[Scribb|e]

Poppa_Smurf, on May 14 2009, 09:55 PM, said:

get a digital one from argos they go upto something like 3 k/watts, mine are still going strong & im 4 weeks into floweing after a 5 week veg . Thats powering a 400 hps btw . come in 3 packs

¡NO THEY DON'T!

That's incredibly dangerous 'advice' - the 3KW rating you may see on those digital timers refers to it's safe rating for *resistive* loads (like a kettle or an incandescent lamp) not *inductive* loads like HID ballasts. Sometimes the inductive rating is given in brackets after the resistive one (it's always much lower).

There's nothing special about those digital timers - in fact, I'd say that they're even more prone to electrical failure due to arcing than most mechanical ones, due to the piddly little relays used inside them to do the switching.

This post has been edited by Scribb|e: 14 May 2009 - 08:53 PM

[leroy]

samsson, on May 14 2009, 10:23 PM, said:

envirolite timer £20 . B)

contactor timers 22 amp rated
Envirolite IP44 Timer.

Quote

No longer is it necessary to buy expensive timers and separate contactors. Envirolite have designed this Timer specifically with the grower in mind.

This timer has a built in 22Amp Contactor and the ability to safely handle up to:

6 x 200w Envirolite Lamps
or
1 x 600w HPS Mechanical Ballast

* Heavy Duty 22Amp
* IP44 Splash Proof
* Use with CFL or HPS Lamps
* Max Setting Time 24 Hours
* Min Setting Time 15 Minutes
* 1 Year Manufacturers Guarantee

Keep Your Grow Room Safe:
We recommend these as the only safe way to switch your lighting. Cheap timers are not designed to handle the load created by Grow Lights and can burn out with disastrous results.

[bodderas]

leroy, on May 14 2009, 10:40 PM, said:

samsson, on May 14 2009, 10:23 PM, said:

envirolite timer £20 . B)

contactor timers 22 amp rated
Envirolite IP44 Timer.

Quote

No longer is it necessary to buy expensive timers and separate contactors. Envirolite have designed this Timer specifically with the grower in mind.

This timer has a built in 22Amp Contactor and the ability to safely handle up to:

6 x 200w Envirolite Lamps
or
1 x 600w HPS Mechanical Ballast

* Heavy Duty 22Amp
* IP44 Splash Proof
* Use with CFL or HPS Lamps
* Max Setting Time 24 Hours
* Min Setting Time 15 Minutes
* 1 Year Manufacturers Guarantee

Keep Your Grow Room Safe:
We recommend these as the only safe way to switch your lighting. Cheap timers are not designed to handle the load created by Grow Lights and can burn out with disastrous results.

So if i follow this leroy im playing safe tbh im really skint im gonna have to waite.I didnt think it was this much hassle for a 250 HPS but better safe than sorry.I have a grassling timer these are designed for this kind of thing?.Well thats what the dude said at the shop!.But its probably a load of bollocks as per usual.But thanks for the gud advise.

This post has been edited by bodderas: 15 May 2009 - 10:22 AM

[BudAbbott]

Like all these guys say, you NEED a contactor.

Apart from the fire risk, timers usually fail when on, which really fucks up your flowering beauties!

I once left a 15 minute peg open on a timer in the middle of the dark period for a week before I noticed, and it caused my 5 week flowering ladies to revert to vegetative growth. I fixed the problem but just left it at 12/12, and they went on to flower OK, though not a great harvest, lots of airbud.


Once you have had lights on during the dark period, there is no corrective action to take, so there is no point leaving it it the dark for 36 hours after a failure. Just go back to 12/12 and hope they're OK, but the more times it fails, the more likely you will go back to veg growth, and damage your crop.

Good luck

[bodderas]

I am i am wish me look peep's i think im gonna need it?

[charlesweedmore]

do you use digital timer ?

i use mechanic 3000W timer ,it is cheap and made in china. no problem yet .

i use it with 600W hps @ magnetic ballast

This post has been edited by charlesweedmore: 19 May 2009 - 05:34 PM

[charlesweedmore]

i didnt know it !

what is contactor mate ? could you give me a link ? how can i use contactor with my timer ?

for example, can i use Envirolite Timer/Contactor ?

And can i use my " cheap timer " with rvk fan or is there still fire risk ?


thanks for your helps.

This post has been edited by charlesweedmore: 19 May 2009 - 05:51 PM

[charlesweedmore]

i dont live in UK and greens dont ship worlwide.

where can i buy a contactor other than greens ?

i found Envirolite Timer/Contactor it is cheap and easy to find.

how many watts contactor do i need to run 600W hps with magnetic ballast ?

This post has been edited by charlesweedmore: 19 May 2009 - 06:01 PM

[AKPOG]

Poppa_Smurf, on May 14 2009, 09:55 PM, said:

get a digital one from argos they go upto something like 3 k/watts, mine are still going strong & im 4 weeks into floweing after a 5 week veg . Thats powering a 400 hps btw . come in 3 packs

Many moons ago & several houses ago I had a 250W single plant grow going in a cupboard, I had an extension lead running to the cupboard & it was plugged into a 3kW rated timer. I was at week 7 of flower & needed to go away for work for a week so I left my gf at the time to water the plants for the week, there had been no problems with any of the equipment, especially the timer & all was looking good. Well, right up until the Friday night when I was flying back home anyway.

