# setting up electrical feed for future grow room



## newanimal (Mar 20, 2009)

hello. My first post. Wonderful forum. I plan on building a grow room in the future and Im installing the electrical feeds to a eventual subpanel first. Not sure how big a grow room at this point but  I want to keep myself covered with enough current capacity in any event. I'm thinking a hydroponics.Could someone offer any suggestion or guidlines here? Any advantage to running 240v as well?


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## TURKEYNECK (Mar 20, 2009)

well not sure what the kind of guidlines you're lookin for, 240 pulls half the amps as 120v but it wont really make a difference on your power bill if thats what you're asking.. the sub-panel is def a good idea though. safety first kids! hehe


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## Lemmongrass (Mar 20, 2009)

less amp less suspect.


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## Growdude (Mar 20, 2009)

lotek said:
			
		

> less amp less suspect.



Less amps same wattage so it makes no difference.


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## BuddyLuv (Mar 20, 2009)

Really depends on how big of a room you are gonna make. I run a 12'x7'x7' room. I have 4 independent circuits for the room alone. I ran power to the subpanel, then ran independent circuits form there. I have 2 20 amp 120v (runs my circulating fans, CO2, pumps, and main controller), 1 30 amp 120v (runs my intake,exhaust,and fans for cooling my lights), and 1 50 amp 120v (runs my ballasts). Running 240v is more efficient for multiple ballast set-ups, but you will find that all of your other equipment will be 110-120v, so unless you plan on going big I would just run 120V. Also it really helps to sit down and map how the room will be set-up before deciding where to place your outlets. I have one outlet on the ceiling for my pumps and stuff, you want to make it a clean as you can, so you do not have wires running all over the place.


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## pcduck (Mar 20, 2009)

:goodposting: :bolt: :bong2:


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## newanimal (Mar 20, 2009)

thanks buddyL. very helpful. That size growroom sounds like what I may have in mind .Could you fill in some more details? what amp rating for your subpanel/disconnect breakers main breaker(s). What awg # main feed wire to sub? what light system? bout how many plants can you manage? Can you estimate your KWH usage?


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## CasualGrower (Mar 20, 2009)

I have a 10'X25' grow room in my attic.  I ran a sub panel to there with a total of a 40 amp supply..  Off that I ran 4 15 amp circuits, now I cant run all them at max power of course, but i wont be anywhere close to that with my power needs anyway.  

On that I am running 3 400 watt lamps probably another 400 watts of CFLs for veg room and pumps and timers and exhaust....  ]

I am running Inline fans for my exhaust so they do not pull much power at all....

For the supply line to the sub, I ran #10 cable ( I think )...  Maybe # 8,  whichever one it is the one rated for 40 amps...  Ran  that to my main box and hooked in with a 40 amp breaker.

If ytou are not comfortable with electricity, I would suggest getting some help with the project.


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## BuddyLuv (Mar 20, 2009)

I am running 8 600w lumateks, 2 aerojet 4 units, 3 737 cfm can fans, 1 590 cfm can fan, 3 wall mounted ocilating fans, dehumidifier, and few other tiny things in my flower room. In my veg area which is just a little area outside of the room I am running 3 4 foot 8 bulb T5 units, an ecolpus 80 watt pump, a powercloner 45 and 25, and a small ocilating fan not sure of th KWH but I pay on average 7 cents a kw and my bill increased about 100 bucks a month to run all of it. I bought a subpanel from Lowes with 8 spots in it, I am not sure of the guage but it definantly larger then 8. I will ask my buddy tonight. He actually ran the subpanel while I was doing other things and then I ran my dedicated circuits myself. I can manage 72 plants in veg and 48 in my flower room. I also have a BC Northern Lights Producer that I flower in as well.


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## huh (Mar 23, 2009)

a indoor 50amp subpanel will run u about 30 bucks. u can use #8-3 romex from your main panel to sub panel. a 50amp panel will cover all bases more than likley a normal room will be around 20-30 amps. if u dont use the full 50amps thats good but its good to know u have it.


