Could this work???

coolman1a

coolman1a

Well-Known Member
Hi everyone, I was thinking of using a small space in my attic to grow some personal bud. I plan on using two 30-gallon rubbermaid totes along with some cfls but I have some questions before I attemt this:

1: My attic doesnt have any electrical outlets only a light bulb socket so I was planning on using an adapter (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ol-images/hometech/uploads/2007-03-22-lbadapter.jpg) so that I could connect all the cfls and fans to the powerstrip an the powerstrip to the adapter, (light bulb socket > adapter > power strip > cfls, fans, etc.) Would this be too much for the light socket or adapter? I really dont want anything fried or my house burnt.

2: If I could do this, how many cfls and with how many watts would I need for veg? for flowering?

3: The attic is also pretty hot since I live in the south, would temp be a problem since I plan on using 9 inch fans for intake and outake?

Sorry for the long post and thanks to all, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated:mrgreen:
 
ORECAL

ORECAL

Well-Known Member
i don't know enough about electrical to answer your question about that. but for temps, your chose the right lights, temps shouldn't be too bad with the cfl's, especially if you have good ventalation. I'd put as many lights in there as you can fit, it can't hurt, since your using cfl's, they don't use as much electricity.
 
specialkayme

specialkayme

Well-Known Member
I don't know about electricity there, but I can't immagine it would be a good idea. Some standard sockets can't even handle the stress of a 120 watt incandecent light bulb, and you are probably looking at running some serious electricity through it. In my opinion, it would be easier to use the power supply that the light bulb is using. Cut the power to your attic from the circut braker to ensure you don't get hurt, then pull the wire that is behind the lightbulb and cut it. You can take that wire and split it in two, one set of wires goes back to the lightbulb and the other set of wires (the new ones you put in) you can attatch to a new electrical outlet. Screw it into the wall and presto, you have an outlet. Cover all the exposed wires with electrical tape and turn the power back on. You should be fine.
 
420inmyapt

420inmyapt

Well-Known Member
the biggest hole i see in your plan is that light bulb socket conversions are not grounded.... your gonna have a problem hooking anything other that a couple lights up to it, that and keep in mind the wattage of a single bulb... thats all that fixture/wiring to the fixture was designed for, not that load your thinking about putting on it. So it would work if you have all non-grounded applicances (and a non-grounded power stip, i have never seen one) but your gonna be pushing your limits with the safety....

i though of this for a means to get power into my closet but quickly found a non-grounded conversion for a light bulb fixture is not the answer. Instead use that existing wiring for the light fixture and all in a ground, then just wire up a GFI plug... not to difficult.
 
TetraHyC

TetraHyC

Well-Known Member
the amount of amps you can draw is deteminted by the gauge of the wire you have at the smallest 14 gauge you may have larger 12 gauge you can pull 13 amps w/14 and 20 amps w/ 12.check the size of the breaker protecting that circut.

amps = watts / volts 600w / 120v = 5 amps add up your amps stay 10% less than breaker size or wire rating which ever is LESS. DO NOT CHANGE BREAKER unless you want a fire.
 
coolman1a

coolman1a

Well-Known Member
I see, so 420 and special, both of u are saying the same thing right? basically turn off the power to the attic, cut the wire that leads to the lightbulb an inside it should have 2 sets of wires right? One of which goes back to the light bulb and another one that goes to a new electric outlet?:-|

Sorry for so many questions but ive never really had to deal with somthing like this before
 
mockingbird131313

mockingbird131313

Well-Known Member
coolman1a said:
Hi everyone, I was thinking of using a small space in my attic to grow some personal bud. I plan on using two 30-gallon rubbermaid totes along with some cfls but I have some questions before I attemt this:

1: My attic doesnt have any electrical outlets only a light bulb socket so I was planning on using an adapter (http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ol-images/hometech/uploads/2007-03-22-lbadapter.jpg) so that I could connect all the cfls and fans to the powerstrip an the powerstrip to the adapter, (light bulb socket > adapter > power strip > cfls, fans, etc.) Would this be too much for the light socket or adapter? I really dont want anything fried or my house burnt.

2: If I could do this, how many cfls and with how many watts would I need for veg? for flowering?

3: The attic is also pretty hot since I live in the south, would temp be a problem since I plan on using 9 inch fans for intake and outake?

Sorry for the long post and thanks to all, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated:mrgreen:
Click to expand...
Short answer; no. This is a bad idea for a dozen reasons.

First, your attic gets over 85 deg F. Plants stop functioning at this temp. They shrivel and die at 90 deg.

Second, you MUST have adequate electricity before you start this option. You do not have correct electric for this job. Just trust me on this point. I chase sparks for a living.

