I want to add a small veg tent with a 200w t5 in my room, to start doing a perpetual grow. I have a 4x4 tent with vertical 400 & 600w right now, that with everything else is pulling about 10-11 amps. I have a 15amp circuit going to that room and i can't upgrade it to a 20. So, my question is, is it safe to add the veg tent, which would bring my comsumption up to right about 80% load? I know they say don't exceed 80%, but is it safe to run constantly at 80%? Btw, it's a new house, so wiring and all is good.
Too much electricity pulled in one circuit?
- Thread starter oldblue
- Start date
Fraggle Rock
Member
You will pop the breaker if it is a problem....then you will know if it works out or not...
Rental house, with external box and no attic. I'd have to have an electrician come out and run new wire, and it's not worth it for this size grow. I'll try it by adding an appliance that pulls the same wattage, before buying the t5.
I'm also running a 440cfm fan, 18w pump, and 3 small circulation fans tho. Not sure about the exact watts, but i think i'm running around 1200 already. So another 200w light, 6w pump and 25w fan would put me up to about 1430w. I read in a chart on the elec thread, that for 15amp wiring you shouldn't exceed 1440w.
K
kannubis
remove the outlet cover and pull out the outlet then check how big the wire is compared to a known 14ga or 12ga wire, smaller than 10ga wire is for 15amp load max
u can change a breaker from a 15amp 2 a 20amp with out a problem if the wire gauge is atleast 14 which it prob is i am an electrician and never run nething less then 14 to outlets and switches and lights per code so u should be fine going to 20amp DONT GO ANY BIGGER 20amp only 14wire can handle 20amps easy it should be a 2sec swap goodluck
peace stone
peace stone
Tilt
Member
14 awg for 15 amp breaker max
12 awg for 20 amp breaker max
10 awg for 30 amp breaker max
to answer your question the 80% rule is for loads that exceed 3 hours continuous duty. You can dip into that 20% but with increasing chance of tripping the circuit. The other problem is appliances and lights are not 100% efficient.
When you are that close on circuit over capacity power factor becomes a concern.
400 watt hids draw more than 400 watts of power. 400 watts is the (apparent power).
But with power factor of 90 (true power) 444 watts is the actual watts drawn. Hopefully the ballsts you have have a power factor. This also why electronic ballasts are better in a way because their high power factor.
Be safe.
12 awg for 20 amp breaker max
10 awg for 30 amp breaker max
to answer your question the 80% rule is for loads that exceed 3 hours continuous duty. You can dip into that 20% but with increasing chance of tripping the circuit. The other problem is appliances and lights are not 100% efficient.
When you are that close on circuit over capacity power factor becomes a concern.
400 watt hids draw more than 400 watts of power. 400 watts is the (apparent power).
But with power factor of 90 (true power) 444 watts is the actual watts drawn. Hopefully the ballsts you have have a power factor. This also why electronic ballasts are better in a way because their high power factor.
Be safe.
Ugh, some saying it'll be ok to upgrade to 20, some saying NO WAY. Lol. Just my luck. I guess the best thing to do now is see what size wire i have and go from there.
Well, both my ballasts are digitals from HTG. So, hopefully that's a plus for me.
Oh, i know that. I did that and my total would be right about 1430w with the veg tent added. And being that 1440 is the safe max stated on the chart in the elec thread, i didn't know if it's safe to constantly run that, or if that's the max peak for short amounts of time. Cause i'd be running 1430, at least 6hrs a day, if i stagger my tents' timing.
The 80% rule is for a continuous load, meaning it's safe to run for a long period of time ...continuously.
PC
Can you put the veg tent on another circuit somewhere else in the house?
