Electrical Gear + question

Hi, I have this simple questions that I would like answered because it has raised a lot of curiosity amongst some local growers and those with interest; were always trying to making it over the learning curve! I have a 6awg wire running over 75feet from the main panel that is attached by a double pull, 60amp breaker. After reading a recent Urban Garden mag, it was saying that
'since I ran teak cable over 75 feet, I would need to upgrade to a 4awg wire.' This would be because I would have to calculate my feet ran in teak cable times my wire size equals this 'mil' rating, and than you would calculate your wire size by that. Not just by amp's but also by distance. This info is true and is actually a tool used by electricians. My concern is, I did not do that, I matched Amps and Wire size! I mean, no one I ever meet talked much about this shit, they are all in gensets.
What is the danger of what I am doing? Also, between several garden megs, each one has their on opinion on amp rating for 1000HPS 240v ballast (continuous). What is your opinion on continuous amp PULL?
Thanks for any help, may be a dry questions but it's def appreciated.
Thanks.

http://www.csgnetwork.com/voltagedropcalc.html

http://www.csgnetwork.com/wiresizecalc.html

Ot if you don't want to use the calculators... Your good dude. Would have been good with 8.

The Canadian Electrical Code says that you can have a wire that is 18m (54 feet) for a 63amp service. Technically you should go to #4 which would give you 29.7m (89 feet), but are you going to use all 48amps available?

Hi,
Yea I run ten lights, 6 1000HPS and four 600HPS. I also have a heat/cool unit that runs at 7.9Amps Cool and 14.9 Amps Heat. I do not run 100% pull off the heat/cold unit. I have a few eight inch Vortec and some cheaper 8inch fans but they run 1amp lol. I do not have any veg lights anymore. I was thinking the quantum big boy T5 16lamp at 6500 spec for a plus 60,000lumen output.
I have a double 60AMP breaker with 6awg copper.
Whats both your opinions on what 600HPS and1000HPS 240v consumes in AMPs?

So theirs two different reply's. Whats up?

Hi
I did just enter the info off that site. very interesting. So every 3 feet equals one 1meter. I have 40 meters 120feet. So I entered half circut at 60 feet thats 60AMPS and that thing is telling me 8AWG!!! Whats up?

I didn't cite the electrical code so I'll default to the above poster...BUT that seems like a CRAZY wire gauge for 60 amps. 4 gauge? Really! That's just a little smaller than the damn service line on my house. in terms of figuring out the amps for the lights, I'm going to go the "teach you how to fish and you'll eat for life" route.

You should memorize this one:

Watts / volts = amps.

which also means

amps X volts = watts.

1000 / 240 = 4.1 amps (plus add a dash for conversion of power/loss) so probably around 4.3.

Ok, so reading more, I see you have to upgrade next step number size if you get more than a 3% volt drop. The sit calculate says I am at a 2.8% drop with a six awg, copper 60 feet half circuit length. Any opinions?

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

Apparently the rating for power transmittion (where the 4 gauge came from) is VERY VERY conservative. 8 gauge is going o be just fine as long as you don't run it through conduit with a bunch of other wires. 4 gauge. That's pretty fucking funny. Try working with that shit LOL

Hi, yea I know that calculation, but I hear to much from different grow shops plus Urban Garden response. They said it was 4.75- guess they doing a de rate calculate too.
But in all, you agree that a 600 is 2.5 continuous and 2.9 on ign? I also heard on a chart from a grow supply store said the 1000HPS was 6.9 amps continuous. Than, I think, k make sense since running two 1000HPS on a 15amp line pops the 15amp breaker of a 13amp breaker threshold- know what I mean? But, again, I know a old greasy guy who runs two 1000HPS on a 15amp breaker but the ignitions are time 30 mins apart. The mystery!

lol yea, well 6awg is alright but that since my box is clean, anything smaller suxxxs. I would never want to deal with that lol. Now I just might be soon tho.. I think their is some ambiguity because of the voltage drop. Although BOTH sites gave me two different voltage drops. One was worse than the other! Yikes.. I did a volt test at 120 and I swing at 119 to 120. I did not look at 240. But thats the next thing to do! I should have thought about that! But either way lol I am not gonna replace my 40meter 6awg wire. ! Its winter out were I am lol. also just got out of this -35C cold snap were I live!

If you went to 240V you can double your distance, so you would get 104 feet on 6AWG Copper

I'm not answering anything until I get my rep. LOL.

6.9 amps to run a 1000watt ballast on 240? Thats like 1600 watts worth of power, which is just plain fucking stupid. Next he is going to tell you that running 240 will cut your electrical bill in half. "dude, amn, your like, your like using half the amps man "

You trust grow shop employees? with electrical questions? Just look up the manufacturers amp rating on the ballast and be done with it. You always have 20% of headroom anyways (well, you SHOULD) so its not like the bulbs starting are going to pop anything.

I hear were you coming from, they argue they come from their suppliers. Then you try and nod and go alright, thanks. I try to generally stick with the rules of thumb about safety and such, but theirs always doubt about what you learn etc. I guess some difference is, a shop in town that I started going too, is a electrician, he deals with any hardware questions. I did not bug him about this since I still want to be able to go back there lol. Some shops are worth earning respect! I mean, for many reasons too. Cash deals etc. or suppliers discounts

I learned not to trust many people, even shop owners. I have seen some of their deals with people I talk with and, whoah! They are grimy and know just what they learned when they grew 5 years ago lol. I feel comfortable with the 4.1 running amps for my 1000HPS. But I am going to calculate as if it was 4.75. Thanks for the websites, I am going to keep them linked. Also for those post. and info on mils rating.!!

Been helpful and you too beefsupreme, thanks.

JL