Light Keeps Killing Timers

[Mattock Man]

Do you really need a contactor for a 250 watt bulb?

Heading away for 3 days and girls are long overdue for the flip - have homies checking on em once each day

No time to get hands on a contactor/relay switch

Probably not the end of the world if the timer gets fried and they stay in veg for a few days anyway -

but is this even likely if only running a 250?

Its a lumatek dimmable 250/400w digi - I'd love to run it at 400 but would be a bit worried it might fry timer at 400 and

the first couple of days at 250 shouldn't make that much difference to yield just to be on the safe side

Never actually seen a timer fry at any wattage when I've been here but when you go away you worry about everything

would I be better off just leaving em in veg 24/7 on the 250 till I get back monday do you think? - they'll be fuckin HUGE!



MM

[noobiegrower]

Interesting

[Vincent Vega]

Get a contactor and everything will be a lot easier...

[trucker6977]

Hi everyone having a couple of problems. We are soon to flower me Mazar but we seem to have a problem we are using a 250w H.I.D and it has already claimed the lives of two cheap Argos mechanical timers and funds don't stretch very far at the moment so i was wondering what timers do you guys use with your 250 watters?. I've heard that the Argos digital timers are able to work with a 250 but would like to hear some opinions. Thanks

check on ebay for 16amp digital timers approx £5 brilliant timers never known one blow using 1000w hid ballast if you want i can send you item number cheers ken

w

[Hot_Rock]

I going to stick my neck out and say he's probably picked one up by now

[Thedoctor6999]

Hi, try a plug n grow timer which has a small contactor built in to deal with the inductive load safely. Available for around 10 pounds.

It really is worth it normal timer switches aren't rated for inductive load. And over time perhaps a year or so the internal relay's contacts start to errode and eventually go through multiple heat cycles which can and often does lead to fire.

[jay1980]

I dont use a contactor but only as the ballast doesnt burn out timers and my electrics are all new with trip switches otherwise I would defo use one. The older magnetic ballasts just fry timers if you dont and if you aint sure of your electrics it aint worth not having one as even if you have insurance it aint going to pay out if you burn your house down growing weed.I have a fire extinguisher that sets off if temps hit 50°c. £20 for a contactor and peace of mind aint a bad deal

I dont use a contactor but only as the ballast doesnt burn out timers and my electrics are all new with trip switches otherwise I would defo use one. The older magnetic ballasts just fry timers if you dont and if you aint sure of your electrics it aint worth not having one as even if you have insurance it aint going to pay out if you burn your house down growing weed.I have a fire extinguisher that sets off if temps hit 50°c. £20 for a contactor and peace of mind aint a bad deal

Edited July 12, 2016 by jay1980

[buh]

Ill bring the marshmallows

Bad advise ^

Edited July 12, 2016 by buh

[Guest fulltimer]

I was under the impression most of the digital weekly timers already have built-in contact relays...

Also the grow shop guys tell me a 400w german ballast also has a relay in it, tell me its fine with the timer im using.

Cant burn anyone else down so thats what ive done for the last four months, with two tents plugged into a 10 amp power strip:

440w hid + ballast connected on this russian made timer: http://radiobezdna.ru/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/tajmer-rozetka-feron-tm22-rezistory.jpg

90w led + 105w cfl on 24/7

I think ampacity of all the devices is less than 6 so i know im safe from that point, but what about my timer and the ballast thats on it?

[NeoGeo_uk]

Peace of mind dictated i get a contactor, i have 1000w hps 2 x 300w cfls and a 5 ft t5.... personally i think that not using one defeats the object of having a timer.

for the sake of £29 save yourself the pain of a ruined crop

as a last resort some analogue high amperage heating/hot water timer switches can be used for up to about 22 amps (1000 hps fed from a magnetic ballast is about this) and given the nature of these timers used ones can be scrounged from your local plumbers skip... a continuity meter will be enough to ascertain the ins and outs, polarity etc.

Edited October 24, 2016 by NeoGeo_uk

[mojolicous]

I use a central heating system control; you can find them on ebay with 'CN101A Microcomputer timer switch'; cost 5 quid

 

 

Rated at 16A, and because its used to trigger heating elements it can handle the 'bump' against HPS lights etc, beware .. a little wiring knowledge is necessary.

Edited June 8, 2017 by mojolicous

[MyDisplayName2000]

On 25/02/2014 at 7:01 AM, Peregrine said:

This should do the job...

• Designed to take high loads;
• Normal household timers are not built to take the high inductive loads produced by HID ballasts. If used with an HID ballast, the contacts inside the timer that open and close the timed circuit will overheat and weld together, breaking the timer and leaving your grow lights permanently on;
• The LUMii Heavy Duty 24 Hour Plug In Timer is different - as the name suggests it is designed to take high loads and has no problem dealing with the inductive loads produced by a 600 watt ballast. This means no separate contactor is required, saving you money;
• There are 96 switching operations within a 24 hour period (every 15 minutes); Heavy duty contacts mean it can take high inductive loads. It is suitable for timing 1 x 600w HID ballast or up to 6 x 200w CFLs. It is very reliable and has a high quality timer unit with a robust 'inline' case design with socket and timer dust covers.

Cheers, just bought a Lumi heavy duty timer. I had issues with my other contactor, years old bought from a grow shop. That will not let two 600w lights power up at once. They are Lumi ballasts, digital 250-660w. One light will power up and the other just stays off. Putting the other light into the contactor after the first light is on, seems to do the trick. Not sure if its the ballasts or the contactor or maybe house electrics due to renewed next year.

 

This Lumi timer will solve my problem.

[Badbadger]

Bought a couple of those lumii's nearly two years ago now and both are still fine,good price for a solid piece of kit.

[Muppet]

I seem to be amassing loads of Lumii stuff, I've a 600w Digital ballast that needs an internal fuse, anyone know what type is it is? 

[Peregrine]

On 2/23/2018 at 6:59 AM, Badbadger said:

Bought a couple of those lumii's nearly two years ago now and both are still fine,good price for a solid piece of kit.

 

Me too, I think mine have been going 3 years now without a problem.