this electrical problem is scaring me..

[madpenguin]

AFCI's are actually required just about every where in a house now. If it's not GFCI then it needs to be AFCI with a few exceptions.

And he does have a GFCI as I suspected...

 

[DonkDBZ]

AFCI's are not the same as GFCI's

AFCI's will detect small amounts of arcing that a normal breaker will not. A GFCI does not offer protection against arcing line-to-neutral faults because the incoming and exit current is the same.

What the arc fault breaker will notices is say you have a loose connection where the hot makes contact looses contact. The connection will get hot and melt and if near anything cobustable will start a fire. Basically it will keep shit from Wielding itself

 

[JackTheGrower]

So we are talking a new breaker? to get fire protection of the specific type of arc'ing?

In the basic growroom is GFI enough? I hate to start instructing folks to remove their main power panel.. In Fact I won't even suggest it.

The photos of the timer I saw had a GFI outlet is that you?


Jack

 

[JackTheGrower]

pictures: so i was worried about plugging the timer into my power strip.. i came up with a ghetto yet effective solution.

Ah a hydrofarm timer..

I went with an on delay and high temp off unit so I could start the fans before i start the light.. That way the startup load is not so large.

I don't know if i was more worried about electrical safety or electric company spike reports ( if there is such a thing )

http://www.igrowhydro.com/CAP/CAP-HLC-3-HID-LIGHTING-CONTROLLER-MANUAL.pdf

I love garden toys.

 

[RockyMountainHi]

The first rule of growing is tell no one.


THE ONLY POSSIBLE EXCEPTION I CAN SEE TO THIS RULE IS ADDRESSING ELECTRICAL ISSUES.

Don't be an ash.

if you have any doubt - scope it out. we got some good peeps here that are hella teachers. (in a good way.)

And not to put a turd in ypur punch bowl, but remember befoer the fire dept. leaves they call the police for anything questionable. And THAT, would not be a good day.

 

[madpenguin]

So we are talking a new breaker? to get fire protection of the specific type of arc'ing?

Yes. There isn't an AFCI receptacle as far as I'm aware. 210.12(B) of the NEC states that the entire branch circuit must be protected so an AFCI receptacle won't do that. Just from the receptacle and downstream.

I'm an advocate of them. They do work. You can also GFCI protect an AFCI branch circuit. They perform 2 independent functions.

As far as GFCI in the grow room, they are a good idea, especially if you use hydro. I personally don't use them because I'm afraid if the power goes out, the GFCI will trip and then needs to be manually reset. If this happens in the morning after you leave for work, and depending on which style of hydro you use, by the time you get home you could have dead plants.

Aeroponic and NFT would be very susceptible if this happens. Same reason why you don't GFCI protect your fridge.

We lost power around here for almost 5 days recently. I was in there every few hours watering by hand. Set my mechanical alarm clock to wake me up during the night to hand water. It was a brutal 5 days. That and my veg room got thrown into early flowering.