Need Electrical Advice (from Pro's Only Please)

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SiRStonedAlot

Member
First of all, hello, this is my first post in the forums and look forward to setting up a grow journal of my own shortly. I have a couple of electrical questions, and I ask that only people who are expierenced with my situation to answer. Not to be rude, but electricity is no joke, the last thing any of us want is a fire, so I want it to be perfect.

Here's the scenario, I'm planning on setting up a spare room for a medical grow, with 2 1000 watt lumentek digital ballasts, along with a 6" votex 449cfm, and a few other fans and a couple air pumps for DWC buckets. With that said, I only have a 20amp circut running to the desired grow room, as well as my master bedroom and main bathroom (all share the same 20amp circut).

so I guess the quesiton is what do I do? Have an electrician come out and run 2 more 20amp lines with outlets in the desired closet which will house the ballasts and exhuast etc (while the main flowering area will be in the bedroom). or should I have a 30amp 240v line run, and get a controller and just convert the ballasts over with 240v cords? This is a more expensive route because of the need to get a controller.

Is there any cheap way out of this? I know none of this is cheap, shit I've already spent 2 grand and I'm still waiting for my clones to root, LOL.

I was going to tell the electrician that I'm going to have a home office with a server room in the closet, so I could get him to run 2 more 20amp lines with outlets for each (obviously). It would be a little harder to convince him if i was having him run a 240v line to some control box (unless I get a control box that plugs into a 240v outlet that I have him install).

Even though the grow will be legal, I don't want anyone knowing about it so discresion is a must when it comes to my solution.


Thoughts?

Thanks in Advance

SiR
 
NoGutsGrower

NoGutsGrower

Well-Known Member
I would not use joe guy you find in the phone book. Running a 120v circuit is SIMPLE! the hardest part is running the wire! If you are unable to do it your self there has to be some one you know that can! You can practice by turning off the breaker to a room and removing and replacing an outlet.
http://www.wikihow.com/Wire-a-Simple-120v-Electrical-Circuit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t62U_FF9rs8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm2T3NMeRFU
These are all good links to do it your self! As far as which voltage, This is just my personal preference, 120v. You can easily convert your ballasts to 240v but most fans are 120 and I like my room to have its own breakers, not even fans or t5's sharing with any other part of the house! I know you said from pro's only, I'm not going to say I'm a pro! Pro Subaru mechanic YES! I have ran power to a garage, replaced old knob and tube wiring in half of my parents house, did all the work for a friends grow and both my grows in Washington and in California. My parents house passed a city inspection (city sent some one out to inspect wiring, if everything is up to code the city gave interest free loans for new insulation in old houses to help cut power usage), and My house passed an inspection when I sold it to move to California, left all the wiring in place. Told them I had High dollar gaming computers and such when the inspector asked about all the wiring to the room.

If my answer doesn't cover it, you can try posting here ( https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/181708-experienced-electrician-here-answer-any-273.html#post5726893) I haven't actually read any of the posts but the title sounds promising!
 
TheDude0007

TheDude0007

Active Member
If my answer doesn't cover it said:
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/181708-experienced-electrician-here-answer-any-273.html#post5726893[/url]) I haven't actually read any of the posts but the title sounds promising!
Click to expand...
I can recommend that post too. :-) That guy knows his shit, I myself asked him a question and he was spot on.
 
TheDude0007

TheDude0007

Active Member
SiRStonedAlot said:
First of all, hello, this is my first post in the forums and look forward to setting up a grow journal of my own shortly. I have a couple of electrical questions, and I ask that only people who are expierenced with my situation to answer. Not to be rude, but electricity is no joke, the last thing any of us want is a fire, so I want it to be perfect.

