Electrical Question????

[fsttimes81]

High all, long time reader first time poster My question is for the electrically savvy. I am wondering 1000w ballast say they take 9.5 amps to run at 120 and 4.75 at 240. So My question is are the amps just getting divided across 2 legs? like is it still pulling 9.5 amps total but split in half over both legs of power or is it really only pulling 4.75 total which would be 2.4 amps per leg??? Hopefully I have explained my self well enough, because I am really interested in knowing?? Thanks in advance...... Peace

 

[fsttimes81]

Also how high do they spike up on start up??? Thanks again

 

[PharmaCan]

The amps are divided across the two legs. I dunno about the spikes - depends on the equipment you are running. Just make sure that your entire load doesn't exceed 80% of the breaker rating.

PC

 

[Eminem]

The amps are divided across the two legs. I dunno about the spikes - depends on the equipment you are running. Just make sure that your entire load doesn't exceed 80% of the breaker rating.

PC

so you would be running 4.75 across each leg right?

 

[fsttimes81]

Very nice thanks for the help!!!

 

[The Southpaw]

just for clarity here...with AC electricity.. the current flow is back and forth.. ( positive then negative) .. by LEGS I assume that you mean the 2 conductors..

all 9.5 amps ( or however much current your are drawing) is flowing thru BOTH conductors 60 or 50 times per second.... sorry but that is how AC electricity works

 

[sparkjumper]

Fstimes if you are confused as I am let me say that the fixtures pulls 4.5 amps total on a 240V circuit and about 9.5 on a 120V circuit.You are not pulling 4.5 A on each leg of a 240V circuit for a total of 9A.The total at 240V is 4.5A.I hope thats clear because it matters when you're sizing wire for circuits

 

[rifishman]

running 240v is the exact reason that I just switched 8 600w ballast to 240v so I would only be pulling about 1/2 the amps from the breaker. The used KW will be the same, but the load on the box is cut down considerably.

This saved me having to upgrade to 200amp service. I am changing all my ballast out to 240v.

 

[homerjay]

just for clarity here...with AC electricity.. the current flow is back and forth.. ( positive then negative) .. by LEGS I assume that you mean the 2 conductors..

all 9.5 amps ( or however much current your are drawing) is flowing thru BOTH conductors 60 or 50 times per second.... sorry but that is how AC electricity works

Just think I could have skipped 4 years of school if I had just come here first .
Find a "friendly" electrician to help you out. I'd say 80-90% of all electricians I know smoke. I was in the trade for 20+ years and only met a few that didn't.
Don't know if we smoke because we get shocked so much or if we get shocked because we smoke so much. I kid very few smoked at work, but after they were some smoking fools.
As soon as I get the privilege of PMs I'll help you out any time. Or if you are in Colorado I'll take a trip to your place for a and gas money.

 

[Jayson]

dude.. i am a licensed sparky.. Whats the question? the amperage is stated clearly on the ballast for max usage, ie start up time and if the distance is far then it is rated for amp loss.. i think u already got the idea of the split leg voltage drop.. :-0..

PS hit up [email protected] if you are in Colorado and need any electrical work... MMJ caregiver, patient, and electrician

 

[PharmaCan]

Dayum, two new sparkies in one day. Welcome aboard guys! Keep your feet dry!

PC

 

[fsttimes81]

just for clarity here...with AC electricity.. the current flow is back and forth.. ( positive then negative) .. by LEGS I assume that you mean the 2 conductors..

all 9.5 amps ( or however much current your are drawing) is flowing thru BOTH conductors 60 or 50 times per second.... sorry but that is how AC electricity works

Thank you, I am officially more confused than I was when I started this thread. By legs I mean When the sub panel was put in their was 1 ground, 1 neutral, and 2 power wires coming form a double pull breaker in the original box. So by legs I am referring to the 2 power wires. And what I am trying to clarify is weather or not it is just splitting the amperage draw among both "legs". And to clarify even further, Hypothetically speaking of coarse say I had a 20 amp 240 volt breaker in my sub panel I am assuming that I could probably get away with wiring 3 ballast to that at breaker, but if it were really only pulling "4.5 amps total" Could I try something insane like try to plug in 6? Because 20 on one leg, and 20 on the other leg = 40 amps. I am pretty sure I can not but I was just drawing this example to further clarify.

 

[fsttimes81]

The amps are divided across the two legs. I dunno about the spikes - depends on the equipment you are running. Just make sure that your entire load doesn't exceed 80% of the breaker rating.

PC

Very nice, Thank you very much

 

[fsttimes81]

dude.. i am a licensed sparky.. Whats the question? the amperage is stated clearly on the ballast for max usage, ie start up time and if the distance is far then it is rated for amp loss.. i think u already got the idea of the split leg voltage drop.. :-0..

PS hit up [email protected] if you are in Colorado and need any electrical work... MMJ caregiver, patient, and electrician

I only wish I was in Colorado would be nice to have a sparky on the team. I guess I just have to invest in a few fire extinguishers instead..lol

 

[chuckles]

Hey guys, been lurking for a long time. Thought I would drop a note here, as I'm a GC for General and Electrical. One of the biggest problems with people growing is bad information, especially when it comes to electricity. Learn some basic electrical knowledge, it will help you greatly. That being said. A 240 volt circuit consists of two 120 volt legs(two power wires, so to speak). If you have a ballast that is 240 volts its splits the amperage across those two legs. If its a 1000 watt ballast, it splits the 4.5-4.7 amps across each leg. If its a 120 volt light it pulls the amperage from one leg, meaning all the amperage comes from one hot wire(9-9.5amps). Regardless of how a light is wired, 240 or 120volts, the amperage draw(kilowatt hours) that the meter sees is the same. Meaning you use the same amount of electricity. The main reason some parts of the world run nothing but 240 volt(single phase) runs is because it helps equalize the draw on the power source. I hope this helps, best of luck.

 

[The Southpaw]

fsttimes.. you are in good hands with the sparky folks..I am a computer guy although I am so old that when I went to school my electrical degree was focused on designing power circuits..( now lets see some 3 phase HPS lights )

 

[fsttimes81]

Hey guys, been lurking for a long time. Thought I would drop a note here, as I'm a GC for General and Electrical. One of the biggest problems with people growing is bad information, especially when it comes to electricity. Learn some basic electrical knowledge, it will help you greatly. That being said. A 240 volt circuit consists of two 120 volt legs(two power wires, so to speak). If you have a ballast that is 240 volts its splits the amperage across those two legs. If its a 1000 watt ballast, it splits the 4.5-4.7 amps across each leg. If its a 120 volt light it pulls the amperage from one leg, meaning all the amperage comes from one hot wire(9-9.5amps). Regardless of how a light is wired, 240 or 120volts, the amperage draw(kilowatt hours) that the meter sees is the same. Meaning you use the same amount of electricity. The main reason some parts of the world run nothing but 240 volt(single phase) runs is because it helps equalize the draw on the power source. I hope this helps, best of luck.

Thank you that is what I had figured I just wanted to really verify it. your time is appreciated, greatly!

 

[Jayson]

I only wish I was in Colorado would be nice to have a sparky on the team. I guess I just have to invest in a few fire extinguishers instead..lol

HAHAHA just make sure you get the electrical fire specific ones.. You dont need to add to the mess when the day comes!