213 Watt LED Nirvana Northern Lights Grow

rives · Feb 24, 2013

Do you you have a voltage tester?

I would start by making sure that the receptacle is polarized properly and grounded. If you have a tester, assuming that the receptacle is oriented so that the ground is at the bottom, test from the right side of the socket (the smaller slot) to ground. If it reads 120v, then the hot and neutral are polarized properly and the ground is intact.

If you get no reading, try the other slot. If you read 120v from the larger, left-hand slot, to ground the polarity is reversed and the power wiring needs to be exchanged on the back of the receptacle.

If neither slot reads a voltage to ground, then there is no ground wire hooked up to the receptacle.

GP73LPC · Feb 24, 2013

rives said:
Do you you have a voltage tester?

I would start by making sure that the receptacle is polarized properly and grounded. If you have a tester, assuming that the receptacle is oriented so that the ground is at the bottom, test from the right side of the socket (the smaller slot) to ground. If it reads 120v, then the hot and neutral are polarized properly and the ground is intact.

If you get no reading, try the other slot. If you read 120v from the larger, left-hand slot, to ground the polarity is reversed and the power wiring needs to be exchanged on the back of the receptacle.

If neither slot reads a voltage to ground, then there is no ground wire hooked up to the receptacle.

thanks man, i will give that a try here in just a bit. :tiphat:

GP73LPC · Feb 24, 2013

i don't believe the plug is grounded. there is only one other plug in the room and it's apparently not grounded either.

i took the cover plate off the the ground screw on the receptacle has nothing attached to it. can't really see behind it, but i doubt there is even a ground wire run to it. this place is kinda old.

i found another mechanical timer, same issue.

is there anything i can do?

GP73LPC · Feb 24, 2013

well while you guys help me sort out my lighting issue how about a pic update.

sorry again about the shitty photo's. the room these are in has very poor overhead lighting and a low roof. i am becoming convinced i am gonna have trouble getting good pics without additional lighting.

i'll see what i can do in the future for better pics.

group shots

Plant 3 - now recovered from the nute burn, but you can see the lower leaves in the pic

Plant 2 - a mini-me P1

GP73LPC · Feb 24, 2013

Plant 1 - i'm in love... 22 days from cotyledons

rives · Feb 24, 2013

GP73LPC said:
i don't believe the plug is grounded. there is only one other plug in the room and it's apparently not grounded either.

i took the cover plate off the the ground screw on the receptacle has nothing attached to it. can't really see behind it, but i doubt there is even a ground wire run to it. this place is kinda old.

i found another mechanical timer, same issue.

is there anything i can do?

Do you have access to a cold water pipe anywhere nearby, even if you had to leave a wire exposed? You could clamp the wire to the pipe and we could figure out a way to hook up the ground on the lighting end. You must have a problem of some type in the light, though. Have you plugged it into a known good (grounded and correct polarity) receptacle and seen how it reacts?

BrownThumb · Feb 24, 2013

P1 is a beauty!

GP73LPC · Feb 24, 2013

rives said:
Do you have access to a cold water pipe anywhere nearby, even if you had to leave a wire exposed? You could clamp the wire to the pipe and we could figure out a way to hook up the ground on the lighting end. You must have a problem of some type in the light, though. Have you plugged it into a known good (grounded and correct polarity) receptacle and seen how it reacts?

damn man, not any where close...

i don't think it's the light. i had it in another room grower veggies/herbs for a while and it didn't react that way.

tomorrow i will plug it up to another plug i know is grounded to prove it.

i guess as a last resort i could run an extension cord to it.

thanks again for your help rives, i would +K you but i gotta spread it around

i will update tomorrow with my findings.

GP73LPC · Feb 24, 2013

BrownThumb said:
P1 is a beauty!

isn't she? hopefully it's a she.

just a bushy little bitch, i love it !

GP73LPC · Feb 25, 2013

ok, i got her all worked out.

problem was not the timer, or power strip or anything of the sort.

it was because i was on the same circuit as the window unit.

we have total darkness now :woohoo:

rives · Feb 25, 2013

Them simply being on the same circuit shouldn't impact anything - something must be leaking current to ground, and the grounding is inadequate, or ...? Strange symptoms, but there is something else going on.

GP73LPC · Feb 25, 2013

hmm, i dunno, i'm not an electricity guy.

i do appreciate your efforts.

rives · Feb 25, 2013

Does it only do it while the window a/c is running?

GP73LPC · Feb 25, 2013

rives said:
Does it only do it while the window a/c is running?

that i don't know.

the fan is set to on, so that runs all the time.

if i hadn't re-run all my cords i would try that.

in fact, maybe i will just get an extension cord and see.

why, whatcha thinking? a/c has an issue?

rives · Feb 25, 2013

Yes, it sounds to me like something is going to ground either in the a/c unit or elsewhere on that circuit, and with the funky grounding you can have some odd things going on. It looks like your LED fixture is functioning as a pretty sensitive voltmeter.

GP73LPC · Feb 25, 2013

rives said:
Yes, it sounds to me like something is going to ground either in the a/c unit or elsewhere on that circuit, and with the funky grounding you can have some odd things going on. It looks like your LED fixture is functioning as a pretty sensitive voltmeter.

well, damn, i did not completely fix this problem. late last evening i took a look and the LEDs were still lit, but just barely. i guess it was too bright in the room when i tested and thought they were completely out.

in fact the LEDs on my two power strips are much, much brighter. those i have now covered with tape.

i got an idea that these barely lit arrays will not affect the plants at all as it was so dark i couldn't see the plants, but...

i'm gonna experiment just a little more, will let you know what i find...

:thank you:

oneshot · Feb 25, 2013

Looks like you're having the same issue as I did with the eShine. I would switch to a digital timer.

stj2006 · Feb 26, 2013

Looking good so far, one of mine is really slow growing as well. When are you thinking of flowering?

St Jimi

GP73LPC · Feb 26, 2013

stj2006 said:
Looking good so far, one of mine is really slow growing as well. When are you thinking of flowering?

St Jimi

thanks Jim,

i flipped them already. they're not mature yet, but P1 and P2 are on their 6th node. i suspect i will not see alternating branches for another week or so.

BrownThumb · Feb 26, 2013

I wanna see some bud porn, can you fast forward, please?

213 Watt LED Nirvana Northern Lights Grow

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