Uk electrical question

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chris2222

Active Member
Any uk electricions? Ive just built a grow room in the attic and need power.

Would it be ok to stick a couple of sockets on the upstairs circuit as the mains wires run through the attic to each bedroom.

ill be running 2x600w lights and probably a 1kw heater in winter plus a pump fans etc. seems to be within the 300w guide lines for a 13amp circuit. But obviously i dont want my roof to catch fire.
 
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MiniGrowRooms

Active Member
Now im not an electrician but i have done all my own and know a thing or 2 (i hope!) Now to start of with are you sure they are mains wires because anything in the attick is usually lighting wires unless you live in a coach house! if they are lighting wires then do NOT attempt to use those!! In answer to your question (if they are mains wires!) then yes you can use them and there shouldnt be a problem at all. To determine properly you need to find out what circuit you are planning on tapping into and what the rating is on the breaker in the fuse box. Then you need to find out exactly what other sockets are on the circuit and add up all the appliances on them to find out how much power is going through the breaker! the breaker in the fuse box should always have around 4 amps spare so its not fully loaded.............for example..... if you add up all your appliances (using amps = watts / volts) and you have say 10 amps in total on your circuit and your breaker is 20 amps then you could add around an extra 5 amps to that circuit safley! If i was you i would run 2 double sockets up there from a mains point and have the 2 lights on a 10amp control box (this will use up one of the double sockets) then put the heater on one plug socket of the other double and a trip out extension lead on the other for the pump and fans and whatever else! I actually have what i just described up in mine, i will try get some photos to show u if u want! Hope some of this helps or makes sense. Any questions then ask and i will try 2 help!
 
9

9inch bigbud

Well-Known Member
do you have a shower in the batroom? what i done is splice off that, it will run way more than what you want to use. do not run off anyother wire up there it will not handle the power and could melt = fire look above you bathroom and you should see the power cord going down to the shower if you have one.
 
Hoochy

Hoochy

Well-Known Member
I'm an electrician, and 1kw heater is 4amps Lights are1200w = 1.2amps so thats 5.2A without taking into consideration what else is running on the circuit. Governing that it's only supplying the bedrooms and not the laundry or kitchen then you should be fine. Bare in mind I have not taken into consideration as to what the current rating or the fans/other appliances you plan on running in the grow room.

NOTE: All amperage ratings calculated using 250v. In Australia we use 230v, but am unsure what the UK run? I'm fairly sure your system is very similar to ours minus the earting system so 250v (previous australian voltage rating)

NOTE: I personally don't think anyone should be playing with electricity as it will always pose a risk as your understanding of an electrical system will be limited, thus putting yourself and your family at risk, however.... If you think your competent then no one can stop you altough i'd rather see an electrican do it.


Hope this info helps :)
 
Hoochy

Hoochy

Well-Known Member
MiniGrowRooms said:
Now im not an electrician but i have done all my own and know a thing or 2 (i hope!) Now to start of with are you sure they are mains wires because anything in the attick is usually lighting wires unless you live in a coach house! if they are lighting wires then do NOT attempt to use those!! In answer to your question (if they are mains wires!) then yes you can use them and there shouldnt be a problem at all. To determine properly you need to find out what circuit you are planning on tapping into and what the rating is on the breaker in the fuse box. Then you need to find out exactly what other sockets are on the circuit and add up all the appliances on them to find out how much power is going through the breaker! the breaker in the fuse box should always have around 4 amps spare so its not fully loaded.............for example..... if you add up all your appliances (using amps = watts / volts) and you have say 10 amps in total on your circuit and your breaker is 20 amps then you could add around an extra 5 amps to that circuit safley! If i was you i would run 2 double sockets up there from a mains point and have the 2 lights on a 10amp control box (this will use up one of the double sockets) then put the heater on one plug socket of the other double and a trip out extension lead on the other for the pump and fans and whatever else! I actually have what i just described up in mine, i will try get some photos to show u if u want! Hope some of this helps or makes sense. Any questions then ask and i will try 2 help!
Click to expand...

Your comments regarding what is on the circuit is correct, but as to not the load up the circuit, this is bullshit.

If the circuit is rated to 20A then you can safely run 20A off of it. All electrical systems have a 20% leeway. In other words, they under-rate cables buy a factor of approx 10% - 20%. Thus if someone decided to do something stupid as to use a 20A fuse on a 16A circuit then your not going to harm anything.

Do not be afriad to load your circuit to it's current rating. If you have doubts about anything, then get an electrician to do the work or ask for advice
 
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chris2222

Active Member
Ive rewired the upstairs so i know that the wire i will splice into will be on a circuit only serving 3 bedrooms, which the majority of the time is unused apart from a tv and a maybe a lamp in the evening.

The cable i have used is standard mains 2.5mm rated to 23amp@240v so going on that basis it seems to be well within the rating.

Thatnks for the replies and advice.
 
9

9inch bigbud

Well-Known Member
chris2222 said:
Ive rewired the upstairs so i know that the wire i will splice into will be on a circuit only serving 3 bedrooms, which the majority of the time is unused apart from a tv and a maybe a lamp in the evening.

The cable i have used is standard mains 2.5mm rated to 23amp@240v so going on that basis it seems to be well within the rating.

Thatnks for the replies and advice.
Click to expand...
make sure you use a good electric splitter box and not one of these
http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/5402055/2/istockphoto_5402055-electrical-connector-block.jpg i almost burnt my house down!:dunce: stay safe!
 
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