Sick of Mechnical Lighting Timers

[Nabber86]

Does anybody know where I can get a multi-channel programable timer for my lights?

 

[jdieck]

A Neptune controller Jr. will do a good job
www.neptunesys.com

 

[Nabber86]

I saw that, but I was looking for some a little more off the shelf. Seems like there ougt to be something out there for less than $100 just to switch lights on and off.

 

[jdieck]

How many outlets or lights you want to control independently?

 

[Nabber86]

Just 3. Sunrise/Sunset, full sun, and moon lights.

 

[PiNaPLeX]

get the coralife dual power center, it will control 3 sets of lights, lunar/actinic/daylight

 

[Nabber86]

Coralife dual has only 2 switches. At least mine does (I think that's why they call it "Dual".)

 

[Bandsaw]

If you can find it, use this puppy. Very nice. Twenty Programs (day of week/everyday/some days/what ever). Comes with or without remote.

http://gateway.canadiantire.ca/driver.php?fileid=1408474396669917_1408474396670271_845524443248657_

 

[Ewan]

Amen brother! A link to Canadian tire! That makes me homesick.

[faces north and yearns for the homeland]

 

[PiNaPLeX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7032535#post7032535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nabber86
Coralife dual has only 2 switches. At least mine does (I think that's why they call it "Dual".)

yea, but the 2 lunar outlets and the 2 actinic outlets are alternating, so when one is "on" the other is "off". so when your actinics turn off at night, the lunar lights come on. Thats why I said it controls all 3 lights, it's doesn't actually have 3 timers.

 

[Waxxiemann]

Man, that timer looks awesome! Does it work any good? I live like 2 minutes from Canadian Tire.

 

[Bandsaw]

I have three of them in service now. One for the 10K, one for Actinic Blues and one for the sump.

Since you can use one remote for up to 4 times, also nice - except that the remotes are cheap.

I have my lights set up so that a couple of days a week, the clouds are out (less lighting). Helps a bit in ridding myself of the last few spots of HA (its a nice brown, just has not let go yet).

Having the lights on two different timers also let me set up a sunrise/sunset scheme.

The timer on the sump is nice as I use an auto feeder in the summer while I am at camp. Sumps turns off, 5 minutes later, the auto feeder kicks in. Twenty minutes later sump starts. Since my sump is downstairs, also makes turning it off via the remote nice when I want to work in the tank.

The timer it self is battery back up - so no loss of programming or time when the power goes out.

In short, I love them!!

Ewan - what part of the homeland was home for ya?

 

[Nabber86]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7033789#post7033789 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Bandsaw
If you can find it, use this puppy. Very nice. Twenty Programs (day of week/everyday/some days/what ever). Comes with or without remote.

http://gateway.canadiantire.ca/driver.php?fileid=1408474396669917_1408474396670271_845524443248657_

I have only been to Canadia once to go fishing and I am pretty sure that we stopped at Canadian Tire for supplies along the way.

The product that you mention looks good. Is it a single channel switch, or does it control several lights?

 

[rick s]

Are you sick of mechanical timers because of power outages?

Why not get 3 Intermatic digital timers at $20 each? They have a battery so the time stays correct.

The link is too long so I can't post it here.
Go to Home Depot.com
Do a search for "Intermatic Digital Timer."

 

[artis]

I see references to that Coralife dual timer off and on. Wasn't there a post several weeks or few months ago about a fire traceable to that timer?

 

[PiNaPLeX]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7035814#post7035814 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by artis
I see references to that Coralife dual timer off and on. Wasn't there a post several weeks or few months ago about a fire traceable to that timer?

artis,

there's no threads about the coralife timer that i know about, but if you can find them, that'd be great, i'd like to read them.

 

[Bandsaw]

The Canadian Tire timer is a single channel

 

[jdieck]

rick mentioned the intermatic timer and in my opinion it is a very good one. They have a lot of different models but unfortunately you will need three of them. What I like:
a) Digital
b) Battery Back up
c) one push button Manual over ride, great when you are cleaning and it is getting late and you do not want the lights to turn off.
d) Tungsten contacts
e) LCD display
f) up to 15 Amp capacity
g) Some models handle as little as 1 minute intervals between On and Off

I use one of the inwall mounted models (which require installing outlet boxes but they have plug in models with the same features.
Prices range from $20.00 for the ones that work at 120 V to $35.00 for the ones that work in either 120 or 240 volts

Here is what I have been using for my Kalk reactor for over a year now.
http://www.intermatic.com/?action=prod&pid=193

Here are the plug in models:
http://www.intermatic.com/?action=subcat&sid=114

If you want spill proof models here they are:
http://www.intermatic.com/?action=subcat&sid=116

An the in-wall (box) models:
http://www.intermatic.com/?action=subcat&sid=112

I got mine from HD but to find a local vendor just type in your zip code here:
http://www.intermatic.com/locator.asp

 

[geekster]

I tried the Coralife timer when first starting out but the thing didn't work well. Even the guy from the lfs had problems getting the timers to work. Did get it set once but it soon was unreliable so I trashed it for 3 Intermatic digital timers at ~$17 each.
Coralife has a good idea but the quality was lacking.

 

[sjm817]

The Coralife timer burned down someones house too.

I've been using these that you can get at Target.

It has built in battery backup, 20 programs per day, minimum on time of 1 minute. I use them for my Kalk stirrer and lights.