Experienced Electrician! Here to Answer Any and All Growroom Electrical Questions

SnapsProvolone said:
Don't think I would take electrical advice from a Costa Rican. They didn't adopt an electrical code until 2012. Apparently lots of handymen there that think they know what is right and wrong.

http://www.atenasconstruction.com/2013/03/21/475/
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I wouldn't let you wire me up a 10' extension cord. this is BIG BOY talk here. Come talk to me when you stop getting your electrical supplies from home depot and lowes.

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I just finished a building for a guy that imports for the oil industry here in nz, seems a good trade this importing business.
 
East Coast said:
I just finished a building for a guy that imports for the oil industry here in nz, seems a good trade this importing business.
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especially here in Costa Rica where they don't have access to so many things we take for granted. Plus the prices here are double to triple for almost anything not made in the country. A playstation 3 costs $600.
 
ScoobyDoobyDoo said:
tourney starts tomorrow. fish half a day today and then there is a cocktail hour and the captain's meeting. you can follow the progress live on www.lstournaments.com there is a link that has live updates and even a live stream of the radio call ins.
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I see it's all catch and release :) nice. I'm mostly catch and release too for my little fishies.
please post or pm me some pics of your fish...I LOVE fishing. I don't go near as often as I should. Especially considering I've three boats ;)

never done any saltwater fishing though. The biggest thing i've ever caught would be around a 50# flathead catfish. They take close to an hour to land and we often have to pull anchor and let em drag the boat around the river while we fight em. Lotta fun. I usually only fish when the river is at or above flood stage too.....adds quite an interesting aspect to the experience.

i'd love to go billfishing someday.
 
the question that needs answered first is how many other rooms and outlets are on that circuit?

shut the breaker off and find out.

If you have no other major appliances on that circuit then It'll handle it easily. at a minimum it is a 15amp circuit.
 
joe macclennan said:
I see it's all catch and release :) nice. I'm mostly catch and release too for my little fishies.
please post or pm me some pics of your fish...I LOVE fishing. I don't go near as often as I should. Especially considering I've three boats ;)

never done any saltwater fishing though. The biggest thing i've ever caught would be around a 50# flathead catfish. They take close to an hour to land and we often have to pull anchor and let em drag the boat around the river while we fight em. Lotta fun. I usually only fish when the river is at or above flood stage too.....adds quite an interesting aspect to the experience.

i'd love to go billfishing someday.
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watch the video in my signature titled "A Fishing Adventure Video" it's pretty cool. lot of underwater footage with marlin, sailfish, dorado, sharks, etc...

Here's a few pics. We mostly do video now though.

Sailfish 12.jpg Sailfish 11.jpg Phil Taking Pictures 2.jpg

Male Orca.jpg Heading Out 2.jpg Blue Marlin.jpg

180lb Yellowfin 2.jpg 40lb Dorado.jpg Heading Out.jpg

Heading to the Boat.jpg Weigh.jpg Getting Him Out The Boat.jpg
 
ScoobyDoobyDoo said:
they use pole mount oil filled transformers here. I think the one for my house is a 50kVa. might be 25kVa. I'll have to check next time I go home. I'm the only house on the transformer though.
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That is what I have a pole mount oil filled transformer and it is also only for my house but is a 25kva transformer, now in the same area there is exactly the same transformer but it has three houses connected from it, even one of the house is a two floor house with two air conditioner and a pool, so that was the reason I asked how many amps can be drawn from a 25KVA transformer without damaging, burning or blowing the transformer. Thanks In Advance
 
augusto1 said:
That is what I have a pole mount oil filled transformer and it is also only for my house but is a 25kva transformer, now in the same area there is exactly the same transformer but it has three houses connected from it, even one of the house is a two floor house with two air conditioner and a pool, so that was the reason I asked how many amps can be drawn from a 25KVA transformer without damaging, burning or blowing the transformer. Thanks In Advance
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grow away my friend. if you are the only house on the transformer there is no way you can use that much juice. you are talking about 105 continuous use amps at 240v. if you had 10 lights running and your whole house you wouldn't even be 75% there.

on average the electrical draw of a 2500 square foot house during the day is 12-20 amps. you're fine.
 
Well I figured out I'll could be drawing about 12.1 amps maximum in my cabinet (not including a few pc fans - didn't think they count for much)....That's with everything going at the same time.....I don't think I'll be adding any additional lighting to it but if I did it would be no more than a few smaller cfls......

So maybe I would be drawing like 13 or 14 amps max - that's if I got bigger bulbs which I don't plan on....

I think having around 900 watts of CFL's and T5 HO's for two plants should suffice....

My question is what gauge wire do I need to feed this if it's drawing 13 or 14 amps ?

thanks, SC

edit: also I live in the North East....Ballpark figure..how much will I be adding to my electric bill ? Just a ballpark figure please.
 
SnapsProvolone said:
#12 wire on a 20 amp circuit will work
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thanks snaps....Yep I have made sure I am on a 20 amp circuit.....So I guess I am off to the Depot to make a 12 gauge power cord.

I have 3 light fixtures, an exhaust fan, and a few (3 or 4) pc fans....So I may need about 5 to 7 outlets....When I run the power cord into the cab what do you recommend I plug it into ? A power strip ? Or should I run that power cord into an actual electric receptacle(s) inside my cab ?
 
Snaps don't mean to keep buggin' ya but the cheapest 20 amp power strip at Home Depot is $148....They don't really have much for 20 amps.....

Can I get by with a 15 amp ? They have a ton of them...I just went over all my math again, and I doubt I will be using more than around 12 amps....I actually figured it to be 12.16 amps, lol. And that would be if all three chambers were maxxed out with lighting and fans being used.
 
12 amps is 80% of a 15 amp so your right on the edge.

One coukd always use a #12 extension cord that has the three way receptacle. Splitting up your load into a couple 15 amp strips.
 
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