problems with timers and lights

[Spliffy-P]

Hey Morphine,

I'm a sparky and out of all the replys you've gotten on this post, Brick50 has given you the best recomendation.

I presume you've got your light plugged into a standard 10A GPO via a plugtop.

All you need to do is get yourdelf one of those 24hr timer adaptors that plugs into a power point and has an outlet on the front, this will function the same as if you were standing there switching the light on and off at the switch on your power point.

Most lights used for growing are of HID type, <Mercury vapour, Metal halide, High pressure sodium> are inductive loads, this is corrected by use of a capicitor in the control circuit for the light, but if you've bought the light as one whole unit there should be a capacitior already in it, so no need to worry!

Iron core ballasts are more inductive than digital, they cane cause digital relays to stick from time to time.

[chubby]

Hey Stoner,

 

m8 i use those $20 digital hpm timers from bunnings,

 

some of them are tops, some are shit.

 

i allways keep 1 or 2 ready 2 go, keep ya reciept!

 

if i get a dodgy 1, i take it back & exchange it.

 

these timers have worked well for me

 

cheers Chubby

[morphine34]

Hey Morphine,

I'm a sparky and out of all the replys you've gotten on this post, Brick50 has given you the best recomendation.

I presume you've got your light plugged into a standard 10A GPO via a plugtop.

All you need to do is get yourdelf one of those 24hr timer adaptors that plugs into a power point and has an outlet on the front, this will function the same as if you were standing there switching the light on and off at the switch on your power point.

Most lights used for growing are of HID type, <Mercury vapour, Metal halide, High pressure sodium> are inductive loads, this is corrected by use of a capicitor in the control circuit for the light, but if you've bought the light as one whole unit there should be a capacitior already in it, so no need to worry!

Iron core ballasts are more inductive than digital, they cane cause digital relays to stick from time to time.

 

 

Thanks guys for all your replies - much food for thought. Spliffy, I am using a standard 10A GPO but via a long extension cord which then connects to the timer, which in turn has another cord going to the ballast and then to the light. Could the extension cords be an issue?

 

cheers,

 

Morph

[morphine34]

I would be looking at the other loads you have on the same supply.

For example my hydro comes of the same 16 amps circuit as the toaster, Kettle, wine fridges.

I can't confirm this but I would think the Digital Ballasts will have some pretty tricky electronics.

If the supply voltage is low it's quite possible that the fault detection will trip and latch. Not saying this

is your problem but it would explain why it works by unplugging and plugging it back in.

 

If you have an older Mag Ballast try that to Isolate the problem or plug another low power device on

a double adapter to the same timer. (IE Phone charger,) If the phone charger works when the timer

switches on then you will have a faulty Ballast or low supply line voltage.

 

The power point or extension lead or whatever else your are connecting to could also be an issue.

Try using a different power point or connecting via a different power point on a different circuit in your house.

 

I will get it sorted for you.

 

P.S. If you live in a new suburb or a suburb rezoned for high density then this might be your problem.

Power companies fucking hate putting up another transformer to cater for the extra load on a suburb.

Voltage spikes and fluctuations from this cause heaps of issues.

 

 

Thanks Buzzo just saw yours after my previous post and realised you were saying the same thing re the extension lead. will give that a try!

 

cheers

[morphine34]

Hi folks,

 

Thanks to everyone who posted. I seem to have found the problem and the solution in one. I just finished building a new bigger cupboard and installed it right next to the powerpoint. The previous one was running off a long extension cord to a powerpack. To make matters worse, the timer for the ballast/light was sitting in this powerpack and another extension cord ran from that to outside the cupboard to the ballast which in turn has a long lead that ran back into the cupboard to connect to the light.

 

So I can't what specifically the problemwas but I am now running the digital timer right off the powerpoint into a relay contactor and everything is hunky dory!

 

Checkout my cupboard and my current grow

https://cannabis.community.forums.ozstoners...showtopic=29335

 

Thanks again for your help!

 

Cheers,

 

Morphine34

Edited August 30, 2010 by morphine34