here to help with any electrical problems

dirtystacks said:

Well, first off, looks like the dryer has 2 single pole 30a breakers instead of one double pole 30a breaker. That should be rectified. I think the same is true for the 15amps too. Looks like 2 single poles, instead of one double pole. Yikes. And the main switch should be a double pole, not a single pole. Looks like the DIY the previous owner did is Half assed. At this point, I think I (and I'm sure gohydro and others) would like to see inside the old MAIN box.

Do see differently gohydro?

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You wanna know the truth? I have no idea what that homeowner did.

The breaker in the MAIN panel feeding the sub look like 2 single poles. WTF?

The dryer breaker in the sub ALSO looks like (2) single poles. A second WTF?

I think that's a MLO panel so what that blue handled 15 is for beats me.

Delusional said:

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I can't tell for sure from the pic.

In the subbox, you see the two main wires at the top of the circuit breakers? The one on the right has red tape around it. Trace those wires back for us to the old box. Are they connected to the 50a double pole breaker on the bottom right of the old box?

dirtystacks said:

I can't tell for sure from the pic.

In the subbox, you see the two main wires at the top of the circuit breakers? The one on the right has red tape around it. Trace those wires back for us to the old box. Are they connected to the 50a double pole breaker on the bottom right of the old box?

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That bottom breaker in the main panel (the one the sub is connected to) looks like 2 single poles to me.

gohydro said:

That bottom breaker in the main panel (the one the sub is connected to) looks like 2 single poles to me.

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In one pic, it kinda looks like it could be double pole, in the other pic it definitely looks like 2 singles.

Seems to me we have enough electrical guys joining the thread and I need to step out. Good luck!

Here's something to salivate over. My new DIY areo system which I made to fit in a 40"x40" area. Those plants were 6-8" tall when set in to 12/12 on 3/7.

https://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/164408-6-pvc-system.html

More photos of the main box since I keep getting you guys asking me in pm's

Hope this helps...







This is the breaker leading to the second box....


Second box breakers....



Closeup of main\first box breakers... all the 15's look like this one


the ones in the second box look newer, obviously, and all say 15 1 pole or 30 1 pole

gohydro said:

I think that's a MLO panel so what that blue handled 15 is for beats me.

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Hey delusional. Can you verify what that blue handled 15a does? turn on your dryer and furnace then turn off the blue handle and tell us if it kills the furnace and dryer.

dirtystacks said:

Trace those wires back for us to the old box. Are they connected to the 50a double pole breaker on the bottom right of the old box?

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yes they are

dirtystacks said:

Hey delusional. Can you verify what that blue handled 15a does? turn on your dryer and furnace then turn off the blue handle and tell us if it kills the furnace and dryer.

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To be honest with you I have absolutely no clue. It has nothing to do with the dryer or furnace. It's been in the off position.

OK..the breaker in the main that feeds the sub IS a double pole.

It's all yours dirty!

gohydro said:

OK..the breaker in the main that feeds the sub IS a double pole.

It's all yours dirty!

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I take it this is a good thing? Please tell me this is a good thing....

ROFL

Hey delusional....we're expecting +reps.

Oh trust me, you'll get them! lol

Can't wait to have a solution so I can go out to home depot and get things rolling. Any excuse to go to home depot is good in my book. lol

Delusional said:

I take it this is a good thing? Please tell me this is a good thing....

ROFL

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Yeah...it's a good thing. It's done right in the MAIN panel.

Basically that sub panel needs 240v (2 120 v circuits). You get that when you have a double pole breaker (the handle extends across 2 breakers). You dont want 1/2 the panel to trip. The same thing holds true with the dryer. It probably is a 240v device but the homeowner used 2 SINGLE poles instead of a double pole....or at least that is what it looks like in the pic.

Delusional said:

Okay, well since you're offering... I'll be your first "customer" lol

I'm in the process of building a new flowering room and I could really use your help. I know NOTHING about this stuff but I'm a quick study, and if given directions I'll follow them to a T.

