[golfish]

After reading dsb1829 post I thought I would ask you guys for a few ideas. I have my tank in the den, I have kicked the 15 amp breaker off twice in the last 4 months and think it might be a good idea to find another circuit to plug my HQI's into. The only thing I can come up with is to run an extension cord into another room. I don't think the wife would like that.

Any ideas? something I can do.

Mark

[Ltspd]

Mark, see this post where I replied to you.
What you don't know could cost you

[golfish]

Paul,
The tank is on one line. Really the only other items that are on the same circuit as my tank is the PC, a ceiling fan and a cordless phone. The tank has its own GFIC, The tank lights have there own GFCI and the PC and phone are also on there own GFCI.

I want to run the lights on a different circiut. My dad used to do a little electrical wiring in houses. Maybe I'll get him over here and see if he can help me out. I don't have room in my box to add another breaker. I have a lots of 15 and 20 amp breakers and a few 30 amp breaker. 270 amps total in my Townhome. I may move my Ballast outside and run them on the 30 amp circuit out there. The problem with this is running the wires outside. I don't think the Home Owners association would go for me drilling holes in the outside of my home

[G7subs]

Yikes! 30 amp breaker? You're going to need 10 gauge wire to run a 30 Amp safely.Hell,you need 12 gauge wires to run a 20 amp breaker.Don't upgrade the breaker unless your wiring will handle the amperage draw.

[golfish]

Relax, I said I already had two 30 amp breakers. One is for the Compressor outside and I think the other is for the Central air unit in the attick. I have six 20 amp breakers and six 15 amp breakers. I have plenty. Just getting the power form another breaker\area to my lights is the only probelm. I may run a heavy duty extention from the outside into the den along the same entry way as my top-off hose. Hmmmmmm

[G7subs]

Sorry...I read your post incorrectly.I thought you were going to REPLACE a 20 amp with a 30 amp breaker.Very Dangerous.

[Ltspd]

AMPACITY TABLE FOR COPPER WIRE CONDUCTORS, IN FREE AIR AT 30 DEGREES C
================================================== ======
INSULATION TYPE:
RUW, T THW, THWN FEP, FEPB
TW RUH THHN, XHHW
================================================== ======
Size Current Rating Current Rating Current Rating
AWG 60 degrees C 75 degrees C 90 degrees C
================================================== ======
20 -------- *9 ----------------------------- *12.5
18 -------- *13 ------------------------------ 18
16 -------- *18 ------------------------------ 24
14 --------- 25 ------------- 30 ------------- 35
12 --------- 30 ------------- 35 ------------- 40
10 --------- 40 ------------- 50 ------------- 55
8 ---------- 60 ------------- 70 ------------- 80
6 ---------- 80 ------------- 95 ------------ 105
4 --------- 105 ------------ 125 ------------ 140
2 --------- 140 ------------ 170 ------------ 190
1 --------- 165 ------------ 195 ------------ 220
1/0 -------- 195 ------------ 230 ------------ 260
2/0 -------- 225 ------------ 265 ------------ 300
3/0 -------- 260 ------------ 310 ------------ 350
4/0 -------- 300 ------------ 360 ------------ 405

The table gets a bit out of line when posted but the first column is the normal accepted amprage carrying capacity.
You need atleast 12/2 to install a 30a breaker. And a 30a breaker is 10% of your panel capacity........
When I built my house I purposely installed a 400a panel with lots of extra space. I needed it to wire my shop and for the just in case's. I was also glad I had the space to wire the tank to it's own line (s).

[Ironreef]

all that stuff on 1_ 15amp. glad I have 2_20amp dedicated breakers then bam the rates went up. guess i don't need them. Can you exchange the 15amp with a 20amp? exchange 2 in the box if you can. Or try to change the 15amp to a 20amp. i belive the box would only break if you ran to much but you aren't running everything in your house at once...?? Just an idea I'm not a sparky ask your pa..I guess you maynot beable to cuz the wires are diff. Unless you can run some 20amp romex and redue the one breaker. But that would be the easy fix... I would use the extention cord and just figure a way to hid it where the lady won't notice.

[Ltspd]

I dont think you can run or even buy household wire under 14ga. I know code here prohibits that, so you wire can handle 25a continious and even more under a start up.

[Ironreef]

Some places /alot use 16g but I'm not to sure. I only work around big stuff. but if your wire is 14guage then that means you can put a 20amp? Not sure but if you can that should solve the problem. But have someone look who knows