Here's the scenario, I'm planning on setting up a spare room for a medical grow, with 2 1000 watt lumentek digital ballasts, along with a 6" votex 449cfm, and a few other fans and a couple air pumps for DWC buckets. With that said, I only have a 20amp circut running to the desired grow room, as well as my master bedroom and main bathroom (all share the same 20amp circut).

so I guess the quesiton is what do I do? Have an electrician come out and run 2 more 20amp lines with outlets in the desired closet which will house the ballasts and exhuast etc (while the main flowering area will be in the bedroom). or should I have a 30amp 240v line run, and get a controller and just convert the ballasts over with 240v cords? This is a more expensive route because of the need to get a controller.

Is there any cheap way out of this? I know none of this is cheap, shit I've already spent 2 grand and I'm still waiting for my clones to root, LOL.

I was going to tell the electrician that I'm going to have a home office with a server room in the closet, so I could get him to run 2 more 20amp lines with outlets for each (obviously). It would be a little harder to convince him if i was having him run a 240v line to some control box (unless I get a control box that plugs into a 240v outlet that I have him install).

Even though the grow will be legal, I don't want anyone knowing about it so discresion is a must when it comes to my solution.


Thoughts?

Thanks in Advance

SiR
Click to expand...
I think you know the answer already, but I have a little bit of advice.

Get the electrician to come to your place and tell him your hobby is tropical fish. Tell him you need to upgrade your electrical outlets because you need to run heaters and lights for the fish so you need to be sure your outlets can handle it. :-)

If he by the off chance knows something about tropical fish, well then you play dumb and say that you are only starting out.

Bottom line, the current you will need for a a few tropical fish tanks wont be all that different from what you will need to run your growroom. lol I think it is what I would have done. lol I am only laughing because I think it is a brilliant idea.
 
bryon209

bryon209

Active Member
This is simple as fuck I was an electrician for five years I run all my wire my self....Pm me if you want a walk through
 
S

SiRStonedAlot

Member
it says I don't have permission to PM, maybe because I'm new?

I posted in that other thread, thanks guys.

Bryon209, simple question, Can I have a 30amp line ran from the main panel to the closet hooked up to a standard 110/120v plug outlet? (maybe even a 4way outlet so I have 4 plugs, otherwise I'll use a good surge protector to split it).

I thought the regular houselold 110/120v were only 15 or 20 amp rating - maybe that has nothing to do with the 30amp total circut, but the max allowed at that one outlet? So maybe if I have a 30amp line ran with 2 20amp 120v outlets in that circut, then I can plug a 1000w light into each one - and a fan into the other outlets.

am I on the right track?

is it possible to get a 30-40amp circut hooked up to 110/120v outlets? basically thats what it comes down to, I don't want to know how to do it myself, I want to know what is the best to have professional installed.

thanks guys

SiR
 
NoGutsGrower

NoGutsGrower

Well-Known Member
If you are going to have a someone come do it I would still go with the 120. 240 will be more expensive and harder to explain if you get questioned. not many people want 240 in a closet unless its for a dryer or something.
 
bryon209

bryon209

Active Member
Yes you can but depending on the thickness of your wire would be how long it lasts..thirty amps should be at least twelve wire... i would run ten wire
 
S

SiRStonedAlot

Member
Ok I think I got it. I was thinking I needed a 30 or 40 amp outlet to match the circuit amperage, but now I get I just need to have multipule outlets installed on that 30 amp circut to utilize all 30,. Meaning each 1000 watter will need its own outlet on the new circut. I guess I'll see if there's much in price difference in going from 30 to 40amps and decide from there. Then basically have him install 2 seperate 120v 20 amp outlets correct?
 
bryon209

bryon209

Active Member
And depending on the length of the run it might be cheaper to use two twenty....more expensive in materials but cheaper on your bill
 
S

SiRStonedAlot

Member
220? or 2 20amp runs? 2 - 20 amp circuits is actually what my electrician suggested, and is coming out to install on tuesday. I'm going to run one 1kw light on each (seperate timers obviously) and split the fans and accessories between the 2 circuits. I should even have room to add another 2 -600's if needed. I can always switch my fans/hydro accessories/exhaust over to the existing shared 20amp circuit if I decided I needed to go beyond 2000 watts for 16plants in bud.
 
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