of air... maybe pulling air out of the room on one side and scrubing it through a carbon filter, then on the other side of the room pulling in air through a filter... I think that would provide a fresh flow along with the ocilating fans i'll have in the 3 corners of the room.

-Mitus

[norcal];3521721 said:

Hey checkin out your post. Just curious how were you thinking of scrubbing that a/c exhaust through a carbon filter. I can give you some electrical help if you want. What kind of timers are you gunna use, and 60 amps sounds like alot. you must be runnin your ballasts on 110. Go 220 and its 4.5 amps a piece for 1000 watts.

Click to expand...

If you check out the drawing on my first post, the A/C is just inside the growroom wall. I'll have the 4" exhaust that runs out the back of it, pop through the wall and connect to a "Y" join in my light system's exhaust... and that runs through an inline carbon filter before going into the attic, which vents to the outside.

-Mitus

Ok, so I speant a lot of time reading today as well as asking a shit load of questions to the dude at hope depot haha... And here is what seems to be the final plan for the electric work...

I'm going to be making a 60 amp sub-panel for my growroom. I'll be running #6 wire from the sub-panel, to the main panel. The sub-panel will have a total of 6 fuses (2 doubles and 2 singles) which I've attached photo's of. In the main panel i'll be pulling out 2 existing fuses and replacing them with the 60 amp one that I got today (photo also attached). I may not be expalining the perfectly, but I'm pretty sure I got the concept and plan down...

Here is a few shots of my Main Panel, new sub-panel, sub-panel fuses and replacement fuse for main panel

-Mitus

ps- would really love some feedback on this

Mitus said:

How would I have to build the Sub-Panel differently if I wanted to run the ballasts on 240v?

Click to expand...

To be able to run things at 240v off the subpanel, you will need to run 4 wires from the main to the sub. Instead of 1 hot, 1 return, 1 ground... you will use 2 hot, 1 return, 1 ground. The two hot will have to come from different (shit this is where you can tell i'm a noob)... the two hots will have to come from the different 'phases' (not sure the word).

Whatever... if you use the double 60A breaker to feed the sub... you will run a hot from each of the slots on that breaker to the sub.

Mitus said:

What gauge wire should I run for the 40 amp sub-panel to the main-panel?

How do I connect the sub-line to the main-panel?

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Home depot guy says 6... I'll go with that not knowing the run... the distance it will travel from one to the other matters as well.

Depending on the length you need... this may be the most expensive part of the project.

And home depot man told you how to connect them I think.... if not ask again.

Mitus said:

I'm going to be making a 60 amp sub-panel for my growroom. I'll be running #6 wire from the sub-panel, to the main panel. The sub-panel will have a total of 6 fuses (2 doubles and 2 singles) which I've attached photo's of. In the main panel i'll be pulling out 2 existing fuses and replacing them with the 60 amp one that I got today (photo also attached).

ps- would really love some feedback on this

Click to expand...

WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO.... I am saying that out of excitement and sheer dread. Don't kill yourself my friend. Your going to be playing with the big boy electricity that will shock your nuts off. But seriously... this is for real shit. Make sure you turn off the main breaker before you open up the panel. If you don't and touch the wrong thing... that could be IT.

The dude at home depot seems to have steered you right. That looks like what you want. I think you could have got a 70A sub intead of a 125A main... but I don't think the price is that different... probably just physical size.

I also don't think you will need 6 circuits.

For example... my grow room has a 465 cfm 6" fan, a 100cfm muffin fan, 3 circulating fans, 1 commercial grade airpump, my ph meter, 400w hps, 250w mh. All of that runs on the same 20A breaker.

But on that same circuit I have 5 house lights, outdoor security light, 1 ceiling fan, 8 outlets, and my Washer and Dryer.

I have run every single one of those lights and appliances at once and never tripped the breaker. So that gives you a little idea.

You can totally do this bro... just know you seriously have to be safe, know what you are doing, and pay attention.

jigfresh said:

To be able to run things at 240v off the subpanel, you will need to run 4 wires from the main to the sub. Instead of 1 hot, 1 return, 1 ground... you will use 2 hot, 1 return, 1 ground. The two hot will have to come from different (shit this is where you can tell i'm a noob)... the two hots will have to come from the different 'phases' (not sure the word).

Whatever... if you use the double 60A breaker to feed the sub... you will run a hot from each of the slots on that breaker to the sub.



Home depot guy says 6... I'll go with that not knowing the run... the distance it will travel from one to the other matters as well.

Depending on the length you need... this may be the most expensive part of the project.

And home depot man told you how to connect them I think.... if not ask again.



WOOOOOO HOOOOOOOO.... I am saying that out of excitement and sheer dread. Don't kill yourself my friend. Your going to be playing with the big boy electricity that will shock your nuts off. But seriously... this is for real shit. Make sure you turn off the main breaker before you open up the panel. If you don't and touch the wrong thing... that could be IT.

The dude at home depot seems to have steered you right. That looks like what you want. I think you could have got a 70A sub intead of a 125A main... but I don't think the price is that different... probably just physical size.

I also don't think you will need 6 circuits.

For example... my grow room has a 465 cfm 6" fan, a 100cfm muffin fan, 3 circulating fans, 1 commercial grade airpump, my ph meter, 400w hps, 250w mh. All of that runs on the same 20A breaker.

But on that same circuit I have 5 house lights, outdoor security light, 1 ceiling fan, 8 outlets, and my Washer and Dryer.

I have run every single one of those lights and appliances at once and never tripped the breaker. So that gives you a little idea.

You can totally do this bro... just know you seriously have to be safe, know what you are doing, and pay attention.

Click to expand...

You're the man. Thank god for some real input here...

The sub-line will have to run 75-85 feet. I knew I wouldnt need 6 fuses, but I left myself some room for expansion I guess

He did not go over how to connect them... I have some semi-helpful instructions I found online that may or may not be what I need...

I'm going at this 1 step at a time... hopefully the result will be good

Yes... I will make sure to turn off the power before I start... I'm scared of electricity I promise...haha

So next step is to buy the #6 wire and conduit to run it through...

I'm gonna see if I can find a link to the installation instructions i got and you tell me what you think.

-Mitus

Here it is : http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/elect/panel/sub_panel/01/overview.htm

Tell me if this looks like good instructions

-Mitus

Mitus said:

The sub-line will have to run 75-85 feet.

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I looked and 6 gauge looks like the right size. You will need 3- 6 gauge wires from the main to the sub. I think they sell that bundled together to make stringing easier.

2 of these will go into the two slots of your new 60A breaker. The third will go into the 'ground bar' I think it's called. This is basically the 'return'.

You will need to ground the sub. I'm not sure what you do here. I've only grounded my main... and that was a huge bitch. Had to use 8' grounding rods rammed into the ground.

Speaking of codes... are you planning on having this done to code and inspected?

If so, you might need to let the county know before you start.

Mitus said:

Yes... I will make sure to turn off the power before I start... I'm scared of electricity I promise...haha

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As long as you promise.

The instructions you found look good. I'm not done looking through the whole thing. But looks like clear instuctions and they know what they are doing.