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## greenfriend (Apr 17, 2009)

Depends on the capacity of your main line.  My main is 600amp max.  Ran a 10 ft line to a 200 amp max 120/240V/ three phase subpanel. use two of the three phases to get a 240V 40 amp circuit and run 8/3 romex to an MLC-8 controller for each set of 8 240V 1000W ballasts.  use one phase to install a few 20 amp 120V circuits for pumps, fans, 120V floros. etc

use 240V allows me a max capacity of 32,000W of lighting, as well as pumps, fans, etc


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## TURKEYNECK (Apr 17, 2009)

greenfriend said:
			
		

> Depends on the capacity of your main line. My main is 600amp max. Ran a 10 ft line to a 200 amp max 120/240V/ three phase subpanel. use two of the three phases to get a 240V 40 amp circuit and run 8/3 romex to an MLC-8 controller for each set of 8 240V 1000W ballasts. use one phase to install a few 20 amp 120V circuits for pumps, fans, 120V floros. etc
> 
> use 240V allows me a max capacity of 32,000W of lighting, as well as pumps, fans, etc



you must live in a castle if you have a 600amp service


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## Growdude (Apr 18, 2009)

TURKEYNECK said:
			
		

> you must live in a castle if you have a 600amp service



3 phase, must be a commercial op.


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## yoda (May 17, 2009)

And my brain just exploded! My roommates dad is a master electrician, enough said


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## SherwoodForest (May 18, 2009)

This is funny, who knew so many folks here are electricians!  And a guy with a 3 phase 600 amp service, holy cow, that could light a forest full of plants.  I really like seeing the use of seperate sub panels and multiple circuit breakers, that can keep most everything working, if any one circuit pops a breaker. I'm wondering how some of you guys with high amp draws are flying under the rader as far as the electric company seeing it each month? I know there are ways to avoid being noticed, but can you guys give any advice on how YOU keep from being noticed? I'm thinking about doing a winter grow inside this year, and I might use my generator to keep the electric company from seeing a rise in use.


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## The Hemp Goddess (May 18, 2009)

SherwoodForest said:
			
		

> This is funny, who knew so many folks here are electricians!  And a guy with a 3 phase 600 amp service, holy cow, that could light a forest full of plants.  I really like seeing the use of seperate sub panels and multiple circuit breakers, that can keep most everything working, if any one circuit pops a breaker. I'm wondering how some of you guys with high amp draws are flying under the rader as far as the electric company seeing it each month? I know there are ways to avoid being noticed, but can you guys give any advice on how YOU keep from being noticed? I'm thinking about doing a winter grow inside this year, and I might use my generator to keep the electric company from seeing a rise in use.



In general, the power company does not care what your usage is.  Pay your bills on time, do not steal electricity, and do not use a generator.  The use of a generator someplace where you have electricity is always suspect.  How large a grow are you planning on anyway?


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## NorCalHal (May 18, 2009)

Why do you think that Cali goes thru blackouts man...it aint the Air conditioners, it's all the 1000w lights blown up all over the state!

LikeTHG said, pay your bill on time and you will have no issues.


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## SherwoodForest (May 18, 2009)

Well out here a generator is nothing, people use them on a daily basis. Mine is a comercial diesel powered 14,000 watt unit, so I might use it. I always heard that the electric company sees a jump in use and it is a red flag to them. I think I have read that folks have gotten turned into the cops by the electric company.


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## The Hemp Goddess (May 18, 2009)

SherwoodForest said:
			
		

> Well out here a generator is nothing, people use them on a daily basis. Mine is a comercial diesel powered 14,000 watt unit, so I might use it. I always heard that the electric company sees a jump in use and it is a red flag to them. I think I have read that folks have gotten turned into the cops by the electric company.



I am not sure that it is a good idea to use a generator with large wattage HID lighting...


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## greenfriend (May 21, 2009)

people that draw large currents and wattage (4000W+) grow in places where it is normal to use lots of power, in other words, where everyone is paying huge electric bills.  common sense people


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## viper (May 22, 2009)

huh said:
			
		

> a indoor 50amp subpanel will run u about 30 bucks. u can use #8-3 romex from your main panel to sub panel. a 50amp panel will cover all bases more than likley a normal room will be around 20-30 amps. if u dont use the full 50amps thats good but its good to know u have it.


 
50 amp sub panel   -- buddyluv is running about 27 amps with everything on at once . DIY add up all the wattage to everything right down to the oscilating fan , everything you use should be UL listed and will have the watts listed as well , divide the wattage total by 240v (sub panel ) and you have your sub panel breaker size , like huh said bigger is better .
i would consider arc fault breakers and gfci plugs for added saftey maybe throw ya a smoke detector in there as well .


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