Square timer with round front, beware!

[Trich_Tyson]

I use one for my big fan sometimes. Same jawn. Not sure what setting you are talking about. But it seems to work for me. I have since changed it to a therm controller

 

[SMS65]

Ive read in the past that the digital timers can be prone to failure and were a potential fire hazard.
Does anyone know if that is true?
Whatever I read years ago caused me to stop using the digitals and stick to the analog timers with the movable pins.

I have been using timers for over 12 years. Never had an issue. The cheap store timers with the pins you push down.

The advice about a light load is good.

For a very specific and precise timer I we use a controller, the Digital Aquatics for reptiles.

 

[Trich_Tyson]

I've always like the analog pin guys. I like the outdoor one with the six or so inch cord. So I can plug two into an outlet and the cover so pins don't get "bumped"

But serious shout out to solis tek digi ballasts w/ on board timer. Allowed me to flip seamlessly between my two ballasts and not have to deal with outlet timers

 

[Medfinder]

Wrong little circle.. I'm talking about the circle in the display, it is toggled by pushing both the 'week' and 'hour' button at the same time. See the arrow in this pic.

[URL=https://www.icmag.com/ic/picture.php?albumid=71905&pictureid=1714785&thumb=1]View Image[/url]

picked up one at the hydro shop for 5 bucks and still haven't used it thanks for the heads up

2 pages of bad reviews on amazon
https://www.amazon.com/product-revi...vp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=0&pageNumber=2

 

[stizzle]

Bought a couple of these so I could run a pump for 45 seconds a day. They seem pretty good so far but I wouldn't trust them at the rated 15A, maybe half that.

 

[Drop That Sound]

Bought a couple of these so I could run a pump for 45 seconds a day. They seem pretty good so far but I wouldn't trust them at the rated 15A, maybe half that.

View Image

I've had my eye on those for awhile, if you read through the many reviews, many have had crop failures. At least half the people that say they are using for hydro, say they work good though. I can't help but want to get one anyway though, has the most features of any digital timer I have seen, and only 17$ on amazon! I like that it can do it all, many uses

Just about to order one to test out, except made by ADDTOP instead of NEARPAW, and a dollar cheaper. Was just released and has 100% rating. Im guessing thats only because it has 19 reviews and one hasn't crapped out on someone yet though.. we'll see.
Will run it on a test pump for a month, before giving up on my cheap modded pin timer that does 50sec intervals instead of 15 mins, for my LP Aero system.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7K6AJC?psc=1

 

[Loc Dog]

I have melted 3 analog timers made in china, rated for 1675 watts and 1200 watt melted them. I get cheap digital timers at home depot, learn how to use them, then not a problem. I screwed up at first, but now check everything twice. I only run 600 watt per timer.

 

[OldPhart]

picked up one at the hydro shop for 5 bucks and still haven't used it thanks for the heads up

2 pages of bad reviews on amazon
https://www.amazon.com/product-revi...vp_only_reviews&showViewpoints=0&pageNumber=2

That was great, I hadn't read the neg reviews... a combo of stupid people, and people getting burned by the random feature ... it sure confused the crap out of me.. Even after I broke down and went to the instructions, it still took a while to decipher the instructions.

As far as everyone melting these things down, I would NEVER trust these for anything over 600-700 watt max; and even then not for more than a run or two. I don't know how bad the digital ballasts burn the contacts, but the highly inductive load of a core/coil ballast will burn the contacts up at FAR below any rated value. Read on the spec sheet, they are rating them for a resistive load (heater/incandescent bulb). It is very easy to hook a cheep timer to a massive contactor, which is what I have always done when ever reaching anything 1K or over, or if 240V is needed.

OP

 

[chris harris]

I checked mine after reading this thread, and mine don't got this feature. Still good info to know. I'll be sure to be checking any new one I buy.

 

[Jellyfish]

Mechanical timers do everything I need a timer to do, and are really cheap.

 

[chris harris]

I like the preciseness of time settings, and the ability to keep track of time during a power failure that digitals offer.

 

[Floridian]

I used a square timer with a round front and red and green stops for very low power applications like turning my co2 generator on and off for many years without any problems.I would never use it for higher power applications though.The mechanical timers like the little gray box handle my HIDs perfectly and have for many years.I have always used them to control my 3 1K vertizontals without issue.I cant say enough about these simple mechanical timers for higher power apps

 

[Jhhnn]

Mechanical timers do everything I need a timer to do, and are really cheap.

I used a square timer with a round front and red and green stops for very low power applications like turning my co2 generator on and off for many years without any problems.I would never use it for higher power applications though.The mechanical timers like the little gray box handle my HIDs perfectly and have for many years.I have always used them to control my 3 1K vertizontals without issue.I cant say enough about these simple mechanical timers for higher power apps

The problem with digitals is that they try to be all things to all people making setup more complex than my old brain wants to handle not to mention that the instructions are often in Engrish, not my native tongue. They score an easy 8 out of 10 on my PITA meter.

