One switch shuts off all electricity

Hey hows it hanging everyone? I found a nice place to get going in the basement but I have a large problem. There is a switch at the top of the basment stairs that when turned off turns off everything in the basement. All electrical plugs and stuff shut off, I want to have lights running even when the lights off. Is there an overide or something.

Run a line... Is your breaker box down there? Im guessing it is, how much equipment are you going to be running and how far is the electric box from your grow space? It should have abundant dedicated power anyways (to be safe).

What type of lights are they as well...

If you are asking this question, I'm guessing you are not knowledgable and or comfortable about working with electricity, not trying to be a dick in any way!!!!!!! Get an eletrician or a buddy that knows what they are doing and just tell them you want some dedicated outlets for a freezer or a little workshop...........! Shouldn't be suspicious at all!!!

I agree with old dude, don't fuck around with it, if your not sure... get help.
If anything running a double 20, or two double twenty's will cost ya like 100 bucks, if the location of grow is within 25 feet. The high rating chord is expensive (about a dollar a foot for 12/3), so i would put the grow close to that box to save money.

I want a stealthy grow so running chrord the 15 feet the my grow box seems like a bad idea. I just want to understand how this works. How could one switch shut off all the outlets in my basement (except one) how is this?

"

• I want to have lights running even when the lights off."
  
  I read this 4 or 5 times, then read it again..​
  
  
  
  

333maxwell said:

"

• I want to have lights running even when the lights off."
  
  I read this 4 or 5 times, then read it again..​
  
  
  
  

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I mean lights in the basment running while the little switch at the top of the stairs is switched off. I was high when I posted, didnt know I was in fucking grammar class though.

That's unusual wiring for a room. Short of additional wiring or some sort of rewiring, I don't think there's much you can do. The switch is a physical break in the circuit. You need to overcome that break to do what you want. Are you SURE every outlet is on that one switch? I've seen half of an outlet switched, but in bedrooms, etc., never a whole room.

Lo Budget said:

That's unusual wiring for a room. Short of additional wiring or some sort of rewiring, I don't think there's much you can do. The switch is a physical break in the circuit. You need to overcome that break to do what you want. Are you SURE every outlet is on that one switch? I've seen half of an outlet switched, but in bedrooms, etc., never a whole room.

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It shuts off everything except one outlet that is for laundry machines.

Growingforpeace said:

Hey hows it hanging everyone? I found a nice place to get going in the basement but I have a large problem. There is a switch at the top of the basment stairs that when turned off turns off everything in the basement. All electrical plugs and stuff shut off, I want to have lights running even when the lights off. Is there an overide or something.

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One circuit is not enough for any grow of any size in any basement... Lights in Veg get circuit "A" a 20 amp.... Lights in Bloom get circuit "B".... Fans in both get circuit "C"... I do not see how you can run any size grow with one 20 amp basement circuit...[your switch controls the basement circuit from the top of stairs] ... Good Luck man, what you need is a dedicated sub panel, 40-50 amps and run everything to it...

If your service is in basement you're golden... Your laundry is dedicated circuit to service/panel... Can you get another 6 or 8 awg wire/romex near to the wall where your grow will be?

bypass switch open switch box the two wires that are connected to switch splice together w/ wire nuts now power will always be on next create switch for lights so you can turn them on and off.ALWAYS TURN OFF POWER PRIOR TO DOING WORK.

without knowing what he is running for load calc. 20 amps may be sufficient.

H R Puff N Stuff said:

without knowing what he is running for load calc. 20 amps may be sufficient.

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He's [OP] is starting a grow in his basement... It starts slow.... It will get bigger, and bigger, and bigger.... if like me, then it will out grow the 20 amps [80% 0f 20 amps = 16 amps = 1800 watts = in my opinion EC in CA with basement grow not enough for future.... for now he'd be fine with a 200 watt fan, and 20 -23 watt CFL's... an exhaust fan 120 watts... and on and on... I am just thinking ahead for him.... Growing in basement is fun, so much so, he will up size, and sooner or later blow a breaker, 20 amp ? when his HID is warming up and overloads the circuit, then he will be coming back on here asking if plants will be able to survive for 20 hours in darkness.... Plan Ahead.... Don't just think of head....

Im just going to use a 150-250watt hps max before I move out in a year. Also im completely clueless about any electrical stuff, spliced wires together and thats about the extent of my knowledge.

Is this a private basement or an apartment-type scenario? You need to somehow get power from the laundry outlets, stealthily it sounds like. Could you hide an extension cord? You need electrical know-how to do more than an extension cord.

The whole thing sounds difficult & risky considering your resources and the scenario presented, but I wish you luck.