A question about energy consumption: how much is safe before everything blows?

[macnasty]

Hi all,

I'm a bit nervous about my first setup. I'd like to know if it's safe to run all my equipment from a single bedroom without having to worry about a power failure. Below is what I have in my closet, and below that is what I may have running in my bedroom at the same time. I appreciate all your help.

Closet -->

- 5 x 250GPH water pumps
- 2 x air pumps
- 2 x timers
- 1 x 6" vortex in-line fan (sorry I don't know how many cubic feet this thing pumps)
- 1 x 1000W HPS
- 1 x 9" oscillating fan
- 4 x 42W CFL's

...and in the rest of my bedroom -->

- 1 x 32" LCD TV
- 1 x 150W 5 speaker surround sound system w/ subwoofer
- 1 x P4 computer
- 2 x 23W CFL's

I apologize if all this addition is picking at your brains, but the advice I'm after is more intuitive, from an experienced grower. Does this seem like an overload of power consumption, or is it within a safe range for a single room? Also, I ran all this equipment for 1.25 hours and didn't experience any problems, but is it possible to run into problems over a longer period of time? Thank you in advance.

I hope that one day I gain enough experience so that I may help anyone else in need.

macnasty Reviewed by macnasty on 10-06-2008. A question about energy consumption: how much is safe before everything blows? Hi all, I'm a bit nervous about my first setup. I'd like to know if it's safe to run all my equipment from a single bedroom without having to worry about a power failure. Below is what I have in my closet, and below that is what I may have running in my bedroom at the same time. I appreciate all your help. Closet --> - 5 x 250GPH water pumps - 2 x air pumps - 2 x timers - 1 x 6" vortex in-line fan (sorry I don't know how many cubic feet this thing pumps) Rating: 5

[smpaz420]

i have bout the same setup as you, except i have a 600 watt light. the thing you have to think of which i didnt at the time is the next room probably uses the same circuit in your breaker box. you have about what i have in both rooms combined so if the next room is consuming alot of power you might overload the circuit. i know i cant run a vacuum on that circuit when the lights are on! learned that one the hard way. you should be fine with what you have though. I am going to wire a plug in my room that is on its own breaker to avoid this situation in the future, you might think of doing the same.

[macnasty]

i appreciate the advice smpaz420, but i don't have the electrical knowledge to designate a breaker to a single outlet, although that would take a serious weight off my mind. could you maybe refer me to a guide? thanks.

[stinkyattic]

A 1000w light and its ventilation system should run off their own 20a breaker; you can run some pumps and minor shit off it too but that is a big load.
Get the TV and computer onto another breaker entirely. Also, remember that the breakers in most bedrooms are not even rated for 20a; 15a is more common, and the wires in the walls will be, at best, a 14 gauge Romex, when a 1000HPS really should run off 12 gauge especially if you are also plugging in fans on the same run.

Your setup is not safe. Split it. Go down into the cellar and look at teh breaker box. If there is one designated 'laundry', that is a good choice for a big light. Also 'oven' (obviously don't run the oven when lights are on) or 'garage'. Those are virtually always wired up on 20a dedicated breakers.

If I were you, I'd get my stuff out of the bedroom and into a room likely to have better wiring. At the VERY least, put the TV and computer in the living room on a different circuit.

[bowl]

Always remember..."electricity is heat". 1-20 amp breaker means just that.It will allow 20 amps of current to flow through it..anymore than 20 amps,and it will reset...look at the information data plates located on all your electrical devices..it should tell you how many amps each electrical device is rated for...You don't want to overload a 20 amp breaker with 30 amps of electrical devices....too much electricity traveling on a wire designed for a 20 amp circuit is bad because the"heat" will cause your electrical wires to melt...thus creating a fire...

[stinkyattic]

That's right. Overloading a wire means increased resistance, electrical resistance creates heat (an incandescant light bulb is a resistor in a vacuum... your toaster is strips of resistors that get hot when current goes through them... a hair dryer is the same), and that heat can be dangerous.

[killerweed420]

Find out if all your bedroom is on one breaker or 2. 110 X 20amps=2200 watts. So you don't want to get too close to 2200 watts per breaker.

[stinkyattic]

Remember with HID lights there is a surge at ignition, so if your light SAYS it draws, say, 9 amps, the surge could be significantly more than that.
Stay at about 85% of the rated amps on your circuit.

[tomcromp]

Have a look at your user manual for all your items in the technical info. section it should state Amp usage.My 600w amp uses 6.2amps it all depends on the equiptment usages. I would use two seperate circuits for your grow room dont forget that all rooms on your floor would usually be on the same socket outlet circuit.

[macnasty]

thanks a lot peeps. all your advice has been very helpful regarding this extremely important topic. as far as i understand it i could have blown the entire house up, thus placing myself and everyone who lives here at risk. my intention now is to "borrow" power from the garage using an extension cord that runs through the garage and through the bricks outside my bedroom, and into the closet. this cord will be dedicated to supplying power to ONLY the 1000W HPS and 300 CFM inline fan. i plan on starting a grow log once i order in the missing parts for my digi cam. later.