Hi guys,
I hate hearing stories of grows gone up in smoke, literally.
Yeah... so.... electricity is simple but extremely dangerous when some basic principles aren’t followed.
Vlad, you are mostly right
Let me inject some words as a licensed electrician and veteran building maintenance / builder professional-
Never use a non grounded receptacle (outlet) for something like a HPS light with a very high staring load. Generally, Avoid non grounded/earthed receptacles whenever possible. Before using a receptacle to power a high load, pull it out and check that the wiring is sound and connections are very tightly made. Arcing is very dangerous when it comes to old style breakers. A GFCI/AFCI can be your best friend and savior in the often rough conditions of a grow.
I do not recommend extension cords to power much more than a fan or something... the best choice for big power is a dedicated circuit with established and secured, properly run, rated for load, shielded cable,,,or wires in conduit. There are metal shielded cables, thick rubber, nylon and many more.
Running on 2phase power is much more efficient when trying for a large grow. Running the lower amps is much easier on all components. Here in the US and everywhere else in the world, 208/230/240 volt can be had with the right configuration of wiring and control devices.
For those of us in legal states:
Keep in mind that even though your plant count may be legal, you must also be sure that you are adhering to local building/fire codes. Not only is this a good idea for safety, it’s also good if you ever end up with law enforcement or any other government member in your house... best that you don’t look like some meth head with extension cords all over.
Never use temporary power as your long term line source. It’s just a bad idea for several reasons.
Additional thoughts include- never trust old equipment that you don’t know the history of. Extreme heat kills most residential grade electrical equipment.
When it comes to timing lights; Heavy cycle light timers are a better choice than the plug in timers you can get with your xmas decorations but do need to be hard wired.
Lastly- I know sooooo many electricians that enjoy cannabis. Feeling out the electricians in your area is your best bet if you are uncomfortable ... when in doubt, don’t play with electricity if you don’t
really know what you’re doing.
Stay safe everyone