Delay timers

[alwaysgreen420]

This is how people get hurt. Fuckin w electricity when really u should just leave it to the pros.... lol

Sent from my SCH-I545

 

[Cocobud]

Greetings everybody, newbie to the forum here. Marks' the name, buds the game

Knowing a little bit about taming the elephant, and I'm in total agreement with Mr. Alwaysgreen above.
If you are not totally sure about what electricity is, how it works, and what you're doing, get someone that does to help you.

Most electricians are helpful fellows and love to help out.

"Trial and error" in electrical can be doomsday.

 

[steelheadguy]

Nice! 20 yrs ago I used to drive all the way from Santa Cruz mountains to go pick up cuts from our pal that lived about 5/10 minutes from that hatchery. Good times fishing there.

Anyways, that contactor is gonna limit you on lights. It really should only be used for 6 lights, an electrician will tell you not to run 8. The previous owner of that panel you got, might have been runnin 12-600w lights? That would make sense, To hook 12-1000w lights up safely, you would need an upgrade. Panels are cheap, so is the contactor, breakers, so on. So, let us know what you gonna do, and then we go from there.
Btw..,if you hook it up rite, you won't have to worry about delayed starts.

How do I read those contactor ratings?

Again this is all hypothetical Im trying to understand the limits of the sub panel I have. So the contactor is the limiting factor? I just assumed this was set up for around 100 amps because it has 6 15 amp breakers and the enclosure reads 125 amp max. Im not going to be upset if this box is way less than 100 amp capable, I already have a 30 amp dryer/light controller setup in addition and the wire will be much cheaper.

Anyone know any where to get cheap wire? Home depot price matches and beats any price by 10%

 

[Aeroknow]

The contactor you have is a 40a 2pole. Which is handling all of the power for your lights. You never push electrical devices beyond 80% of it's rating. So that allows 32 amps @240v. 6-1000w lights to be safe. The panel you got will handle it(12 lights), the contactor won't. Does that make sense?

 

[steelheadguy]

Yes, can I upgrade the contactor and wires for more amps? Or are the 2 main bus bars limiting me also?

 

[steelheadguy]

If your already working in the 80% load safety why cant it be 7680 watts of light "to be safe"?
40 amps x 0.8 safety x 240 v = 7680 watts.

6 - 1000w lights is using 25 amps which is only 62.5% of its rating.

 

[Aeroknow]

Lets stick with amps, even though the two are related. A 1000w light can pull close to 5a @240v at startup. So, 6x5=30. Rite under the 80%.

 

[Aeroknow]

Yes, can I upgrade the contactor and wires for more amps? Or are the 2 main bus bars limiting me also?

We use a 50a 2pole contactor for 8 1000w lights, with 6awg wire feeding
The contactor. 6awg from contactor to panel. They make a 60a contactor, never used such a beast, and
have never seen or used any contactor larger than that. As far as your panel goes, i looked back at ur posts, and you might not actually know what that panel is rated at.

 

[Nizza]

oh i forgot to mention you could split the grow in half and run it on a switch timer, at 12-12 and use half the amperage at once

 

[SnapsProvolone]

Sounds to me like the panel / bus bar is rated at 125 amps. Installing a larger contactor is an option. How many breaker spaces it has would be my concern. If you run at 240v and put 3 lights per 20a breaker then you need space for four double pole 20a breakers.

 

[Aeroknow]

Sounds to me like the panel / bus bar is rated at 125 amps. Installing a larger contactor is an option. How many breaker spaces it has would be my concern. If you run at 240v and put 3 lights per 20a breaker then you need space for four double pole 20a breakers.

Hey Snaps, whats the biggest contactor you've seen/dealt with? My electrician brother does the "Contactor bank", like you mentioned earlier, for lets say "larger grows", and still only uses 50a contactors, usually 40amps. I'll have to call him and ask him why. For me, most 50a contactors fit in most panels(depth wise). Every larger contactor i've seen is deep and big(beasts).

 

[SnapsProvolone]

Hey Snaps, whats the biggest contactor you've seen/dealt with? My electrician brother does the "Contactor bank", like you mentioned earlier, for lets say "larger grows", and still only uses 50a contactors, usually 40amps. I'll have to call him and ask him why. For me, most 50a contactors fit in most panels(depth wise). Every larger contactor i've seen is deep and big(beasts).

I have worked with some as massive as 800 amp. These aren't for lighting though. Lol

Larger than 60 amp usually gets its own housing.

Don't stuff contactors in your panels gutter. Unless made to hold a contactor you should put it in another housing connected with a raceway.

 

[Aeroknow]

I have worked with some as massive as 800 amp. These aren't for lighting though. Lol

Larger than 60 amp usually gets its own housing.

Don't stuff contactors in your panels gutter. Unless made to hold a contactor you should put it in another housing connected with a raceway.

Cool, thx man. I'll start practicing that from now on. I'll fire my brother! Lol

 

[steelheadguy]

Hey Snaps, besides breakers is there anything else that is specifically rated for HID that people should look into when considering electrical work like this?

 

[SnapsProvolone]

Avoid using definite purpose contactors with HID lighting. Use lighting contactors.

 

[ScoobyDoobyDoo]

if you wanna save yourself a bunch of time and don't mind spending a little extra money to avoid fumbling though all of this...here's a very simple alternative. these units are wired to handle 12 lights at 220v. plus you can add fans and other 120v plugs to them. they have models with dual triggers, ammeters, and built in digital timers. and the wiring inside is oversized so even though it says 60amps it's built to handle 80amp.

 

[steelheadguy]

For that kind of money I could just pay a pro to do all of this and probably still save a ton.

How do you hook that controller up? Just run a wire to a 60amp breaker ?

 

[ScoobyDoobyDoo]

For that kind of money I could just pay a pro to do all of this and probably still save a ton.

How do you hook that controller up? Just run a wire to a 60amp breaker ?

they come in different sizes and models but you can get them with a 220v plug or just hardwire it. I have mine wired to an 80amp breaker. easiest setup. just like setting up a sub panel. if you factor in all the materials and the labor of an electrical it's roughly the same. and the box your electrician makes you isn't going to have a hot strike relay, an ammeter and a built in digital timer for both the 220v and 110v outlets. well worth it in my opinion. and I do a ton of electrical work.

plus those prices are off the powerbox website. you can get them cheaper from your local hydro store or on amazon/ebay.

 

[bird mcbride]

This is how people get hurt. Fuckin w electricity when really u should just leave it to the pros.... lol

Sent from my SCH-I545

I agree! I know a dozen ways to get the job done depending on what's readily available and what are the circumstances. When doing the grid I keep one thing in mind. Everything should be twice as heavy as needed. Remember, the electrical panel box(source) is hot and if you aren't qualified like you don't know bonded from bonded, definately hire someone that knows.

 

[Cocobud]

Remember, if you rig your own electrical and burn down the house, the insurance company might not pay off if they find you had electrical modifications not meeting code, installed by unlicensed personnel.

And that could be a major bummer.