Digital timers for digital ballasts

Weaselcracker

Weaselcracker

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November 2020
Can any of you wonderful people help clear up my confusion re. what sort of digital timer I can use with my ballasts? I don't think I need a more expensive multi-light controller (or do I?) I just have two 600w lights in the flower room. I used household digital timers (one timer per ballast) with my digital ballasts for a few years oblivious to any idea that these digital timers might not be the best thing to use with digital ballasts, or possibly with HID lights period. It was after a timer burnt up on me a few months ago that I started doing more research. The timers I've been using are rated thus;
15A, 1875-Watt. Tungsten rating:8A, 1000-Watt. 5A Ballast.
"Seems" like they should be fine. I have sent off a few emails to Lumatek but they never got back to me. I've found some DIYs to improve
the relays on the household timers- surely that's not the only option?
 
Your load in amps is 80% or less of the timers rated amps so in theory you should be fine. In reality many of these timers, especially the cheaper ones don't last, the contacts wear out and the continuous load has a tendency to heat them up. As the contacts arc and wear the surface area between them shrinks but the amps stay the same so they run hotter and hotter. Eventually they hit a critical point and can't handle the load so they spark out, the same goes for mechanical relays. The use of extension cords, number of connections, and length of wiring reduces voltage through resistance thus increases amps. 1000w at 120v is 8.3 amps, with a voltage drop to 105v the same load now uses 9.5 amps and runs hotter, this is also hard on timers. Relays are usually used so that one little timer or switch can control many big lights or loads and would work but would not be your ideal option, they also require some wiring know how to be used safely. An Intermatic time switch in the gray metal box is a better option, mechanical or digital, will last almost forever and are fireproof but require some wiring also. If you have one main circuit hooked up to a panel coming in the room then an Intermatic would be perfect if it can be safely installed. If you need to use standard outlets and plugs, timers rated for electric motors like compressors or pool timers have better contacts and often come in a 20A version. It is also possible that the ones you have now will never blow again. I must admit a burnt out timer is pretty scary they really look like they almost caught on fire, scared the crap out of me.
 
Alienpus said:
Your load in amps is 80% or less of the timers rated amps so in theory you should be fine. In reality many of these timers, especially the cheaper ones don't last, the contacts wear out and the continuous load has a tendency to heat them up. As the contacts arc and wear the surface area between them shrinks but the amps stay the same so they run hotter and hotter. Eventually they hit a critical point and can't handle the load so they spark out, the same goes for mechanical relays. The use of extension cords, number of connections, and length of wiring reduces voltage through resistance thus increases amps. 1000w at 120v is 8.3 amps, with a voltage drop to 105v the same load now uses 9.5 amps and runs hotter, this is also hard on timers. Relays are usually used so that one little timer or switch can control many big lights or loads and would work but would not be your ideal option, they also require some wiring know how to be used safely. An Intermatic time switch in the gray metal box is a better option, mechanical or digital, will last almost forever and are fireproof but require some wiring also. If you have one main circuit hooked up to a panel coming in the room then an Intermatic would be perfect if it can be safely installed. If you need to use standard outlets and plugs, timers rated for electric motors like compressors or pool timers have better contacts and often come in a 20A version. It is also possible that the ones you have now will never blow again. I must admit a burnt out timer is pretty scary they really look like they almost caught on fire, scared the crap out of me.
Click to expand...

I'm going out on a limb and guess you are not at the mercy of an electrician at times?
I'm scared shitless of electrical but I'm betting you wire all your gear up.
 
Alienpus said:
Your load in amps is 80% or less of the timers rated amps so in theory you should be fine. In reality many of these timers, especially the cheaper ones don't last, the contacts wear out and the continuous load has a tendency to heat them up. As the contacts arc and wear the surface area between them shrinks but the amps stay the same so they run hotter and hotter. Eventually they hit a critical point and can't handle the load so they spark out, the same goes for mechanical relays. The use of extension cords, number of connections, and length of wiring reduces voltage through resistance thus increases amps. 1000w at 120v is 8.3 amps, with a voltage drop to 105v the same load now uses 9.5 amps and runs hotter, this is also hard on timers. Relays are usually used so that one little timer or switch can control many big lights or loads and would work but would not be your ideal option, they also require some wiring know how to be used safely. An Intermatic time switch in the gray metal box is a better option, mechanical or digital, will last almost forever and are fireproof but require some wiring also. If you have one main circuit hooked up to a panel coming in the room then an Intermatic would be perfect if it can be safely installed. If you need to use standard outlets and plugs, timers rated for electric motors like compressors or pool timers have better contacts and often come in a 20A version. It is also possible that the ones you have now will never blow again. I must admit a burnt out timer is pretty scary they really look like they almost caught on fire, scared the crap out of me.
Click to expand...

