Electrical questions, post em here!

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Dootchy

Active Member
In an effort to reduce my utility bill, I'm thinking about using 12V batteries to juice my system. I'm pushing 2000W on a 12/12 cycle. Was thinking to wire up a couple of batteries in a series/parallel config to meet the 12 hour continuous amp draw and power the lights through a 12Vto120V inverter. Then recharge by either a plug-in battery charger and/or solar arrays.

Sounds basic but I'm crunching on the math. Can you help me plot the math?

Thanks
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Watt is watts. but you need to factor in the piss-poor efficiency of converting DC to AC. I'm looking at getting 3 120W solar panels to help offset things a bit.

Quick math, 2000W, 15% efficiency loss and only 12/12.

I'd suggest no less then 3500W of solar (if just solar and thats generous. Depending o the amount of sunlight in your area, you may need more) For full blown off grid. (rather expensive, panels, charger, inverters, grid-ties, etc)
If its a kludge set up, dump the extra stuff to the solar/battery (ie: pumps, fans, etc) and keep the lights on the city AC.

A side perk of this, is to use 12VDC items, much less loss of going to 120AC (and possible back down to DC)


Has anyone played with the 'light tubes'? Skylights (sorta) with highly reflective tube delivering the sunlight to where you like (though no serious bends)

Dootchy said:
In an effort to reduce my utility bill, I'm thinking about using 12V batteries to juice my system. I'm pushing 2000W on a 12/12 cycle. Was thinking to wire up a couple of batteries in a series/parallel config to meet the 12 hour continuous amp draw and power the lights through a 12Vto120V inverter. Then recharge by either a plug-in battery charger and/or solar arrays.

Sounds basic but I'm crunching on the math. Can you help me plot the math?

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
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DaSprout

Well-Known Member
Dootchy said:
In an effort to reduce my utility bill, I'm thinking about using 12V batteries to juice my system. I'm pushing 2000W on a 12/12 cycle. Was thinking to wire up a couple of batteries in a series/parallel config to meet the 12 hour continuous amp draw and power the lights through a 12Vto120V inverter. Then recharge by either a plug-in battery charger and/or solar arrays.

Sounds basic but I'm crunching on the math. Can you help me plot the math?

Thanks
Click to expand...
I posted a similar line of thought here:
https://www.rollitup.org/grow-room-design-setup/53171-re-fried-crackpot-idea-added.html
 
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Hobutash

Active Member
Hell yeah! I'm an apprentice electrician myself and the word is love. Almost if not better than getting stoned. Anyway, I'm having trouble getting out of the negative money arrangement. Any tips? And sorry this isn't about lighting unless someone needs MR.Sparky!
 
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peerow76

Active Member
I have a ballast kit with no ballast box. What should I do and where should I ground it. Its an advance ballast kit
 
upinchronic1

upinchronic1

Well-Known Member
Piss- Check out Ace

Ok i have this kickass comair exaust fan. To get technicall its called the Major. 50 hurts. And just to give you a picture of its power, if i droped a peice of paper in front of it, it would take that thing a good 5-8 feet across the room.

The shity part is regular dimmers dont work. Do i need a special like high watt dimmer for this high power fan?
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
You can try a ceiling fan 'dimmer' I tried on on my ceiling fan and it didn't work. the x10 switch I have on it now works peachy.

upinchronic1 said:
Piss- Check out Ace

Ok i have this kickass comair exaust fan. To get technicall its called the Major. 50 hurts. And just to give you a picture of its power, if i droped a peice of paper in front of it, it would take that thing a good 5-8 feet across the room.

