|
 Some of these posts are very old and might contain outdated information. You may wish to search for newer posts instead.
|
 just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
 timer woes 
#577977 - 08/12/11 03:57 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
im not having any luck finding a cheap timer
capable of running my 240V 3kw system
only thing im finding that could handle the job is in the hundreds range
i know just unplugging the mainline is a big nono
but im wondering if there is maybe a switch/relay, that i can splice in, and personally act as the timer and just go turn it on/off. (W/O harming the ballasts, and W/O having to climb up and turn every one on and off every day  )
--------------------
   
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
alienscience
Farve in training
Registered: 01/04/11
Posts: 478
Last seen: 4 years, 3 months
|
 Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#577987 - 08/12/11 05:23 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Do you have your ballasts hooked up an extension chord? That'd probably help, or just use three timers on three seperate lines. I'm unsure as to what your setup is now.
|
 mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High 
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#577998 - 08/12/11 05:48 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
just me said:
im not having any luck finding a cheap timer
capable of running my 240V 3kw system
only thing im finding that could handle the job is in the hundreds range
i know just unplugging the mainline is a big nono
but im wondering if there is maybe a switch/relay, that i can splice in, and personally act as the timer and just go turn it on/off. (W/O harming the ballasts, and W/O having to climb up and turn every one on and off every day )
Some guys in Amsterdam have exactly what you are talking about, they use it a little different in that they use the switch to run 1 lamp for 12 hours and then it switches to the other for 12 which of course you could just not have anything connected so it would be like an on and off switch. I'll look for the details. Be careful with cheap timers I have one rated for 2kw and I went on a trip and when I came in I smelled something burning and the damn thing about caught on fire and I only had a few hundred watts running on it...ill never go cheap again.
--------------------
Suck my balls America
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: mhbound]
#578002 - 08/12/11 06:10 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
maybe itd give a better picture if i tell you
its five 600W lights
so five different ballasts, 5 different 240V outlets wired to one 240V extension cord, plugged into my ONLY 240V outlet in my house
i would like most a timer that will handle the load
but if that isnt possible then i need some form of 240V splitter
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
alienscience
Farve in training
Registered: 01/04/11
Posts: 478
Last seen: 4 years, 3 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#578038 - 08/12/11 11:18 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Where on earth are you running 240v? I thought that was only Europe. Either way, your going to need 5 cheap timers or one very big one. It'll work out in the end though.
|
Harry_Ba11sach
cannoisseur
Registered: 04/20/08
Posts: 11,753
Loc: Nepal 
|
|
Quote:
just me said:
im not having any luck finding a cheap timer
capable of running my 240V 3kw system
only thing im finding that could handle the job is in the hundreds range
i know just unplugging the mainline is a big nono
but im wondering if there is maybe a switch/relay, that i can splice in, and personally act as the timer and just go turn it on/off. (W/O harming the ballasts, and W/O having to climb up and turn every one on and off every day )
Welcome to the hard world of growing 240V Expect to drop about $150 on a good timer for a load that size, and don't skimp because you don't want that thing shorting on you and possibly starting a fire in your grow room. It sucks donkey dick but you gotta suck it up and drop the cash 
Quote:
alienscience said:
Where on earth are you running 240v? I thought that was only Europe. Either way, your going to need 5 cheap timers or one very big one. It'll work out in the end though.
Pretty much every large grow runs 240V. it's by far the most energy efficient and safe way to reach high power levels. Power = Energy * Resistance, or Watts = Volts * Amperage so if your voltage is higher you need less resistance to get the necessary watts, so less heat generated and less wasted power.
--------------------
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
|
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
yellownotepad
Pharmaceutical Agriculturalist
Registered: 06/22/08
Posts: 1,702
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#578402 - 08/14/11 09:35 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
3kw of light should be something around 15 amps (my 1kw ballasts claim to draw 4.75 amps each). you'll want everything rated for 1.25 times that as its a continuous load. that means you need to be at the next size of breaker and wiring - 20 amps.
if you're straight up running all this off a 15a 240v plug then fuck all that. you're right up at the limit and that shit aint smart.
if you're running it off a range plug or dryer plug (50 or 30 amp rating respectively) then thats a whole different deal and that would make life REALLY easy. if thats the case i'd be happy to take a bunch of pictures of the shit i've been building for my stuff.
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
|
thats not the case
im on 20A
im looking for a timer that will handle my 5 lights
which are plugged into five single outlets parallel wired to one extension cord. to a single 240 20A plug.
