driftin
New member
Is it common practice to control the lights through relays, and I've just been oblivious for a few years? Or is there a good reason not to do this?
I've been using normal household timers to control my lighting and although my 175W MH's don't pull that much current I have never been entirely comfortable with the full amperage running through the timers. I don't know why I never thought of trying this before yesterday, but I decided to try using a relay on my tank actinics and refuge light.
I bought a single pole double throw relay, rated for 10Amps per circuit. One circuit (NC) goes to my (2) 96-W actinics on the tank, the other (NO) to my refuge lamp. I use the old timer as the control circuit on the relay, so the timer now sees milliamps instead of the lamp and ballast current. When the timer closes the circuit, the actinics are shut off through the relay and the sump has light. When the timer opens the circuit, the relay switches -- sump light shuts off and the actinics fire.
I am really happy with how inexpensive and easy this was to wire and set up, how reliable it seems, and was going to buy a DPST relay tomorrow to control my two MH's off one timer. Any reason not to do this?
Benefits that I can see are -- negligible current through the timers, extending their life and reliability. Relays are sized for higher loads than the lamps and are not stressed. The relays are small and do not take up much additional real estate... in fact I was able to reduce the number of timers I'm utilizing.
Thoughts?
I've been using normal household timers to control my lighting and although my 175W MH's don't pull that much current I have never been entirely comfortable with the full amperage running through the timers. I don't know why I never thought of trying this before yesterday, but I decided to try using a relay on my tank actinics and refuge light.
I bought a single pole double throw relay, rated for 10Amps per circuit. One circuit (NC) goes to my (2) 96-W actinics on the tank, the other (NO) to my refuge lamp. I use the old timer as the control circuit on the relay, so the timer now sees milliamps instead of the lamp and ballast current. When the timer closes the circuit, the actinics are shut off through the relay and the sump has light. When the timer opens the circuit, the relay switches -- sump light shuts off and the actinics fire.
I am really happy with how inexpensive and easy this was to wire and set up, how reliable it seems, and was going to buy a DPST relay tomorrow to control my two MH's off one timer. Any reason not to do this?
Benefits that I can see are -- negligible current through the timers, extending their life and reliability. Relays are sized for higher loads than the lamps and are not stressed. The relays are small and do not take up much additional real estate... in fact I was able to reduce the number of timers I'm utilizing.
Thoughts?
