How many cfls would it be possible to stick on one circket???

Ok so i have this fixture i set up, it has a total of 4 y-splitters or 8 sockets and 8 cfls. I wired them all to one cord and was wondering if this could be a bit much fo one circet? What do you say? i have seen cfl grow lights advertised on ebay with like 20 sockets so i figured what the hell. To my disapointment thogh, they seem to dim after like 30 seconds. I spent about an hour and a half wiring it up so i really hope and want to say i disbeleive it has anything to do with the wires. sigh. I was starring so maby it was just eating away at my corneas so i was going blind or maby they actually were dimming. Do you cfl growers notice a dimming affect after they warm up? and is this because as you stare at them you get used to the intense light and your corneas are burning up?

If you are using a CFL that is 20 watts or so you are probably drawing 1/10th of an amp. 120 single phase circuit can handle a 13 amp load. So 130 lights would probably work on single phase. Why do people use CFL's to grow?

capncash said:

If you are using a CFL that is 20 watts or so you are probably drawing 1/10th of an amp. 120 single phase circuit can handle a 13 amp load. So 130 lights would probably work on single phase. Why do people use CFL's to grow?

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Dude i dont know about a hundred. for reall? that says fire to me. People use cfls because they are broke and need a way to grow some weed. I dont know cfls can give good results though, i have seen some crystally buds grown from cfls. healthy fat too. So will see how it goes, this is my fist indoor grow

capncash said:

If you are using a CFL that is 20 watts or so you are probably drawing 1/10th of an amp. 120 single phase circuit can handle a 13 amp load. So 130 lights would probably work on single phase. Why do people use CFL's to grow?

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oh you eddited before write when i was posting, didnt notice, Yeah i forgot to mention there 26 watts, so shit you sound like a electrician or somthing is that right?

If i were you i would do some outdoors this summer. Then you could afford a setup come fall. I have some experience with electricity. I would just use the CFL;s to make clones for your outdoor grow come spring. Then you would have all females. Stick 5 here 10 there. 1/2 lb per plant in optimum conditions.

Your are no where near full load with your setup as far as electricity as long as you dont have any exposed wires or cuts in the cords that could cause a problem.

Actually I think you could handle 54 cfls after doing a little more math.

upinchronic1 said:

Ok so i have this fixture i set up, it has a total of 4 y-splitters or 8 sockets and 8 cfls. I wired them all to one cord and was wondering if this could be a bit much fo one circet? What do you say? i have seen cfl grow lights advertised on ebay with like 20 sockets so i figured what the hell. To my disapointment thogh, they seem to dim after like 30 seconds. I spent about an hour and a half wiring it up so i really hope and want to say i disbeleive it has anything to do with the wires. sigh. I was starring so maby it was just eating away at my corneas so i was going blind or maby they actually were dimming. Do you cfl growers notice a dimming affect after they warm up? and is this because as you stare at them you get used to the intense light and your corneas are burning up?

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you got a pic of this fixture?

capncash said:

If i were you i would do some outdoors this summer. Then you could afford a setup come fall. I have some experience with electricity. I would just use the CFL;s to make clones for your outdoor grow come spring. Then you would have all females. Stick 5 here 10 there. 1/2 lb per plant in optimum conditions.

Your are no where near full load with your setup as far as electricity as long as you dont have any exposed wires or cuts in the cords that could cause a problem.

Actually I think you could handle 54 cfls after doing a little more math.

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Yeah im going to double check tomorrow that there are no exposed wires. So 54 bulbs you think? that would be nutttsss. So could you tell me how many amps that woul be for a better picture?

upinchronic1 said:

Ok so i have this fixture i set up, it has a total of 4 y-splitters or 8 sockets and 8 cfls. I wired them all to one cord and was wondering if this could be a bit much fo one circet? What do you say? i have seen cfl grow lights advertised on ebay with like 20 sockets so i figured what the hell. To my disapointment thogh, they seem to dim after like 30 seconds. I spent about an hour and a half wiring it up so i really hope and want to say i disbeleive it has anything to do with the wires. sigh. I was starring so maby it was just eating away at my corneas so i was going blind or maby they actually were dimming. Do you cfl growers notice a dimming affect after they warm up? and is this because as you stare at them you get used to the intense light and your corneas are burning up?

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CFLs brighten some as they warm up. Heavy gage wire, like #14 cord, can support 1500 watts. Most lamp cord is #18. It can carry 500 watts for long periods. Large CFLs are 42 watts. That means you could use 11 of them at the same time safely.

