Check my wiring

[Gomez_Addams]

Let me jump on Rive's bandwagon here, since I was surprised and horrified to read domgreen's comment. It really is a safety document - life safety. Yours, your families or staff, your neighbors'... nor is it ridiculously conservative. Manufacturers want to make things cheaper, contractors want to use the least expensive conductors and connectors. Their industry does get heard in conference with NFPA. (I used to work closely with NFPA and Fire Marshals) So the compromise arrived at in the document represents the minimum that the fire guys think is safe.

The actual document is huge and hopeless for most people to follow. But DIY books in hardware stores will show you how to most basic (including 240) wiring, without bogging you down in code details. But you still need the basic references for things like minimum safe wire size (which varies by what the wires are inside, the ambient temperature, how many wires) all that stuff is in convenient tables for you. I never crack my 6 year old copy of the actual NEC, I look most things up in the handy $10 "Pocket Ref" (Thomas J. Glover) pocket reference book which every single reader should rush out and buy. You will thank me. And if that doesn't have it, I grab my NEC Handbook (McGraw-Hill) which _explains_ the NEC, but doesn't contain much of it. Every ten years or so, the NFPA has a big confab where they try to cut the things size down again, mostly successfully, eliminating shit about how to wire carbon arc street lamps and including new things about say, wiring PV panels.

Wire your shit right so you don't get electrocuted or burn your grow to the ground. To find out what is "right" - consult either the code or a book based on it. Some things you just don't do "git er done" jobs on without sooner or later paying a nasty price.

 

[rives]

You makes some excellent points here, Gomez. I didn't touch on it in this thread, but have repeatedly in the past - the code specifications aren't for the most tricked-out, Cadillac installation possible. They should be considered as a minimum.

 

[JG's Ghost]

When you plug the (2) 120 volt breakers in, make sure that they are on separate busses. Alternatively, with both breakers on, read from the output of one to the output of the other. If they are on the same phase, you will read zero voltage. If they are on separate phases, they will read 240 volts.

To get a minimum size for your breaker, you add up the total amperage on each phase, take the highest of the two and multiply by 1.25 (this is the de-rating factor for staying at a maximum of 80% of the breaker rating for continuous loads, which are loads that stay on for 3 hours or more). In your case, you take the 9 amps from the lighting (it will be seen on both phases since it is a 240v load) and add the 10 amps from the chiller. This gives you 19 amps on the more heavily loaded leg, and about 16 amps on the other. 1.25 x 19 = 23.75 amps is your minimum breaker size, so you move up to the next standard-sized breaker which would be 30 amps.

The panel-mount fuse that I was referring to is the one that you bumped your elbow on and the light started working. If I understood you correctly, this is a fuse built into the ballast mounted beside the power cord.

The information on the raceway is correct - multi-conductor cable like romex or range cable isn't usually used in a conduit because of the difficulty pulling it in, which you can attest to! Single-conductor wire is much easier to pull in, particularly if you use THHN insulated wire which has a very slick surface and is also rated at a higher amperage than most other wires of the same gauge with different insulations because of it's higher temperature rating.

Good luck.

Yep. That was the fuse I was talking about.

Regarding the THHN insulated wiring. Since it has a higher amperage rating does that mean you can use a smaller gauge?


JG

 

[rives]

Yep. That was the fuse I was talking about.

Regarding the THHN insulated wiring. Since it has a higher amperage rating does that mean you can use a smaller gauge?


JG

Yes, sometimes you can. The difference in smaller wires isn't nearly as significant as in larger ones, and it depends a lot on where the breaks fall. For instance, #6 THHN is rated at 75 amps, but you couldn't drop to a #8 THHN on a 60 amp circuit because it is only rated at 55 amps.

 

[dominicangreen]

Ok, I see it now. That ground should actually be landed on the neutral buss with a bonding screw tying the buss to the can. I can understand the desire to keep costs down - however, correctly-sized breakers are relatively cheap, particularly considering the potential downside. If the place does burn (noting that there are no grounds going out the other conduits), your insurance policy will likely be invalidated as a result of an installation not conforming to code.

you guys are miss understanding me i kept saying the whole time put the right wire size and right braker amps for the amps you are going to use.i'm no electricion so i dont use that term ''the code'' so i thought it was city inspection codes that need to be met.also when i read about insurance would be void if the house burn and code was not met,i was more like the hell with insurance claims worry about the cops going there to a grow opp that caused a fire..its no big deal guys i only know how to hook it up but the right way at least i wouldnt play with some unsafe wiring..

 

[the_extremist]

Rives is 1000% correct when he says the NEC is the bare minimum required to protect against damage to person and property. It's a safety standard. That's why it's there, ffs.

 

[the_extremist]

Also, which would you rather deal with, going to jail for cultivation or going to jail for cultivation and then getting sued by the property owner and/or the insurance company for the value of the property?

 

[Pumpkin]

Looks like some really good advice on this thread by rivers.. although i hardly understood any of it. It's nice to see people who are good at what they do share their skills. You would die if you saw the wiring at my place! My fuses catch on fire The shower used to electrocute me. Things could be better! If it burns there will be nothing left anyway. An ideal outcome.

But if you want to be safe ha.. i'd be listening to rivers. it seems like solid advice.

 

[dominicangreen]

i been saying do the right things by puting correct wiring and braker to meet requirments for the electricity being used.if yous go to the begining of thread i was not saying his wiring was correct so yous can keep understanding what you's want i know i setup to meet requirments the rule of electricity as yous call the "code" anyways i have to get back to growing good luck to yous just follow the rules in proper installation
wires brakers and grounding and check if outlets can handle the amps also i dont hear people talking about this..well peace i only jumped on this thread as the first person to reply because no one was helping i didnt want dude to be in danger no one was answering but glad he got some answers from those who know how to explain it by proper words i also learned something new as the term code is whats its called you guys have to remember i'm Latin so we call it different

peace,DG

 

[dominicangreen]

keep it green bro be safe,
DG

 

[JG's Ghost]

Wow!!! Looks like my simple little question really started something. I've learned a lot more about wiring, and electrical installation in the last few days than I have the rest of my life.

Thanks Guys.

JG