I have to work Biz up to that... slowly. Next light and tent is his idea, so we're getting closer.
Shiggityflip Hits The Brix - Growing Using High Brix Soil
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I have to work Biz up to that... slowly. Next light and tent is his idea, so we're getting closer.
Captainblast
New Member
13.75cents/kwh.
When setting up the shed, I ran 8/2 uf overhead for now, 100ft from my main panel in home out to a new sub panel in shed with 12 available breaker slots if using 110/single pole breakers. I wired it so each tent has 2 each, 20 amp breakers with 20amp outlets up high on each side of tent. I went ahead and added other 20 amp outlets as well as and still not sure on my veg setup so debating where to put a few more outlets. I also installed a 110 20 amp outlet dedicated for a window unit, and a 20 amp 220 breaker and outlet for a A/C with heat pump unit down the road. I have 2 breaker slots left and will get power out to a barn just for lights from that with one and once I can get a bench in the shed built will add the last outlet there. It was really easy as it was pre insulation and walls, still no walls, but soon come. In running a 400 watt MH for veg 18/6, a 1k HPS and 600 watt HPS 12/12, along with the fans and such (heat was propane for the winter) my bill, shot up $200, I had figured $150 +/-. I've never been home for years but the kid and nephews and such use it as a hunting/fishing camp when I was gone. Now they are all out of college finding out about life and as I'm home for the first time with a regular bill I don't fret the power company saying anything in this rural area. I have gotten away from the 400 watt for veg and gone to a 4 bulb 2 foot by 4 foot T8 and plan to add another of those, seems to be working very well.
Anywho, glad your feeling better and coming round Shiggity, when I get that kinda sick (rare) it seems to last all winter
Captainblast
New Member
cheap but the penny an hour part is hilarious millertm
I run 7:30 pm to 7:30 am for climate reasons basically, no discounts here and @ practically double your cost
- Thread starter
- #304
13.75cents/kwh.
When setting up the shed, I ran 8/2 uf overhead for now, 100ft from my main panel in home out to a new sub panel in shed with 12 available breaker slots if using 110/single pole breakers. I wired it so each tent has 2 each, 20 amp breakers with 20amp outlets up high on each side of tent. I went ahead and added other 20 amp outlets as well as and still not sure on my veg setup so debating where to put a few more outlets. I also installed a 110 20 amp outlet dedicated for a window unit, and a 20 amp 220 breaker and outlet for a A/C with heat pump unit down the road. I have 2 breaker slots left and will get power out to a barn just for lights from that with one and once I can get a bench in the shed built will add the last outlet there. It was really easy as it was pre insulation and walls, still no walls, but soon come. In running a 400 watt MH for veg 18/6, a 1k HPS and 600 watt HPS 12/12, along with the fans and such (heat was propane for the winter) my bill, shot up $200, I had figured $150 +/-. I've never been home for years but the kid and nephews and such use it as a hunting/fishing camp when I was gone. Now they are all out of college finding out about life and as I'm home for the first time with a regular bill I don't fret the power company saying anything in this rural area. I have gotten away from the 400 watt for veg and gone to a 4 bulb 2 foot by 4 foot T8 and plan to add another of those, seems to be working very well.
Anywho, glad your feeling better and coming round Shiggity, when I get that kinda sick (rare) it seems to last all winter
Thanks for the rundown capn! Yeah I am running a 600hps for veg and would like to change it out. I am thinking of getting three or four of those Marshydro 130watt lights as they are still cheap and available on the bay. Or I may go with some fluors. But summer is on its way so I need to make some adjustments! I'm basement located so that helps with cooling but I need to think about an AC u it for the summer months. My basement windows are all the 1 foot high by two foot wide type set into cement wells as my basement ceiling is flush with the ground on three sides. On one side the basement has walls open to the air for about 3 feet. So I am not sure how to go. I know they have those portable AC units that duct to the outside and I could use one of those but in the past I have bought one of those and found they created almost as much heat as they removed. A Mitsubishi type split AC is an option but a pretty expensive one.
Currently I think my best option with be to run six to eight of the LEDs and cut out the hps lights in the summer (2 600s in flower and one in veg).
If we end up deciding to live here for the next several years I have kind of a crazy idea. I would dig a hole near our creek which is 20 feet from the house and put a tiny tub with holes in the ground. The tub will fill with water from the creek. I would put a pump in the tub leading to a pipe going into the basement which will connect to a heat exchanger like a car radiator. Put a line from the heat exchanger back downstream into the creek. A fan blowing on the heat exchanger would act as an AC unit. All for the power of a pump and fan. I thought about doing one for our bedroom too.
