I am pretty sure the plant count would not matter as much as the total area the light covered. For instances, a 315 watt CMH could light a 4 x 4 area. In a 4 x 4 area, you could put 10 small plants or 1 large one.
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2 tents is nothing.
For 6,000 watts I ran a #4-3 cable from a 60 amp breaker on the main to a six breaker load center and ran those to outlets. Good for 7,000watts 120v 14,000 watts 240V
$20 for a 60 amp breaker , $7 a foot for cable, $24 for the load center box.$6 each breaker and some 12-3 romex, outlets,boxes and covers all done under $300
Getting an electrician is a good idea if you dont know this stuff.
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7000watts divided by 120V = 58.33amps if you are running a 60 amp breaker, make sure it is a 100% constant use capacity or it is to small. Remember for constant loads, it is only 80% of the rated amperage. not to mention the "super lumens function on most ballasts. so lets say 6 1000 watt lights at super lumens = 6600watts / 120v = 55amps
for a 56amp constant load you need a 70amp breaker.
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Like I said at the start that set up was for running 6000 watts. the 4-3 wire itself will be safe running the 7,000 watts. I went more then needed as I ran more 4,000 watts of lights, pumps and fans and room to spare.
And that doesnât even cover inrush current, Iâm not talking about a Canadian 3 man band
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Hi guys, Iâm new here, was an old member and now Iâm back.
Iâm an apprentice 3rd year electrician, according to a fully licensed electrician I still havenât earned the right to call myself an âelectricianââŚ
I have worked in both residential and commercial electricity and much prefer doing commercial: hospitals, shopping malls, grocerie stores, farms etcâŚ
I actually took my electricians course because of this indoor growing hobby of ours, started growing with 1000w hps and 400w hps lights at the age of 17 and like many of you figured out that running big power required a minium of electrical knowledgeâŚ
I was influenced and inspired by a guy named mad penguin on icmag forums to become an actual electrician.
Altought I havent worked as an electrician in almost 2 years because I prefer the cannabis industry and love the freedom of being my own boss and making my own decisions I still have all the knowledge and experience I gained working in electricity.
Iâm very knowledged in the equipment used for growing so I can help you guys out, it will be a pleasure to help this community and help newbies avoid burning their house or appartment down 
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I cringe every time i see a electrical cord run on the floor of a tent. 
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I have a lot of experience and a college degree that says I am an Industrial electrician, your help will be welcomed by many who need guidance
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And thatâs a fact jack
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Look at viva_mexico calculations, that would be the first step in putting together a grow room that requires more then a single 1000 w lamp.
Itâs called the law of ohm and they are a few simple math equations that will allow you to calculate everything from breaker size, wire size and total amount of amps being drawn and you can easily convert watts into amps to easily calculate your total load. Most equipment and electronics use watts to rate the amount of power it uses but in the electrical industry we use amps to calculate this.
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Hello BlackMarketMeds
I started this thread several weeks with a simple truth. . . I was at a lost about what to do about an electrical issue. As a new grower, my concept of electricity is âplug the socket into the wall, and it comes on.â Especially with the power consumption of a grow room, a grower MUST expand beyond that knowledge base. This is difficult to do when security is at issue.
I donât want a multitude of electricians, plumbers, and carpenters inspecting my grow, so most issues I am learning to take care of myself. It is nice to have someone on our forum with your knowledge basis. Welcome back!
CannaRose
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Thanks bud, I understand what youâre going through, itâs not that simple when youâre starting out, itâs a mix of horticulture, plumbing and electricity which are all complicated on their ownâŚ
Good luck.
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One of the things i like about commercial growing is all of the trades being used in the entire process. One of them is electrical. Something i never thought i would have to know for growing was all of the electrical formulations and what you need to know when you start from 0. For example, my high voltage lines are 23,000 volts. From there, i have fuses, and than a step down transformer. Down two 240volts. Something i didnât know until i got the ac was how to get a single phase 240v from a 3phase 240v transformer .
I have a 3 phase transformer. Each leg to ground is 120v. Leg to leg is 240v.
1 phase is 120
2 phases is 240
My mini split 5ton is mono phase 240v.
A- a two pole breaker rated at the max amperage of the ac and than the two phases join at the unit to make 1 240v
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Your English is pretty good but I am having trouble understanding the question and what is a 5ton mini split, and then are you actually in Mexico?
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Yea, English is my first language. I do live in Mexico. I have adopted not using a uppercase I like in spanish.
Sometimes I am a bit stoned so I donât explain myself. Let me edit
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A typical household electric service is 200 amps, which consists of two individual 100amp lines and a neutral or common to the pole so looking in the âservice cabinetâ you will see three cables coming in. each of the hot legs are 120v the dual breaker is serviced by both of these legs . These legs service the cabinet on alternating rungs in the box.Both legs return by mutual neutral (common) ((white wire))which is not the same as the green or green/yellow wire which is a ground. Although both the green and white are connected to terminal strips that are screwed to the cabinet. The NEC does not allow both white and green wires to exist intermingled on the same terminal strip white wires only to connect with white wires and green wires only to connect with other green wires . Now I ask you is that the confusing answer you are looking for?
This house barely meets electrical code butâŚ
in the top are two large black cables with an unshielded neutral in the middle each black insulated cable is a 120 v line.the bare copper leads are grounds while the white wires are commons NEC does not allow this practice any more this mess is grandfathered in if the house wiring is modified a permit and inspection is required and all the old crap would have to be brought up to date
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This is the schematic for how the hot rungs work in alternating rows
The three main wires at top are labeled A. N. B.
A and B are 120 line voltage. N. Is neutral or common
A services breakers 1,3,5,7,9,11,13 on the left side of the pane and services 15,17,19,21,23,25,27 on the right side
B services 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 on the left and services 16,18,20,22,24,26,28 on the right side. Therefore if you connect adjoining breakers like thisâŚon a âdouble breakerâ like this you will get a 240v service this double breaker is the actual air conditioner circuit breaker for this house it is a 60 amp pair each individual leg is 60a
Does that answer your questions?
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