Gotta shocking problem.

[tangwena]

Hey Jimmie it sounds 100% like a bad earth or you have connected neutral or active to earth. Check your supply from the house, double check the connections at the house and make sure you have them correct in the shed as well. You could easily kill yourself. I am an elec contractor take this situation seriously . Have you got an RCD protecting the set up? If not get one quick.

Tangwena

[jimmywrangles]

I would tell him to replace it, Solis Tek have a good warranty policy and your hydro guy opening the ballast will void that warranty. Maybe splash out on a multimeter while you're out

 

Naycha

He won't open it he just wants to test it with the timer and lamp all running which is fine by me as I avoid electrocution, if it turns out it's all good then it almost certainly will be a bad ground somewhere which even an idiot like myself can find...given a few months....and some luck.

[jimmywrangles]

Hey Jimmie it sounds 100% like a bad earth or you have connected neutral or active to earth. Check your supply from the house, double check the connections at the house and make sure you have them correct in the shed as well. You could easily kill yourself. I am an elec contractor take this situation seriously . Have you got an RCD protecting the set up? If not get one quick.

Tangwena

OK first things first...I'm not an electrician so I have no idea what an RCD is.

Because I'm not an electrician it is possible I've wired it wrong but doubtful, I took very careful care to get it right but...it's possible, I get pretty stoned sometimes and......

If I'd connected a neutral or active to Earth would anything else run? all the fans run quite happily although I believe they're all 2 pin except the extraction fan which is three, If I'd wired it wrong would they still work because it only shocks me when the ballast is running.

Have no fear I'm taking this seriously, it hurt when it got me last time so it's getting dealt with and I have no desire to fry in my own grow room...that would be embarrassing to say the least because it's not me that's supposed to smoke.

Thanks for the pro advice I'll keep you posted as to what happens.

Edited February 19, 2014 by jimmywrangles

[jimmywrangles]

Hey Jimmie it sounds 100% like a bad earth or you have connected neutral or active to earth. Check your supply from the house, double check the connections at the house and make sure you have them correct in the shed as well. You could easily kill yourself. I am an elec contractor take this situation seriously . Have you got an RCD protecting the set up? If not get one quick.

Tangwena

residual current device?

 

Will this one do?

 

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NHP-MOD6-1-POLE-10A-RCBO-RCD-MCB-SAFETY-SWITCH-SINGLE-SWITCHBOARD-WAY-1P-10-AMP-/111172162654?pt=AU_B_I_Electrical_Test_Equipment&hash=item19e260945e

Edited February 19, 2014 by jimmywrangles

[Naycha]

Someone with your level of experience and disregard for safety should pay a licensed electrician to do electrical work.

 

Naycha

[brick]

Or you have reversed polarity somewhere in the house/shed cabling. IE you have a neutral where you should have an active. Won't stop stuff from working but super dangerous.

[jimmywrangles]

Someone with your level of experience and disregard for safety should pay a licensed electrician to do electrical work.

 

Naycha

Not so much a disregard for safety as a total ignorance of what's dangerous.

And what do I say to a licensed electrician, "Hello mate these are my ummmmm.....Tibetan tomatoes.... in a shed....under lights....on a scrog.

Thanks for the replies Naycha,If I get arrested It'll be your fault.

[jimmywrangles]

Or you have reversed polarity somewhere in the house/shed cabling. IE you have a neutral where you should have an active. Won't stop stuff from working but super dangerous.

If it isn't the ballast then that'll be my next task.

[doctor_nelson]

Or you have reversed polarity somewhere in the house/shed cabling. IE you have a neutral where you should have an active. Won't stop stuff from working but super dangerous.

 

Potentially fatal situation - if you post some clear photos of the wires you added at the back of the wall socket you jacked into and the back of the socket you wired up maybe tangwena can diagnose? 

eg http://www.accesscomms.com.au/reference/powerplug.htm if you did it as a long extension cord?

and if you didn't use 3 core cable rated for whatever load you have (eg speaker wire is a seriously bad idea), please stop and get some.

[jimmywrangles]

Potentially fatal situation - if you post some clear photos of the wires you added at the back of the wall socket you jacked into and the back of the socket you wired up maybe tangwena can diagnose? 

eg http://www.accesscomms.com.au/reference/powerplug.htm if you did it as a long extension cord?

and if you didn't use 3 core cable rated for whatever load you have (eg speaker wire is a seriously bad idea), please stop and get some.

I'll bookmark that link thank you, the cord I used was an older one but still in good nick as far as I could tell, It'll get replaced tomorrow along with a few other things.

My wiring was solid though, I checked it many times I'm no electrician but am fairly intelligent despite what  Naycha might lead you to believe ...I didn't use speaker wire I used a proper 3 core.

All wiring will be removed and checked tomorrow, I'm planning on redoing the whole thing top to bottom during the girls downtime.

I'll get this sorted especially with all the advice I've just been given.