Rollitup members, I have a serious serious question. Can a 600w with necessary fans be ran in a apartment and it all be safe?? I'm so serious about this. Can it be done without adding a new breaker box? The one existing is 15 amps. I need some serious feedback on this. Using a bubbleponics system. Also, I need advice on ventilation. The closet has no windows, but there is a attic typle crawlspace in the top of it. Any and all advice is appreciated!
Can run A 600w and fans in a apartment..
- Thread starter Davee
- Start date
Pullin' weeds
Well-Known Member
You can. Maybe.
You'd be wise to map out where every light fixture, appliance and outlet are and to what circuit they belong to. You don't want your grow on the same circuit as say, the microwave. Isolate it as much as possible.
You also should try to figure how much power all your stuff (PC, stereo etc...) actually draws. Lot's of apts are pretty under powered for todays modern lifestyle, let alone a grow show.
You'd be wise to map out where every light fixture, appliance and outlet are and to what circuit they belong to. You don't want your grow on the same circuit as say, the microwave. Isolate it as much as possible.
You also should try to figure how much power all your stuff (PC, stereo etc...) actually draws. Lot's of apts are pretty under powered for todays modern lifestyle, let alone a grow show.
email468
Well-Known Member
Power requirements
On a 15 amp circuit you should not draw more than 80% of those 15 amps (75% is even better). That means you shouldn't be drawing more than 12 amps. A 1000w HID system can draw nearly 10 amps (depending) so let's safely estimate a 600w drawing 8 amps (the light literature may tell you). So you could probably plug the light, air-pump, and a fan into the same circuit but I wouldn't press it any further than that.
Fortunately, overloaded circuits just switch off but you don't want to be close to that situation.
Ventilation
Not much CO2 in the air to begin with so you're right to be concerned about fresh air; it is definitely important. Sounds like the crawl space is a perfect place to vent out the stale air. You'll want to plan for odor control. There are some great DIY odor-control ideas on this forum (including a great one using dryer sheets). Or you could purchase a carbon filter. The way you decide how to ventilate is by the cubic feet of the space. To determine cubic feet multiply the width by depth by height of your grow space. So if you have a 2 x 3 x 6 area it is 36 cubic feet. The exhaust fan ideally should be rated at three times the cubic feet of the room. This means the ideal fan can completely exhaust all the air from the entire space three times a minute. All you do is multiply the cubic feet of your room by three ( in our example: 36 x 3 = 108 ) so a fan with a CFM (cubic feet/minute) rating of 108 (or thereabouts) would be ideal.
Now if you are using an exhaust fan to ventilate, you'll need to have some air intake holes otherwise you'll create a vacuum in your grow room. Your passive intake (that just means there isn't a fan blowing in) hole should be slightly larger than your exhaust. And the placement should be towards the floor while your exhaust should be near the ceiling.
I realize this is probably much more info that you wanted (or needed) but hopefully you'll find a useful bit here and there.
Good luck and have fun!
On a 15 amp circuit you should not draw more than 80% of those 15 amps (75% is even better). That means you shouldn't be drawing more than 12 amps. A 1000w HID system can draw nearly 10 amps (depending) so let's safely estimate a 600w drawing 8 amps (the light literature may tell you). So you could probably plug the light, air-pump, and a fan into the same circuit but I wouldn't press it any further than that.
Fortunately, overloaded circuits just switch off but you don't want to be close to that situation.
Ventilation
Not much CO2 in the air to begin with so you're right to be concerned about fresh air; it is definitely important. Sounds like the crawl space is a perfect place to vent out the stale air. You'll want to plan for odor control. There are some great DIY odor-control ideas on this forum (including a great one using dryer sheets). Or you could purchase a carbon filter. The way you decide how to ventilate is by the cubic feet of the space. To determine cubic feet multiply the width by depth by height of your grow space. So if you have a 2 x 3 x 6 area it is 36 cubic feet. The exhaust fan ideally should be rated at three times the cubic feet of the room. This means the ideal fan can completely exhaust all the air from the entire space three times a minute. All you do is multiply the cubic feet of your room by three ( in our example: 36 x 3 = 108 ) so a fan with a CFM (cubic feet/minute) rating of 108 (or thereabouts) would be ideal.
