Electricity safety help

Sup RIU

I'm growing in 4 by 4 tent
Currently veg under one 600watt mh and 400watt mh. Electricity came from another room's 220v 20a wall socket with extension.

This is how it go hopefully will make this more clear for u guys.
Wall socket--->timer--->extension--->ballasts

I have done it with total 800watt and 1000watt. Have no problem with it.
I want to run two 600watt hps when I flip.
Wondering if 220v 20a wall socket with extension its safe with 1200watt power use at the same time?
Thanks in advance
Happy grow

Check the amp rating on your ballast. Should be listed on a sticker on the unit but you may have to look it up online. My 400w uses less than 2 amp at 220v so I would think the 600 would be close to 3 amp. Times 2 equals 6 amp which is well under the 20a you have available. You also need to make sure the contacts on your timer are rated for the amps you will be drawing. One other potential problem would be using an extension cord that the gauge is too small or the cord is too long. So make sure your cord is rated for the amp load.

A 220v extension?

SuperUser said:

A 220v extension?

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I'm just not quite sure what the question is. Are you questioning whether a 220v extension exist, whether it's wise to use an extension with 220v, etc. I'm no grammar cop, but you'll need to get closer to a complete sentence for me to know what you're asking. It may not even be directed to/at me, but it's following a post of mine so I'll respond.

ligrow said:

Sup RIU

I'm growing in 4 by 4 tent
Currently veg under one 600watt mh and 400watt mh. Electricity came from another room's 220v 20a wall socket with extension.

This is how it go hopefully will make this more clear for u guys.
Wall socket--->timer--->extension--->ballasts

I have done it with total 800watt and 1000watt. Have no problem with it.
I want to run two 600watt hps when I flip.
Wondering if 220v 20a wall socket with extension its safe with 1200watt power use at the same time?
Thanks in advance
Happy grow

Click to expand...

Are you sure this "other rooms 220 20a wall socket" that you're plugging an extension cord into is really 240v? You sure? Could it be 120v?, like most outlets are in a house, except stove, dryer, etc. just making sure

Volts x Amps = Watts.

220x20 = 4,400w

JMichael said:

Check the amp rating on your ballast. Should be listed on a sticker on the unit but you may have to look it up online. My 400w uses less than 2 amp at 220v so I would think the 600 would be close to 3 amp. Times 2 equals 6 amp which is well under the 20a you have available. You also need to make sure the contacts on your timer are rated for the amps you will be drawing. One other potential problem would be using an extension cord that the gauge is too small or the cord is too long. So make sure your cord is rated for the amp load.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply.
I think I totally forgot the timer. It's for 220v but I'm not sure amps is good enough for 2 600watt.
I'm also worried about extension cord tho. Is there any math for the extension? I running in the rental place. I will need more extension cords from another room for either portable ac unit or lights. I just checked the breakers. It shows two 30a and Six 20a on it. I think I should have 120v 20a and 220 20a each room. The 220v wall socket was set for the window ac unit which has it in there. I'm running in tents also. Do u think I should just window ac unit instead portable unit for growing in tents?

nomofatum said:

Volts x Amps = Watts.

220x20 = 4,400w

Click to expand...

Got it! That's a simple math for me to get it!
Thanks a lot

nomofatum said:

Volts x Amps = Watts.

220x20 = 4,400w

Click to expand...

times 80%= 3520 watts. don't run a circuit at more than 80% of rated load.

600w isn't a huge load. You can run 2 of them off an ordinary 15a 110-120v breaker. You could run 6+ of them safely on a 220v 20amp. For two of them, any decent extension cord that fits should be more than overkill. I can't see you finding a extension that would fit that plug with thinner than 12ga, and 12ga will easily cover the load you are talking about.

Aeroknow said:

Are you sure this "other rooms 220 20a wall socket" that you're plugging an extension cord into is really 240v? You sure? Could it be 120v?, like most outlets are in a house, except stove, dryer, etc. just making sure

Click to expand...

Yap man I'm sure they are 240V. I were set for the window ac which is 240V. I change the wall socket that can fit the plug the same as the regular one we see. Where I live most house set a wall socket either in living room or bedroom. So I might have only 120v 20amps total for each room. The rest of the power, have to use 240v socket.

