Another electric question

[Diamonddss]

i have a room i had a sub panel installed and 3 15 amp breakers were installed. Ive been running a 600w and 400w on a mover with a 6 bulb 4ft t5 panel too on one 15 amp
i run my ac and backup ac on another 15amp and the final 15 amp is for fans and whatever( green light, heater, 300w cfl clone machine.

Now i just bought a 1000w galaxy dimable ballast and plan to run it with the 600w and shelfing the 400watt for flower.

A. do i need to install a new breaker and wire from the subpanel(the subpanel was installed so i can add many more)
or can i run the 600 on one 15 amp and 1000 on one and the 3rd 15amp for ac and other.?

 

[Stress_test]

Your new 1000 watt ballast will draw around 8.5 amps and,
a 600 watt magnetic ballast draws about 5.9 amps,
a 600 watt digital ballast draws around 4.6 amps.

If your 600 watt is digital you should be fine running them on the same 15 amp breaker.

But even though the breaker should handle it I would still recommend that you put in a 30 amp circuit for the lights. 30 amps will serve you well for awhile.

 

[Lazyman]

I don't hand out fish much, so I'll just teach you to fish instead:

A breaker can sustain 80% loads for continuous duty, which most of our equipment is.

VoltsXamps =watts.

So a 15A breaker can support 12 amps continuous. You can NOT run a 1000W and a 600w light on the same 15A circuit.

12A @ 120V = 1440W max per circuit. Add up your own amps or wattages and figure out your loads.

Please remember this, it will have a profound impact on this grow and every one you do.
You can NOT just replace a breaker with a higher-rated one, it doesn't work like that. You wouldn't just drop in a 600HP Ferrari engine into your Neon with NO mods, would you? Of course not.

How many amps is the main breaker that runs your little subpanel? That should provide you 240V (halving the amperage per "leg" and give you more amperage overall.

 

[Diamonddss]

thanks guys. ill look up the amps of the sub panel but when i had it installed i told the guy id be adding a 240 for a kiln and i told him maybe 2 kilns so he said made the wire to the sub extra thick. It has a bunch of extra outlets. I think ill buy a 30 amp breaker and thick wire(8 gauge) and just run one more outlet

 

[Lazyman]

You need to know what size breaker he put in your MAIN panel that runs to your subpanel. Without that you're flying blind.

 

[Diamonddss]

You need to know what size breaker he put in your MAIN panel that runs to your subpanel. Without that you're flying blind.

pretty sure its 240 in the main infact im sure

the three installed in the sub are 20 amp not 15

can a 1000w aND 600 RUN on a 20amp? think ill still run the other. I got another month til flower

 

[Lazyman]

Again, you're looking at the sub panel. Go upstairs where that subpanel line COMES from, outside your garage most likely. There will be a single breaker there, that runs that entire subpanel he put it. Is it a 30A 240V breaker, a 50A, or a 100A?

 

[stagehand099]

Jeez, its pretty scary reading posts from folks who just "go for it" without doing any homework. Just my opinion, but the only proper voltage setup for multi-light grows is 30+ amps, 240v. 120v, 20 amp circuits are fine for one lamp but people always think they can add another, or a bunch of other stuff (heaters, A/C, etc.) and still be safe. If they knew, they couldn't sleep at night til they got it right.

stagehand

 

[Stress_test]

You need to know what size breaker he put in your MAIN panel that runs to your subpanel. Without that you're flying blind.

pretty sure its 240 in the main infact im sure

the three installed in the sub are 20 amp not 15

can a 1000w aND 600 RUN on a 20amp? think ill still run the other. I got another month til flower

YES
20A X 120V = 2400W

HOWEVER... You still need to check the MAIN PANEL and find out what AMPERAGE BREAKER the electrician used to supply the sub-panel.

Again, you're looking at the sub panel. Go upstairs where that subpanel line COMES from, outside your garage most likely. There will be a single breaker there, that runs that entire subpanel he put it. Is it a 30A 240V breaker, a 50A, or a 100A?

