Noob trying to build 12x15 room seeking advice

I have a 12x15 basement room. I need to hire an electrician to run a dedicated breaker box to the basement. but do not know what I should ask for, how many breakers? 20 amp or 30 amp breakers? 110 or 220? etc, I have no AC but do have a heat vent in the room. Overkill is ok to leave room to expand, but dont want to get carried away on costs.

anyone have any advice, on what I should ask the electrician to run?

I really want to run as much light as possible, on as few plants as possible, scrog, hydro or coco haven't decided yet, both are acceptable.

very interested in sealed co2 systems, but first things first I need the electric sorted.

There are several people advertising grow room builds on Craigslist, but that seems sketchy to me? maybe just old school thinking on my part.

have a couple of closet and out door patches in the past, but building up a whole room from scratch. lost

Have it wired for 2-30 amp 220v breakers(one will run 4k watts of light, the other one will run your mini split AC unit), and 2-20 amp 110 breakers (for wall sockets, do all your wiring in conduit).
And 4k watts is max for that room. Other people will tell you you can do more. I'd run 2-1ks and 2-600s.

You'll need a 22000 BTU or higher mini split for anything over 3200 watts.

Thanks for the advice.

Are you planning on having a veg room or just a flowering room

just a flowering room moms will be in another area.

I have done this for many years. I call it working backward. You will definitely have to design your grow area before you have it wired or you will just be guessing. Design the setup you love and then prep the walls floor and ceiling then have an electrician do their thing. I think it will be more expensive to max the electricity but if you have the $ it would be nice to have all the convenience to change the room as you go and not have to worry about the power supply. I know Im no help.

Have the electrician install a subpanel
in the basement.

treetopmmmp

Best option, Sub panel in basement with a feed of 6awg wire if possible. That will give yea 55 amps running inside a constant house temperature. So off your main panel you will have a 2-pole 50amp breaker. Than your wire will run to a sub panel and that panel should cost you around 100 bucks. Your cable is kinda pricy (in canada its about 8 bucks for 1 meter of copper at 6awg. So really I can see this costing you to much at this route because you can simply get your own breakers and install your own lines from there such as 15 amp, or 30 or 50 amp 240v range plug ( something u will see that matchs your stove). Than you can buy a time board from your grow store that will let u run all your lights and have a 15 amp continuous line dedicated to fans, small lights, pumps. Dont forget on the same board you will also have a timer thats connected to 4 or 6 plugs for lights!
You can simply get a electrition to run a 50 amp line or 30 amp line right from your main panel to the location you want and get him to attach the range plug on the end for 5 dollors and now its plug and play with your time board and lots of power there for you.. This is a good idea if your not running AC. If ac, than u need MIN 20amp which will be better suited off running of a sub panel that your electrition has installed.
BTW good job getting a tradesman involved. I have seen so many retards do there own and fuck up alot of stuff! Best luck

I'm just finishing up new rooms myself and I started by drawing it out then i used a computer program to do it to proper measurements and that, then before I ran any electrical I framed it all in look at my design and figure out where I want all my receptacles, and I went over it a few times just to make sure and maybe even put in a couple extra just in case you can never have to many receptacles imo and then I drywalled. I guess I'm just saying design, design, design lol figure it all out before you do anything or you'll regret it later. just my two cents

can never have to many receptacles; could not have said it better myself! Instead of a program because I hate dealing with computer stuff, I use grid paper. I scale each box out to wat ever ratio that works best for the room size. Example, Each square could represent 1 foot if I was designing a larger room like a 10x20. But hes right, design design design. I am building a new room in another shop and I have turned over 3 good ideas already that would properly heat and cool all taking inconsideration amps and consumptions. Its kinda wat I always base my grow rooms around.. Amps available and what do I want my electrical bill to look like! Just a thought

Sencha said:

Have it wired for 2-30 amp 220v breakers(one will run 4k watts of light, the other one will run your mini split AC unit), and 2-20 amp 110 breakers (for wall sockets, do all your wiring in conduit).
And 4k watts is max for that room. Other people will tell you you can do more. I'd run 2-1ks and 2-600s.

You'll need a 22000 BTU or higher mini split for anything over 3200 watts.

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Complete bullshit of course you can do more. 4000 watts is only good fore 8x8 area also 22000 btus will cool a minimum of 6000 watts if the lights are air cooled, and maybe 8000 watts. If not air cooled figure 5000 btu per 1000 light for your a/c sizing. Run 4 guage off a 100 amp breaker to a sub panel nothing less run 6-9 1000 watt lights air cooled and a japanese or Korean mini split most Chinese ones wont work if cold outside they also dont dehumidify as well. The mini split will need a DEDICATED 20-30 (depending on btu) amp 220 breaker in the sub pannel for the mini split
at least 1 gfi breaker is preferred for pumps etc.. When this is done a light controller should be
hooked to the sub Parnell with a minimum of 6 guage. I prefer the cap light controllers as they have
individual breakers and receptacles (much safer) for each light circuit and save lots of wiring hassles. My 22000 btu mitsubichi mini limps along easily with 6k vented. If venting the hoods with a complexed or long run I highly recommend the can max 12 with a y fitting above all others as they maintain the flow even under the heavy backpressure of many lights and kick ass on all others including the other can max models
for set ups with lots of back pressure.

Lots of good advice here, thanks a ton

Have decided to hire grow friendly contractor to install, 100amp sub panel with hardwired light controller.

cost quoted $500-$700 sound reasonable?

Kraven said:

Lots of good advice here, thanks a ton

Have decided to hire grow friendly contractor to install, 100amp sub panel with hardwired light controller.

cost quoted $500-$700 sound reasonable?

Click to expand...

Depending on how long the run from the main panel to the sub panel is, and whether all of your breakers will be included, yes, this sounds pretty reasonable.

-spek

The sub panel is a great great choice, 500-700 is reasonable cuz wire, panal itself has cost plus hes keeping his mouth shut. Wats also good about him helping with install is that u can ask him some questions and know how. Just dont open up to much cuz if people know your size they may be tempted to get greedy. I never though people would fuck around with a few lbs but once people know u have 10 or so they come booting the door in. I know this from experience. Of course u dont get your product back once u know who but maybe they go to a far way place after a short hello. Best luck man!!

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