Very few plug in timers are rated for what we do with lighting. What they sell in grow shops around here are crap. They're mostly engineered well enough that they just die young rather than bursting into flame.

This is the stoutest plug in timer I can find-

https://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-H...8&qid=1488553124&sr=8-1&keywords=20+amp+timer

You'll need this too if you don't have a HD kitchen receptacle-

https://www.amazon.com/Conntek-1F515520-1-Foot-15-Amp-Adapter/dp/B00439KIF6

Drill down here to see that it's rated for 8A inductive-

http://www.intermatic.com/en

A single 1000w mag ballast system is 9A inductive @120VAC. I wouldn't sweat it on that timer because the timer is de-rated for safety but that's just me.

They also make nice panel mount timers like this, what I use to run a power relay-

http://www.intermatic.com/en/timer-controls/mechanical-time-switches/fm1stuz-120u

Nothing to lose. Some models have battery backup.

The most important part of any grower's mission is to not burn the house down.

 

[watts]

Intermatic T-101 Timer and a heavy duty extension cord cut in half and wired to the timer. Use two 1/2" romex connectors or preferably strain relief cord connectors to hold the extension cords into the timer. The particular extension cord I used has 3 outlets so I could run three 400's, two 600's or one 1000 off 15 amps off a normal 120v house circuit. It works great and the only negative is that you have to reset the clock time if the power goes out. Intermatic makes a digital version of this timer but it's 3x the price of the mechanical one.

 

[chris harris]

Had one of those burn up on me. I got it somewhere, when I find it, I'll post pic. Rated for 40 amps, was pulling 30.

 

[Jhhnn]

Had one of those burn up on me. I got it somewhere, when I find it, I'll post pic. Rated for 40 amps, was pulling 30.

They need to be heavily de-rated for electronic & mag ballast loads-

http://www.intermatic.com/en/timer-controls/mechanical-time-switches/t101mx

The inrush current when the points close is extreme. They'll pit & burn when over-taxed, causing resistance, overheating & failure.

240v operation is much, much easier on everything when a grower can do it that way.

 

[Drop That Sound]

I use these for my 1000 digi's

https://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-P1101-Amps-Outdoor-Timer/dp/B000GHKOB2/ref=sr_1_29?ie=UTF8&qid=1488689721&sr=8-29&keywords=intermatic+outdoor+timer
Designed to run up to 1 hp pool pumps, and splash proof. Still only 15 amps but I figure by the size of the box they at least use better contacts than the smaller cheaper ones, I could be wrong though...

I usually set one to come on and off 15 minutes late/early so I don't go over 12 hours with my 2 light room. I ran two 20 amp circuits into the little room for each side otherwise I would have a 40 amp timer with both lights. sometimes I run a heater on one circuit and run the pumps off the other so incase it trips i still have light.

I just don't trust a digital for a 1000watt although..

Thought about using a couple digital in wall receptical type timers, would look nice in a grey gang box.
https://www.amazon.com/Enerlites-HE...rd_wg=d3kWN&psc=1&refRID=69BP1DQBPWG5ZKSA1TCT
This brand says it has a 1200watt tungsten load rating.

 

[Jhhnn]

I use these for my 1000 digi's

https://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-P...721&sr=8-29&keywords=intermatic+outdoor+timer
Designed to run up to 1 hp pool pumps, and splash proof. Still only 15 amps but I figure by the size of the box they at least use better contacts than the smaller cheaper ones, I could be wrong though...

I usually set one to come on and off 15 minutes late/early so I don't go over 12 hours with my 2 light room. I ran two 20 amp circuits into the little room for each side otherwise I would have a 40 amp timer with both lights. sometimes I run a heater on one circuit and run the pumps off the other so incase it trips i still have light.

I just don't trust a digital for a 1000watt although..

Thought about using a couple digital in wall receptical type timers, would look nice in a grey gang box.
https://www.amazon.com/Enerlites-HE...rd_wg=d3kWN&psc=1&refRID=69BP1DQBPWG5ZKSA1TCT
This brand says it has a 1200watt tungsten load rating.
View Image

A 1 HP motor is a 746w inductive load. A1000w inductive load (mag ballast) or 1000w capacitive load (electronic ballast) will reduce the lifespan considerably.

Intermatic is a solid outfit who de-rates their devices considerably both for the sake of safety and their reputation, a good thing. I wouldn't expect the same from no-name competitors.

 

[chris harris]

They need to be heavily de-rated for electronic & mag ballast loads-

http://www.intermatic.com/en/timer-controls/mechanical-time-switches/t101mx

The inrush current when the points close is extreme. They'll pit & burn when over-taxed, causing resistance, overheating & failure.

240v operation is much, much easier on everything when a grower can do it that way.

Exactly what happened, thanks for the sound advise.

 

[troutman]

WTF .. why would you sell a timer for indoor growing with a random feature on it!

The random feature is so you can hook up a regular table lamp or TV to it and go out for a week.

Then the light or TV will randomly go on and off and your neighbors and more importantly crooks will think a person is inside.