I'm waiting on equipment to show up but basically I'm looking to run two 1000w combos, plus accessories. Eventually this could turn to four 1000w combos, so I want to make sure I have a bit of room to "expand" if at all possible. As of this moment everything is pretty much loaded to max, its a small home, and before I moved in the previous owner had put in a new box which the furnace and dryer is on. I do think there is one circuit in that room that is completely empty, but i'm not 100% certain.....yet. I'd rather do this right and put everything on its own...... But alas, I dont know what I'm talking about when it comes to wiring this stuff up.

Below is a photo of the breaker, which is conveniently in the room. I have not moved anything into the room yet but if I can avoid having an electrician come out here I'd really like that.

If this was you, how would you go about getting everything ready...... If you could help, and include some type of step by step on how to accomplish my electric needs, I'll make babies with you. Or something... lol

If you need additional photos of anything or any information, just ask. I'll do what I can. I'll stay tuned....

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ok, i recommend you get a double pole 15 amp breaker for your sub pannel, get some 14/2 (14 gauge, 2 conductor) wire, a 240 volt receptacle and a box for that, in the panel you will have to bring in your cable, it will have a black wire a white wire and a bare copper wire, make sure you kill your sub panel before you do any work! the bare copper wire gets screwed into the "ground bar" on the panel (youll see all the other ground wires ataching here). the black will go on one side of your 15 amp double pole breaker and the white on the other (tape the white wire red or black with electric tape to identify that it is also live not neutral)
the other end connects to your plug, its a 240 volt plug remember not the ones you see in your home (i posted a pic), black wire on one side, white on the other (remember to tape it to identify it as live) and the ground wire you attach it to the ground screw on the bottom of your receptacle box but dont cut it off, take the long end and attach it to the ground screw on the receptacle
id plug my 2 1000W ballasts into the 240 receptacles and the fans and pumps or whatever else just get another breaker, this time single pole 15 amp and a regular 120 volt household receptacle, wire it up with 14/2 again but this time black goes on the breaker, white goes on the neutral bar with the other whites, and ground on the ground bar, and on the receptacle black is the live wire and white is the neutral (most receptacles have these labeled on them) and ground gets screwed to the back of the box and then to the ground screw on the receptacle

hope that helps
ask for clarification if you dont understand something, and NEVER work on a live circuit

p.s. you wont be able to have your lights on and the dryer on at the same time (maybe, but i wouldnt push the limits in the circuit)

gohydro said:

Yeah...it's a good thing. It's done right in the MAIN panel.

Basically that sub panel needs 240v (2 120 v circuits). You get that when you have a double pole breaker (the handle extends across 2 breakers). You dont want 1/2 the panel to trip. The same thing holds true with the dryer. It probably is a 240v device but the homeowner used 2 SINGLE poles instead of a double pole....or at least that is what it looks like in the pic.

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So it looks like you have a 50a double pole feeding the sub-panel. That is good. But the single pole breakers in the sub panel should be replaced with double pole breakers.

I.AM.WEASEL said:

Hey, quick question ....

do you know how many amps a 250 watt hps uses??.... is it 1 amp about?? or does the ballast take more because it has a inductive current to ignite the light?

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a 250 watt ballast uses just over 2 amps if its digital and if its magnetic up to 2.4 amps (thats on 120 volts, if you are using 240 divide by 2)

dirtystacks said:

So it looks like you have a 50a double pole feeding the sub-panel. That is good. But the single pole breakers in the sub panel should be replaced with double pole breakers.

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only the dryer should be changed to a double pole, the 2 15 ampers on the left look to be 2 seperate circuits so its fine, and the blue breaker is just another breaker for another circuit, nothing special

if u were to have 10 1000 watt lights and a room 24 x 24 and all the other good stuff... how can u maximize the amount of pounds grown? how much plants will be ideal to grow the most amount of pounds of white widow and sour diesal (or how much plants per light)? whats the best spacing for growing in this room? how much pounds would u be expecting? don't worry about the lighting cost or being bait* that will be tricked. and please add any tips or secrets u may have for maximization of plants growth

it would be growing by soil