Flip Flop timer help.....

[Onepunchko]

Hey there ICmaggers, I have a question that I know should be easy, but for some reason is fucking me up. I just hooked up my new horti-control LF-4 flip box and Im a little confused on the timer configuration. I am connecting 4 ballasts to a C.A.P MLC-8 (master lighting control w/ timer) and then running the ballasts to the LF-4 and then out to 8 lights total, 4 in each room side by side. My question is, which timer do I set to 12/12? The one built into the MLC-8 or the timer that came with the LF-4? Im thinking the timer on MLC 8 should be on 24 hours a day since the ballast wont ever really be turned off. Then I just set the timer to 12/12 that came with the flip box and hook the trigger cable from the flip box to it. If this is correct, then what do I do with the trigger cable that came with the MLC-8? Just run it to a receptacle with no timer or does it go into the plug on the trigger cable of the flip box (its one of those daisy chain plugs)?


Hope this makes sense and I appreciate any help.

peace

O.P.K.

 

[BasementGrower]

dude set up ur room.. and then try it .. honestly.. id say.. leave lighting controller trigger cable on 24hours.. and then contrrol the lights with the flip.. honestly. cause the light controller trigger will be used to control wen ur lights go on and off.. but since u wont be turning ur ballasts off.. i dont think u need a timer on that trigger cable.. but i could be rong.. i just was looking at them both.. on the net.. and to me thats how it looks..

some1 shouold be able to help ya.. but id set up ur room .. put the lf4 and mlc8 on the walls. and get everything plugged in.. and try it.. and see what works.. have ur rooms flip.. and have ur controller on workin n shit .. try and go from there.

 

[hvac guy]

Get two timers, you should be turning the ballasts off and on for each flip cycle especially if you're using electronic ballasts.

 

[shuswap]

actually depends on which elec ballast your running,these bc ballasts have a 5 minute delay when the flip is activated

 

[Funion]

Contact Kris. He will sort you out with your confusion.
I like his product a lot, but the two timer thing is a bit clumsy.
Best of luck.
F.

 

[hvac guy]

How is it clumsy, one timer shuts off ballasts for a few minutes every 12 hours and the other timer switches the 2 flip relays, lf4 only has 2 relays. Two plug in timers would suffice, just buy 2 good timers, not some cheap shit.

 

[Onepunchko]

Flip Flop timer help.....

I'm running 2 lumatek dimmables, 1 nexgen and 1 magnetic. In the manual it says that this flip box works by never turning the ballasts off so it doesn't have to restart them at all

 

[hvac guy]

That is a hot flip and the flip relays will arc every time. You're flip will last about two years before the surface area of the contacts is burnt and oxidized. Five year warranty makes me laugh if you are flipping the ballasts while hot.

 

[shuswap]

ha never thought of that as a hot flip but makes sense,im gonna run the 120 volt trigger contactor i use for heat kill to lights to turn off one min before flip and turn on min after,thanxs for the heads up

 

[Onepunchko]

Flip Flop timer help.....

So hvac, you think the flip box will only last 2 years and then it'll burn out? That sucks!

 

[Onepunchko]

Flip Flop timer help.....

Any ideas what I can do to prevent that?

 

[shuswap]

one punch what he is saying to do is to have a timer on you power going to the ballasts,turn the power off via timer one minute before lights flip say 11:59 then have the flip at 12:00 then power on again at 12:01 that way theres no power running thru the flip relays when it flips

 

[hvac guy]

Exactly what Shuswap says. When powerbox and horticontrol advertise 5 year warranties, they have never honored that once. I know three people who tried to return their flip boxes after less than 3 years when a couple of the relays stopped working, one of the contacts on one relay welded closed to the NO side. powerbox tried telling them that it was there fault and gave them the run around, didn't even offer to send a replacement relay.

 

[BasementGrower]

buy ur shit from a hydro store.. atleast when this happened to me with any products with a warranty the hydro store. will send it back to get fixed .. usually for free. if within warranty.. but what u need to do with ballasts.. if the ballast has been at the hydro store for 4 years.. u h ave 1 year till ur warranty runs out. cuz its not a 5 year warranty from wen u buy it unless u buy it from the company that warranty is coming from..

im speaking from having a ballast for a year and havnig it break.. and had to argue with people for days before they realized they were rong.

 

[Onepunchko]

Flip Flop timer help.....

one punch what he is saying to do is to have a timer on you power going to the ballasts,turn the power off via timer one minute before lights flip say 11:59 then have the flip at 12:00 then power on again at 12:01 that way theres no power running thru the flip relays when it flips

Ok cool, so I can use the timer on the mlc-8 to turn off before the flip and back on right after, signs good

 

[Onepunchko]

Flip Flop timer help.....

Oh and thank you guys for the help