What plug do I use for my Halide?

[HI SALENITY]

I am just setting up my new Apex Elite .:bounce1:
I have 1-400w Halide on a Lumatek ballast that says it is a "soft start".
Can I run it off of plug#2 (5a) or do I need to run it off #4 or #8 (10a outlets)?

 

[pyton]

The way I understand it, 4 and 8 are used for light electricial drawing equipment such has ATO switches.

I think you would be okay to plug you MH into any of them.
How many MH do you have?

 

[HI SALENITY]

Just the 1.

 

[pyton]

depending on everything else you plug into the EB8 you should be fine.

 

[HI SALENITY]

I think I am going to put it on #8.

 

[pyton]

"soft start" is built into the ballast, it has nothing to do with the power supplied.

If you have anything else that draws less power such as a switch, ozone, ato pump, doser, just about everything but a MH should be plugged into 4 or 8. Just remember if you have something that does not shut off when you tell it to shut off and it is low power consumption it needs to go into 4 or 8 plug. You do not want your highest power draw into 4 or 8


If I was you I would plug the light into 1, or 5 to keep it away from interference with 4 and 8

 

[HI SALENITY]

I don't think I want it on a 5 amp plug?

I am aware that 4&8 are the ones that you need to use for low draw devises but they are the only 10a outlets.

 

[RussM]

You do not want your highest power draw into 4 or 8

This is quite incorrect... the relay-switched outlets are INTENDED for higher current devices (5A-10A) which have a current draw which exceeds that capability of the TRIACs. They also are most suitable for those low wattage/low power factor devices which do not operate properly on TRIAC-switched outlets.

 

[RussM]

I don't think I want it on a 5 amp plug?

A 400w MH ballast will typically give a max load of about 4 amps. You should be just fine using it on a 5A outlet.

 

[HI SALENITY]

I did check and it is drawing under 4 amp including at start up. I was concerned because the cable has a sticker on it that says 15 amp.

It is on outlet 8 now but I may change it if need be.

 

[aquamanic]

Think of the relay outlets (4 & 8) as outlets for the 'extremes' - either very high current or very low. For everything else, as long as it draws less than 5 amps, you should stick to the TRIAC outlets and save the relay outlets.

 

[HI SALENITY]

Thanks!