T5 Power Draw

[demodiki]

Hi Guys,
I have been running 4 T5HO bulbs with an IceCap ballast from a wall socket with no issues. I just got, for Father's Day, the last two T5HOs and ballast to complete my setup of six bulbs. My question is, is it advisable to plug them into the same wall socket? I am assuming that the other socket 8 feet away is probably on the same circuit?

Thanks

[Rychek]

I've been running two IceCap 660s off of the same socket for months without and problems.

[robalv]

just as long as you don't overload the circuit breaker rated amps. So if your breaker is rated for 20 amp on that particular circuit, add all the fixtures, pumps and what have you to get you running amp consumption. As long as you don't exceed the 20 amps you are fine. If you exceed the Amp rating you will have to install a larger breaker. Now on the other token you should not exceed the main breaker with the total breaker in you main panel IE: if you have a 200 amp service panel you should not exceed a total of 200 amps including all your 220-240 volt and 110-120 volt breakers after adding up all the 20,30,40,50,60 amp breakers you have installed.
I hope I made my self clear.

[Big_Pun]

rob is exactly right

[CoryDude]

Rob is correct, as stated. A quick way to tell you may be pulling too many amps would be tell if the outlet is warm to the touch.

Most equipment should have power specs listed near the UL sticker on the light housing (usually near the power cord). Should say something like 110V-120V max, 60hz, and then (#) amps.

[alton]

6 X 54W = 324w / .89 PF (Guessing) = 364/120 volts = 3.03 amps for lights. Also continious loads which are 3 hours or more should be loaded up to 80% so a 20 amp circuit should not exceed 16 amps. They make KWH receptacles if you are worried.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=20397

[demodiki]

Man you have to wear a lot of hats when dealing with an aquarium....biology, chemistry, electrical, plumbing, photography, psychiatry....


Thanks all!

[LoneStar]

Man you have to wear a lot of hats when dealing with an aquarium....biology, chemistry, electrical, plumbing, photography, psychiatry....


Thanks all!


Don't forget finance.

[alton]

Don't forget the most important one "Marriage Counseling"

[demodiki]

OK thanks for all the replies. The Mrs and I got the lights all wired in yesterday and everything works a treat. I think it looks great, too!

[hammernb]

No offense to anyone on this thread, but the electrical advice given above is 100% INCORRECT. I never post on these things, but since I'm a licensed electrician, I felt obligated to stop anyone from making a potentially dangerous mistake. I just want my fellow reefers to stay safe.

Your breaker size is determined by the size of the wires in the wall. DO NOT put a larger breaker in because you are tripping the existing one. That could cause the wiring to overheat and start an electrical fire. A breaker trips to protect the wire. The total load on an electrical panel is determined through a series of load calculations, not by adding up the numbers on the breakers. Many times the breakers "add up" to a larger number than the panel rating. I hope that helps.

[Bill S]

No offense to anyone on this thread, but the electrical advice given above is 100% INCORRECT. Your breaker size is determined by the size of the wires in the wall. DO NOT put a larger breaker in because you are tripping the existing one. That could cause the wiring to overheat and start an electrical fire.

I'm not sure how I missed this one.

Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician.

The advice above NEEDS TO BE LISTENED TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The original breakers MAY be undersized for the wiring in the wall. Then again, they may not be! Feeling an outlet will only tell you that THAT outlet is overloaded - not necessarily the wiring burning up in the wall!!!!!

[demodiki]

Thanks again. All that being said, I am obviously not an electrician so I wouldn't be putting in a breaker or anything anyway :)

I'm not sure what a breaker is. Off to check The Google...

[robalv]

I'm not sure how I missed this one.

Disclaimer: I'm not an electrician.

The advice above NEEDS TO BE LISTENED TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The original breakers MAY be undersized for the wiring in the wall. Then again, they may not be! Feeling an outlet will only tell you that THAT outlet is overloaded - not necessarily the wiring burning up in the wall!!!!!


This is true I should have posted that I am not an electrician lets get a little technical here no offense. If it is a newer house you probably have 10-2 wire running in the walls feeding the outlets you can run up to a 30 amp breaker its actually rated for 33 amps but they dont make that size of breaker so I wouldnt recommend going any larger unless it was a 220v outlet. I dont think the make a single throw 40 amp breaker anyway.. So here is some proof....
This is an AWG (American Wire Gauge) Chart, I even gave you for 12v application. Now I am not a Certified Electrician.... But I have worked Directly with both Low and High Voltage ALL my LIFE.. have not burned down a house...knock on wood...lol sorry to not clarify on my previous post. I should also post that these are found online and I claim no responsibility if you decide to try this.I use these methods in my own personal projects. Please research and use at your own risk.
Gauge 110V 12V
22 5A 5A
20 7.5A 8A
18 10A 10A
16 13A 20A
14 17A 40A
12 23A 60A
10 33A 100A
8 46A 150A
6 60A ??A
4 80A ??A
2 100A ??A
1 125A ??A
0 150A ??A

[allan]

Thanks again. All that being said, I am obviously not an electrician so I wouldn't be putting in a breaker or anything anyway :)

I'm not sure what a breaker is. Off to check The Google...


Changing the breaker is easy, but I wouldn't recommend upgrading to a 30amp unless you were running new wire. You could pony up a few bones for a current meter to establish how many amps you're pulling. Not sure how accurate those wrap around meters are, we usually inturrupt the circuit to determine amp load, don't think that's a choise you can use though, and you would still need to pony up for a DVM.