20amps and HPS?

Humanrob

Humanrob

Well-Known Member
Question:
Can I run a 600w HPS, a dehumidifier, fans, etc. off of one (dedicated) 20amp fuse? Could I run two 600's?

Background:
I'm just looking ahead... I've never worked with HPS before. I might end out doing some of my outdoor in pots, and then if fall is too cold/wet/windy finishing them in the garage. I have one dedicated 20 amp circuit going to the garage. Currently my indoor is all COB/LED lights, but I was thinking of picking up an inexpensive 600w HPS (or two) and using that for the extra heat it would provide.

Total newbie question, but I've never worked with this before and the one time I helped a friend set up a small 12'x12' (?) grow room, he ran 220v to it and it had its own sub-panel. Don't know much at all about electricity, obviously, so I appreciate the help.
 
loftygoals

loftygoals

Well-Known Member
You haven't specified what voltage you're running in your grow room but I assume 110v?

Anyway:

20a x 110v = 2200w
20a x 220v = 4400w

So you could run 1200w (2x 600w) for lighting plus a 250w dehumidifier (a reasonable sized unit but not massive) and a decent fan (an RVK 8 inch fan is 153w for example) without an issue... but don't go plugging in the vacuum cleaner (often 1300-1800w), a fan heater/radiator (often 2kW) or a kettle (around 1kW) too :o
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
Humanrob said:
Question:
Can I run a 600w HPS, a dehumidifier, fans, etc. off of one (dedicated) 20amp fuse? Could I run two 600's?

Background:
I'm just looking ahead... I've never worked with HPS before. I might end out doing some of my outdoor in pots, and then if fall is too cold/wet/windy finishing them in the garage. I have one dedicated 20 amp circuit going to the garage. Currently my indoor is all COB/LED lights, but I was thinking of picking up an inexpensive 600w HPS (or two) and using that for the extra heat it would provide.

Total newbie question, but I've never worked with this before and the one time I helped a friend set up a small 12'x12' (?) grow room, he ran 220v to it and it had its own sub-panel. Don't know much at all about electricity, obviously, so I appreciate the help.
Click to expand...
probably not safely. assuming that 20 amp is a 110/115v, if it were a 220 you'd be golden.
a standard dehumidifier is around 2-3 amps, the 600w actually use closer to 700 with the ballast.
an exhaust inline fan uses at least 60w, and that's a low estimate, the ventilation fans are like 150.
1400-HIDs
100-inline-
500-dehum-
150-
wired @110/115 it'd be too close to run (in my opinion..)
that's damn near 19amps...
on a 220 it'd be fine
you could probably do it... but that cord would be toasty warm... and it's just too close to run that on an automated system.
 
Humanrob

Humanrob

Well-Known Member
Wow, thanks EVERYONE!

Yes, its 110v/20amp. I need to pick up one of those kill-a-watt things and test my old dehumidifier at the wall, but I probably can't use it. There would be no inline or exhaust type fans, just a simple floor fan to circulate air -- smell is not an issue and these plants would be sitting in the middle of the floor, not in any type of enclosure (other than the garage itself). It sounds like two 600w lights with their ballasts would be around 1400w, so I could have a small fan to circulate air and call it good. It would not be an optimal environment, but if they are in there its because its too cold wet and windy outside, so it could save them, if nothing else.

As I mentioned, my indoor is all LED/COB lights, and I can time it so that I'm not running anything inside in Sept/Oct, but, my garage is an old detached thing (almost like a very sturdy shed), and probably has so many bugs in it I'm concerned about bringing the lights back into the house after being out there. That, and its an unheated garage, so I was thinking the HPS would be helpful.

Y'all are awesome, thanks again!!!! :)

Edit: Or, I would ONLY run the dehumidifier at night when the lights are out...
 
greasemonkeymann

greasemonkeymann

Well-Known Member
Humanrob said:
Wow, thanks EVERYONE!

Yes, its 110v/20amp. I need to pick up one of those kill-a-watt things and test my old dehumidifier at the wall, but I probably can't use it. There would be no inline or exhaust type fans, just a simple floor fan to circulate air -- smell is not an issue and these plants would be sitting in the middle of the floor, not in any type of enclosure (other than the garage itself). It sounds like two 600w lights with their ballasts would be around 1400w, so I could have a small fan to circulate air and call it good. It would not be an optimal environment, but if they are in there its because its too cold wet and windy outside, so it could save them, if nothing else.

As I mentioned, my indoor is all LED/COB lights, and I can time it so that I'm not running anything inside in Sept/Oct, but, my garage is an old detached thing (almost like a very sturdy shed), and probably has so many bugs in it I'm concerned about bringing the lights back into the house after being out there. That, and its an unheated garage, so I was thinking the HPS would be helpful.

Y'all are awesome, thanks again!!!! :)

Edit: Or, I would ONLY run the dehumidifier at night when the lights are out...
Click to expand...
good friend of mine does that.
runs the dehum during the "night" cycle.
the other thing is a good ventilation setup can possibly eliminate the need for a dehum
keeping the water transpiration moving out of the room can help a lot
 
rkymtnman

rkymtnman

Well-Known Member
Humanrob said:
Wow, thanks EVERYONE!

Yes, its 110v/20amp. I need to pick up one of those kill-a-watt things and test my old dehumidifier at the wall, but I probably can't use it. There would be no inline or exhaust type fans, just a simple floor fan to circulate air -- smell is not an issue and these plants would be sitting in the middle of the floor, not in any type of enclosure (other than the garage itself). It sounds like two 600w lights with their ballasts would be around 1400w, so I could have a small fan to circulate air and call it good. It would not be an optimal environment, but if they are in there its because its too cold wet and windy outside, so it could save them, if nothing else.

As I mentioned, my indoor is all LED/COB lights, and I can time it so that I'm not running anything inside in Sept/Oct, but, my garage is an old detached thing (almost like a very sturdy shed), and probably has so many bugs in it I'm concerned about bringing the lights back into the house after being out there. That, and its an unheated garage, so I was thinking the HPS would be helpful.

Y'all are awesome, thanks again!!!! :)

Edit: Or, I would ONLY run the dehumidifier at night when the lights are out...
Click to expand...
be careful bringing back any critters like mites back into your indoor grow room. don't know if you've had a mite infestation but it ain't fun.
 
Humanrob

Humanrob

Well-Known Member
greasemonkeymann said:
good friend of mine does that.
runs the dehum during the "night" cycle.
the other thing is a good ventilation setup can possibly eliminate the need for a dehum
keeping the water transpiration moving out of the room can help a lot
Click to expand...
Not sure how I'd do it, currently there are no windows (that open) or vents of any kind in that small building, but venting the space is a good idea.
 
Humanrob

Humanrob

Well-Known Member
rkymtnman said:
be careful bringing back any critters like mites back into your indoor grow room. don't know if you've had a mite infestation but it ain't fun.
Click to expand...
Exactly, been there done that, that's why I was trying to figure out how to get a couple of lights just for the space.
 
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