Captainblast
New Member
Indeed Shiggs and especially since you're not certain on how long you'll be there I get it. Now that DIY brain fart you have there is a hell of an idea, you are always giving me a new
. My water supply is well water, most of the farmers in the area are digging 350 to 600 foot wells, mine is 37 feet and really good water, I know I have told you previously of my high ppm's but not bad for drinking, I've had it tested, I used to be gone for 6-8 months and I would always fill up a mason jar and cap it to see what it looked like when I came home and turned the pump back on, never a bit of sediment. Anyway, I was doing some clearing with a backhoe a few years back and found some nice clean wet gravel at about 15 ft deep and said to myself; "self, you've an underground stream here. I bet we can dig our own wells anywhere about here with PVC pipe and a water hose?". Well by golly I did just that, and now I may just do another and try to incorporate your idea into it. If I ever get around to it. Yeah I've found the single split type units for around a grand, and since my home is small and I only use a couple window units, I've been thinking about one of those myself for the home, double split so more money, but hell I need to invest in some of those LED's first and see how that helps my heat situation come summer as well as the 'ole utility bill. And on those indoor units you're absolutely correct, they suck!
By Golly you got me get my sketch pad out for sure though. Keep them ideas coming my 420 Brother.
Noob4x4grow
New Member
I have some serious catching up to do reading these posts but I'm in. The amount of information in this and previous journals is phenomenal. Good work.
Noob4x4grow
New Member
Dude, You're freakin McGuyver!
just passing through 
Captainblast
New Member
Just a 200amp panel Major, have a few slots left on it. If you take a 40 amp double throw breaker and plug it into your main (lots of people use a 30 amp), then you can run 8 qa or possibly 10ga wire (depending on distance) I'd recommend the 8 to a sub panel which are only $15-25 stateside and you can often find them with 3 to 6 - 20 amp breakers included at your box stores. If your room is in your house the cost is even less expensive as you don't need an underground rated wire. Lots of variables but as Shiggity points out pretty darn simple. Its nice to set up and have a dedicated 20 amp circuit with 20 amp outlets (tad more expensive than standard 15 amp outlets).
be happy to help any way I can.
- Thread starter
- #310
The good news is I got everything installed, I had a nice spot for that 50amp breaker and ran 6/2 NM-R wire along the floor joists and mounted the light controller on the grow room ceiling. Now all mu lights are plugged into it and an additional accessory fan. All together my lights right now are about 19 amps in flower so I am good to go for a long while even with a few expansions. Maybe next winter I will run some 1000s.
And I must say, a non contact voltage detector is a man's best friend when going into a circuit panel!
And I must say, a non contact voltage detector is a man's best friend when going into a circuit panel!
I've got space in my panel but having room for a breaker doesn't overcome my ultimate limitation: 200A. While not likely, we have several big current draws that could cause problems when combined: swimming pool pump, well pump, arc welder, heat pump, 2 water heaters, high powered audio/home theater, etc.
I set up all our circuits for 20A from the get-go. All circuits are wired with one step heavier gauge than code for 20A. My easy solution is still to run all my grow light stuff on 230V. They all switch automatically. The real kicker is the sub-panel in the area where my grow is (not the house). It is only a 60A panel and it is full (a couple are half-width breakers).
Honestly, I grow more than I can consume already. I just gave away 8 oz. to stay legal and once my Tigers finish I'll probably have to trash another 8 zips.
Yo Shiggs
Reading this made me wonder if I can add a breaker to my panel which is located directly next to my tent (s).
Right now I am running on a 15 amp circuit. I would love to add an additional 20a in one of the blank slots in my panel. Can you point me to a resource where I can watch how it's done? Thx mane.
Reading this made me wonder if I can add a breaker to my panel which is located directly next to my tent (s).
Right now I am running on a 15 amp circuit. I would love to add an additional 20a in one of the blank slots in my panel. Can you point me to a resource where I can watch how it's done? Thx mane.
DeanB
New Member
The non contact live wire detector is a great too . I agree.
- Thread starter
- #314
If you have never done it before I recommend clearing out the area and getting a certified electrician or a buddy that is really good with wiring to help. Electricity is a fickle thing and you can get killed if you do it incorrectly. So I would hate to post something here that would get my buddy Stage killed. After you have seen it done once in person it is not hard at all. There are just basic things to be careful of whenever you are working with electricity.
There are a ton of videos online about installing a dedicated 20 amp circuit. and other videos on installing a 120V circuit breaker. Watch all of those you can. If you feel comfortable after watching those vids, then watch some more. Then get an electrician to show you how to do it lol. They have classes at Homie de Pot stores also. I would get a good book from the bookstore too. Then message me and we will talk!
