Flip Flop

[iamnotacop]

Are the boxes that let you use the ballasts 24 hours a day, with their own timer/switch (to contol two flower rooms side by side), called flip flops, or is there another name for them?

 

Also, where in Australia would one be able to buy one that would run two 600 watt HPS's?

 

Or has someone already explained this and I can't find it? I found instructions on an international forum, but that is not suited to our 240 volt setups.

 

So if anyone knows where to buy one, how much, or preferably how to build and what parts to ask for and where to get them from online...... Hmm, am I asking too much?

 

Any help/advice would be great.

[pisspotgrower]

sorry man i like the idea but havet seem em, quick solution to ya problem is 2 20 bux timers from bunnings

[iamnotacop]

err, I don't understand how the 20 bux timers can help.. The idea of a flip flop is the ballasts run 24 hours a day, which is connected to two sets of leads/lamps. One set of lamps is on for 12 hours and then the other set. The timer is between the ballasts and lamps, not the power and ballasts.

 

2 flower rooms, 2 sets of leads/shades/lamps and one ballast. (or one built for two ballasts as I am wishing).

 

 

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=35561

 

example

[MongyMan]

I don't have a camera so cant take pics sorry...what u need is a relay that switches between 2 circuits (ie. power from the timer switches it to one set of lights and when the timer turns off it switches to the other circuit .ie the other set of lights)

 

Give me a day or so and ill pull one apart and see if there is a part number on anything, Been a while since I made them and I've forgotten what I used exactly.

 

 

Peace MongyMan

[iamnotacop]

Double Pole, Dual Throw (DPDT) relay ???

 

Thankyou, you are a champion. If someone could make a tutorial for these I am sure more people would use them. Maybe even a business venture for a leckie with time on his hands.

[pisspotgrower]

err, I don't understand how the 20 bux timers can help.. The idea of a flip flop is the ballasts run 24 hours a day, which is connected to two sets of leads/lamps. One set of lamps is on for 12 hours and then the other set. The timer is between the ballasts and lamps, not the power and ballasts.

 

2 flower rooms, 2 sets of leads/shades/lamps and one ballast. (or one built for two ballasts as I am wishing).

 

 

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=35561

 

example

 

 

Cool man yer i get what ya trying to do now Good idea

[iamnotacop]

I think it is a very sensible solution.

 

One could build three rooms side by side. Two the same size for growing and a seperate lung room. The growrooms could share the same fresh air from the lung room which would be airconditioned, and the air-cooled hoods would drag all air from lamps straight outside. Then grow say 20 plants in one room under 2 600 HPS's, untill it is full/plants ready, and then split them up into 10 in each room, plug in the flipflop and flower them. MMMM. Then 8 weeks later you will have twice as much as you would have had, if you only had one room.

 

Obviously you will use twice as much power, but power can be bought cheap enough, time cannot be bought unfortunately.

[pisspotgrower]

Or u can have 2 rooms, 1 with lights running 24 /7 and 1 in complete dark 24/7 n swap the plants over every 12 hours, more work, less cash same result

[GBOOST]

Flip flops operate on the ballast cord, not the power cord, so the unit itself will plug inot your lamp cords from the ballast no probs. The only modification needed is to change the 120 volt relay used for the trigger input cord (the timed input to switch between rooms) to a 240 volt unit. Send Kris at Horticontrol an email, he can build you any one of his flip flop controllers listed here with a 240 volt relay instead of the 120, and you can use a $2.50 plug adapter from ebay to convert the US timer plug to AUS, or cut it off and attached an aus plug, pretty simple:

 

http://horticontrol.com/store.html

 

Also some links for your interest:

 

http://www.progressive-growth.com/proddetail.php?prod=43015

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=96209

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=35561

 

Google is your friend

 

GB

[iamnotacop]

Thankyou GBOOST, for the advice. The 124/240 volt relay kind of information is what I am after, as I have no idea about electrics, other than the obvious.

 

I tried to find ones for sale already made to suit the Australian market, but I had no luck so I thought I would ask here. I am sure there is a seller somewhere.

 

I will go and do some more reading because I would much prefer to build one, although if one was going for sale from a reputable member I would buy one for the right price.

 

Any advice is welcome and appreciated.

Edited May 1, 2010 by iamnotacop