After you get past these two issues you then have many more hurdles to jump. To make this work you need a huge commitment to the effort.
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420inmyapt

420inmyapt

Well-Known Member
YES But! light bulbs do not require a ground (the round plug on the bottom of an outlet).
You need to add a ground wire so you will have a total of 3 wires, then you can wire up and outlet you want.

You can google search on how to do that. there are some real simple methods like just trying into a grounded wire with your new ground. or you could run a new ground all together. BUT ONE THING YOU MUST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS, YOU NEED GROUNDED OUTLETS, AND LIGHT BULB FIXTURES (I.E. the sockets) ARE NOT GROUNDED.

 
coolman1a

coolman1a

Well-Known Member
mockingbird131313 said:
Short answer; no. This is a bad idea for a dozen reasons.

First, your attic gets over 85 deg F. Plants stop functioning at this temp. They shrivel and die at 90 deg.

Second, you MUST have adequate electricity before you start this option. You do not have correct electric for this job. Just trust me on this point. I chase sparks for a living.

After you get past these two issues you then have many more hurdles to jump. To make this work you need a huge commitment to the effort.
</IMG>
Click to expand...
Wait but what about what special and 420 said that i could wire an electrical socket, will this work?
 
coolman1a

coolman1a

Well-Known Member
420inmyapt said:
YES But! light bulbs do not require a ground (the round plug on the bottom of an outlet).
You need to add a ground wire so you will have a total of 3 wires, then you can wire up and outlet you want.

You can google search on how to do that. there are some real simple methods like just trying into a grounded wire with your new ground. or you could run a new ground all together. BUT ONE THING YOU MUST TAKE AWAY FROM THIS, YOU NEED GROUNDED OUTLETS, AND LIGHT BULB FIXTURES (I.E. the sockets) ARE NOT GROUNDED.
Click to expand...
Oh hey but I actually saw another adaptor that converted electrical sockets with 2 holes to 3 holes, I was planning on using this and connecting a power strip to it?
 
420inmyapt

420inmyapt

Well-Known Member
Mockingbird is saying that it is not a good idea, it will work.... but its needs more thought on your part. it is possible to add an outlet up in your attic but the heat issue is one you need to address. If you add an outlet to your attic, then yes you can grow, will it be prime for your plants? prolly not if you do not get your ventilation and temp controls in place...

basically you need to get some more data from your attic, put a thermometer in there and check the min/max's in 24 hours so you know what your attic does temp with throughout the day. another thing to account for is your weather currently, its almost summer, hotter days are on there way, so its its a little high temp wise now, in a month or two its gonna be much hotter.

There now go do your homework! :) GL
 
420inmyapt

420inmyapt

Well-Known Member
coolman1a said:
Oh hey but I actually saw another adaptor that converted electrical sockets with 2 holes to 3 holes, I was planning on using this and connecting a power strip to it?
Click to expand...
so wait, let me get this right. you want to use a converter for the socket to get a two-prong outlet, then a converter to convert that two-pronged outlet to a grounded outlet, then plug that into the surge protector?

Socket -> Converter -> Converter -> Power Strip

That is a very very bad idea...... you have no real ground....... just setting yourself up for an electric fire.
 
coolman1a

coolman1a

Well-Known Member
420inmyapt said:
so wait, let me get this right. you want to use a converter for the socket to get a two-prong outlet, then a converter to convert that two-pronged outlet to a grounded outlet, then plug that into the surge protector?

Socket -> Converter -> Converter -> Power Strip

That is a very very bad idea...... you have no real ground....... just setting yourself up for an electric fire.
Click to expand...
Yeah lol, I was thinking this was extremly unsafe myself but I guess I was just really hoping I was wrong, well I think worse case senario I can get a/c directlly to my plants through the intake and my exhaust is a pretty good 6in fan so im not too worried about the temp, it was more of the outlests, im gonna take a look at it tomorrow and try to wire an electrical outlet, does this sound ok?
thanks for ur help man, im kinda lost so ur a big help
 
420inmyapt

420inmyapt

Well-Known Member
Yes do some google searches on home wiring and you should be all set, buy a good GFIC Outlet (Ground fault interrupt circuit) and make sure you have all power off to the wiring your working on.
 
specialkayme

specialkayme

Well-Known Member
420's got it. Grounding is important, and as long as it's tied to a circut braker you should be good. Mockingbird I'm assuming is talking about some really fucked up wiring jobs that can be done. Just google it, read up on it, cut the power and put in an outlet. It really isn't that hard. You can ask the guy at your local home depo or whatever for some help, he'll tell you the same thing, plus it isn't suspicious that you want to put an outlet in your attic. If you don't read up on it though, you could fry your equip and burn your house down with some faulty wiring, but it isn't hard to get it right.
 
coolman1a

coolman1a

Well-Known Member
Well thanks a lot guys im gonna study as much as i can today and hopefully go through with it tomorrow:hump:
 
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