Electrical advice please

[summitoker]

Looking to run 4 x 1000w lamps
This room was previously wired up for someone elses project , outlets all over the place and the room has a dedicated 15 and a 20 amp circuit. Now if my math is right that is not quite enough to cover 4k. There is 2 outlets that are not hooked up to anything but the wires are supposed to be in the wall ready to add another circuit if needed. The panel for the whole house is in the room.....

I have concluded that it would be much easier to run a timer box/lighting controller than try to have multipule timers all over the room...

So here is the question, how do i turn the 2 blank outlets in the middle of this pic, into a 220v 30 amp dryer outlet?

 

[LiLWaynE]

you need to snap us a pic of the inside of your breaker box...

you would need to free up space for a 30amp double pole breaker then run 10-3 wire to the dryer hookup

 

[summitoker]

 

[waltwalt]

Chances are excellent that the wiring in the wall is not the proper size for a 30-amp service in one or either of those plates. If you open them up and take a pic inside I can tell for sure, but it's probably 14-2. A 30-amp 240V service will require at least 10-3 run to the receptacle.

Your best bet would be to hire an electrician and tell him you want to move the dryer into that room and have him put a receptacle for it below the panel, with the proper tools and materials it shouldn't take more than an hour to cut a hole, install a box and breaker and run the cable. I don't recommend working inside your service panel if you don't know what you are doing, it's really easy to slip and touch the wrong piece of metal.

-ww

 

[summitoker]

Well the dryer outlet is right on the other side of the wall, maybe ill just route the power cable thru the wall and use that outlet.

 

[LiLWaynE]

what up trying to use a 30 AMP rv extension cable... people with RV's sometimes cant park right near an electrical hub, therefore they must run an extension... you can get one of these online for a decent price... this would allow you to run totally plug and play... just plug it into your existing dryer outlet, then run the cable to wherever you wanna grow... youd just have to use your dryer when your lights are off...

 

[Lucky U]

Nice!!!

 

[dubwise]

what up trying to use a 30 AMP rv extension cable... people with RV's sometimes cant park right near an electrical hub, therefore they must run an extension... you can get one of these online for a decent price... this would allow you to run totally plug and play... just plug it into your existing dryer outlet, then run the cable to wherever you wanna grow... youd just have to use your dryer when your lights are off...

i have a camper and it's located 100' from my electrical svc....i've used an extension like this for two years and it works great. It's on the ground and through the mud with no problems whatsover.

 

[LiLWaynE]

^ cool, so you think it would work? i dont understand why it wouldnt work....

you might not be able to run the whole 30 amps if your using the connectors, but im not an electrician and wouldnt know for sure...

try asking PHARMACAN... he is good with elect

 

[dubwise]

i think it would. my camper is 30 amps.

 

[Dr Dog]

i have a camper and it's located 100' from my electrical svc....i've used an extension like this for two years and it works great. It's on the ground and through the mud with no problems whatsover.

100 ' you will lose some charge in line loss, Your camper is probably not drawing 30 amps though

It is a good option, just remember that coiled wire can run hot, so a properly fitted extension would be needed. Also, during a recent inspection of my grow, I was told that extension cords are a temp measure only, that anything longer than 10 days I was in violation of electrical code.

I am always curious how people dry their clothes? I read at least 3 threads a day about people taking their dryer connections for grows

 

[Blowstrees]

The cable is certainly one option you could take. Either way you would need to add a 240 volt circuit. Here is the route that I would take personally brother.

First, what kind of service do you have running to your grow site? Just gotta make sure you have enough so you can run your lights, washer, dryer, etc. Most houses have 100 amp with newer houses having 200 amp service but always check that out first before adding circuits, especially larger 240 volt service types.

Anyways, I would pick up a CAP MLC-4XT lighting controller w/timer and run 10-2 Romex cable to the controller and then to a 240 volt 30 amp breaker in your breaker panel. Trying to explain this without pictures is next to impossible for me. I have a tutorial I did on adding a circuit on another forum but obviously cant link it here so I'll post the tutorial on IC in a few minutes.