Only one 240V outlet in my house. so i need a timer that, that single extension cord running all 5 of my ballast, can plug into, or be wired into, etc
but i cant afford anything after sinking everything already
so im wondering if theres a decent timer out there that can handle all 5 ballasts, @ 2.9A each. run on one extension cord. and isnt going to break borrowed bank
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#578421 - 08/14/11 10:51 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
this one looks promising
http://www.dthydroponic.com/appliance-timer-volt-p-1162.html
20A 5000W. but its manual
how dependable can the manual be for flowering???
this looks to be the same timer, only on this listing, its rated for 15Amps.
http://www.4hydroponics.com/lighting/HIDaccessories2.asp?ItemNo=intermatic240Vtimer
im really nervous to buy a timer that someone lies about its ability and i fry my system or burn down my house
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
Edited by just me (08/14/11 10:58 PM)
|
c99hunter
Registered: 12/12/10
Posts: 304
|
|
Quote:
alienscience said:
Where on earth are you running 240v? I thought that was only Europe. Either way, your going to need 5 cheap timers or one very big one. It'll work out in the end though.
Some washer and dryers and almost all electric ovens in the states run off 240 
|
yellownotepad
Pharmaceutical Agriculturalist
Registered: 06/22/08
Posts: 1,702
Last seen: 12 years, 5 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: c99hunter]
#578833 - 08/16/11 07:23 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Quote:
c99hunter said:
Quote:
alienscience said:
Where on earth are you running 240v? I thought that was only Europe. Either way, your going to need 5 cheap timers or one very big one. It'll work out in the end though.
Some washer and dryers and almost all electric ovens in the states run off 240
also all household service (that i know of) comes into the building as 240 power. you have to realize that 240 is really nothing special. you have two hot wires that are 120V AC at 60hz. in 240, the two sine waves are 180 degrees offset from each other, so you get the difference between their voltages at any given point in time. that's why you have 120/240 plugs - some parts of the washer/dryer/oven will use just one of the hot wires and a neutral to get 120, and some parts will use teh two hots to get 240.
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
|
I found this timer today for pretty cheap
http://www.amazon.com/Sylvania-SA307-240-Volt-Double-Pole-Industrial/dp/B000KKHQGQ
and bought it.
the instruction manual is very vague. the timer is mainly a sunset timer. but it has programmable timing too
it doesnt go into specific, like, wiring this timer into an existing outlet/plug/extension cord
imagine. my wall has 240V outlet. i have a 240V cord run to the ballasts from the outlet, and im manually operating the load each day.
this diagram came with lucky me
where does the ground from my load wire go?
etc
help...
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#579096 - 08/17/11 10:11 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
Should have a spot on the box deal somewhere. Like a little screw.
--------------------
Suck my balls America
|
mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
|
Re: timer woes [Re: mhbound]
#579097 - 08/17/11 10:12 PM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
You'll see when you look at the box and diagram you'll see it.
--------------------
Suck my balls America
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: mhbound]
#579152 - 08/18/11 08:19 AM (13 years, 3 months ago) |
|
|
yes it has a ground screw
but the diagram only shows "line" being ground. and not "load"
and also, it doesnt even say whether or not this "line" in can be coming from an outlet, or if it has to be hard wired into my fuse panel...?
does it matter which of the wires in my line/load i use as "line1" and "line2". or not really as long as they match
ex: line1 white, line2 black. coming in and connecting to terminal 1 and 2, 3&4
but then the load comes into the timer box and connects to terminals 3 & 5
how do i know whether white or black should go to 3 or 5?
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#579209 - 08/18/11 02:02 PM (13 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
i keep tripping my breaker
ive wired it per diagram
ive tried white and black from the line, and load, each possible way (i think)
ive tried with only a ground from the line
and ive tried with a ground from line and load
ive got two ballasts turned on, and each time i re wire, i turn the breaker off. wire. plug in the timer, and flip the breaker back on
so it should only have the load of the two ballasts (2.9A ea)each time i test it. yet it still trips/blows the fuse
something i just read that is kinda worrying me, on the inside panel of the timer box, it says "timer supply": max 5.0 Watts
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#579234 - 08/18/11 04:22 PM (13 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
Link said timer my uncle will know ill call him as soon as you link it.
--------------------
Suck my balls America
|
just me
GreenThumb
Registered: 04/21/08
Posts: 2,407
Loc: MO/TX/FL/HI
Last seen: 12 years, 2 months
|
Re: timer woes [Re: mhbound]
#579273 - 08/18/11 07:16 PM (13 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
i know
but theres no need to freak out
i fixed it
--------------------
-and for all your ETHNO SEEDS needs come see us @ www.freeseedring.nl
|
mhbound
Ballin out at all cost
Registered: 09/22/08
Posts: 8,144
Loc: High
|
Re: timer woes [Re: just me]
#579293 - 08/18/11 08:43 PM (13 years, 2 months ago) |
|
|
I just couldn't understand I was confused couldn't visualize anyways glad its working.
--------------------
Suck my balls America
|
|
Threaded
Previous
Index
Next
Edit 
Reply 
