first time/ppk

[leadbyexample52]

I was thinking about using a 1000 hps mixed spectrum in veg and in flower then just using a florescent leaving it on all day then going 4/8 with the 1000 so it doesn't overwhelm them....shut off florescent then flip to 12/12 ....sound ok or no?.....I don't think I will be able two buy bulbs for the six yet....could I maybe run a dehumidifier and a 750 gph pump on that one outlet with the washer going and it wouldn't blow?....I appreciate all the love.....I put up some black tarp and some panda up not done throwing the room together....take some pics tonight if I can ..bless

 

[HL45]

LBE!!! It looks like you got three empty slots on your panel. So you should be able to set your self up decently when your ready.



Whats the number on the big main breaker? Hopefully 200, but it could say 150, 125, or even 100.



Is this where all the breakers for the whole house are or just the basement?



What kind of gear do you have.

 

[leadbyexample52]

LBE!!! It looks like you got three empty slots on your panel. So you should be able to set your self up decently when your ready.



Whats the number on the big main breaker? Hopefully 200, but it could say 150, 125, or even 100.



Is this where all the breakers for the whole house are or just the basement?

It's a 200 amp ... it looks like the washer dryer is on a ....30....so that means I could use.....the 1000 on that with the washer running at the same time right....I think every other one is only 15 then one 20 for the garage...

What kind of gear do you have.

Gear......I have a 1000 watt with a hps mixed spectrum bulb......I have a pump 750gph....I have a timer ....and out take fan don't know if I really am gonna need it down in the basement....also have a timer for my light.....still need a dehumidifier....my ro is set up....but two an outside source because the old basement sink is so old and nasty....gonna be hard to seal off the Windows to get good water...the house owner has no gutters so all the water and moisture from the rain runs down onto the basement....=-(..... it looks like the water heater is cracked or somethings wrong because every day there is puddles on the floor....thease are some of the small problems....bless

 

[leadbyexample52]

It's a 200amp with the washer dryer I think on a 30 it said......

 

[leadbyexample52]

 

[rives]

They make prewired outlet boxes that have a relay in them so you can run a small timer to control your lights. Its really easy to wire them up to drier outlets.....

http://growershouse.com/autopilot-h...hyMhGBxSn3q0W-m_lHoyaRwJRfEvE92MwTD0BAzPw_wcB

Its well worth the money and makes wiring up lights a breeze. You can buy an appliance cord with open ends that will fit your drier socket, that means you'd only have to secure three wires, the two hots and a ground....

Much love LBE! You Got This!!

First, a warning on this controller - it is complete junk, a fire hazard and non-compliant with every electrical code that I'm aware of. This is the old CAP controller, since picked up by Hydrofarm, but left unimproved and the documentation (and their denial of any responsibility for losses related to it's use) is the same.

There is no fusing in the controller, it uses a 30 amp feed and the receptacles are only rated for 15 amps. The wire size is also inadequate.

Regarding the discussion of the existing receptacle, a 15a circuit is plenty for a 1kw light if it is the only thing on the circuit. However, I'd replace the receptacle with a "specification" or "professional" grade one from Home Depot to insure that it will handle the load and the duty cycle. While you are allowed to go to 80% of the breaker rating for continuous loads, it is a little more of a test of cheap receptacles than I'm comfortable with.

Since you have a dryer circuit handy, probably the easiest way for you to set up your grow would be to get a dryer cordset and a small sub-panel from Home Depot. You could then feed the sub with the dryer cord and break out various circuits with appropriate protection for whatever you want.

 

[LSWM]

 

[flat9]

Just call the leccy. They can run another outlet from the box easily, I'm sure, and it should only cost you a couple hundred bucks because they wouldn't be running it far and given the room there's no drywall type of stuff to worry about. A nice 30 amp 240 V circuit will provide you with all you need and then some...

 

[flat9]

Rockin dog, by the way.

