Question about electricity

Hey again RIU!

I want to ask something about electricity before I get anywhere near flowering stage and have to up the wattage.

The other week I was playing about with my plug setup and timer etc. I was, at that time, running the 250 W metal halide (on a dimmable digital ballast) and the exhaust fan off a 5 socket multiplug. I tried putting the timer on the light and POP went the fuse in the ballast plug. OK, I figure, having ballast - timer - multiplug - socket is a no go, clearly overloads.

When I get to flowering, I'm going to be running a 600W. Presumably this will be even more likely to blow a fuse? I don't know a great deal about this elecktrickery, so any advice on how to configure stuff would be appreciated. For reference, here are my available sockets and the units I need to run:

3 x double wall sockets

Socket 1:
- CFL light for lighting the room (not tent)
- Dual socket extension cable:
- office fan for circulation in tent
- small humidifier

Socket 2:
- Ballast and HID (currently not on timer, running 24 hours a day)
- 5" inline fan

Socket 3:
Currently unused (awkward place)

Thanks in advance!

What kind of timer? (wattage)
Was the light plugged in it when you tried it?

It's rated for 250W - 600W, and comes from a hydroponics shop. I forget the brand. Yes, I plugged the light into the timer, set the timer so it would come on, plugged in the timer and the light stayed off.

I guess I can't use the five gang extension cable, that's not a problem I can work around that, but I'm worried about flipping the fuse on the ring when I switch to 600W

You should be able to run 1700 watts off of one 15 amp circuit (that would be maxed out) without popping circuit breaker. Extension cords are typically not big enough for hydro lights and heaters. You would need to get a bigger gauge wire extension. I make them out of 10 gauge stranded wire and run my whole shed with one bit still not the best way.

Thanks man that makes sense. I'll invest in a heavy duty extension *if* I need one. I'm more inclined to rewire longer heavy duty cords to reach the other outlets.

The other week I was playing about with my plug setup and timer etc. I was, at that time, running the 250 W metal halide (on a dimmable digital ballast) and the exhaust fan off a 5 socket multiplug. I tried putting the timer on the light and POP went the fuse in the ballast plug. OK, I figure, having ballast - timer - multiplug - socket is a no go, clearly overloads.

Click to expand...

Before you go barking up the wrong tree....

If Your Plug strip breaker "Popped" ? Get another 20 amp plug strip...

Now, your little timer is rated at so many watts, and amps, of load... WHAT Does the name plate say? On EVERY UL approved electrical item in the USA ... it has a UL label....
IMO, the timer is not rated for your load... check it....
It's not your electric cord...

You need to get a dedicated circuit for your grow....

Plug a light into where you want your grow circuit [the outlet you want to use]
Now, turn off all your breakers until your lite for your grow goes out....
Now turn it back on, and only that breaker...
Now go around in your place, and find all outlets on that circuit... [use another light, plug into EVERY outlet in your place]
Now, label the outlets that are on your grow room...
Tape over the plugs, and never use them again....
Now your dedicated circuit will not blow...
Now you have a timer "Rated" for your load....
Now only your grow room is on the grow room circuit....

Got it?

FYI: A hair dryer/Coffee maker/Micro wave, plugged into your grow room circuit will blow that breaker every time....
You must get a dedicated breaker... Or...
Later on... when you come back from a night out... and your grow room is dark, because your GF plugged her hair dryer right into the grow room circuit... and it "POPPED" the breaker and you don't know why.....

Thanks yes that does make some sense. I am fairly confident that, given the way electrics were designed in houses where i live, it will be an independent breaker for the room as it is in the attic.

It's hard to check at the moment because I don't wanna turn my lights out to do the test as they are on 24/0 and I have been told not to fiddle with that at all lest it confuse the plants and stress them. I will have to do the check when I throw them to darkness before flowering in a few weeks - this is when it will be crucial as I will be running a higher wattage bulb and the fan on high speed.

Btw, to clarify, the issue was that:
light in multiplug, fine
light in timer, fine
light in timer in multiplug, blows fuse in ballast plug.

Currently, I have a 10' thick extension cord running from a plug in another room stealthy into my closet (no wires visable).
I have that extension cord feeding a power strip, and my timer plugged into the strip, and my 400w ballast on the timer.

I run my 530cfm blower 24/7 at full speed. Also have a stand up fan plugged in as well, along with the lights from the other room, and a television set, with the modem. I believe all that is on a 15amp breaker, and has never popped.