All the way back from my weedless work trip all I could think about was harvesting & having a decent smoke! I pulled up in the taxi to find the street rather more busy than before which was strange for 8am on a Saturday morning & the first thing I could think of was that I had been busted! As I was dragging my suitcases up the road one of my neighbours came up to me & told me that I really didn't want to go into my house & that I should pop into hers for a cup of tea, she never said why. From the front everything appeared OK, but as I was soon to find out, my house had burned down to a crisp inside & all the back windows were blown out!

Luckily my faithful dog knew something was up that night & she managed to wake my gf in time for her to get herself & my baby out safely, She saved their lives! All this happened around 5am!

My house was gutted out, I returned to get rid of the illegal evidence the follwing day despite still being in shock & the house being condemned! The picture I saw was heartbreaking, my house, my belongings, my photos, my keepsakes all destroyed & everything was tarred black & smelt sickly! After breaking into tears about what I had done & what could have happened I treaded carefully up the stairs, they were caved in & burned to a crisp! I ripped out the melted grow related stuff & got rid of the plant, which amazingly enough was still standing, but totally bald & black!

The report did not determine the cause of the fire, but it did determine the approximate starting point, which was the socket my timer was plugged into. Everything in that room was detroyed. Apart from some broken glass on the floor & a bent up metal box there was no evidence at all that I had my computer, a 17" large old school CRT monitor, hifi etc in there that were all on a large computer desk! It is incredible the damage fire can do!

I obviously had to move out into rented accomodation while everything was being re-built, it took around 10 months for the work to be done. The house was worth around £50k at the time & the work cost £38k plus around £20k for furniture, valuables etc! Lucky I was insured!

I never grew for another 8 years or so depite the fact I refused to admit that it was my grow that caused the fire for most of that time as the fire did not start in the cupboard, but the timer is what caught fire & that was in the other room & was destroyed without trace by the fire!

Sorry if I have worried anyone but these things really do happen, I know first hand & strongly recommend that no corners are cut when it comes to these things.

There is no subsitute for a contactor, there is much much more that 3kW of load on the ballast at turn on which requires a much heavier duty relay, which is what a contactor consists of.

Please be safe

This post has been edited by AKPOG: 19 May 2009 - 11:04 PM

[potsmoker93]

AKPOG, on May 20 2009, 12:28 AM, said:

There is no subsitute for a contactor, there is much much more that 3kW of load on the ballast at turn on which requires a much heavier duty relay, which is what a contactor consists of.

Please be safe

Totally agree, seen a house fire not good, for 10 quid, 20 max, no excuse really, my ballast burnt my table, fucking decent wood, cost me a fortune, hate that shit you buy from mfi, chipboard, grrrrr!!!!!, anyway what were we on about

[Randalizer]

And buy a smoke detector and a good fire extinguisher.

[forest dog]

cheeseburger, on May 14 2009, 01:48 PM, said:

bodderas, on May 14 2009, 05:43 PM, said:

Ok will look into it, just a bit worried about my gals Also when peep's grow outside and bring there plants inside how do they stop stress issues.I know its another subject outdoors but i have often wondered about being the human timer and getting it write is this poss?

without a contactor, youre very much increasing the risk of fire

Good advice, so true. Anyone who runs powerful lights without a timer is in a very dangerous situation. If they already know they should use a contactor and don't then they are fucking idiots.

I noticed some pretty stupid advice from Poppa Smurf back a bit about BQ digital timers, well if you don't value your house, your possessions, your life or those of your family and neigbours then carry on, buy yourself a BQ digital timer and save yourself ten or twenty quid.

Do you need a calculator ???

Randalizer is right, a fire extinguisher and several smoke detectors are essential in my book.

ETA Just read akpog's post which says it all really.

This post has been edited by forest dog: 20 May 2009 - 12:30 AM

[bodderas]

Ok guy's some real bad news and it was gonna be just a matter of time ???.Yesterday because i am now doing it manually (WITHOUT A TIMER) and this morning i have let this photo period do to waste? I hope not anyhow.Woke up today at 11.30am (lights supposed to be on at 8am) got woken up very early this morn and fell back asleep and somehow it disrupted me getting up at my usual time so instead of lights on at 8am this morn they came on at 11.30am!! (.I have set my phone on a reminder)So that the lights definitely come off at 8pm TONIGHT on the dot!.Last night lights went off at 8.30 instead of 8pm so it was 30mins out of time last night too,so I'm making a rite pigs ear of it till FRIDAY I hope??? when i buy my new Contactor/relay My question is if i make sure the damn lights go off at rite times tonight will i still have a gud chnce that things will be ok ?.This is like my second grow and I'm learning i tell you .

[Pots]

If you had 12hours or more dark, you should be o.k, I think the problems start when you have the light on during the dark cycle, Good luck anyway, hope it turns out o.k.