 

[forkup]

Welcome to the ppk world! Looks like you're on your way

 

[leadbyexample52]

Thanks he's my boy......lab/border collie/pit........Dragon

 

[leadbyexample52]

Welcome to the ppk world! Looks like you're on your way

Yeah I learned as much as I could from d9 and all his fountain of info. Also hl 45 has taught me a many thing's/ permacultures a pretty cool dude too....but I would love any tips and tricks you've found running ppk.....I've just never built or done one so cheap.....bless

 

[Permacultuure]

First, a warning on this controller - it is complete junk, a fire hazard and non-compliant with every electrical code that I'm aware of. This is the old CAP controller, since picked up by Hydrofarm, but left unimproved and the documentation (and their denial of any responsibility for losses related to it's use) is the same.

There is no fusing in the controller, it uses a 30 amp feed and the receptacles are only rated for 15 amps. The wire size is also inadequate.

Regarding the discussion of the existing receptacle, a 15a circuit is plenty for a 1kw light if it is the only thing on the circuit. However, I'd replace the receptacle with a "specification" or "professional" grade one from Home Depot to insure that it will handle the load and the duty cycle. While you are allowed to go to 80% of the breaker rating for continuous loads, it is a little more of a test of cheap receptacles than I'm comfortable with.

Since you have a dryer circuit handy, probably the easiest way for you to set up your grow would be to get a dryer cordset and a small sub-panel from Home Depot. You could then feed the sub with the dryer cord and break out various circuits with appropriate protection for whatever you want.

I've used these over and over again with out any fires or failures...YES it would be great to wire up a sub panel with individual 15 amp breakers for each outlet....but that takes either a good chunk of change or a good chunk of knowledge.

I believe LBE is under tight financial constraints and from the sound of it would not be running crazy amounts of wattage. THE EASIEST WAY? To wire up a sub panel? I believe that would be the "up to code way", not easy or cheap.....

There is no fusing but why do the receptacles need to be rated for anything more than 15 amps? if he's planning on running them 240v which seems to be the case SINCE ITS A DRYER OUTLET WERE TALKING ABOUT? A 1k 240v is 4.5 amps...if my memory serves me correctly...If LBE had money for a sub panel then this discussion wouldn't be happening

LBE - Looking good bro!

 

[LSWM]

I'm *over and over again with out any fires or failures...YES it would be great to wire up a sub panel with individual 15 amp breakers for each outlet....but that t hats either a good chunk of change or a good chunk of knowledge.

I believe LBE is under tight financial constraints and from the sound of it wouldnt be running crazy amounts of wattage. THE EASIEST WAY? To wire up a sub panel? I believe that would be the "up to code way", not easy or cheap.....

There is no fusing but why do the receptacles need to be rated for anything more than 15 amps? if he's planning on running them 240v which seems to be the case SINCE ITS A DRYER OUTLET WERE TALKING ABOUT? A 1k 240v is 4.5 amps...if my memory serves me correctly...If LBE had money for a sub panel then this discussion wouldn't be happening

LBE - Looking good bro!

Are you really making the argument that we should skimp on safety to save money? Because that is how it is coming across. Rives knows his shit, you can check any electrical thread on these forums.

For LESS than $100 you could buy a dryer plug, wire that to a $20 sub panel. 2 x $5 breakers 120v and 240. 4 outlet 120v gand box $15. T104 to control lighting $40. $20 leftover for wire and other goodies.

Takes 30 mins to wire up and you plug it in. Dead easy.

If you don't feel comfortable understanding where 3 or 4 wires go in a 120v and 240v configuration then please do not attempt this. Although I believe almost anyone can understand basic wiring principles, and i can certainly remember black and red are live, white is nuetral, and the bare wire is ground.

There are much better plug in panel solutions than the one you suggested but they arent $100. The flexibility you get from building your own, and the cost savings of doing things correctly, easily makes a little research, a trip to home depot, and half hour of your time worth it.

To each their own. Don't burn your spot down friends. Happy growing.

