born2killspam
Well-Known Member
I would actually think what you're doing should be good enough.. What kind of ballast? M59?
My cabinet grow journal!
- Thread starter lilmafia513
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lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
I really don't know off hand, i can check today sometime.
SOMEBEECH
Well-Known Member
Did he do a amp draw on startup? whats the size of the breaker, is there other stuff on the circuit with the hids?I have mine 5 minutes apart with them on there on circuit.I dont run hids together there dedicated and have there own breaker.Plants are looking great now better get the problem fixed are your gonna have a bunch of hermies..
born2killspam
Well-Known Member
Thats not a bad idea, inductive loads stress a circuit more than a resistive one..
Anectdotally I have a timer sitting here that is separately rated for 1875W (a 15A breaker's worth) resistive, and only 480W inductive load..
I must admit though I used to run 2 m59 ballasts, and pump/fans adding up to another 300W or so without problems, and I only had my ballasts offset by 1min..
Anectdotally I have a timer sitting here that is separately rated for 1875W (a 15A breaker's worth) resistive, and only 480W inductive load..
I must admit though I used to run 2 m59 ballasts, and pump/fans adding up to another 300W or so without problems, and I only had my ballasts offset by 1min..
SOMEBEECH
Well-Known Member
Im no electrician but do have my HVAC lic and work with Electricity alot he needs to know the amp draw on the circuit that tripped.Without knowing this you will just be guessin,could just be a weak breaker,loose wires at the breaker which will draw more amps take a amp draw if he doesnt have a AMP meter he is not a electrician,lol.
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
hey guys let me jump in with some info. for ya.......
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
I have a 15 amp breaker, on that is two 400 watt MH,the timers are about two minutes apart for startup, each MH is on it's own timer.
I have a 150 watt HPS on the same circuit with three keyless fixtures that have a 42 watt cfl each,these are another timer. Also i run my space heater,2 fans, and shop light on this but have no timer on these, they stay on at all times. These are all on one 15 amp breaker. The heater has a built in thermostat to kick it on or off depending on temps.?
I think it might actually be a timer issue, cuz today i got there and the fans and heater ere on, but none of the timers tripped on when they should have. Lights on is at 8 am, so i was there at 8:30 to avoid the hermie problem. Today the lights were only 30 minutes late coming on.
I have a 150 watt HPS on the same circuit with three keyless fixtures that have a 42 watt cfl each,these are another timer. Also i run my space heater,2 fans, and shop light on this but have no timer on these, they stay on at all times. These are all on one 15 amp breaker. The heater has a built in thermostat to kick it on or off depending on temps.?
I think it might actually be a timer issue, cuz today i got there and the fans and heater ere on, but none of the timers tripped on when they should have. Lights on is at 8 am, so i was there at 8:30 to avoid the hermie problem. Today the lights were only 30 minutes late coming on.
born2killspam
Well-Known Member
Most space heaters draw enough current that they basically need their own breaker.. How you haven't tripped before now I have no idea.. Go add up the wattages of each of those devices:
~450W (mh)
~450W
~175W (hps)
~125W (cfls)
~125W (fan)
Up to 1500W (heater)
?? (shop light)
I'd say you're maxxed out without the heater if not before that since pretty much everything else is inductive.. You're at roughly 12-13A (not including the 10A+ heater).. Don't push capacity with large inductive loads, especially illegal ones.. What happens if the power goes out? Will all the lights attempt to restart immediately when it returns?
Any grow space pushing 1kW really needs more than one 15A breaker, even without a space heater.. Are your ballasts multi-tap? Getting your friend to put 220V in there would make further upgrading easier..
Edit: Actually, if your friend knew how much you were drawing on that circuit and thought it would be ok, I wouldn't trust him to do any more wiring..
~450W (mh)
~450W
~175W (hps)
~125W (cfls)
~125W (fan)
Up to 1500W (heater)
?? (shop light)
I'd say you're maxxed out without the heater if not before that since pretty much everything else is inductive.. You're at roughly 12-13A (not including the 10A+ heater).. Don't push capacity with large inductive loads, especially illegal ones.. What happens if the power goes out? Will all the lights attempt to restart immediately when it returns?
Any grow space pushing 1kW really needs more than one 15A breaker, even without a space heater.. Are your ballasts multi-tap? Getting your friend to put 220V in there would make further upgrading easier..
Edit: Actually, if your friend knew how much you were drawing on that circuit and thought it would be ok, I wouldn't trust him to do any more wiring..
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
Actually it's my brother, but he had it right then i added in the other MH when it came, but worked fine for two days, or so i thought. I'll add it up and have him look at it, but it has to be tonight cuz i don't want this to keep happening!
im done i give up i can here Fire trucks from here lmao.Your brother needs a new job how could he not see this happening him being a eletrician???
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
LOL, what's that supposed to mean?
born2killspam
Well-Known Member
A good rule of thumb beyond all safety calculations is that if any connections/cords warm up due to the passage of current alone, its insufficiently wired..
SOMEBEECH
Well-Known Member
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SOMEBEECH
Well-Known Member
OK back to the wiring,how much space you got in the panelbox?? Do you have any cicuits not being used? Is there space to add breakers?Like born said running a 220 v curcuit would be best less amp draw = lower electric bill.The heater has to have its own circuit just to be on the safe side.IM sry lilmaf but that was just too funny.
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
LOL.....ok, i haven't smoked yet today.....yes i have open spots in the panel,4 or 5 i believe. I have a basic understanding of electrical work, but too advanced, my brother is a foreman for a electrical company here, but at the time i only had one MH and no heater. I added the 2nd MH and heater when i got the light in the mail, but never thought of it pulling too much. My brother just informed me i have a 20 amp breaker there not a 15
born2killspam
Well-Known Member
How far is the box from the grow area?
SOMEBEECH
Well-Known Member
OK just put the heater on its own circuit, but to be safe cause we dont want anymore problems can your bro take a meter and fix it,i think the heater was what tripped the breaker....Your at a critical time now that your flowering and your plants dont need anymore stress.Have him due a amp draw and see if your hids can be on 1 breaker if not how hard will it be to run another wire are is there a plug not looped.Heck have him look he will no what to do,you have got to be more careful you got lucky this time.Due you have extension cords run everwhere?Like born said if there the least little bit warm thats way too much current.
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
my grow area is a room,10x12, the panel is right outside the door to the room.
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
so, the wire is only about 8 feet to the first recepticle box.
lilmafia513
Well-Known Member
ok, i just talked to my brother.....
He repeated what you just said,we have to run another circuit for the heater,and maybe do a circuit for the two MH,and one for the small cabinet.
This should lower the draw on the room. I'll probably be on my way here in a minute to go change it out. Thanks for helping the sober stoner today!!!LOL!!!!
I only have one extension chord from a recepticle to my four foot shop light for my clones,that's it! But it comes off a power strip that has all the fans, and heater on it too.
Your right it's too much........
Off to fix it!!!! Thanks!!!!
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