My home sounds like it's making pop corn...in the dark!

[il19z8rn4li1]

Hello friend. :-D

Your thread has helped me out A LOT.. because I am currently doing the same thing as you lol

I got 3x 600w ballasts that im changing to 240.

Got all my links and timers and relays from your thread :-D

Thanks my friend.

Gotta give a special thank you to Rives also :-D He's the greatest,
he helped me out just as much as he has helped you lol.
Funny because a lot of what he said to you, he said to me a few months back :-D

HEHE Cheers.


Now I know whats the safe way to do things :-D

40amp breaker 2 pole.
already got 8/3 wire to use.
VERY short run for me... like 10feet from a sub panel.

Going to get the right receptacles now though, the 240 ones :-D.

Im just going to run all my 1800 watts on the one 40amp. Leaves
the circuit with about whats... 40-50% load.. plenty space till 80%.

welp... edit that...
Going to have to put in a sub panel so I can bring the 40amp breaker
down to a 15amp 240v breaker so I can then use those plugs Rives mentioned.. These Ones here
Found the male ends for this plug RIGHT HERE

Not to bad of a set back if you ask me... :-D

 

[downtoearth]

That is awesome il19z8rn4li1. I'm glad to know that there are others wading through my questions and answers. Again, I can't thank all you guys enough with being patient with me. You guys rule!

 

[Hammerhead]

I would get 6-20r for the 240v outlets myself. Thats what I used. I also used 5-20r for my 120v circuit They are the largest outlet you can get for standard outlets.. There UL certified

 

[downtoearth]

Is this right?

Is this right?

I think you need to have ea ballest on there own breaker. 2 on a 20 is over the 80% rule... Im not 100% sure on that so rives will need to answer that one

8.42a x 2 =16.84a 20a-80%=16a

If the ballasts are on 240v. they are only drawing just over 4 amps each. Is this correct?

 

[Hammerhead]

what size are you running?? I thought you had 1k?? 600w is 2.7a @240v

1k use 8.42a @240v

 

[downtoearth]

Oh man. I do have 1000w ballasts but was under the impression that running them on 120v draws 8.33 amps. I used this calculator here http://www.supercircuits.com/resources/tools/Volts-Watts-Amps-Converter

When you pop in 240v in the box and hit calculate you get 4.16 amps drawn.

 

[Hammerhead]

With the 1k Lumateks it does not matter what voltage your run them at 120-240v=8.42a. They don't list there 1k amps at 240v.. They do list it on the 600 hps model

 

[il19z8rn4li1]

I would get 6-20r for the 240v outlets myself. Thats what I used. I also used 5-20r for my 120v circuit They are the largest outlet you can get for standard outlets.. There UL certified

ya those are the ones im going with now... i just re-read this thread again but filtered your name this time instead of Rives :-D

Thanks Hammerhead, im sure the Depot has all this stuff, besides the relays, most likely tax there. But im off to the store now :-D


real quick... whats the difference with these relays?

Relay #1

Relay #2


Thanks again

 

[downtoearth]

Mine are the old magnetic ballasts that are switchable from 120 to 240. Did the calculator I linked to make sense? lol I'm confused now. Yours does show the max amps but does that mean that if you ran your power cord into a 240v line that it would not change to roughly half that? Can this be tested?

 

[Hammerhead]

The power relay is more solid but they both will work fine...

 

[downtoearth]

Found the answer for me in my own threat lol

Found the answer for me in my own threat lol

However, I think the best place to start would be to see how much of your equipment you can convert from 120v to 240. You may not be aware of it, but equipment draws half the amperage at 240v then it does at 120, though the wattage remains constant.

This stuff can get confusing quickly when you aren't schooled in the art of electrician work. As I am definitely not lol

 

[Hammerhead]

Mine are the old magnetic ballasts that are switchable from 120 to 240. Did the calculator I linked to make sense? lol I'm confused now. Yours does show the max amps but does that mean that if you ran your power cord into a 240v line that it would not change to roughly half that? Can this be tested?

If yours is the older one that you have to switch im pretty sure the amps drop as well... The one I showed the amps probably do drop when your on 240v they just don't list it and give the max amp draw.


I'm not a electrician but I'm a electrical engineer...

 

[downtoearth]

Yep

Yep

If yours is the older one that you have to switch im pretty sure the amps drop as well... The one I showed the amps probably do drop when your on 240v they just don't list it and give the max amp draw.


I'm not a electrician but I'm a electrical engineer...