The shity part is regular dimmers dont work. Do i need a special like high watt dimmer for this high power fan?
Click to expand...
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
LOL, no. X10 is a home automation system Has its own issues, but overall pretty good. Has modules you plug into the wall and then lamp or appliance into it (like a wallwart). Then you can control via remote, computer, controler, etc. No special wiring (a big plus) x10.com will give the gist. the sire sucks big time in my eyes. If you do go that route be forewarned that the 'lamp modules' will NOT work with CFLs, (I *hear* the dimable CFLs work), HPS/MH/HID or regular floro. Get the appliance modules, they work fine. (the lamp modules allow for dimming, not something we want in a room. A little hunting and the modules are about $10 a pop.


upinchronic1 said:
Just called the "X 10" ? Or does it have 10 settings?
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wascaptain

wascaptain

Well-Known Member
i have a switchable ballat(220v/110v) and the capacity of running in either mode.....which is better for our applications? thx
 
Dats

Dats

Well-Known Member
Can someone put up a wiring diagram and parts list to build a thermostat to an outlet to control a small exhaust fan? I would imagine I would need an old style thermostat the uses 110v instead of 12v and a relay of some sort?
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
You can get a *really* old one that is just mechanical. Its just a coil of bi-metal and a mercury switch. Then just wire that up to tun on the fan.

Dats said:
Can someone put up a wiring diagram and parts list to build a thermostat to an outlet to control a small exhaust fan? I would imagine I would need an old style thermostat the uses 110v instead of 12v and a relay of some sort?
Click to expand...
 
wascaptain

wascaptain

Well-Known Member
BigBudBalls said:
lol what ever your place is wired for.

us/canada 120, ero 220[/quote
i have both, i wired in a 220v breaker and split from there to get my 110v. i was thinking there would be some electric cost saving with going with 220v with my lighting system. also more lumens with the 22ov, i dont know just thought you could clue me in
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iBLaZe4tozErO

iBLaZe4tozErO

Well-Known Member
do the 220 if you can. Does anyone know what it might cost me to run a sub panel in my room? Gonna get the electrian to come in a month or so so a just wanted an estimate of what it might cost
 
BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
wascaptain said:
BigBudBalls said:
lol what ever your place is wired for.

us/canada 120, ero 220[/quote
i have both, i wired in a 220v breaker and split from there to get my 110v. i was thinking there would be some electric cost saving with going with 220v with my lighting system. also more lumens with the 22ov, i dont know just thought you could clue me in
Click to expand...

Euro 220 and north American 220 is rather different. Here in NA, we use 2 110 phases 180 degrees out. (It 2 phase, but not called it here for some odd reason) In Europe its 230 VAC line and a neutral line. (single phase)

The 120/220 switch is usually used for NA and Europe respectively. Typically this shouldn't be a problem wiring in (in NA) for 220 and switching to the 220 settings on device. But without data sheet, I'd just stick with the defaults for the region.

220 will give a slight effeciency benny, but not much. triple phase gives the most, but thats on motors, sine you are only on 2 phases at any given time.

480 Trip phase here in the states is 277VAC-to-ground on any leg (if its a Wye and not a delta system) Most industrial lighting, you will see spec'd for 277VAC, which is just one leg of the 480/Triple phase.

(still confused? you won't be after this episode of Soap)
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BigBudBalls

BigBudBalls

Well-Known Member
Why the frig a sub panel?? Just a couple dedicated outlets should be fine. A sub panel is going to cost!
How far a run? Whats the access? Crawl space? Attic? standard walls?

Couple hundred for panel and breakers (materials only)
breakers for main panel, wire (copper is THROUGH THE ROOF. Not sure why, US mines are going like gangbusters)
Then labor, couple guys, $50 each (or more depends on where and who) for about 1/2 - full day. Then there needs to be the inspection and permits

How much power do you need?

(I *just* did a test an hour ago. a 70W HPS suck about 84Watts, and about 1.6amps @120VAC)

Get yourself a Kill-a-watt and see what you need then ad in at east 20% more. (and thats without any future expansion)


iBLaZe4tozErO said:
do the 220 if you can. Does anyone know what it might cost me to run a sub panel in my room? Gonna get the electrian to come in a month or so so a just wanted an estimate of what it might cost
Click to expand...
 
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