Thinking about fixing attic up for growing: Electrical question breaker box
- Thread starter Meast21
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speedwell68
Well-Known Member
That depends where you are in the world. The winters here rarely get super cold, a simple 80w tube heater keeps it warm enough and a hot day in the summer here would be 25C max, easy enough to keep cool.
MidnightSun72
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't consider growing on a tapped out circuit. You'd have stuff constantly tripping it would be a night mare.
gwhunran
Well-Known Member
My late younger brother suggested to me that he was going to grow in his attic and had saved all these styrofoam coolers to make himself an insulated igloo of a grow space. I asked him if he was going to keep all that deep south heat (Northeast Arkansas) inside his grow space. He hadn't considered that he'd have to make it cool inside his igloo for the insulation to hold it in. He was struggling pretty hard healthwise at the time, he wasn't normally this slow. I miss him. Keep smoking and growing.
You can get "double" breakers, I have a few of them in my box. When I moved into my house, my box was full, and it was the only way to add without going to a larger electrical box. I had to add one to outfit my "hidden" room, my basement is actually larger than my house, with 2 rooms extended outside the basement walls. It's been 15 years since I moved in and installed them, and have never had an issue. Probably the least expensive route to go if your out of room and need more circuits.
Goodshit97
Well-Known Member
I just went through this. Was trying to run my tent and a 1500 watt electric heater on a circuit rated for 1800 watts that already had stuff running on it. What a nightmare is right. Into the crawlspace i went running new wire and added a 20amp breaker so i could run the tent and heater/ac/dehumidifier based on time of year and not have to worry about breakers tripping constantly or worse, burning my house down
speedwell68
Well-Known Member
You are quite a bit further North than me. Here we are in the middle of winter and the minimum temperature here today is 10C, looking at the average today @ 54N it is 4C. I have been growing in Lofts for years and I don't have a problem. The thing about lofts is they are really easy to insulate.
CaliVerner420
Well-Known Member
I agree huge
Ok my spare bedroom runs only a 40 watt bulb, I guess I could get a double breaker as another poster said... I'm not really looking to grow up there just might want to finish the attic for more sq. footage and better for re-sale.
So I watch a tandem breaker video... So there is a way to run attic electrical and team it up with breaker that is for an upstairs bedroom? The upstairs bedroom just has a 40 watt light.
Stuck27
Well-Known Member
Im going through this at the moment. You can switch to a 200 amp panel or you can see if you could put something on a breaker together. For example I put the dishwasher and the oven fan on the same 15 breaker. Took out a heater downstairs and took the 20 break out. Switched to a 15 and put in an outlet for my other tent.
Yeah I want a quick cheap fix... I'm not gonna grow in the attic, just thinking about fixing it up for resale or more space.
Stuck27
Well-Known Member
For sure! So second option could work. See if there is an outlet hooked up to a double 15. You can put an outlet on a single 15 but both you couldn't have 2 things at 120v running at once or it could blow the breaker. Not a big deal just annoying. Same thing as what I said about adding 2 things on the same breaker, like the dishwasher and the fan example. Both options would cost very little.
I'm not an electrician, but my father is and we both own rentals. He helps me with the repairs and I help him with labor. I'd have an someone help out if not comfortable with messing with the panel. Could be dangerous so I've heard XD
thefullspectrum
Well-Known Member
Jesus man get a sparky for Christ sake. Light and power should not be on the same circuit.
Stuck27
Well-Known Member
no lol lights are on a 20 amp while outlets are 15 or double 15 (meaning the top and bottom plugin would have their own breaker so you can use both plugins with things that use a lot of power)
natureboygrower
Well-Known Member
Then hire someone. You doing your own electrical, not being licensed is going to scare any potential buyer or real estate agent/ company right off. Not to mention ILLEGAL for you to do it yourself if you plan on selling and not living there for another 5 years before you do sell.