240 volt lumatek ballast <-- ok to use water heater timer?

[mixin]

ok, i have my digital ballast and cooltube set up, i bought a 240v water heater timer to use with it.

my question is this: the water heater timer simply cuts the power to one of the legs and leaves the other hot. will this work ok for my ballast? i would think that the ballast would realize it has less than 240 and simply doesn't start up.

can anyone let me know if its ok for me to fire up my new ballast this way?

 

[mixin]

just what i was afraid of. at least now i know.

Sorry, that is not a compatible timer. It must be a double pole single throw timer. The Intermatic T104 is good reliable timer that you could use.

Regards,

 

[sparkjumper]

How do you figure it leaves one leg hot?Is in an intermatic WH40 little gray box or T-103?"If thats the right one for 240"I think you're wrong bro.I'm going out to my truck to get my voltage tester.I have three in my house one is actually controlling my hot water heater lol.Be right back.Naw man I just check load lugs #2 and #4 with the timer off and got no power.I checked each together and then individually to ground,there is no power it kills both "legs".You will always have power to line lugs #1 and #3 unless you kill power at the breaker

 

[mixin]

that quote that i posted was a direct email from lumatek. i need to get a different time that doesn't share one leg

 

[sparkjumper]

I don't know what lumatek is talking about,I am an electrician and have installed/serviced many a 240V mechanical timer and if only one leg on the load side was killed,there would be a lot of crispy electricians taken by surprise lol!Take a voltage tester and see for yourself

 

[mixin]

i thought a lot of say light poles in parking lots that have photocells on top of them. i thought that they only break one leg when there is light?