KungPOW!!! makes a FLIP/FLOP

Hey kids, old kungPOW!!! here.

I was bored today so off i went to my favorite GROW store Home Depot.

I was doing some research on flip/flops, and desided 2 things...

1) most grow shops do not carry them because they cut into business.
2) they are fairly easy to build. (just be carfull to watch which wire goes where.)

FIRST OFF LET ME SAY THAT I KNOW I FORGOT THE GROUNDS FROM THE PLUGS. I was smoking some fine kali mist hash and realized it later. Unfortunally my batteries died on my digi camera and i do not have pictures of it installed the correct way. But it should be easy for ANYONE to grasp.

OK on with the build!!!! (puff, puff) lol

First off we need to get some supplies...
1) square power box $25
2) (2) 2 place outlet boxes $4
3) (2) 4 place outlet boxes $7
4) 6 outlets $5 (for box of 10)
5) screews $2
6) nuts $2
7) washers $2
8) pvc 1/2 cable connectors $5 (for 5 pack)
9) metal 1/2" cable/box screew connectors $6 (for a 10 pack)
10) wire connectors $13 (box of 100) 14 gauge
11) 10' of wire 14 gauge (4 wire, red,black,white, copper) $6
12) 4' of 14 guage (3 wire, black, white, green)
13) male plug $4
14) bag of 100 zip ties $3
15) 2 place outlet cover (2 of them) $3
16) 4 place outlet covers (2 of them) $5
17) couple tall boys beer $4
18) pipe full of cali mist hash FREE!!! (wink)
19) 2 hours of time.

total $94 from home depot

now 4 relays from the intenet $20 x 4 = $80

GRAND TOTAL .....$174 (for a 8 light flip/flop)

Now lets get started shall we???

POW!!!!!!!!!!!

First we need some relays like these...




Then we need to lay them out in the utility box.



Next comes marking the holes for the screews






Now lets drill some holes..

Pilot holes first!



Then proper size holes




now we need some nuts, screews, and washers...



Ok time to place the relays back on the board and attach...

Now it's time to make some wire!

Here is a tip, instead of buying 14 guage wire seperate, buy a some 4 wires wire and strip it down. Simply pull out 2 foot sections at a time.









Time to install the boxes...

punch out the metal 1/2 punch out, an insert box connector in hole. Next insert conecter into already punched out hole in utility box. Attach screew and tighten.



Now to make it nice and strong drill through a nail hole in the plug box through to the utility box. Insert screew, nut, washers, and tighten.







Ok lets run some wire...

First lets hook up the power IN wires to the relays, and thread out to the IN Power plugs.


next run the wire from the out power side of the relays to the power OUT plugs. Note the red wires for one half of the plug, and the black for the OTHER half of the plugs. DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO TO KEEP THE WIRES IN ORDER.




Now you might be asking me what do you mean HALF a plug????

well plugs you buy in the store are connected with a jumper, so one set of wires charges all recepticles.

What we have to do is snip the jumpers because we want each plug to operate independently...

Alright, lets get wiring those boxes...

i marked the white wire sides (the power in white wires) of the power out wires (red/black) So i kept the power flowing the same side of the plugs.

Next make sure you are wiring up the RIGHT out plugs for in plugs. and deside which you want to be hot with power off/on.

The relay has a 120volt coil in it... When you apply power it becomes a magnet and brings the connectors down to engauge the second set of contactors.

That is what i mean by power on/off.

here are some wiring pictures, note the wire colors. DO NOT MIX IT UP TAKE YOUR TIME!















Ok we are mostly done... time for another pipe full. LOL

now we install the power wires to the relays and connect them all together to the extension cord wire with a male plug we have installed. Then attach the grounds.



Time to install the sockets to their boxes and attach the face plate coverings!







Finally MARK each plug (i bought white ones) so you know which is which, and attach the protective cover to the utility.

Yell out FUCK YOU GROW SHOP, and crack open a cold one and go buy some bulbs, sockets, and wire!

Final thoughts......

If i was to do this all over again, i would...

A) not smoke so much kali mist... lol (forgot the ground wires to the plugs!) lol

B) i would install all the wires to each relay BEFORE iinstalled them in the box, then i would just feed them through to the outlet boxes and cut to size.

C) give myself at least a inch of wire sticking outside the outlet boxes, so i have more room to manuver while attaching wires.

D) i would buy FORKED connectors instead of donut shaped ones... Pulling the screews right off was a pain in the ass.

I quite enjoyed doing this and i hope it helps some people out there.

Let me know what ya all think.

best wishes

POW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is EXACTLY what I've been looking for!! Thanks, kung pow. I almost bought one similar to this from the hydro shop for $320!

That is a nice project, good work. Those are the same type of relays that I have been using on my flip box for 2 years without any problems.

dude... mr. pow, you are a life saver. we need more posts like this, digi cams are cheap c'mon folks.

nice job!