JMichael said:

I'm just not quite sure what the question is. Are you questioning whether a 220v extension exist, whether it's wise to use an extension with 220v, etc. I'm no grammar cop, but you'll need to get closer to a complete sentence for me to know what you're asking. It may not even be directed to/at me, but it's following a post of mine so I'll respond.

Click to expand...

It's not about the extension. I already got one. The guy from store told me, for exension cord there is no different between 120v or 240v. It all fit. All you have to worried is the Amps it can carry. Is that correct?
I heard it's bad if use too long extension cords. I was worried if 2 600watt with extension will be too much power use. Sorry about my English tho

A hair dryer can be 1500 watts or even 1750 watts. Those little space heaters go up to 1500 watts too.

nomofatum said:

600w isn't a huge load. You can run 2 of them off an ordinary 15a 110-120v breaker. You could run 6+ of them safely on a 220v 20amp. For two of them, any decent extension cord that fits should be more than overkill. I can't see you finding a extension that would fit that plug with thinner than 12ga, and 12ga will easily cover the load you are talking about.

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Thanks for your feedback!
I'm not exactly know 12ga means.

JSB99 said:

A hair dryer can be 1500 watts or even 1750 watts. Those little space heaters go up to 1500 watts too.

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Thanks for the feedback.
Just want to make sure its all safe. 220v seems scary for me haha

ligrow said:

Thanks for your feedback!
I'm not exactly know 12ga means.

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It's the size of the wire, the smaller the number the bigger the wire. 6ga is used on things like welders and industrial equipment (50+a at 220-240v). 8-10ga on high power 220-240v appliations and 30a 110-120v motor home connections, 12ga for 20amp 110-120, 14ga for 15amp 110-150, 16+ for light duty extension cords. In your case you want 14ga or less, but if that plug is a 220, it shouldn't fit a standard outlet plug, so any extension cord that fits should be 12ga or thicker(smaller number.)

nomofatum said:

Volts x Amps = Watts.

220x20 = 4,400w

Click to expand...

That is it in short time usage not continuous wattage, but yeah now remove 20% from that and it will be what the wattage is for continuous current, which is considered anything that runs over 4 hours. 3,520 watts continuous usage is available without having to worry about any dangerous warming up of those pesky wires.

ligrow said:

Thanks for the feedback.
Just want to make sure its all safe. 220v seems scary for me haha

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No different than 110v, except your amps are divided in half.

110v 8amp = 220v 4amp

Thanks guys do appreciated all your feedbacks.

For my current run. I have my timer kind of warm when operate single 600 and 400 watt.
This is how I connect:
wall socket--->timer--->extension cord--->ballast

I want to make sure every thing is safe.
I want to buy a controller for my lighting setup

This is the model I can get it with good price.
http://www.planetnatural.com/product/4-light-master-controller/

My question is, how do this thing operate with timer?
I know it has 110v plug its for controller's power. do I connect the 110V plug to the timer?
If yes, what kind of timer should I use for this? what I see, most timer only have 10amp. How does this work?

It would be nice if I can have some help with you guys. Im order my supplies soon
thanks and happy grow

Those CAP units are just expensive contractors in a box. They used to make them with an integrated timer but I believe they have been discontinued.

In your scenario, if you purchased that unit, you would run 240v to it, plug all your ballasts into it, and buy a 120v timer of your choice(most common hardware stores will have a few in stock). Plug the 120v timer into any nearby 120v receptacle, and from the timers controlled receptacles, run a cord to the lighting controllers trigger plug. All the timer does is switch on/off 120v to energize a magnetic coil in the CAP unit, that in turn switches the 240v on and off. Do yourself a favor though, go buy a decent DMM(digital multi meter) and test that outlet and make sure it's 240. As for extension cords, it'll be a lot cheaper probably to buy some 12/3 SO cable and the proper amperage and size/shape cord ends that you need. Over 100' in length get 10/3. Voltage drop depends on quite a few different factors but it's guaranteed to be a problem at that lengh. 12/3 means two current carrying conductors, and a ground. Cable/cords are labeled differently than Romex, mc, or any type of building wire. 12/3 Romex means 3 current carrying conductors, and ground is there as well but doesn't count.

Last but not least if you're unsure of anything your doing electrically, please stop and get some help. Screwing up plumbing, wrong size ducts, things not level, etc are mistakes you can fix later when you notice them, and some water in the floor or whatever can be mopped up. It's hard as hell to fix a burned down house bro.