another electrical help thread!!!

tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
I'm in need of help, and its really starting to bother, and scare me. I need help!!!

what is the safest way to plug 3 400W lights, like 4 fans, and an ozone generator? and also a washer and dryer, (I shut off 2 lights when using them)


this is my current set up please let me know what to change.

I'm working with a 20 A outlet, only one :(
I have a heavy duty power strip luged into the bottom outlet, it is rated for 15A and it has the washer and dryer plugged into it, also the ozone generator, and a small inline fan.
the top socket of the outlet has a heavy duty extention cord, that has a heavy duty timer pluged into it and the 3 lights are pluged into timer, 2 are pluged in via a divider thing (everything is rated for 15 amps) I'm using about 12-13 on this extention cord.

thats it. I can post pictures if it will help in any way.
 
mountainhigh8

mountainhigh8

Well-Known Member
i dont know much and am kinda in the sme boat with electical stuff, but i think thats alot of shit on one 20 amp receptacle. i'm suprised it's even working!
 
tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
well I only use like 15 amps at any given time, half the time I'm only using 3... since its flowering time
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Several things.

3 400W (if standard inductive ballasts) your talking 450W X 3 = 1400W.
1400W @ 120VAC = 11.7 Amps

"like" 4 fans? 4x ??watts
ozone gen ??watts?

An electric dryrer is typically (if not always in the US) a 220V device.
A washer isn't a heavy draw, but certainly noticeable. (wash/dry with lights off)

So the lights are on 1 leg of the dryer and the fans and ozone are on the second leg?
 
whatapothead

whatapothead

Well-Known Member
the fans aren't pulling much for sure. those are pretty low wattage/low power fans.

but it is still alot for one breaker. i read somewhere if you're using a 20amp breaker you should only use 10amps off it continuously. and no more than 3/4 at peak.

i may be wrong but thats how i look at it.
 
tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
I think I'm doing that, where did you read this? why would they rate it for 15 amps?! this all seems very silly and illogical, how do they expect people to keep their houses from burning down?!?!
 
mountainhigh8

mountainhigh8

Well-Known Member
if you have all that stuff plugged into a regular recptacle in your house then he is right it's no more then 15 20 amps for that hole room.
 
tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
the room only has the one outlet, its definitely a 20A circuit, is a receptacle another word for circuit?
it seems I am using 15 amps at most, and only for 12 hours, during veg I use less, but for 24 hours.
I'm soo confused!!!

just noticed he said an electrical dryer, my dryer uses gas. does that change anything? I can't get to the back of them, as their leaning on a wall and I cant really move them without fucking shit up.
 
mountainhigh8

mountainhigh8

Well-Known Member
i think your fine if it's the only receptacle on that circuit. a cuircuit can feed multiple receptecles, so i would find that breaker in your panel and shut it off if you can and find out doesn't work.
 
tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
what what?
I did that last week I'm pretty sure its just the one outlet on that circuit, I'll double check though.
is a respectable an outlet?

does it sound like my extention cord and power strip is set up alright?
 
mountainhigh8

mountainhigh8

Well-Known Member
a receptacle is a outlet yes, and i would have to say yes on your power strip but dont take my word for sure on that one!
 
tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
yup just checked its 20A
its a little double cuircut thing though, is that okay? there are two half sized 20A breakers in a slot, where there is usualy one fat 15A breaker.
 
calical209

calical209

Active Member
that is one im getting at....he is probably using a 30 to 40 amp circut for the dryer...considering the split between the 2 paralell legs of the circut and all of the other shit on it, i would get rid of the fan (sorry) and anything with a motor will kill you on your amp draw..........
 
calical209

calical209

Active Member
they say 15 amps but if you do the math and the use of energy (amps) you can max out at no more then 85% of the 15 amps...a circut consist of all the outlets in your room and maybe one light....
 
tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
I dont quite understand what your getting at.
there is only one outlet, and one light fixture in the room, I just found out the light is on a separate circuit, the one outlet is powered by another circuit that says 20A
even though I'm using only 15A tops at any time I should still ditch the fans?
how dificult (meaning how much would I have to pay somone :P to put another circuit in here. the spot where I would need the outlet is right next to the circuit breaker, I dont know if that makes it easier...
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
tckfui said:
I dont quite understand what your getting at.
there is only one outlet, and one light fixture in the room, I just found out the light is on a separate circuit, the one outlet is powered by another circuit that says 20A
even though I'm using only 15A tops at any time I should still ditch the fans?
how dificult (meaning how much would I have to pay somone :P to put another circuit in here. the spot where I would need the outlet is right next to the circuit breaker, I dont know if that makes it easier...
Click to expand...
Give a pic of the dyer outlet.

A 120V 20amp out let looks exactly like a normal outlet, but one of the sockets looks like a sideways 'T'.

220V outlets have a few different styles, but a dryer may typically looke like the 'slots' are going around in a circle.

But to run the lights and dryer at the same time is just asking for trouble.
But if ya gotta, think about just using some floro tubes for while the dyer is on. Disrupting the 'lights on' time isn't much an issue. Disrupting the dark is a *much* bigger prob.
 
tckfui

tckfui

Well-Known Member
kk, I'll post some pics in a little bit, I will not run the dryer when there is more than one light on, I think thats okay? just having onelight on? or should I shut them all off?
light seepage is no problem, my room is incased in black/white poly :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top