Thanks guys, I love learning new things all the time, and i really enjoyed this project. Once you think it through it really is a simple device.

Keeping busy keeps the mind young.


Maybe i will take a shot or two of my contactor board...

(if your running multiple timers for the same crop, you REALLY should upgrade.)

I have seen the plug on those timers melt with a power surge... kinda scary.

Contactor board......=......bullet proof.........= PRICELESS

POW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kungpow, hook it up with the info on the "contactor board" .... i would love to be using 1 timer for all the lamps, a bunch of timers would probably cost more then making the part.

nice work kung pow!!! thanks for the info

what are you using to swith the circuits?? a timer on the extension cord??

Nice thread mate, I have been thinking about one of these for a while for when i get setup properly again.... all I need is for someone to make it a UK version for 240.....
Be lucky

To use the flip board with a contactor, simply unplug the contactor coil wire (the coil is what turns the contactor on/off) from the timer. Then plug it into your power bar plugged into the always on socket that the timer is also plugged into. now plug your coil wire for the flip flop into the timer on the contactor board....

POW!!!!!!!!! your in business.

Okay, so I've been looking at your pic's and I don't see how it works. I see how you have them wired up but I dont understand how you are flip flopping them?

Are you using the the single gang boxes on the right side of the pic to control the one that are on while the others are off?

I just don't see it?

Or are the relays set up so that when the power (120VAC) is turned on to the coils it powers four or the receptical and then when the (120VAC) is turner off to the coils it shifts the power over to the other contact on the relay powering the other side?????

Hey Kung!!

Sorry I'm stupid whats this box do? Is it splitting like a 240 to 120's? I could research whatt he relays and everything does or ask you here Great thread tho man!

WeedMan

Maybe I can help.. I have looked at this box he has built and it appears he inteds to use it inline between 4 ballasts and 8 lights.. i.e. the output of each of the ballasts will be cut and a male 120V plug will be installed that will be plugged into this box on the 4 plug side. Then eight lights will be adapted with similar male plugs and plugged into the side with 8 female plugs.. finally the box will be plugged into a timer with the main plug that is set to 12on 12 off.. the relays will then be powered to switch the output between bulb sets every 12 hours.

Reasons for believing this:

- Looking at the wires in the pictures for this box
- You cant power 4 lights off one 120V line
- Relays appear to shift power from the 4 incoming between the 8 outgoing based on input signal from 120V.
- I got a ballast and light set from a police auction that was wired exactly for a box like this.. uncanny.. and guess how long it took me to figure out WTF to do with a light with a male plug and a ballast with two male plugs coming out of it?? Now I know why it was wired like that! (and what did you think the fuz did with your gear? throw it away?? hahaahahha)

Hope this helps!

Very good thread. I'll be building one of these units also. Thanks for sharing your info with us.
Take care,
BG

The nUt_jOb DIY Flip Flop

The nUt_jOb DIY Flip Flop

Ok I set out to do this my way.. its not everyones way but its mine..

This is my setup for the cheap and easy 1 ballast to 2 light flip flop. I am using a 600 watt digital ballast to power two lights with this flip flop. Its cheap and easy just like me. I have tested it and it works, I expect it will continue to do so for quite some time. I will post here if I have any issues.

Supplies:

1 - Relay (DPDT 120VAC with a 15A [1/3 HP] rating) {$8}
1 - 10 foot 14 guage extension cord {$7}
1 - Electric project box {$9}
1 - Female Cord adapter {$3}
1 - Male Cord adapter {$3}

Total cost $30

And that 30 bucks is much better than another $260 digital ballast! Anywho, relays say how they should be wired on them (if they dont.. dont buy it!!). Dont expect the person in the store you go to to have any idea what DPDT (double pull double throw) means. Also dont let them lead you astray.. many dumbasses that work at radiocrack dont know their ass from a hole in the ground when it comes to real electrical goodies anymore. All they know is COMISSION and they will sell you anything. so.. know before you go!

You can look at the pics and see I have the output of the ballast coming into the box and getting tossed between two outputs. If you look closely at the sexing of the connectors you can see I set it up where if I dont want to use the flip box I can plug one light directly to the ballast (like if I am cleaning up one room between cycles and dont need it lit for a couple days). You will notice two other unwired relays in the box... they are for the future

I used some grommets around the electrical cords and fancy connectors that I found at the bottom of my goodie bin to connect to the relay. Also note and this is...

IMPORTANT: I took these pictures before connecting all the ground wires (green wires) as to be more pleasing to the eye and easier to understand. I have since connected all the ground wires to each other!

The relay(s) is superglued to the box and it aint goin anywhere. Also I superglued the cords at the box penetration points to make it all nice and rugged.

This project is not too difficult for an amature but if you are having second thoughts then do a little more research or ask questions here.. I will be happy to help!