That will show you how to install the 240 amp 30 amp breaker into your panel so you can have everything with lighting on one circuit. From there I would spend 10 bucks at the depot for a circuit locator, and plug it into the outlets in your room so you can identify which outlets are on the 15 amp..and which are on the 20 amp. These will power all your grow toys. Personally I would do fans and pumps, low power items on the 15 amp and the dehui's and ac's on the 20 amp.

My apologies if this response is a bit scattered lmao...what can I say....edibles and bong rips in the AM Haha.

I'll post up the tutorial now...and we can work out the rest of the power issues here as they come.

 

[Dr Dog]

CAP MLC-4XT

Good advice, but this unit here, is it UL or CSA

I had to replace 3 LT8 240 from green air products due to this. The Local FD was going to shut me down over it

This unit here, did not even have any fuses inside, was a fire waiting to happen

 

[summitoker]

Thanks for all the replys!

I would like to hardwire this to avoid cables running out the door and such....I have a electrician coming in, not adding a new breaker but rewireing the current dryer breaker to a new outlet in the room.
I hope these are good:
http://www.nationalgardenwholesale...._BOX&title=Timers __ Instruments&type=product

 

[PharmaCan]

Blowstrees has the right idea ...sorta.

With your main panel where it is, it would be really easy to add a new circuit for your grow.

Just below the main panel, at the same height from the floor as the other receptacles, cut a rectangular hole in the drywall the same size as a let-in box. knock out one of the 3/4" or 1" knockouts in the bottom of the panel box then run a 3/4" or 1" flex conduit up from your box to your panel. With this little operation - and it's really a relatively easy thing to do - you now have virtually unlimited potential for the electricity for your grow room. All you have to do is pull a few feet of wire thru the tube and hook up both ends. On the live end of the wire you can install a receptacle or hard wire something to it.

What you hook up to the new circuit is up to you, and depends a lot on how skillful you are with electrical work. If you have to consult the owner's manual to plug in your toaster, you'd be better off to install a receptacle and get some kind of plug 'n play unit. There are plenty of threads here that discuss the different units available and the pros and cons of them. If you want to save some money and build your own unit, you can start with a 40 amp, 240v Intermatic timer (a water heater timer) then go to some receptacles for your lights. Mount everything on a piece of plywood and you can take it with you when you move. You have enough power in that room that you can plug fans and pumps and stuff in wherever it is convenient, however, you can also have 120v receptacles, timed or untimed, as part of your board.

That's what I'd do. Once you decide what you want to do, then you can get more specific information on how to do it.

PC

 

[Blowstrees]

Sumit,

Here is the link to my tutorial I just posted up here. Maybe that will help you and save you the cost of an electrician....unless of course you feel its best to go that route.


http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=142577

 

[Dr Dog]

http://www.nationalgardenwholesale...._BOX&title=Timers __ Instruments&type=product

I like that set up it is similar to mine

Excuse the unorganized appearance, It is in between full crops, so I have things plugged into different timers for the time being

but essentially the same as you have picked out, just this was done by an electrician

 

[PharmaCan]

ROFLMAO - Uh, I think yours is a tad bigger than what the OP had in mind.

...clean looking set up you've got there!

PC

I like that set up it is similar to mine

Excuse the unorganized appearance, It is in between full crops, so I have things plugged into different timers for the time being

but essentially the same as you have picked out, just this was done by an electrician

 

[summitoker]

Holy crap 24 ballasts, thats crazy! I have dreams about setups like that.

Blowstrees thank you for the info! Thats good stuff to know.

 

[macro]

You will need to add your own receptacles. Luckily for you your panel is in your room! But it it still not an easy task, if you are uncomfortable AT ALL with your abilities to install wire, conduit, receptacles, and timers, you should call an electrician.

Or find a friend who is knowledgeable in this kind of thing. Without a permit and inspection by a licensed electrician you could face a $1000 fine at least.