Electrical Safety Question

[chez]

I am putting my grow room together at the moment and am a little concerned about safety. I don't want a fire, basically!

I have read on Overgrow about GFCIs. Having searched around a bit I have found this item at Screwfix - RCD

Will this do the job?

I plan to run an extension cable from an existing socket into this RCD and from there into 2 x 2 Gang sockets in my grow room (2 for the light & contactor, the others for fans etc..).

If this would work, would it mean that if either the fan or the light went, the other would also stop?? I would like to have the light stop if the fan blows up!

Thanks

Chez

[TrichomeUK]

High chez,

I think the problems you talk of are extremely rare m8, probably about the same odds as getting hit by lightning, but I suppose if you want to cover absolutely everything, then that's cool

All the best

[chez]

Cheers bud. I know the chances are slim, but for £25, I'd rather cover all eventualities.

Do you know if what I described would work??

[MrBenn]

Hi chez,

leccy's not my strong point but sounds cool to me. Check the wattage on all the equipment you want to run and make sure it's not higher (in total) to the level at which the box trips...if you get what I mean

[Mr Bucket]

Hi Chez

I'll try and explain what an RCD does..

It basically looks for any leakage of electricity to earth. It compares the current flowing in the live, with the current flowing in the neutral. If there is a difference above a certain threshold value (30uA seems to ring a bell) then the RCD trips and cuts the power going out.

The main benefit to having an RCD in circuit is to minimise risks of electrocution. If you accidently touch an exposed wire, a bit of current flows through you to earth and the RCD trips.

It's not guaranteed that it will trip if one of your fans develops a fault. Only if its a earth leakage type fault...

Hope that helps you some

MrB

[chez]

Cheers Mr Bucket.

Therefore, an RCD would be useful if water was spilt or came into contact with any of the electrics, right??

Is there any way of rigging things up so that the light goes off if the fan fails??

Chez

[Mr Bucket]

Hi Chez

Yes an RCD is ideal when theres water around. I can't think of any off the shelf solution for the fan, but there's always a way... Of the top of my head something like this:

http://www.letsautomate.com/10396.cfm?CFID...FTOKEN=99957344

This would need a small interface circuit to sense the voltage and switch the mains for your HPS via a relay....maybe there's air-flow sensors readily availble to do it? Maybe you could think of something low-tech like one of them back-draught shutters on the end of your ducting, with a switch fitted..etc etc

I doubt your room would catch fire anyway if the fan stopped, but would sure upset your plants

Good luck matey

MrB

[UFO]

Hi chez,

If you are worried about fans failing and causing fire risk etc, you might want to make sure your fan has a thermal cutout, most quality fans do, i think they contain a fuse that is temp related as well as ampage rated.

Also as a precaution always fit the lowest fuse rating u can for each device, its worth looking at the fuse when u buy, i've found 13amp fuses in things that only draw 1amp max!! naughty to say the least (cheap oscillating fan from bargain shop!), your average fan draw very little current, as long as the blades are free to rotate, there is very little chance of any heat generation/fire risk

u could also have two fans, one on each lead, if one goes (however unlikely it is) u still have the other...

Hope this helps in some way..

Cheers

ufo