Powerbox Flipbox

[DONAJTHEIII]

Hey everyone thought Id post up a thread about the Powerbox Flipbox and see what peoples exp. are with flip boxes and this one more specifically.


Im planning on getting a Powerbox flip box lsm-8 but really cant find too much info about flipboxes .

Heres the link btw :

http://www.powerboxinc.com/lsm8.html


Right now i have a mlc-4x hooked to 600's. My question is can I plug this flipbox straight into to my mlc-4x and power another room **my goal**

Im not too savy on the electrical side of this hobby and had someone else install the mlc-4x that ive been using for the past couple of yrs. Hoping i can just plug this flipper into the mlc-4x w/o having to change shit around as im no electrician lol and would prefer not to try to pretend to be


Would love to here peoples exp. and overall thoughts of flipboxes


AJAE

 

[Cameltom]

i liked mine, but its just a single. one ballast two lights.

 

[Snow Crash]

I think you're a little confused on where the Flipbox sits. To answer your question, you can plug the 120v power or trigger cable from the Flipbox LSM8 into the MLC-4, but that's not how to set it up.

The 120v power cord is just for the on-board timer, you just plug that into the wall. The trigger cord can be used with a separate timer if you didn't like the on-board timer.

Your ballasts will still all be powered by the MLC, you keep them plugged in. The ballasts will run constantly, day and night, so you need to plug your trigger cord into a constant 120v power supply (just like the Flipbox).

The Flipbox is between the ballasts and the reflectors. (MLC->ballasts->flipbox->reflectors)

You have a reflector in one room and another reflector in another. These two reflectors connect to a single ballast through the Flipbox. The Flipbox alternates which reflector is in use based on the timer.

Most ballasts are compatible, but not all. You should check with the manufacturer before purchasing to make sure there will not be an issue. Gavita's, I'm certain on, are not rated for use with these. Most digital and magnetic ballasts are fine though.

 

[hvac guy]

You can get some QuickFlips from www.nowirenuts.ca, they sell them for $100 each, they lock together and can be daisy chained together to switch the relays.

 

[DONAJTHEIII]

I think you're a little confused on where the Flipbox sits. To answer your question, you can plug the 120v power or trigger cable from the Flipbox LSM8 into the MLC-4, but that's not how to set it up.

The 120v power cord is just for the on-board timer, you just plug that into the wall. The trigger cord can be used with a separate timer if you didn't like the on-board timer.

Your ballasts will still all be powered by the MLC, you keep them plugged in. The ballasts will run constantly, day and night, so you need to plug your trigger cord into a constant 120v power supply (just like the Flipbox).


The Flipbox is between the ballasts and the reflectors. (MLC->ballasts->flipbox->reflectors)

You have a reflector in one room and another reflector in another. These two reflectors connect to a single ballast through the Flipbox. The Flipbox alternates which reflector is in use based on the timer.

Most ballasts are compatible, but not all. You should check with the manufacturer before purchasing to make sure there will not be an issue. Gavita's, I'm certain on, are not rated for use with these. Most digital and magnetic ballasts are fine though.

dude snowcrash you are the fucking man bro always see you tossing good knowledge around these parts

totally get it now bro ! fucking simple as that eh just plug and play huh yessss !


quick question:

heard you should have a seperate timer for the flip and a seperate timer for my mlc so that it doesnt flip hot ? have you heard of this before ?

also was debating between this or a mlc-8dx since it has two trigger cables.

what do you guys think ?




AJAE

 

[hvac guy]

I have built 100s of flips, always power the ballast off and on every 12 hour flip cycle, do not flip hot.

 

[DONAJTHEIII]

I have built 100s of flips, always power the ballast off and on every 12 hour flip cycle, do not flip hot.

HVAC right on bro thought thats what I heard and makes sense.


So let me get this straight HVAC:


So I would use my timer that controls the mlc power aka the trigger cord to shut off my power source for lets say a total of 5 minutes during the flip from my two rooms..... ? then have the timer on the flip box set to flip a minute after the power shuts off. So that it has 3-4 mins to cool down sound right ? Then when the timer hooked on my mlc-4x goes off again the lights are already flipped to the other room.


Does this sound right HVAC

it makes sense so im pretty sure this is how the vets like you use em.


Think im just going to go with a flip box rather than the mlc-8dx. I already had my cap wired for 2 years and it runs well so i might as well keeping using my mlc-4x since it been treating me well.
If it ever goes out then I can get a new one and just simple switch them out.

So i got 2 galaxys and 2 nexgens are these cool as well for flipboxes ?

pretty sure i had some buds who ran nexgens. hoping my galaxys are cool too.


Thanks again everyone I wish i was as electrician savy as you HVAC would love to make my own flip rather than have to dish out 5-6 bills for the one i want boooooooo


But oh well who ever said this hobby was cheap right ?



AJAE