Right on man. I appreciate it. You are right, I assume you don't need a flip switch because you are digital and will automatically work at 240v receptacle. You're awesome man. Many thanks! I'll upgrade to digital when I get some more income. I'm tired of these 500 pound bricks!

So as long as I don't hit a 16 amp draw ( 80% rule ) on a 20 amp breaker I should be fine? Technically I should be able to run all three ballasts from one double pole 20 amp breaker because all three are pulling right around 12.48 amps.

 

[downtoearth]

Update

Update

Update: Just got back from Lowe's. I'd be better off reading an electrical book than trying to get questions answered there Anyhow, here is what I got for the 240v ballasts as well as the 120v 20amp outlets.

How neat is getting TWO! 20 amp breakers to fit into one space!? lol I'm excited because i never knew they existed and was only like over one dollar more each.

I have a total of a single double pole 20 amp breaker
Three of the double 20 amp micro breakers (6 20 amp breakers)
2 duplex 240v 20 amp outlets with corresponding Male plugs to retrofit my existing 120v ballast cords
Ten 120v/20 amp duplex outlets (20 plug ins)

I know 6 20 amp breakers is overkill but since they only take up one slot and I may upgrade later I said screw it. I'm running all 12 Gauge wire.

It's coming together slowly but surely. I can't wait to post pictures of this thing. It has become a project I have driven my girlfriend CRAZY with. If anybody sees any problems with this setup thus far, please let me know. I'm open to any and all educated suggestions.

 

[rives]

I've been on the road today.... Hammerhead was correct, #2 is what you would want for a 100 amp subpanel unless you are a long ways away from your main panel, and then it needs to be upsized for voltage drop.

The 1K lights will be somewhere shy of 4.5 amps apiece. Ohms law tells you that 1000w/240v=4.17a, and then figure roughly another 10% for ballast losses.

For receptacles, I prefer to use specification or commercial grade - they cost a little more, but are well worth it. Stay away from the receptacles that you just stab the wire into the back and spring tension makes the connection - you definitely want the kind that you tighten the screws down on a plate, compressing the wire.

This stuff is almost as much fun as growing pot, isn't it?

 

[downtoearth]

I've been on the road today.... Hammerhead was correct, #2 is what you would want for a 100 amp subpanel unless you are a long ways away from your main panel, and then it needs to be upsized for voltage drop.

The 1K lights will be somewhere shy of 4.5 amps apiece. Ohms law tells you that 1000w/240v=4.17a, and then figure roughly another 10% for ballast losses.

For receptacles, I prefer to use specification or commercial grade - they cost a little more, but are well worth it. Stay away from the receptacles that you just stab the wire into the back and spring tension makes the connection - you definitely want the kind that you tighten the screws down on a plate, compressing the wire.

This stuff is almost as much fun as growing pot, isn't it?

Actually it really is . I like a little bit of a challenge. I was going to buy the #2 for the 100amp run but the guy at Lowe's said the code changed and it is no longer the up to code wire. He said the only place I can get the other stuff was at an electrical supply company in town. I don't remember what he called it because my eyes glazed over at that point. Can't wait to see the freaking price difference. If it is too great, I'm just going to use the #2 anyhow. Screw it. The length I need is 75'

 

[rives]

Actually it really is . I like a little bit of a challenge. I was going to buy the #2 for the 100amp run but the guy at Lowe's said the code changed and it is no longer the up to code wire. He said the only place I can get the other stuff was at an electrical supply company in town. I don't remember what he called it because my eyes glazed over at that point. Can't wait to see the freaking price difference. If it is too great, I'm just going to use the #2 anyhow. Screw it. The length I need is 75'

See if you can find out what he was talking about. #2 is the gauge of the wire that you need, I don't know what kind of cable Lowes carries, but any local code changes would have probably concerned the insulation of the wire or the jacket - the conductor size (gauge) shouldn't have been affected.

 

[Hammerhead]

why did you get single 6-20r those take up the space for 2 outlets in the box...That breaker does it have a single blade on the back or 2?. I used these this one is a 30a but the 20a I used look just like it.

 

[downtoearth]

Nope....

Nope....

How cool is that right? It only takes up one space I got these for the 120v outlets. They are not double pole However I did get one DP 20 amp also.

 

[Hammerhead]

I think rives needs to explain these. There was a reason why I had to buy 2 pole breakers for 240v. I dont remember why . I have some like you got but I could not use them...


What about the single 6-20r??? You should have bought the dual it uses the same space and gives you another outlet