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williams2311

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So my plug in garage was getting a little warm. 30 amps in garage but all plugs are connected running back to a power supply box.the plugs which have my lights on do not get hot. However the plug closest to power supply does (I'm assuming from all the power running threw it) there is nothing plugged into it. So I had to turn my lights down to 600 watry and all plugs stay nice and cool now. However I don't get as nice of buds when only running 600 watt lights. So what I would like to know is which option I'm thinking about will work and be safe.

My dryer has 220 plug with 2 30 amp breakers.

I was thinking of running a 50 foot extension cord from dryer plug to garage to power 1 1000 watt light.

Or running a plug from dryer plug to garage and putting a outlet out in garage for the one light.

Regardless of which way I go the wire will be 10 gauge.

Don't have a dryer so don't have to worry about switching the plugs.

What downfalls would I encounter with both options.

I know it's not the best scenario but bringing a electrician in to run wires into my garage from fuse box is something I'm not comfortable with nor is there enough room in my fuse box to add another 220 breaker.

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never use an extension cord,, bad idea imo. however i did  power take off of the dry plug myself when i setup my grow.. I bought a breaker box and ran the same cord as the plug on a dryer..(not sure what gauge that is, I run several fans and 5, 1k lights, an a/c unit and a huge air pump .. all and the lines never get hot. consider the safest way to do it, yoiu should also if you go outside to the garage, then get pvc and stuff the line an bury it. just my 2cents. 

Edited by Willy
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never use an extension cord,, bad idea imo. however i did power take off of the dry plug myself when i setup my grow.. I bought a breaker box and ran the same cord as the plug on a dryer..(not sure what gauge that is, I run several fans 5, 1k lights, an a/c unit and a huge air pump .. all and the lines never get hot. consider the safest way to do it, yoiu should also if you go outside to the garage, then get pvc and stuff the line an bury it. just my 2cents.

So would it be OK to buy some 10 gauge wire and put a dryer plug on one end and run the other end to a mounted outlet in garage?
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So would it be OK to buy some 10 gauge wire and put a dryer plug on one end and run the other end to a mounted outlet in garage?

not sure how thick 10g is but likely , i would bury it if your going across the yard. i added complete breaker box with 8 fused 120 plugs on it , 4 timed sand 4 allways on. i use them for my 1ks, and use the wall plugs for fans, oh an the air conditioner is on that line as well. never blow fuses there just 20 amp but its divided by 2 40amp fuses.. 

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Sounds like you are looking (more/less) to run the equivalent of a sub panel in your garage. This necessitates a separate grounding rod for the garage as well as a ground back to the main panel. A dryer plug with an extension cord won't accomplish that. I know just enough about electrical to be dangerous. I have a friend who is a licensed electrician so I run everything past him to be sure it's all safe. Hydrojack might weigh-in with some advice. But his advice might be that you should just bite the bullet and hire an electrician. At this point, most electricians have probably already seen dozens of grow rooms. I'd worry more about a dangerous electrical cob-up than I would about hiring an electrician.

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Sounds like you are looking (more/less) to run the equivalent of a sub panel in your garage. This necessitates a separate grounding rod for the garage as well as a ground back to the main panel. A dryer plug with an extension cord won't accomplish that. I know just enough about electrical to be dangerous. I have a friend who is a licensed electrician so I run everything past him to be sure it's all safe. Hydrojack might weigh-in with some advice. But his advice might be that you should just bite the bullet and hire an electrician. At this point, most electricians have probably already seen dozens of grow rooms. I'd worry more about a dangerous electrical cob-up than I would about hiring an electrician.

I only need 1 plug is all I need. When I buy my home I will have a electrician come wire everything up to have plenty of power but for now I'm trying to work with what I got.
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Could someone explain why it wouldn't be safe with say 8 gauge wire Rated at 45 amps? Running 1 1000k? The wire would be completely protected from inside home to garage all under ground?

Because it has to be properly grounded. There is a very good reason why electrical codes require an extension to an accessory structure to be grounded independently...if not for your own safety, for the safety of line workers.

 

I'd use the dryer box simply as a junction box. Run a ground wire from that connection back to your main panel if there isn't one already. Then run appropriate gauge wire to the garage to a sub panel. Ground that sub panel independently to its own ground rod.

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Because it has to be properly grounded. There is a very good reason why electrical codes require an extension to an accessory structure to be grounded independently...if not for your own safety, for the safety of line workers.

 

I'd use the dryer box simply as a junction box. Run a ground wire from that connection back to your main panel if there isn't one already. Then run appropriate gauge wire to the garage to a sub panel. Ground that sub panel independently to its own ground rod.

http://growgreenmi.com/powerbox-dpc-4000-240v-4p?gclid=CjwKEAiAr4vBBRCG36e415-_l1wSJAAatjJZHssV5UFt4Hbx7JX15twJK-kMMOKNFSvEZFKlYQDsWRoC1vfw_wcB

 

What would need to be done to plug that in? And I see they make 25 foot cords to power ballasts I could get away with 25 foot I'm sure and it would be no extension cords at all

Edited by williams2311
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Also I'm not trying to argue or find someone to agree I just would like to know why because Im sure I'm not only one to think about it

Understood. But it sounds like you want to run ballast cords outdoors from the house to the garage. Chances are, the ballest cords aren't rated for outdoor use. Not good.

 

I'd skip the fancy controller. Use your old dryer connection as a junction box. Make sure you have a ground wire from the old dryer connection back to your main panel in the house. You might already have this if the dryer line is in a steel conduit. Then extend the ground wire to the garage and bond it to a sub panel in the garage and then to a grounding rod..8-foot rod pounded into the ground. A grounding rod costs about 8 bucks. And maybe another 3 bucks for the clamp onto the wire.

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