 

[rives]

I've used these over and over again with out any fires or failures...YES it would be great to wire up a sub panel with individual 15 amp breakers for each outlet....but that takes either a good chunk of change or a good chunk of knowledge.

I believe LBE is under tight financial constraints and from the sound of it would not be running crazy amounts of wattage. THE EASIEST WAY? To wire up a sub panel? I believe that would be the "up to code way", not easy or cheap.....

There is no fusing but why do the receptacles need to be rated for anything more than 15 amps? if he's planning on running them 240v which seems to be the case SINCE ITS A DRYER OUTLET WERE TALKING ABOUT? A 1k 240v is 4.5 amps...if my memory serves me correctly...If LBE had money for a sub panel then this discussion wouldn't be happening

Your premise is foolish and your deep lack of electrical knowledge is very evident.

Fusing is the only thing that protects you when things go awry. If equipment never shorted out, if cords never got cut, if everything always functioned perfectly, then there would be no need for fusing whatsoever and we could all hook up directly to the grid. Unfortunately, as we all know, that is not the case. During ground fault conditions, if the current isn't limited by a fuse or breaker, the only thing that limits the current flow is the impedance of the wiring and the capacity of the transformer feeding the installation. If there is no fusing, the current at that 15 amp receptacle can easily reach 100's of amps. What do you suspect the result of that might be?

Even correct fuse protection takes a significant time to react. If you look at a time/current curve for a brand new circuit breaker, a 100% overload will take from 15 seconds to over 100 seconds to trip the breaker. Now, if you have a 15a receptacle being fed by a 30a breaker and you have a fault, you will put twice as much power on the receptacle as it was designed for before the breaker even starts to sense an overload. From there, it can still take several minutes to react depending on the quality of the grounding system and many other factors.

http://apps.geindustrial.com/publibrary/checkout/GES-6202A?TNR=Time Current Curves|GES-6202A|generic

That piece of shit from C(r)AP doesn't meet any regulatory approvals like UL, CSA, etc. If you look at the instruction sheet, you will see that the disclaimer of responsibility is about as long as the actual set of instructions. If you can't afford to do a safe electrical installation, then you had better hold off until such time as you can rather than jeopardizing your life and anyone else that might be in the structure.

 

[mr. gt]

off to a good start man. Make sure you keep everything clean! I'll check back as often as I can.

~mr. gt

 

[Permacultuure]

Are you really making the argument that we should skimp on safety to save money? Because that is how it is coming across. Rives knows his shit, you can check any electrical thread on these forums.

For LESS than $100 you could buy a dryer plug, wire that to a $20 sub panel. 2 x $5 breakers 120v and 240. 4 outlet 120v gand box $15. T104 to control lighting $40. $20 leftover for wire and other goodies.

Takes 30 mins to wire up and you plug it in. Dead easy.

If you don't feel comfortable understanding where 3 or 4 wires go in a 120v and 240v configuration then please do not attempt this. Although I believe almost anyone can understand basic wiring principles, and i can certainly remember black and red are live, white is nuetral, and the bare wire is ground.

There are much better plug in panel solutions than the one you suggested but they arent $100. The flexibility you get from building your own, and the cost savings of doing things correctly, easily makes a little research, a trip to home depot, and half hour of your time worth it.

To each their own. Don't burn your spot down friends. Happy growing.

I'm saying it's much more unsafe to wire up outlets/subs/breakers yourself if you have never touched electrical work before. I just found a similar product to what I've used and posted a link. Electrical work is dangerous and your dumbing it down.

 

[Permacultuure]

Your premise is foolish and your deep lack of electrical knowledge is very evident.

Fusing is the only thing that protects you when things go awry. If equipment never shorted out, if cords never got cut, if everything always functioned perfectly, then there would be no need for fusing whatsoever and we could all hook up directly to the grid. Unfortunately, as we all know, that is not the case. During ground fault conditions, if the current isn't limited by a fuse or breaker, the only thing that limits the current flow is the impedance of the wiring and the capacity of the transformer feeding the installation. If there is no fusing, the current at that 15 amp receptacle can easily reach 100's of amps. What do you suspect the result of that might be?