This is just a temp solution anyway, until I run a dedicated breaker and gfci outlets into my grow room.

FlashBabylon said:

It's hard to check at the moment because I don't wanna turn my lights out to do the test as they are on 24/0 and I have been told not to fiddle with that at all lest it confuse the plants and stress them.

Click to expand...

You need to power down your lights for at least 15 min per week. That is a light requirement, not a grow requirement.

indicaheaven said:

You need to power down your lights for at least 15 min per week. That is a light requirement, not a grow requirement.

Click to expand...

Huh? Why?

Sand4x105 said:

Before you go barking up the wrong tree....

If Your Plug strip breaker "Popped" ? Get another 20 amp plug strip...

Now, your little timer is rated at so many watts, and amps, of load... WHAT Does the name plate say? On EVERY UL approved electrical item in the USA ... it has a UL label....
IMO, the timer is not rated for your load... check it....
It's not your electric cord...

You need to get a dedicated circuit for your grow....

Plug a light into where you want your grow circuit [the outlet you want to use]
Now, turn off all your breakers until your lite for your grow goes out....
Now turn it back on, and only that breaker...
Now go around in your place, and find all outlets on that circuit... [use another light, plug into EVERY outlet in your place]
Now, label the outlets that are on your grow room...
Tape over the plugs, and never use them again....
Now your dedicated circuit will not blow...
Now you have a timer "Rated" for your load....
Now only your grow room is on the grow room circuit....

Got it?

Click to expand...

Not to dispute what your saying but it was his circuit breaker on his light that blew i believe. This would indicate a voltage drop through cord driving amp draw up on light circuit breaker possibly. But yes nice to have separate breaker running things if possible. I run a 600w light, 800 w heater, couple of fans on a nondedicated circuit, is it proper, no but it works lol. And I can even turn on a few cfl's lol.

waterdawg said:

Huh? Why?

Click to expand...

"
3. Follow lamp manufacturer instructions for lamp cycling*.
Products are available that will
automatically cycle lamps/luminaires, either on a scheduled or random basis depending upon
what is best for a user’s needs. Such automatic cycling controllers, which can be as simple as a
time clock, can be installed for both new and existing metal halide applications.
* By cycling it is meant turning off lamps at least once a week for a minimum of fifteen (15) minutes when they are
in continuous operation.



7 Essential Practices for Minimizing Risks from Metal Halide Lamp Rupture

To significantly reduce the risk of lamp rupture, the lamp manufacturer’s warnings
and operating instructions must be followed.

Furthermore, all NEMA lamp manufacturers strongly recommend that lamps be group
replaced at or before their rated life. Lamp manufacturers require that some types metal halide
lamps be turned off at least once a week for a minimum of 15 minutes (as opposed to continuous
24/7 operation).
"

Will it damage my plants to give them 15 minutes of dark once a week? Should I throw a load of CFLs, work lamps whatever at them to keep them in the light while the HID rests?

Hopefully someone with more experience will chime in, but many people run 6 hours of dark in veg, so I dont think so.

I've been told that messing with the schedule (as opposed to 6 hours of regular dark a day) can stress em and cause hermies.

Here is a good thread from another forum...
http://www.420magazine.com/forums/vegetative-cycle/104482-reducing-veg-24-0-18-6-a-2.html

With that said, I would like to know if it is safe to move to an 18/6 schedule in light of this information about bulbs - and the fact that I'm thinking of upping to a 400 watt MH.

Can anyone confirm this please?

Ha! I posted before refreshing the page. You read my mind! Perfect thanks!

indicaheaven said:

"
3. Follow lamp manufacturer instructions for lamp cycling*.
Products are available that will
automatically cycle lamps/luminaires, either on a scheduled or random basis depending upon
what is best for a user’s needs. Such automatic cycling controllers, which can be as simple as a
time clock, can be installed for both new and existing metal halide applications.
* By cycling it is meant turning off lamps at least once a week for a minimum of fifteen (15) minutes when they are
in continuous operation.



7 Essential Practices for Minimizing Risks from Metal Halide Lamp Rupture

To significantly reduce the risk of lamp rupture, the lamp manufacturer’s warnings
and operating instructions must be followed.

Furthermore, all NEMA lamp manufacturers strongly recommend that lamps be group
replaced at or before their rated life. Lamp manufacturers require that some types metal halide
lamps be turned off at least once a week for a minimum of 15 minutes (as opposed to continuous
24/7 operation).
"

Click to expand...

Good to know!! Never read that part lol. But also never used metal halide.