Need urgent help! read please

[Growing247]

OK HERE IS THE PROBLE. FOR OVER 2 YEARS I HAVE BEEN GROWING INDOORS IN A BASEMENT WITH THE FANS CREATING NEGATIVE PRESSIDE EXHAUSTING THE AIR OUT A ROOF VENTILATION SYSTEM WITH CHARCOAL PREFILTER. I RUN 2 1000 WATT SWITCHABLE BALLASTS AS WELL AS 2 HOODS, AND 2 EXHAUST FARNS. 1 MID SIDE DEHUMIDIFIER AS WELL AS VARIOUS CIRCULATION FANS, THERMOMETARS AND AIR PUMPS DEPENDING IF IM RUNNING A SMALL DWC OPERATION. LATELY, THE FUSE BOX HAS BEEN RANDMNLY TRIPPING WHERE IT NEVER USED TO DO THAT BEFORE FOR OVER 10-12 MONTHS. i AM WONDERING IF ALL I NEED TO DO IS REPLACE THE BREAKERS, OR THE WHOLE FUSE BOX AND INSTALL SOMETHING MORE HEAVY DUTY. I WANT TO STEP UP TO 10,000 WATTS OR 20 500 WATT LIGHTS... ANY ADVICE....BTW THE TRANSFORMER IS A 200 AMP STEP DOWN TRANSFORMER. THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY IDEAD.

 

[iminadaze]

Re: Need urgent help!!!!read please

Wow! That would be quite a grow setup. 20 500 watt lights... Thats going to draw around 140 amps. What is the amp rating on the weatherhead on your house? Your not going to be able to exceed that without having the wires from the utility pole replaced. What is the amp rating of the main breaker on your panel?

As far as the breaker tripping they do wear out, especially if the amp load on the breaker is high. Your 2 lights alone are drawing 19 amps. Add in the dehumidifier and fans and pumps could be an additional 15 amps. That's 34 amps right there. I would add a sub panel off the main with a higher amp rated breaker. A 50/60 amp sub panel will do for what you have now and give you some room for additional juice when needed.

 

[LookN2Resurch]

Re: Need urgent help!!!!read please

It's just an opinion, but I would go look at the fuse box and see if it is labeled which AMP units are ran where in your home, and plug 1 light into one outlet via long extension cord, and it will not be hitting the same breaker as the other 1000W unit and it shouldnt trip, ever. If you upgrade you will be able to run 2 1000's on one outlet without a single problem by simply replacing the breakers with higher Amperage. That would be my first thought. I would Imagine you could run 10,000W with 5 upgraded breakers. The heat is probably a major factor this month & probably making the A/C work harder on the outlets and of course the breaker box is at its hottest during this month of the year. Im only keeping my house cool & no growing (not legal here) & had to go buy a 8,000 BTU window A/C unit, & 3 Vornado's last week because the heat alone is killing me this month, and Im already so sick & weak, it took the life out of me just to install that unit.. It has been Extremely hot.

 

[Maer]

Re: Need urgent help!!!!read please

Why all caps?

 

[Captain Kronic]

I would agree w/LN2R... it's probably the time of year... ambient outside heat more than likely!

 

[iminadaze]

Re: Need urgent help!!!!read please

If you do upgrade the breaker you use now, check the wire guage to make sure it can support the amperage. 12 guage=20 amps, 10 guage=30 amps, etc

When the wire is undersized for the current draw, the unit using the power will draw more current on the breaker and cause excess heat to build up which will trip it.
It is the heat from the current tripping the breaker, that is how a breaker functions. You might be able to get away with putting a fan in front of the breaker panel to cool it.

I think that LookN2Resurch's extention cord idea is a good fix until you decide which option to take for a permanent solution.

 

[LookN2Resurch]

Thank you for that. I completely forgot to mention anything about what gauge wire to run when upgrading. I could have started a fire.... \(@_@)/