Yes it did look horrible. The top was a blackened melted ruin and there was black smoke stain on the wall and ceiling above it. Thanks for the info I'm checking that out. Surprised a bit that there don't seem to be better timers commonly available. I'm guessing the household digital timers are what a lot of people are using.
 
There are lots of good timers out there. An important point I forgot to mention is the standard timers sold at walmart or Homedepot or whatever are sold as and rated for a resistive load like light bulbs. Transformers (ballasts), like motors are an inductive (contact killer) load which changes everything.

For example the Intermatic HB113 A/C timer is rated at 20A, seems perfect, but it is 20A for a resistive load, it 's rated at 8A for a purely inductive load, and it is rated at 12A for an A/C or 1 horse power. Since we load our circuits at max 80% of amp capacity that means this timer will RELIABLY, and SAFELY only run a 6.5A inductive load even though it is a 20A timer.

What all this means is when shopping for a plug in timer, for ultimate safety you have to get one that is rated for inductive loads and horse power like a pool or A/C time switch, if it is not mentioned then assume it's a resistive load timer. Look at the bottom of the HB113 label under 'contacts' in this link https://www.intermatic.com/Product/HB113
 
I use apollo titan digital timer it has two outlets and has been running perfect for two years triggering a helios8 by titan. And on that are 5 dual lumatek 600 watt ballasts

I have about 6 of these and only one sucks. I replaced it with a titan analog timer.
 
Dutty Panty said:
I use apollo titan digital timer it has two outlets and has been running perfect for two years triggering a helios8 by titan. And on that are 5 dual lumatek 600 watt ballasts

I have about 6 of these and only one sucks. I replaced it with a titan analog timer.
Click to expand...

The Helios series use heavy duty, high amp, quality enclosed relays you definitely can't go wrong with one of their kits. Being a relay setup the switching load is in the helios module and not the timer itself though, so the contacts in the timer are never loaded like a plug in timer. It's pretty much the best kind of setup you can have.
 
Wow, Alienpus you sure know your stuff. And that's great to read about. All in all though I have two 600w vented hoods running on digital ballasts using one cheap, off the shelf timer I got at Walmart. It has two outlets and so far I've made it through three grows with this setup. I total believe you when you outline what's best but for most of us working stiffs we just grab the cheap stuff and get on with it.
 
I also use titan controls for my co2 regulator, thermostat/ timer with day and night photo eye for one exhaust fan. Love there products. The helios 8 is running 12/365 days a year almost year 3. And my lumateks love the titan controller zero problems with ballasts since 2010
DSC_06726.JPG
 
OlderStoner said:
Wow, Alienpus you sure know your stuff. And that's great to read about. All in all though I have two 600w vented hoods running on digital ballasts using one cheap, off the shelf timer I got at Walmart. It has two outlets and so far I've made it through three grows with this setup. I total believe you when you outline what's best but for most of us working stiffs we just grab the cheap stuff and get on with it.
Click to expand...

We all started there and I know it works until it doesn't, it's a risk factor. That's why the electrical codes specify these loads and ratings.
 
Dutty Panty said:
I also use titan controls for my co2 regulator, thermostat/ timer with day and night photo eye for one exhaust fan. Love there products. The helios 8 is running 12/365 days a year almost year 3. And my lumateks love the titan controller zero problems with ballasts since 2010
Click to expand...


That looks nice and clean, more importantly it's safe and fireproof and easy to understand:thumb:

I built my own using this prototype, 12 years and still counting.

DSC010784.JPG
 
Good thread. Alienpus, I'm wondering if you think 2 Apollo 4 timers are up to the task of turning my 2 Lumatek 1000w ballasts (120V) on/off safely. Each ballast has a dedicated 15amp breaker. The more I read up on the subject the more my head hurts.
TITAN CONTROLS - APOLLO 4 & APOLLO 5 - 24 HOUR IN-LINE LIGHTING CONTROLLERS for use in greenyhouse, indoor garden and hydroponics  Titan Controls | Environmental, Lighting, Timing, Power, Ventilation & CO2 Controllers for use in indoor garden, hydrop
 
morouga said:
Good thread. Alienpus, I'm wondering if you think 2 Apollo 4 timers are up to the task of turning my 2 Lumatek 1000w ballasts (120V) on/off safely. Each ballast has a dedicated 15amp breaker. The more I read up on the subject the more my head hurts.
TITAN CONTROLS - APOLLO 4 & APOLLO 5 - 24 HOUR IN-LINE LIGHTING CONTROLLERS for use in greenyhouse, indoor garden and hydroponics- Titan Controls | Environmental, Lighting, Timing, Power, Ventilation & CO2 Controllers for use in indoor garden, hydrop
Click to expand...

Hell yeah, now that's a proper timer, each on a 15A circuit is up to all North American electrical codes. The Allen Bradley relays they use are designed for ballast lighting and will last forever.
 

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