Electrician Needed!!

GrowFun21 · 09-22-2002, 12:01 PM

Yesterday I plugged in my 400 watt MH/HPS switchable ballast into a surge protector that is plugged into an extension cord that plugs into the wall. The light and bulb are both brand new and there is no sign of wear on the bulb, no black marks or anything. The light would flicker and charge up to full power and sdtay for about 4 secs, then get dim for about 15, then bright for 4 again (over and over). This morning I woke up and a fuse was blown. I replaced it and as soon as i plugged the light back in it blew again. I have old buss fuses and this house is pretty old. On the bottom of the fusebox (see pic below) there are different buss fuses with different amps. How can i fix this? Can i put a different fuse (higher amps) in the same slot as the 20 amp type W that is in there now?.......or could I try and plug the light into a different outlet in the house and not worry about this problem?.......

mary-G-wanna · 09-22-2002, 12:23 PM

1 of a few things

a bad ballast......... an extension cord/surge protector that cant handle the load you are putting on it..... or the breaker box itself.

I would go to home depot and buy a new 100 amp breaker box to support "just" the grow room.

GrowFun21 · 09-22-2002, 12:55 PM

The ballast is by diamond growlights, so it should be a nice piece of equiptment...it is brand new.......if it was the extension cord/surge protector, how could I tell this? And I rent this house, it is a duplex with a seperate breaker box for the upstairs people. How much would a new box cost and how in gods name would i find out how to hook it up?.....

mary-G-wanna · 09-22-2002, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GrowFun21
The ballast is by diamond growlights, so it should be a nice piece of equiptment...it is brand new.......

That's a valid point. Being new does help you think that isn't the problem. (however even factory workers make a mistake and let a bad one thru from time to time) For now you have eliminated that from the problem. (unless you don't find a problem in the next 2 steps)

Quote:

if it was the extension cord/surge protector, how could I tell this?

Ok, first eliminate the surge protector. (ie. remove it and just run the cord) Does it still give the problem you described?
No: --> You found the problem, Grow on
Yes: --> Next test

Is the extension cord a "heavy duty" GROUNDED cord? (ie. does it have the "3" prongs? or just the 2 little flat ones?)
No: --> go get an extension cord, and Grow on.
Yes: --> Next step

Are the plugs on the end of it getting hot while the light is "trying" to run?

No: --> you have a problem. (see next quote)
Yes: --> Go get a "REAL" extension cord and throw that cheap piece of crap away. You found the problem, Grow on.

Quote:

And I rent this house, it is a duplex with a seperate breaker box for the upstairs people. How much would a new box cost and how in gods name would i find out how to hook it up?.....

Well, you have a problem. I don't suggest putting a new breaker in a RENTAL property, for the simple reason I am a real estate investor and have several rental properties of my own and I would pick up on that in a heartbeat. (With me you wouldn't have a problem, with YOUR landlord you most certainly will.)

A way around it: Call him or her, tell them.... "I am having a huge problem keeping "fuses" in this box." "Have previous renters had any problems?" "I have put XXX number of fuses in the box in the past XXX number of days and nothing seems to help." "Could you maybe have an electrician come look at it tomorrow, before my milk spoils."

HAHA! or something to that effect. Just have a handfull or 2 of fuses to give him/her (blown or not, they aren't really gonna look at them) when them come to check it out theirself. AND HIDE YOUR GROW!

Anyway, once you get an electrician out there looking at that 50 year old (or more) box, you can bet your crop he'll want to put a new box in for you.

hope that helps.

warflyr · 09-22-2002, 04:31 PM

sounds like you are trying to pull to amyn amps from that 20amp breaker/fuse
easiest solution would be find everything that is run off of that breaker, and move them to a different breaker, if that is the only breaker/fuse for your living complex, then read on the box and see if it says "20AMP only" on it, if it doesnt, try putting a 30amp fuse in there, if it does say 20AMP only, why not try a 30amp fuse anyways, the most it could do is start a fire

only problem i can see with using a larger fuse is that it will allow you to pull 30amps, which may make the main fuse blow which will put everyone in your complex without power

Brown Jenkin · 09-22-2002, 05:08 PM

Hey Growfun... I wouldn't suggest upgrading the fuse to 30 amps untill you know the gauge of the wire running from your panel to the outlet.... fuses and breakers are installed to protect the WIRING, not the appliances on the circuit!
It sounds to me that you have an overload situation ..this could be because of the length and gauge of your extension cord and surge protector. In order to remedy this, you should increase the size (gague) of your extension cord to reduce line resistance,and also remove the surge protector.(your ballast has a capacitor in it thats is basically does the same thing as a surge protector).
You should also have only the lighting on that circuit (no other loads eg. fans, house-hold lights, etc.) The more you eliminate from the circuit, the less current will be needed on the circuit.
Hope this helps

GrowFun21 · 09-22-2002, 06:01 PM

I think im f*****......im not very good with wiring and fuses and thngs of that sort, so this is my weak spot whe it comes to the grow, and thi is where my problem lies. The box has 2 cartridges that come out...one says main and he other one says range.....there are 2 buss fuses under each of them. I do not think tere is away to run my applincs off of one because have to bedrooms wth computers and an AC in one, then o the other there is thefridge nd living room stuff.........i dont think this is evenpossible in my house and I am going to be out 400 bucks tha i invested

Brown Jenkin · 09-22-2002, 06:36 PM

Yes.. Unfortunately thats a pretty old system you got in the pic.
A panel upgrade would be the safest and most effective solution.
Short of that... if the range circuit is dedicated solely for the range, you could tap into that circuit (usually they're @ 30-40Amps)...just don't use the range at the same time(not the best solution) and remember to choose the appropriate gauge of wire.

GrowFun21 · 09-22-2002, 06:42 PM

Is there anyway I could plug the light into the stove or split that plug in the wall and plug the light into the same outlet as the stove, even thought it has a hookup for the stove plug and not a 120V plug?.........

Brown Jenkin · 09-23-2002, 06:06 PM

OK... First you have to take the range receptacle out of the wall and count how many wires you have in there; if you have at least four wires back there (this includes the bare copper grounding wire ..if you have one), then you have @240V.
Now if you tap on to the ground wire, white wire, and ONE of the remaining wires, you will have @120V.
What is the amperage of the fuse protecting the range cct. ?
-You should use at least #8 AWG wire for your splice.
Make sure you turn out the fuse or something to kill the cct. your doing the work on ....for safety.

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