Heavy Duty Light Timer

[Shawn D]

The timers I keep getting at Lowes are only lasting me a couple of months before they go out but they say their rated for 1500watts. What is a good heavy duty light timer that will last?

BTW I have 3x400w MH on IceCap ballast

Thanks

 

[iamwrasseman]

are you using the hard wired "box" style or a little programable junk ? the box style will work for years and years so break down and get one . the cheap ones will burn your house down also so please be carefull . electrical components are not something that you can cheap out on IMO , you house,life,and others lives are at risk not to mention the property that you have in your house can all be lost just so you can save a few bucks . you have already bought two of the timers and how much did they cost verses getting a good one right from the start ? thats alot of light to be running off a cheappie unit . you can really buy good ones at your electrical supply house.

 

[Shawn D]

Iamwrasseman, where can I find the box style ones? I am not sure exactly what your talking about so sorry. I wasn't trying to cheap out I just can't find any that last from lowes and dont want a full blown controller just to run my lights.

Thanks

 

[iamwrasseman]

shawn they are used as timers for outside lights ,almost like a chicken coup timer from the old days . they are hard wired as i said so the electrical suppliers would have them . they have their own box like a breaker box but much smaller , say 9"x6"x 5"deep and have a door on the front so you can access them to wire ans to change the timer controlls . i hate the all in one units just cause i have seen a few fires that were caused by them . so far there were people in the house when they decided to malfunction so nobody got hurt just a bit of smoke to contend with .home depot and lowes both carry them and they are found where they sell the electrical outlets ,boxes ,wire,and all that other electrical stuff is but its not like a" plug and play "unit , you would havd a contractor or someone experienced install the unit and run a dedicated line to your aquarium for the lights to plug into .hope i helped to clarify what the heck i meant and good luck and most of all dont be afraid to ask all the questions in the world because the only dumb question is an unasked one .

 

[whowadat]

Well, I've been using a Coralife timer/outlet strip. Never heard of any problems but the previous poster has raised my eye brows. The Coralife digital version is UL listed so......

 

[addicted2reefin]

lowes sells them. they are called mechanical timers or heat pump/water heater timers. they are a big grey box, that has a round turn thingy in it. to instal it u are gonna have to hard wire a power cord to one end and an outlet to the other end. they typically run about 50 bucks.

 

[addicted2reefin]

also a good timer to consider would be the ones home depot sells as out door timers. they are around 30 bucks, they are a big green box that has a stake in it, which u probably wont use. they are waterproof, and ul listed. right now i use the plug in single outlet timers, they arent the greatest but they get the job done. if i upgrade, im gonna go with a mechanical timer, hard wired to the power panel im building screw power strips!

 

[icantremember]

Personally, I run the Lutron digital wall timers that fit normal electrical boxes. But I only use them to power a 12v transformer which then connects to a 12v coil on a 20A industrial grade relay. The small digital timers are only rated at like 3A's and will not work for my situation.

I am running 4-400W IceCap ballast on one circuit. I have 3 other timers/20A circuits in the room. I wanted the versatility/ease of a digital timer but didn't want to invest into a controller at the time. Been working great for about 3 years.

Another option...

 

[Shawn D]

I will go to lowes and take a look at the mechanical ones sounds a bit complicated for me though. What do you think of the IceCap digital timer? Would this one be any good or will it just break like the other ones?

here it is http://www.aquacave.com/icecap-digital-timer-884.html

 

[dots]

http://www.intermatic.com/products/timers/consumer outdoor timers/digital timers/hb88rc.aspx

I have a pair of these myself. I have had them for a while now, no complaints.

I have seen them at Osh and HD.

 

[saltygeek]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15470309#post15470309 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dots
http://www.intermatic.com/products/timers/consumer outdoor timers/digital timers/hb88rc.aspx

I have a pair of these myself. I have had them for a while now, no complaints.

I have seen them at Osh and HD.

Does it have a fuse in it? We use to have similar ones as these at a pond store I used to work at and they fuse would always blow out and shut everything down. They were likely junk though.

 

[tpenn187]

i know that you said that you did not want to run a controller, but the reef keeper lite level 1 is only 99 bux at most retailers. wouldnt that handle the 3 400mh?

 

[HighlandReef]

i have timers on just about everything, except pumps
but i am looking into a controller, just alot of timers makes me nervous... like from fires and all

 

[Shawn D]

tpenn I will look into the reefkeeper lite, but does anyone know if this would work
http://www.aquacave.com/icecap-digital-timer-884.html

 

[Shawn D]

Bump

 

[HighlandReef]

that will only do 1 light, so if you have like a 6 foot tank you would need 3 depending on how many ballasts you have.
that could add up quick depending how many ballasts youa re running?

 

[iamwrasseman]

get the industrial unit mine is made by intermatic and the model number is T-101 ,google that and get one .

 

[Shawn D]

Would the reefkeeper lite work ok? It says its good for 1800w

 

[addicted2reefin]

wrasseman, with those mechanical timers, i could hardwire a plug on one end and a few outlets on the other end right?

 

[iamwrasseman]

exactly correct , i currently run six tank lights from one of the intermatic t-101 units and they are bulletproof ! INDUSTRIAL heavy duty and only cost $51.00