Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
10AWG has a lower resistance and greater durability. Used it in multiple setups over 10 years with zero equipment malfunctions. That's why contractor grade. 
need an experienced advice. 600w hps expanding.MORE CO2 NEEDED?
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Three Berries
Active member
Anything that needs 10 ga really needs a remote panel. Few actual end use products need that big of wire unless going long distances and heavy loads temporarily.
I use to hate to work with it. I don't like working with 12ga unless it's needed.
Always feel your plugs and cables for heat when they are running under load. That will tell you all you need to know.
I use to hate to work with it. I don't like working with 12ga unless it's needed.
Always feel your plugs and cables for heat when they are running under load. That will tell you all you need to know.
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
yeah... 20 feet is quite a run to handle smoothly without a remote ignitor, if 12 guage works for you that's awesome. 
You do remember I'm talking lamp cord, not ballast cord... right?
You do remember I'm talking lamp cord, not ballast cord... right?
Three Berries
Active member
We use to use the 12 ga to run entire banks of 400w MH highbays with 30A breakers. You don't see much 10 ga in conduit for multiple circuits due to cost. It's good for way more than 1000w.yeah... 20 feet is quite a run to handle smoothly without a remote ignitor, if 12 guage works for you that's awesome.
If you are careful about which phase you are on you can share a single neutral between two opposing phases.
Ca++
Well-known member
The igniter used within the ballast is of primary concern. As a part, it's spec tells you how long a cable can be used. I have seen many rated for 1 meter, used in ballasts with 3 meter cables. This presents a problem when striking lamps that need a bit more. Sylvania are very easy to strike, while Philips plus lamps are difficult. Osram close to Philips.
This cable length advice presumes the right size cable is used. If you go fatter, the cable must be shorter. It's not resistance of interest, as we are talking 4.7kv in most cases. A rating lamp suppliers give. The greater surface area of metal, contacts a greater amount of insulation. Giving more capacitance. That 4.7kv is high, but it's not a huge amount in joules. The cable will sap some away.
You really need to know the igniter in use. Which is likely a 3 meter on most cabled lights. If you fit an igniter that is too big, you age the lamp. On a combined unit, the 1 meter is used. This is the most common, so cheapest. Thus gets used in lights of longer cable length, where the company don't understand.
I have used IEC extensions of a meter and found some lights were not happy. Leading me to juggle ballasts around on the rack, to find ones that could take different length extensions. I used Philips lamps exclusively.
If you have electronic ballasts, you don't have an igniter anyway. Top grow brands have got them very wrong. One rebranded sylvania lamps as their own, and designed the strike impulse circuitry to suit. Then the owners were stuck with the manufacturers lamps, if they didn't know cheap one's would work. Many didn't want cheap lamps in their top priced light units though.
I see no harm in having a go, but results may not be good. A lamp that won't strike when everything is cold, is likely to keep trying all day. Though most decent igniters will try a few times, then wait a bit.
This cable length advice presumes the right size cable is used. If you go fatter, the cable must be shorter. It's not resistance of interest, as we are talking 4.7kv in most cases. A rating lamp suppliers give. The greater surface area of metal, contacts a greater amount of insulation. Giving more capacitance. That 4.7kv is high, but it's not a huge amount in joules. The cable will sap some away.
You really need to know the igniter in use. Which is likely a 3 meter on most cabled lights. If you fit an igniter that is too big, you age the lamp. On a combined unit, the 1 meter is used. This is the most common, so cheapest. Thus gets used in lights of longer cable length, where the company don't understand.
I have used IEC extensions of a meter and found some lights were not happy. Leading me to juggle ballasts around on the rack, to find ones that could take different length extensions. I used Philips lamps exclusively.
If you have electronic ballasts, you don't have an igniter anyway. Top grow brands have got them very wrong. One rebranded sylvania lamps as their own, and designed the strike impulse circuitry to suit. Then the owners were stuck with the manufacturers lamps, if they didn't know cheap one's would work. Many didn't want cheap lamps in their top priced light units though.
I see no harm in having a go, but results may not be good. A lamp that won't strike when everything is cold, is likely to keep trying all day. Though most decent igniters will try a few times, then wait a bit.
Three Berries
Active member
What I was talking about was just the power to the ballast, not ballast to bulb in the above post.
They usually will rate a fixture for the temperature of starting. You can fiddle with capacitor size to give it a little more boost if it needs it. for starting. capacitor that will give it a boost.
All my experience is with industrial HID fixtures.
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Ca++
Well-known member
Playing with the caps changes the PF though. A superimposed igniter should be striking at the right phase angle, so the old florescent tricks don't matter. Zs would have to be very bad to need a cap change. So bad the wasted power would be of greater concern. Igniters cost just a few dollars more than caps, so you could never justify the waste.
I realise you were talking about supplying lots of lights, with the cable someone was extending there lamp wire with, as an example of how extreme their use was.
I know more about this than a London cab driver
I realise you were talking about supplying lots of lights, with the cable someone was extending there lamp wire with, as an example of how extreme their use was.
I know more about this than a London cab driver
Dr.stickerdick
New member
No it doesn't.10AWG has a lower resistance and greater durability. Used it in multiple setups over 10 years with zero equipment malfunctions. That's why contractor grade.
There is NO such thing as "contractor grade" wire.
# 10 AWG wire does not have lower resistance than #12 AWG wire.
I am an IBEW electrician. 3 decades.
Only need #10 on 20 Amp breaker if footage of wire causes more than 3% voltage drop.
Peace
Douglas.Curtis
Autistic Diplomat in Training
You are correct, contractor grade is my own definition, it really implies a well built, well insulated cable. You are also correct in the resistance between #10 and #12 guage wires is the same, until you exceed the limit of the #12 and it begins heating up. lol
So I guess to rephrase what I stated earlier... "If you use a #10 guage, quality built cable, you can use it as a lamp cord up to 20' without issues or needing a remote ignitor. I used the same cord with 3 different 1000W HPS and HPS/MH ballasts for over 15 years." I did have one ballast fail, but that was before I began using the #10 lamp cord. lol
So I guess to rephrase what I stated earlier... "If you use a #10 guage, quality built cable, you can use it as a lamp cord up to 20' without issues or needing a remote ignitor. I used the same cord with 3 different 1000W HPS and HPS/MH ballasts for over 15 years." I did have one ballast fail, but that was before I began using the #10 lamp cord. lol
