please help ac/jr light timer...

[Tater11]

i just got an ac/jr new in the box with dc 8 and temp probe.? is i have 3-250watt halides and 2-160watt vho lights can i program halides for all 3 to come on and go off at same time???cant figure out language.want vho's to come on at 11am to 11pm halides noon till 10pm thanks

 

[Casino]

If Time > 11:00 Then (name of vho) ON
If Time > 23:00 Then (name of vho) OFF
Do this for each of your VHO lights.

If Time > 12:00 Then (name of halide) ON
If Time > 22:00 Then (name of halide) OFF
Do this for each of your halide lights.

Have you checked how many amps all these lights are drawing? DC8's can only handle 15 amps.

 

[jsdancer]

I know from experience that I tried running a dual lamp galaxy ballast for my 250wt radiums. After about a week the dc8 failed to turn the dual ballast off even if I went into manual mode.
I called Neptune and was told that the #8 outlet contacts had somewhat melted together. I was also told that I should hit the dc8 hard enough to loosen them back up. They said that this would loosen. Thereafter it will work for a while but would happen all over again.
The resolution that I was given was to buy a heavy duty dc4 from their company.
I would pay attention to the total number of amps you're going to run. No more than 15 amps
Are all of your ballast single ones?

 

[ciphros]

I know from experience that I tried running a dual lamp galaxy ballast for my 250wt radiums. After about a week the dc8 failed to turn the dual ballast off even if I went into manual mode.
I called Neptune and was told that the #8 outlet contacts had somewhat melted together. I was also told that I should hit the dc8 hard enough to loosen them back up. They said that this would loosen. Thereafter it will work for a while but would happen all over again.
The resolution that I was given was to buy a heavy duty dc4 from their company.
I would pay attention to the total number of amps you're going to run. No more than 15 amps
Are all of your ballast single ones?

#4 and #8 outlets aren't meant for high-power devices. You should be using one of the other 6 for lights. I run two 400W lights and an Icecap 660 on one DC8 for my 270 gal, been running over a year and none of the lights have ever had a problem. The TRIAC outlest 1-3 and 5-7 are for high draw things such as lights. Relay outlets 4 and 8 are for small draw items (dosing pumps and small powerheads that can't trigger the TRIAC). You should not be plugging a double 250w ballast into #4 or #8. Try using one of the other outlets, you should no longer have the problem.

 

[jsdancer]

Thanks ciphros! I will double check the manuel but don't REALLY remember reading anything where it said how to use the outlets within the DC8. Interestingly enough even my own favorite LFS did not guide me as to how to or where to plug things in.
Either way now I own a DC8 and a HD DC4.

 

[ciphros]

It isn't well spelled out in the manual, but it has been mentioned a ton on this forum - that's how I originally found out about it as well (had the same issue as you for a chiller that stuck on once...of course at 11:30 at night when I was away...at least the alarm got me home to save the tank).

Having the DC4HD (and thus more outlets to control) will not be a bad thing.

 

[jsdancer]

Yeah you're right. Having more room to grow with more gadgets!

It isn't well spelled out in the manual, but it has been mentioned a ton on this forum - that's how I originally found out about it as well (had the same issue as you for a chiller that stuck on once...of course at 11:30 at night when I was away...at least the alarm got me home to save the tank).

Having the DC4HD (and thus more outlets to control) will not be a bad thing.