Even correct fuse protection takes a significant time to react. If you look at a time/current curve for a brand new circuit breaker, a 100% overload will take from 15 seconds to over 100 seconds to trip the breaker. Now, if you have a 15a receptacle being fed by a 30a breaker and you have a fault, you will put twice as much power on the receptacle as it was designed for before the breaker even starts to sense an overload. From there, it can still take several minutes to react depending on the quality of the grounding system and many other factors.

http://apps.geindustrial.com/publibrary/checkout/GES-6202A?TNR=Time Current Curves|GES-6202A|generic

That piece of shit from C(r)AP doesn't meet any regulatory approvals like UL, CSA, etc. If you look at the instruction sheet, you will see that the disclaimer of responsibility is about as long as the actual set of instructions. If you can't afford to do a safe electrical installation, then you had better hold off until such time as you can rather than jeopardizing your life and anyone else that might be in the structure.

My electrical knowledge is very weak.....I've never had issues with similar products. I'm just trying to help with alternatives to hiring an electrician who will be expensive and hopefully down with the cause. Obviously you know far more about electrical and how to do it properly than both me and LBE.....I guess I'm very fortunate that one hasn't ever failed on me thanks for the heads up. LBE sounds like you better find an electrician.

 

[rives]

I'm saying it's much more unsafe to wire up outlets/subs/breakers yourself if you have never touched electrical work before. I just found a similar product to what I've used and posted a link. Electrical work is dangerous and your dumbing it down.

My electrical knowledge is very weak.....I've never had issues with similar products. I'm just trying to help with alternatives to hiring an electrician who will be expensive and hopefully down with the cause. Obviously you know far more about electrical and how to do it properly than both me and LBE.....I guess I'm very fortunate that one hasn't ever failed on me thanks for the heads up. LBE sounds like you better find an electrician.

It is possible for someone with a decent amount of mechanical ability to do what LSWM recommended. I am a retired industrial electrician and have talked lots of people through their work on here. While I would always recommend having an electrician do it, many people simply aren't in a position where that works for them. This kind of thing is really pretty basic, and as long as people pay attention to what they are told about grounding, overcurrent protection, the amperage rating of the components, and making tight connections, then they are very likely to wind up with a piece of equipment that is far safer than the one that you linked to. Of course, there are people that shouldn't ever pick up a screwdriver......

The thing that is worrisome to me about equipment like the CAP/Hydrofarm controller is that people do not even understand that they don't conform to any applicable safety standards. None of the regulatory agencies would touch CAP's crap with a 10' pole - they thought that it was ingenious to "invent" a universal plug that would take any plug that was 15a or 20a, 120v or 240v. The fact that it thumbed it's nose at 100 years of electrical rules never entered the equation. Of course, they very carefully state that they will bear no responsibility for any losses associated with it's usage.

Sorry if I came off harsh earlier, but I get a little thin-skinned about electrical safety and companies that are taking advantage of a customer base that they know they are immune to any liability from.

 

[LSWM]

I'm saying it's much more unsafe to wire up outlets/subs/breakers yourself if you have never touched electrical work before. I just found a similar product to what I've used and posted a link. Electrical work is dangerous and your dumbing it down.

I have zero formal training. My dad showed me how to wire a circuit when I was 12. A wall outlet when I was 15. Other than that all other information I needed was found online. I didn't have anyone to guide me through my sub panel installation, but after reading here and other places I felt confident I could pull it off.

Electrical work such as this is very simple. As long as people use wire/outlets/etc rated for the current they will be using, which is very easy to determine most of the time its on the packaging... It is literally connecting wires together with a screw driver.

There is no crazy logic like a computer. We aren't even talking about wiring relay circuits.

120v has 3 wires. 240v has 3 or 4. They are color coded...

If this is over your head please dont proceed. im done