Electrical question regarding Breakers PLEASE HELP

[growninnorcal]

Okay, starting from scratch and doing my grown room right. I have a 20 amp breaker which I planned on using for two 1000 watt fixtures 120 volt. I know your suppose to not exceed 80% and on a 20 amp its 1920 watts. Will the 80 watts added on make a diffrence? Please let me know if this is a huge concern that I should be worried about. Their only going to be on 12/12 so it shouldn't be that bad other wise I planned on having one light on for 4 hours then the other would kick on after four hours. Now both would be on together for an additional four hours, then the light that first turned on would shut off after 4 hours. Then the next light would turn off after 4 hours for a combined of 12 hours.

___4_____ ___off_____ | ____4____ _____4_____ | ____off___ ___4____


Please let me know. I really don't trying to be safe on staggered times would make a diffrence. Plus only havin both lights on for four hours would be drastic. Please let me know on your experience. Thanks

 

[Screwnuts33]

Is a house fire worth the risk? Do not cut corners on electrical. If you have 2ea 1000watt lights you must also be running fans and other items? The lights alone are too heavy of draw for a single 20amp cicuit.

 

[diesel farmer]

Personally I would say the 20 amp breaker isnt sufficient for the load, yer right on the edge and I wouldnt trust a 7 dollar breaker to protect from burning the house down, especially if its an old panel, they tend not to trip after many years. Another reason is the wire could be #14, which is only rated for 15 amps. I would add another circuit, I love weed like all of you here but its not worth losin property or worse over.

 

[growninnorcal]

Thanks for the input.

 

[diesel farmer]

no prob brother, just tryin to help : ) stay safe and good luck with grow!!

 

[growninnorcal]

Okay new question. Can I put a 600 and a 1000 on a 20 amp breaker. I just found out the gauge isn't sufficent for a 30 amp breaker. And there are no other spaces available to put an extra breaker. Please let me know. Thanks

 

[CalVet420]

Go to the hardware store and see if they have ant circut breakers that run 15/15 on one breaker. it's the same width as your other one but it has 2 poles. that's 2 separate 15 amp breakers from one slot. the key is to not overload your main. Most houses have a 200 amp input. that's 2 100amp breakers that are conected together. If that's the case for your house, add up all the breakers and make sure you don't over load your box.

If you free up some space, then you might be able to run more than you think.


If you use a 20 amp breaker you should use a #12 wire. You're best bet is to run a new box to your room.

I just picked up a 100 amp box with 6 slots for 16.99 at OSH. But you have to start adding the cost of wire too.

 

[Weed420]

If you have a dryer or stove line that isn't being used, tie into that. Be sure to pickup a cheap book on how to safely do wiring first. It will be 220 but its easy to rewire for 110. Then you'll have a dedicated line for the grow room. On mine I just rewired a new 220 line from the main breaker box at the meter into a new 100 amp breaker box for the grow room. Its really nor vary difficult. You just need to read up and be sure what you're doing.

 

[growninnorcal]

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm going to ask my buddy thats an electrician for some help. Want to do it right than to take a risk.

I like the idea if getting out the 20amp breaker and putting two 15amp breakers. Thanks again.

 

[Hogdady]

If you have a dryer or stove line that isn't being used, tie into that. Be sure to pickup a cheap book on how to safely do wiring first. It will be 220 but its easy to rewire for 110. Then you'll have a dedicated line for the grow room. On mine I just rewired a new 220 line from the main breaker box at the meter into a new 100 amp breaker box for the grow room. Its really nor vary difficult. You just need to read up and be sure what you're doing.

the one concern here is that some 220v dryer circuits do not contain a neutral. you cannot split the two 110v conductors into two 110v circuits if the neutral is not present.

 

[Hogdady]

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm going to ask my buddy thats an electrician for some help. Want to do it right than to take a risk.

I like the idea if getting out the 20amp breaker and putting two 15amp breakers. Thanks again.

bear in mind that unless you have a main service disconnect, you will be changing breakers on a live panel....

 

[Lil Neutrino]

On mine I just rewired a new 220 line from the main breaker box at the meter into a new 100 amp breaker box for the grow room. Its really nor vary difficult. You just need to read up and be sure what you're doing.

I'd rather ask the following and be sure you're ok than to ass-ume you checked already and then read about your place burning down:

Did you upgrade the wire on that circuit to handle the additional amperage? I have a copy of the 2005 NEC Handbook and I don't believe the conductor ampacity charts have changed in the 2008 version. Depending on exactly what kind of wire you have installed (THHN, THWN, etc.) you're looking at roughly a 4AWG wire...not something commonly found in your average home.

 

[growninnorcal]

Okay new question. Would it be safe to put a 1000 watt and a 600 watt fixture on a 20 amp? Its within the 80% range which is 1920 watts and only 1600. And does it matter if the 20amp is connected to only two outlets? PLEASE let me kow. I haven't talked to my buddy (a certifiied electrician) in over 5 months and asking him to come out to help me out of the blues isn't my style. So I can wait and see whats the easiest and safest way to keeping going.

 

[Lil Neutrino]

1600W should be fine on a 20A circuit.

You could have 300 outlets on that one 20A circuit so long as you don't overload it...but that's not the answer you were looking for lol. No, two outlets for that one circuit is fine...why do you ask? Is it because you want to run each lamp off its own receptacle? Or is it because you have another receptacle elsewhere in the house that may get used and you're worried about overloading the circuit?

If it's the first situation then it is absolutely fine. If it's the latter you should still be fine depending on what might get plugged in. Figuring you have about 300W before you hit that 80% mark that means at 120V you have enough room for a 2.5A load. This means either a lamp with three 100W bulbs in it or anything with a 300W total requirement (300W computer power supply, 300W food processor, 300W thingamajig, etc).

 

[Lil Neutrino]

Btw, I wouldn't let a 5 month period of no communications stop me from double checking with a certified electrician. Heck, if I were one I would much rather someone I knew ask me for advice regardless of when they last saw/spoke to me than hear about their place burning down...unless I just simply did not like them. I can see you not wanting to ask him to physically help you but a phone call to verify anything someone tells on on the 'net with a professional is always a good idea.

 

[growninnorcal]

Thanks for the info Lil Neutrino! Yeah, the breaker is designated to two outlets which will be for the 1000 and 600. And I sure will call my buddy too. I'm going to do a ice breaker just to say hi before asking him to come out. I plan on him helping me out on adding another breaker for another 1000. Atleast I had you confirm that 1600 on a 20 amp was safe. And no there will be no other items connected or going to be turned on since there will be no other outlets connected. Again thank you all for the input.

 

[Weed420]

I'd rather ask the following and be sure you're ok than to ass-ume you checked already and then read about your place burning down:

Did you upgrade the wire on that circuit to handle the additional amperage? I have a copy of the 2005 NEC Handbook and I don't believe the conductor ampacity charts have changed in the 2008 version. Depending on exactly what kind of wire you have installed (THHN, THWN, etc.) you're looking at roughly a 4AWG wire...not something commonly found in your average home.

I upgraded the wiring. Got it from a friend in construction. Its outdoor/underground rated 220v. Don't remember which grade it was. I needed 220v to power my Little Gray Box mechanical timer and then from there it goes 110v.