Also consider how many different lights and appliances are on the circuit (from the fuse box). If the circuit has a heavy load from a TV, computer, microwave, etc. you may not be able to light 11 bulbs at one time.
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What he said^^^

There are more outlets on that circuit which would take away from the max load. If you ad a tv and a heater on the same circuit (which would more than likely be the circuits on both sides of the wall.

mockingbird131313 said:

CFLs brighten some as they warm up. Heavy gage wire, like #14 cord, can support 1500 watts. Most lamp cord is #18. It can carry 500 watts for long periods. Large CFLs are 42 watts. That means you could use 11 of them at the same time safely.

Also consider how many different lights and appliances are on the circuit (from the fuse box). If the circuit has a heavy load from a TV, computer, microwave, etc. you may not be able to light 11 bulbs at one time.
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I did the math, im going to be putting about 210 watts through one cord. And this is the smallest guage extention cord from a local Hard ware store. Plus yeah the only things that are used in the living room other than those is 4 more cfls, a tv sometimes and an airconditioner (seldomly). So i should be good yeah? And also i might of raped a black whire and a white wire just a electric tapes width apart. Will the heat melt the tape or do i have to even worry about it? Its kind of worring me alittle now that i think about it. Im ripped so appoligise if my spelling is fucked.

hungryman1986 said:

you got a pic of this fixture?

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No man, i dont have a digi, i drew one on the paint program but i cant figure out how to copy it to here.

The AC will pull a LOT of juice. The 120 should handle 1300 watts easy.

capncash said:

The AC will pull a LOT of juice. The 120 should handle 1300 watts easy.

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yeah i thought of that but its a small ac, not very powerful at all.
ok, im feeling alot better about my fixture. the only thing i worry about now is that a live hot and nuetral wire at one point is only seperated by a single peice of electric tape. As you all no when white and black touch, its a little firework show. Will they react being so close?

Just start your rig and see how it goes. Re-check the wires every 5 minutes for the first hour to make sure nothing warms up. Then for the first week, recheck everything daily and see how stuff looks.

Most y sockets say the max wattage on them, its like 640 watts or something.. 8 42 watts.. fine..

https://www.rollitup.org/grow-journals/30777-my-very-first-grow-closet-35.html

I live in a small apartment and I had 450watts of cfls (i was retarted), a computer, 3 fans, and a tube tv with xbox 360 and never had any problems

you should be good

All 120v outlets in a home are wired in series. That means that the circuit is feeding power from one outlet to the next one on that circuit. If the breakers are not marked get a pug tester and turn off the breaker to that circuit and test the plug until you find the right one. That way you can see what breaker size it is and if there are any major appliances on that circuit. Most likely it is a 20A circuit. The air conditioner, stove, hot water heater, washer and dryer are all in the main panel outside at the meter loop. They are all 230v circuits and they are all on their own separate circuits.

capncash said:

If i were you i would do some outdoors this summer. Then you could afford a setup come fall. I have some experience with electricity. I would just use the CFL;s to make clones for your outdoor grow come spring. Then you would have all females. Stick 5 here 10 there. 1/2 lb per plant in optimum conditions.

Your are no where near full load with your setup as far as electricity as long as you dont have any exposed wires or cuts in the cords that could cause a problem.

Actually I think you could handle 54 cfls after doing a little more math.

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oh yeah, i forgot to mention i do plan on going outdoors. I need to find a good location though. i live next to a fucking isolated volcano with a lot of vegitation. Im waiting untill i get a car to do some hiking and exploring, cant wait. And i do have a hps, if thats what you want to hear. The cfl grw isnt even my thing, im constructing a small cabinet for someone i know and i will be getting 50 percent of whatever comes out of it. Though i cant say i wouldnt give cfls a try, i hear alot of shit about them but i've seen some respectable buds grown from them. I have my own cabinet that i will be sticking a 150 watt hps into. I might fit 4 plants into it sog style, so im hoping for some phaty buds of that. Then ill just stick like 8 of those cheap ass 26 watters for myvegging chamber. bam. fatty stealth setup. Im hoping to get it running within the next month.

Man i really do want to do something outside though, down here in Oahu, the sun is pretty intense. I can imagine a 8 footer outside out here easilyi need a car.

Barrere42 said:

I live in a small apartment and I had 450watts of cfls (i was retarted)

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Whats so retarded about that?
I also have 6- 75 watt CFLs, which is 450 watts

no reason?
A small apt, using CFLs dont sound too retarded to me..
Low cost, and energy bills, no heat to worry about..
Actually sounds pretty smart