UK Support for power supply

[Susan Logan]

Hello

I am struggling to find advice and wondered whether you would be able to help.
I want to run a 60 full spectrum bulb grow light in my shed. I have been using power banks but they dont last the 12 hours i need so i am constantly charging the batteries. Could you advise me if a portable power supply would enable me to run these lamps for a sustainable period.

Kind regards

Susan

 

[radiohead]

What voltage and power rating in watts is each lamp and how many lamps do you run?

 

[Susan Logan]

What voltage and power rating in watts is each lamp and how many lamps do you run?

Grow Light for Indoor Plants, 2020 Upgraded 80 LEDs Full Spectrum 10 Dimming Level & 4 Heads Grow Lamp with Timer 360
SPECIFICATIONS

Power: 40W

LED quantity:52(R)+28(B)=80PCS

Input Voltage: AC100-240V, 50-60Hz

Light wavelength: Red: 620-630nm / Blue: 460-470nm

Life time: 50000 hours

 

[radiohead]

Solar charged 230v portable power packs are available but are hugely expensive. As far as the rating goes with your 40w lamp a 400wH (watt/hour) power pack will run the lamp for about 10 hrs. Otherwise a portable petrol generator or a mains supply from an extension lead?

 

[pc1966]

Best solution by far is a power feed from the mains - is that not possible if your shed is in the garden, etc?

If it is really far away then a portable generator is an option, but the cost of that and on-going maintenance would really make it worth getting a professional to run a feed cable out there.

Those lights come to 2.4kW, but you should allow for 3kW / 13A as an absolute minimum, so it is just in the range of an extension lead if not too far, but they are not suitable for long term use for various reasons such as trip hazard, UV damage to the cable, and physical damage from rodents, etc. Also it must be off a RCD-protected socket.

On here at least @JK-Electrical is Glasgow-based and might be able to give you some advice.

 

[Susan Logan]

Solar charged 230v portable power packs are available but are hugely expensive. As far as the rating goes with your 40w lamp a 400wH (watt/hour) power pack will run the lamp for about 10 hrs. Otherwise a portable petrol generator or a mains supply from an extension lead?

Thankyou for your help, much appreciated

 

[pc1966]

Doh, I thought you meant 60 of those 40W bulbs!

 

[Susan Logan]

Best solution by far is a power feed from the mains - is that not possible if your shed is in the garden, etc?

If it is really far away then a portable generator is an option, but the cost of that and on-going maintenance would really make it worth getting a professional to run a feed cable out there.

Those lights come to 2.4kW, but you should allow for 3kW / 13A as an absolute minimum, so it is just in the range of an extension lead if not too far, but they are not suitable for long term use for various reasons such as trip hazard, UV damage to the cable, and physical damage from rodents, etc. Also it must be off a RCD-protected socket.

On here at least @JK-Electrical is Glasgow-based and might be able to give you some advice.

Thankyou for your help. I thought that perhaps a portable power pack would have done, like the ones people use for camping. I didnt want to spend a great deal of money if it wasnr going to work.
[automerge]1599335630[/automerge]

Doh, I thought you meant 60 of those 40W bulbs!

Its 1 of these. I attached the photo

 

[pc1966]

Thankyou for your help. I thought that perhaps a portable power pack would have done, like the ones people use for camping. I didnt want to spend a great deal of money if it wasnr going to work.

They would work for a while, but if you have to charge it practically every day you might quickly decide that having a cable put in makes more sense.

The cheapest and simplest solution is an "extension lead on steroids" where you have some proper outdoor rated cable (such as steel wire armoured = SWA) which can be buiried, or run around the edge of the garden out of harm's way, so you have a socket in your shed, but the supply end is just a suitable junction box to a length of normal flex and 13A plug so you just plug it in to any socket.

But as already mentioned, you really must have a socket that is RCD-protected. If your home electrics has been done in the last decade or so it will do, but older houses don't always have them and then something like the Powerbreaker RCD adaptors is an option.

If you are unsure then post a picture of your consumer unit (fusebox) on here, with any personal identification obscured, so we can see the sort of breakers, etc, you have in use.

 

[telectrix]

you could always buy your cannabis from a registered CPS (cannabis profiteering society)( niciec., etc)) dealer.

 

[Susan Logan]

They would work for a while, but if you have to charge it practically every day you might quickly decide that having a cable put in makes more sense.

The cheapest and simplest solution is an "extension lead on steroids" where you have some proper outdoor rated cable (such as steel wire armoured = SWA) which can be buiried, or run around the edge of the garden out of harm's way, so you have a socket in your shed, but the supply end is just a suitable junction box to a length of normal flex and 13A plug so you just plug it in to any socket.

But as already mentioned, you really must have a socket that is RCD-protected. If your home electrics has been done in the last decade or so it will do, but older houses don't always have them and then something like the Powerbreaker RCD adaptors is an option.

If you are unsure then post a picture of your consumer unit (fusebox) on here, with any personal identification obscured, so we can see the sort of breakers, etc, you have in use.

Thankyou for your help much appreciated ?