4,000 watts with no master lighting controller?

[rainman36]

I just want to know if this is possible to do a 4,000 watt grow with no master lighting controller,but rather pulling 4 extention cords from other rooms to the one main grow room.I know feeding too much electricity through 1 extention cord could result in over heating and melting,but the only thing that will be plugged into each cord will be my HID,instead of plugging them all in one room will make the breaker trip like crazy,and I just wanted to spread the power evenly from one room to the next without having to get a master lighting controller,thats something I don't want to do,not unless I absolutly have to.My question is,is this possible?

 

[dwc rebel]

it would be safer to have the controller with that much power. using extension cords will weaken the follow of power.

 

[rainman36]

I guess that will have to do,I really wish it was a instructional video on how to hook all of that shit up,bcuz reading the instructions is mind boggling and I have like 0 electrical experience.

 

[rainman36]

any video out their,or am I just over estimating the ordeal?

 

[Nizza]

try going to the video section here they might have what you're looking for https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/499298-grow-videos.html

 

[ScoobyDoobyDoo]

try finding someone you trust to walk you through it. if your breaker panel is near the room you are going to grow in it can be as easy as a 20 minute job and cost you $30 plus the light controller

 

[ricky6991]

I just did 3 1000w lights and let me tell you your breaker will be going off every 20seconds... no way to get around upgrading wire from box to your room. Really easy. Even videos how to do it. This way you wont have 4 extention cords going from 4 rooms lol

 

[mr2shim]

Be careful playing around with electrical. You can end up dead in a hurry.

 

[WeeGogs]

I just want to know if this is possible to do a 4,000 watt grow with no master lighting controller,but rather pulling 4 extention cords from other rooms to the one main grow room.I know feeding too much electricity through 1 extention cord could result in over heating and melting,but the only thing that will be plugged into each cord will be my HID,instead of plugging them all in one room will make the breaker trip like crazy,and I just wanted to spread the power evenly from one room to the next without having to get a master lighting controller,thats something I don't want to do,not unless I absolutly have to.My question is,is this possible?

you can do that no problem.....
1. if the cable is 1mm or over and usually rubber insulated.
2. not a cheap plastic extension cable with thin wire.
3. you only have one in each cable.
do not listen to crazy people about voltage drops, only be concerned if you are using 12 or 24 volt systems where that is concerned, or cable runs hundreds of feet long.

also here is a voltage drop calculator that you can use, a simple tool even in the hands of a child that knows basic mathematics.
except for one thing, only in low voltage applications it is needed.
in high voltage it is not that is why lower voltage systems use higher ampage.

http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/tools/voltageDrop

and here is a volts amps watts calculator.

http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/tools/Volts-Watts-Amps-Converter

remember it is not just the room you are trying to spread the power over but trying to use different ring circuits, for example upstairs lighting will be on one ring circuit and downstairs on an other.

 

[HeartlandHank]

Before I knew how to get in the panel... i once called an electrician and had him install a poled 30 amp 240v breaker, the wire from the panel to the room, and the newer dryer style outlet in the room. I said it was for a kiln that had a dryer style plug. After he left i flipped the power off, undid the outlet and wired it to my controller.

all it really let me avoid was getting in the panel. since then i have learned it is really really easy.

so if you can find something that requires the same wire, breaker, etc... just have them install that and go back to the outlet, undo it, and wire it to your controller.

Make sure you check his license before he comes and his work afterwards. Just because you have an electrician come out does not mean you should blindly trust his work. Master electricians make mistakes too.

 

[bluntmassa1]

you can always buy on of these http://dxsoundco.com/ alls you need to do is run a breaker and a 240v wire from your box and your ready to go just don't electracute yourself or you can also hook them up to a four prong dryer outlet

 

[rainman36]

Wonder if I get a electrician to come out and do the job for me,and just say that I have a gaming room where I will have 5 or 6 pc computers plugged in running 24/7 bcuz me and friends are hardcore gamers?

 

[Friendly Caregiver]

Hey man, I just had my light controller installed 3 days ago, and I watched it all happen. I am sure you can YouTube most of the wiring instructions, but it is indeed complicated. I had my electrician help, and that's only because he is a friend and a caregiver as well. However, Once you do go through the pain of installing it, can I just say that it is the most amazing thing? I ran 4 50ft extention cords before for 10 days, and Hated the wires running around. This makes life really easy, and I can sleep better knowing they are plugged into their own 30amp circuit.

 

[rainman36]

I read that if you have lets say 4,000 watts and have a light controller,you pay for only half of what you would on the electric bill,then if you did not have it,is this true?

 

[Friendly Caregiver]

I'm not an electrician myself, but I put 3 1000ws on my box on 3 outlets, and put all my 12/12 stuff (exhaust fans and some oscillating fans and the light movers) on the fourth outlet, so that might save electricity.

 

[rainman36]

On average,whats your electric bill look like monthly,caregiver?

 

[george xxx]

I just did 3 1000w lights and let me tell you your breaker will be going off every 20seconds... no way to get around upgrading wire from box to your room. Really easy. Even videos how to do it. This way you wont have 4 extention cords going from 4 rooms lol

I would wonder how you were able to manage 20 seconds. 3,000w at 110v is 27 amp. Unless the breaker if faulty that should not be possible.

You can pull 4 cords from different locations provided they are on seprate breakers but thats a lot wire and potential heat build up in wire continuously pulling 9 amps. A 12 amp drain on a 15 amp breaker should pop within 2 to 3 hours. Tread lightly with such cord use and make sure they are not whimpy 16 guage wire. In an OSHA setting nothing less than 12 guage would do.

 

[cowboyframer]

I read that if you have lets say 4,000 watts and have a light controller,you pay for only half of what you would on the electric bill,then if you did not have it,is this true?

No. That is not true. Running your lights on 220v cuts your amps not your watts. However running your ballasts 220v will cut down on heat. A diy 220v light controller is easy to build. Here is alink that seems ok. https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/492339-diy-digital-4-light-controller.html The contactor is a standard A/C part. Available at any HVAC supply. Wiring a 220v circuit is simple. There are a ton of videos available to give you instruction.

Cowboy

 

[Ty13]

I read that if you have lets say 4,000 watts and have a light controller,you pay for only half of what you would on the electric bill,then if you did not have it,is this true?

Not true at all.

On average,whats your electric bill look like monthly,caregiver?

Full room set up with 4 lights depending on where your at etc. is going to run a regular household prob. $500 to $900 I'd bet.
My regular electric bill was about $90-$150...Add in 4 lights, a/c, some veg. lights......That tosses me into the 4th tier easily and I'm paying a ~$800 bill where I'm at......Add in a the veg. room at full capacity with 1K MH, T5, and hot summer days with 2-70 pint dehuies, and I'm looking at ~$1,100 most likely. Hope that helps a little bit but I know there's a lot of variables.

 

[herballuvmonkey]

It really sucks that I actually went to school to be a certified electrician and worked in the industry for a few years and could do stuff like this for people easy and for cheap but its kinda hard to say " hey, I'll wire ur grow room for you" without looking like the po-po. Lol