electrical issues

[sgbaker]

any electricians out there? I could sure use some input...
Here's what I got going on.....I have a shed that I am growing in. It has two regular incandescent light fixtures and one electrical outlet. It is fed under ground from a 20 amp breaker in my meter box. the shed also feeds a small light post in my yard(with an outlet)
My first grow, I had one 1000 watt light and 3 fans, never had a power issue. This grow I have two 1000 watt lights and 4 fans. I added up the amps and I should be under 20, like about 17 or 18 amps total.

everything was good till last friday. I came home and notice the power was out to my shed and the light post. the breaker is not tripped. checked power at breaker and it is appears to be working.
checked everywhere in the shed, no power. check outlet at light post had power for a slight instance then wiggled the pole and no power.

dug up light post and found the wires feeding the light post had several breaks and appears to "look" melted. cut off about 5' of bad wire. turn breaker on and still no power in shed or at light post.

any idea what is going on and why the breaker is not tripping? what is my next step? I live in Oregon and my grow is legal (4 plants) but I am not too comfortable having an electrician look at my grow.

any ideas or advice would be helpful

 

[AluminumMonster]

A 20amp breaker is only meant to handle 15 usable amps. The breaker should have tripped when you exceeded 15 amps. Sounds like a few issues to me... 1) bad breaker, 2)you have a short underground from a damaged wire.

I bet the breaker failed and caused the wires to melt.

 

[RubyRed]

try and disconnect the light pole wire where it leads to the pole. I bet its fried there as well


tcabs

 

[mrcane]

The breaker should have tripped, especially with melted wires..Sounds like Old wire that probably wasn't big enough for the load...I would look into running new wire.....check on wire size for the load And I would get rid of that breaker..jmtc...

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Ditto what McCann said. I am guessing that the wiring might have been too light a gauge. Also keep in mind that you lose amperage over distance.

 

[RubyRed]

if you gonna run new wire I would go ahead and add a sub panel to the Shed.

 

[sgbaker]

thanks for the input...after further trouble shooting, I found that when mounting one of my ballasts the the wall, I hit a wire with the screw and I guess it caused a direct short. not sure why I didnt go up in flames or trip the breaker.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I would be very concerned that that did not trip the breaker. You may just want to rewire. It sounds as if something is wrong g somewhere.

 

[pcduck]

Need bigger guage wire and breaker and outlets. Fire is bad, then leo shows up.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I run a similar sized grow--a 1000 w a few fans and some air pumps. I ran a 30 amp dedicated circuit and never have any problems.

 

[MeNtAlPaTiEnT]

How many amps does each 1k light use up?

 

[sgbaker]

8.3 amps each

 

[sgbaker]

so come to find out after further searching, i did not hit a wire with a screw. it seems the breaker just randomly works and then doesnt. i am going to replace the breaker tomorrow and hope that resolves the issue.
yesterday i turned the breaker on and i had power, then i didnt. today the same thing. works then doesnt work....breaker not tripping, but it has very little resistance when you turn it on and off

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

What gauge wire is run now and how far is the run?

 

[sgbaker]

12 gauge wire...prob a 30 ft run

 

[Growdude]

12 gauge wire...prob a 30 ft run

The wire needs to be UF cable, underground feeder, but 12 is correct for 20 amp circuit.