Ask me Any Electrical Question.

Got a grow room electrical question? Got a question about your home electrical at all? I am here to help. I am an electrician by trade and would love to help out if yall got questions. Fire away.
 

jammin26

Well-Known Member
how does a.c work compared to d.c. ? do all the electrons and holes go back all the way from the power station or your local transformer to your house 60 times every second?
 
As opossed to the Sun Shine, how much Vitiaum D does 1,000 watt HPS put out? Just interested. Thanks.

Sun light doesn't actuall emit Vitamin D. It actuall is a chemical reaction in our bodys that changes the chemical properties from Pre-Vitamin D to the actuall Vitamin D makeup. Thats the only scientific answer I have. This thread is mean't to answer Electrical questions for the DIYer.
 
how does a.c work compared to d.c. ? do all the electrons and holes go back all the way from the power station or your local transformer to your house 60 times every second?
Ac is alternating current. That is the electricity that our homes run on. DC is direct current. That is the electricity your car and electronic run on. 60 hurtz per second means the frequencey our appliances opperate at. It mean the polarity is switched 60 time a second. It has nothing to do with distance to or from a grid or transformer.
 
will a cfl that is 20 watts 1150 lumens 6500 kelvin work for growing one small plant in a regular size crate
Go to the search button at the top of the page and search "cfl" and "lighting". This will give you more info you are looking for. This thread is to help people who don't know electrical.

Again, this thread is to help people solve electrical problems or to advise them on proper electrical loads.
 
If I want to run 2 6 plant dwc hydros, 1x 400w hps, 2' 6 tube T5, couple fans and possibly a small A/C unit

If i call an electrician and ask for dedicated line, what do I tell them, or do i not need one at all?

there is an outlet in the room and has working lights.

i have more description on another thread if needed:

https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/172717-first-time-grow-setup-questinos.html#post2231258

thanks

I would say you definately would want a decicated line to your grow space. The ac unit alone draw alot of current. The 400watt hps will draw about 6-7 amps, and a typical house circuit is only 15 amps. And with a T5 light, fans, pump, and other plug-ins, one circuit won't cut it.

I would recommend that you have 2 seperate lines ran to your space. The electrician will run 1 wire, that has 2 circuits in it.

Just ask him to run the 2 circuits into 2 sets of 2 outlets. So you will have 1 circuit powering 2 outlets, and the other circuit powering the other 2 outlets.

Here is how I did mine.
 

Attachments

piercenathan52

Active Member

In the picture above i have the lighting fixtures screwed in the 2 by 6 board. Now drilled holes threw the 2 by 6 obviously to fish the wire threw the board and into the fixture is this safe or is their another way of doing this. I did it just off the knowledge i know. Im no electrician.
 

BudsInLungs

Active Member
I would recommend that you have 2 seperate lines ran to your space. The electrician will run 1 wire, that has 2 circuits in it.

Just ask him to run the 2 circuits into 2 sets of 2 outlets. So you will have 1 circuit powering 2 outlets, and the other circuit powering the other 2 outlets.

Here is how I did mine.
Okay so since there is already one going in there with one outlet, ask him to run one more with two outlets, and add an outlet on the existing? i don't think i'll need many outlets, as i have a couple power strips, and i'm 99% sure i won't need an A/C unit.

do you think two outlets total would be enough, if on two different 15 amp circuits?

if i were to do this, how much do you think that should run?
 

mixin

Well-Known Member
ok, i have my lumatek digital ballast and cooltube set up, i bought a 240v water heater timer to use with it.

my question is this: the water heater timer simply cuts the power to one of the legs and leaves the other hot. will this work ok for my ballast? i would think that the ballast would realize it has less than 240v and simply doesn't start up.

can you let me know if its ok for me to fire up my new ballast this way?
 
Okay so since there is already one going in there with one outlet, ask him to run one more with two outlets, and add an outlet on the existing? i don't think i'll need many outlets, as i have a couple power strips, and i'm 99% sure i won't need an A/C unit.

do you think two outlets total would be enough, if on two different 15 amp circuits?

if i were to do this, how much do you think that should run?
If you were to use power strips that would be fine.

Electricians in california go for about 80$ an hour. Maybe this is a 4-6 hour job max.
 

Fuzzotany

Well-Known Member
Will 250 watts of CFL use the same amount of electricity as a 250 watt HID (hps for the purpose of discussion)? Someone's told me because of the amp rating on the HID you use more electricity per watt. Something about that statement doesn't seem right so if you would be so kind as to clarify I'd really appreciate it.
 
Top