Don't worry, it actually isnt that difficult, I just want my man Stage to be safe!!!
Connecting to the panel is the only thing that gives me the willies, so I wire everything first and double/triple check it - THEN I hook it up to the big juice. 
No worries, easy peasy. 
[Edit] I'm bad though - I do it live, without pulling the mains.
No worries, easy peasy. [Edit] I'm bad though - I do it live, without pulling the mains.
DeanB
New Member
knowing basic electrical wiring, i did a similar project.
200 amp main panel in the house, ran 130 feet of 6/2 through the attic then down an exterior wall and into a outdoor J-box where i slip bolted my connection with single strand 6 gauge wire that went in the grey pipe in underground trench I dug to 18". I then ran that into the shop panel that i installed with a 50 amp breaker and ran 12 gauge wires for all my 20 amp outlets.
Pretty simple to do, I bought a book and read on how it's done and watched some vids on youtube. Just remember to only touch one wire at a time when handling live wire. You touch two, complete the circuit and get shocked. Another good tool is a sharpie for labeling what wire goes were in the panel. Also a circuit detector if you have mess of a panel, one piece plugs into an outlet and the other you scan down the breakers until it beeps and that's the breaker for the outlet.
Dr Bob
New Member
What Shiggity said! Hooking up a circuit is one of the simplest things and also one that can quickly burn your house down, put you in the hospital or kill. Odd that hooking up 3 wires can be so particular.
Do your homework, get pro advise and be safe!
Bob
Do your homework, get pro advise and be safe!
Bob
- Thread starter
- #318
Yes Graytail has it correct for sure. I had started writing out a whole protocol but then decided it may ba a dangerous thing to post online. I don't want someone careless reading it and creating a dangerous situation. But please dont let me scare you away from doing it stage, you just gotta make sure you are so damn well informed that you have no chance of making a mistake. And even then you gotta be careful!
Look at the vids, and online text and books. You will see it is pretty easy. But you will also see all the little things. Like what Graytail said. It is better to connect everything before the breaker because you wont have live wires possibly connecting or floating around. With everything connected you are ready to connect the breaker and then flip the power back on. Easy Peasy as GT says.
There are other little safety measures. Like standing on a rubber mat so you aren't grounded to the floor. Or keeping one hand behind your back grabbing your belt when installing the circuit breaker. That is because if there are two hands touching the electricity can go up one arm, through your heart, and out the other arm killing you. One hand is not totally safe but safer than two.
And never wire alone. Have someone there watching over you just in case something happens.
Look at the vids, and online text and books. You will see it is pretty easy. But you will also see all the little things. Like what Graytail said. It is better to connect everything before the breaker because you wont have live wires possibly connecting or floating around. With everything connected you are ready to connect the breaker and then flip the power back on. Easy Peasy as GT says.
There are other little safety measures. Like standing on a rubber mat so you aren't grounded to the floor. Or keeping one hand behind your back grabbing your belt when installing the circuit breaker. That is because if there are two hands touching the electricity can go up one arm, through your heart, and out the other arm killing you. One hand is not totally safe but safer than two.
And never wire alone. Have someone there watching over you just in case something happens.
Thx Shiggs! Understood
Noob4x4grow
New Member
Electricity scares the shiz out of me. I won't mess with it. But I live in a house that was built in the 40's, with some upgrades. One room in my house will shut down half the upstairs if I plug my 1500 watt space heater into any of it's plugs. So, I started worrying that I wouldn't be able to have my end goal of 2 separate gardens in one room of my house. So, I started experimenting in that room, using the plugs I plan to use for my grow. I plugged in said 1500 watt heater and started turning on all the other appliances that were on that plug including a 42" flat screen, cable box, dvd player, lamp. Then I turned on my 80 watt amp that is plugged in on the other side of the room and turned the light on. I left it all on for an hour before going around the upstairs and turning everything on. wtf?
The outlet that I plan to use is one of the upgrades rewired in when the previous owners moved the box to the basement 20 years ago.
With a 96 watt T5, a 600 watt MH, a 600 watt HPS, two 4" inline fans, and 2 oscillating fans. I am hoping this will suffice. What do you think Shiggity?
The outlet that I plan to use is one of the upgrades rewired in when the previous owners moved the box to the basement 20 years ago.
With a 96 watt T5, a 600 watt MH, a 600 watt HPS, two 4" inline fans, and 2 oscillating fans. I am hoping this will suffice. What do you think Shiggity?
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