Now if you are using an exhaust fan to ventilate, you'll need to have some air intake holes otherwise you'll create a vacuum in your grow room. Your passive intake (that just means there isn't a fan blowing in) hole should be slightly larger than your exhaust. And the placement should be towards the floor while your exhaust should be near the ceiling.
I realize this is probably much more info that you wanted (or needed) but hopefully you'll find a useful bit here and there.
Good luck and have fun!
GoodFriend
Lumberjack
i grow in a closet in my apt. with a 400w hps, 160w of floro tubes, 100w of fans, as well as my tv in the bedroom...
a vacuum has been plugged in and ran at the same time as all this stuff being on with no ill effects
if anythings.. just run a heavy duty extension cord from another room so you have two circuits to tap
a vacuum has been plugged in and ran at the same time as all this stuff being on with no ill effects
if anythings.. just run a heavy duty extension cord from another room so you have two circuits to tap
email...no, that's definitely the type of info i'm screaming for. Thanks! And Pullin'..thank you as well. You guys are prime examples of quality members. So, only question now is can it be done..safely?? Meaning, as long as I pay the bill on time and do like i'm suppose to with the ventilation can I grow safely? Rollitup let me and anyone else who may have this concern know. Thank you and you are appreciated!!
GoodFriend
Lumberjack
no... you might draw a little more than 600w... but not enough to worry about...
Pullin' weeds
Well-Known Member
It would be unlikely that you only have one 15-amp circut in your apt - possible, but not likely. You probably have at least one seperate circuit in the kitchen.
Anyway, if you are nervous about your consumption, you can rearrange your stuff - ie, "moving the TV from this wall to that one puts it on a different circuit, and frees up power on the circuit in the closet"...
Look into it.
Anyway, if you are nervous about your consumption, you can rearrange your stuff - ie, "moving the TV from this wall to that one puts it on a different circuit, and frees up power on the circuit in the closet"...
Look into it.
FilthyFletch
Mr I Can Do That For Half
Yup a 600 watter if difital will only add about $30 a month to a bul when running 24/7 so during flower maybe 15-20. Figure its not a red flag as a computer if new uses 300-1000 watts or a big screen tv uses 300-800 watts.
WillieNelson
Well-Known Member
Withough seeing your apt., I can electrically assume a few things about all modern apt.'s. The kitchen should have a least one 20a circuit for countertop receps. The bathroom should also have a seperate 20a circuit for fan, lights, and a GFCI recep near the sink. Questions I have are:
Do you have access to your breaker box?
Is your apartment metered(billed) seperatly from adjoing apartments?
Do you have a laundry area in your apartment unit as well?
Do you have access to your breaker box?
Is your apartment metered(billed) seperatly from adjoing apartments?
Do you have a laundry area in your apartment unit as well?
WillieNelson
Well-Known Member
Right on the electrician(contractor and generator sales) part. It sounds like you are going to access to a few different ciruits, but only one near your grow. This is okay though. A 15a circuit near your closet(probably from a living room or bedroom) should hold(power) your light and a small fan with no problem. If you need to use extension cords, buy heavy guage cords. At least 14 guage wire for the 15a circuits and 12 guage minimium for a 20 amp. Using properly sized cord prevents them from heating up and possibly causing a fire. Do you have access to the attic you mentioned earlier? You are going to need to vent a small area like that and you might have an easy option. If you have a bathroom exhaust fan that exhausts outside you can take the pipe off of the fan and move it to your closet(from the attic). There a 4" or 6" inline fan(+charcoal filter ) could be placed on that peice of vent tube and you are in business.
PlasmaRadio
Well-Known Member
Shit, I know people who are running 4 600ws plus fans and pumps. Nobody ever said anything to them.