This is a CRITICAL determining factor.

 

[mr cheese]

all great advice! i see way to many growers who run their entire grow frm the house sockets then wonder why they burnt down their house! as stated above under no circumstances over load ur fuses! even if you have to rewire the whole subpanel its worth the extra cost! i realy cnt stress enuf how important it is to work out your power usage! iv honestly seen 2 grows that have caused fires frm over loaded fuses... did ur electrician knw the sub panel was to power a grow?? if his any good he will of fitted a 100A main breaker to power ur sub panel... any pics of ur main n sub panels??

all, the best n stay safe..mrc

 

[Diamonddss]

YES
20A X 120V = 2400W

HOWEVER... You still need to check the MAIN PANEL and find out what AMPERAGE BREAKER the electrician used to supply the sub-panel.



This is a CRITICAL determining factor.

60amp sorry for my ignorance. i am learning. the breaker in the main box is 60 amps. the sub has three 20 amp breakers currently installed
i plan to add one more breaker

 

[Stress_test]

60amp sorry for my ignorance. i am learning. the breaker in the main box is 60 amps. the sub has three 20 amp breakers currently installed
i plan to add one more breaker

You can't just add another.
You are already using ALL of the 60 amps available.
20+20+20= 60

 

[Diamonddss]

You can't just add another.
You are already using ALL of the 60 amps available.
20+20+20= 60

true but one will run 10,000 btu ac and fans and a few t5's but hardly maxxed
one running 600w and mover
one just runs a few items out of the room, small cfl, a radio and tv
so i figure unless i load up three i should be fine with one for 1000 w only

 

[Diamonddss]

the 60 amp is a huge "double"
when i had the subpanel installed he said to me that i can easily hook up a kiln buy adding a larger breaker to the subpanel infact he said i should be able to run 2.
so im confused about electricity.
the main main house breaker says 200amp but if i add add the breakers up its way over 200. there was 2 60's 2 40's atleast 4 20's and DOUBLE 30

so im confused how this works
my sub panel currently has 3 20 amp breakers installed(they are the thin ones he said it doesnt matter but i dont understand the thin/thick differnce)
now yes 3 x 20 is 60 annd the breaker in the house does say 60amp to the sub. Its a fat double breaker. But why did the electrictian say i can add more breakers no problem including a 220 for a kiln. and if 60 is max

 

[greenmatter]

the 60 amp is a huge "double"
when i had the subpanel installed he said to me that i can easily hook up a kiln buy adding a larger breaker to the subpanel infact he said i should be able to run 2.
so im confused about electricity.
the main main house breaker says 200amp but if i add add the breakers up its way over 200. there was 2 60's 2 40's atleast 4 20's and DOUBLE 30

so im confused how this works
my sub panel currently has 3 20 amp breakers installed(they are the thin ones he said it doesnt matter but i dont understand the thin/thick differnce)
now yes 3 x 20 is 60 annd the breaker in the house does say 60amp to the sub. Its a fat double breaker. But why did the electrictian say i can add more breakers no problem including a 220 for a kiln. and if 60 is max

hey diamond electricians don't give a whole lot of advice out without being able to see what your talking about, doctors are the same because it could be your life in the balance. electrical math is not that hard if you know ALL the factors. not trying to be a tool here but go to home depot and buy their "wiring 1-2-3". it is pretty easy to understand, and made for the average guy. once you actually understand this for yourself you will sleep better and the next time you have a problem you just open the book. good luck and BE CAREFUL

 

[cheeched]

You are already using ALL of the 60 amps available.
20+20+20= 60

Sorry to correct you but, adding the total amps of combined breakers is no indication of actual load..For that you need to add up all the combined loads to arrive at actual total load..

the main main house breaker says 200amp but if i add add the breakers up its way over 200.

Again, you don't add up the total breaker amps to determine actual load being used..

If you're not sure, play it safe, hire me err someone that knows i.e. an electrician..