Electrician help need plug identified have pics.

[Marquis de Sod]

if you are stuck with a controller than needs a 4 prong dryer outlet your best bet up to about thirty feet or so is to go to an RV dealer and ask them for an RV extension cord. also you may find one at Home Depot that is made for a Generator. they only come in specific lengths, either too short or too long

ps most electrical fires are caused by an overloaded extension cord so heed that 80% rule. btw, it is illegal to use an extention cord permanently. also, you have to be sure there are no more than a couple of concentric coils in your cord when you are done with it. many coils of wire will actually inhibit current flow causing big reduction in ampacity and more heat in the cord. peace

 

[Tactician]

Couldn't Powerbox just build your lighting controller with the length of power cord you needed, instead of buying an extension. Seems it would be an easy thing for them to do, better of to get a "real" electrician to build you a loadcenter to match your exact needs.

 

[Electrician]

Buy the Cord Ends that you need, buy the length of SJO Cord you need, install the cord ends, and get busy!

 

[Iron_Lion]

Hey 40amps, I was thinking about it, best and cheapest thing you can do it cut the female end off your yellow cord, strip it back carefully and wire the yellow cord in the exact same way the short controller cord is wired. This will save you from have to buy really expensive cord caps etc..and less pieces to the puzzle.

 

[Throwgar]

I know I'm probably asking for trouble, but I use heavy duty 120v plugs for my 240v lights. I haven't had any problems as of yet, and I saved $100's of dollars in fancy 240v plugs. You just need to swap out the pigtail on the ballast. If anyone does this, don't blow yourself up by plugging something 120v into the 240 outles.

Okay, I take back the above advice, it's a bad idea. It's okay for me to do it, since I believe in an individual's right to kill themself while doing something stupid.

 

[Electrician]

I know I'm probably asking for trouble, but I use heavy duty 120v plugs for my 240v lights. I haven't had any problems as of yet, and I saved $100's of dollars in fancy 240v plugs. You just need to swap out the pigtail on the ballast. If anyone does this, don't blow yourself up by plugging something 120v into the 240 outles.

Okay, I take back the above advice, it's a bad idea. It's okay for me to do it, since I believe in an individual's right to kill themself while doing something stupid.

This is a bad idea. 240volt 20amp receptacles are like $3.50. Do it right the first time.

 

[Mountain]

I know I'm probably asking for trouble, but I use heavy duty 120v plugs for my 240v lights. I haven't had any problems as of yet, and I saved $100's of dollars in fancy 240v plugs. You just need to swap out the pigtail on the ballast. If anyone does this, don't blow yourself up by plugging something 120v into the 240 outles.

Okay, I take back the above advice, it's a bad idea. It's okay for me to do it, since I believe in an individual's right to kill themself while doing something stupid.

You still got any pics of the electrical meter(s) you wired inside your grow space? Always thought those were cool.

 

[growshopfrank]

I know I'm probably asking for trouble, but I use heavy duty 120v plugs for my 240v lights. I haven't had any problems as of yet, and I saved $100's of dollars in fancy 240v plugs. You just need to swap out the pigtail on the ballast. If anyone does this, don't blow yourself up by plugging something 120v into the 240 outles.

Okay, I take back the above advice, it's a bad idea. It's okay for me to do it, since I believe in an individual's right to kill themself while doing something stupid.

A friend did the same thing, on day while not thinking he plugged his shop vacuum into 240V said it was some of the best fireworks he had ever seen. the plugs were changed the same day

 

[Electrician]

Male/Female Cord Ends Have Certain Configurations For A Reason

 

[LeeROI]

It gives me the creeps to see the "combo" outlets on certain controllers sold in growshops.
Yeah, let's make it so we can plug a 120V cord into a 240V source--
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

 

[Iron_Lion]

It gives me the creeps to see the "combo" outlets on certain controllers sold in growshops.
Yeah, let's make it so we can plug a 120V cord into a 240V source--
WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG?

I dont like these because 240v 4 wire is not meant to be split like that.

You could possibly end up with an unbalanced load with more on one phase than the other. This could cause electrical noise and interference among other problems. I would like to see how they are wired internally.

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

I dont like these because 240v 4 wire is not meant to be split like that.

You could possibly end up with an unbalanced load with more on one phase than the other. This could cause electrical noise and interference among other problems. I would like to see how they are wired internally.

Yea, I thought there was something in the box that made this work fine but from what people are telling me this is not the case. This is scary as hell in my opinion....I still don't believe a company would sell something that is this important if it will burn peoples businesses and houses down? I would think they could definitely be sued and would have thought of that?

Who knows but I am definitely heeding everyone's advice and just getting a solid 240v light controller.

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

PS everyone in this thread gets as much karma as I can remember to come back here and dole it out to everyone heh.

 

[stagehand099]

What is so hard about getting X feet of 10/2 with ground SJO and putting the correct plug and connector ends on? And frankly, it seems really strange to pay $350.00 for something that can be built for $80.00 by anyone who can follow simple directions and use simple power tools. Forgive me for posting this link again but it works and is perfectly safe if built with care.

http://www.hydroponics.net/learn/grow-light-controller.asp

stagehand

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

What is so hard about getting X feet of 10/2 with ground SJO and putting the correct plug and connector ends on? And frankly, it seems really strange to pay $350.00 for something that can be built for $80.00 by anyone who can follow simple directions and use simple power tools. Forgive me for posting this link again but it works and is perfectly safe if built with care.

http://www.hydroponics.net/learn/grow-light-controller.asp

stagehand

Bastards tend to have to learn everything on their own and ask lots of questions heh. Hell, the internet taught me how to shave.

Not hard at all now that I have had it explained to me. Very confusing to someone with absolutely 0 experience with any tools, much less electricity. I have just been able to afford tools in the past year. I have purchased tools I don't even know how to use lol. I just learned how to put up a door and use a router to do the hinges...a woman taught me lol. Before I would just drill through the door with a 6inch and 4inch hole (or use tents) because I was afraid to mess up the ceiling drywall as I did not know how to repair it (I do now).

I was smiling ear to ear buying a $300 dewalt screwdriver and a router 2 months ago...I never thought I'd ever be able to own tools much less a fuckin couch and TV. This is a dream for me

Thanks a lot for giving advice though. When it comes to electricity, fire, explosives, and what not I tend to make extra sure I am not doing something wrong.

 

[Electrician]

I dont like these because 240v 4 wire is not meant to be split like that.

You could possibly end up with an unbalanced load with more on one phase than the other. This could cause electrical noise and interference among other problems. I would like to see how they are wired internally.

The Horticontrol is the only one i've seen the inside of. A customer of mine wanted to go this route. Internally there is a jumper, you either have 240Volt or 120Volt but it won't energize both at the same time. I personally opt to do design build lighting controls with GE Lighting Contactors. Those things are built to handle 1,000's of switches before going bad. The store bought controllers don't use very good quality components. Actually they are junk. But for the hobby grow they work fine.

 

[Iron_Lion]

The Horticontrol is the only one i've seen the inside of. A customer of mine wanted to go this route. Internally there is a jumper, you either have 240Volt or 120Volt but it won't energize both at the same time. I personally opt to do design build lighting controls with GE Lighting Contactors. Those things are built to handle 1,000's of switches before going bad. The store bought controllers don't use very good quality components. Actually they are junk. But for the hobby grow they work fine.

hey thanx for the info, I have not personally gotten the chance to look inside one of them but what you say makes me feel a lot better about them.

The last few years I have seen quality of all sorts of electrical equipment go to shit so its not surprising they are not made with quality components. I live in a fairly new house and I've had to change out half of the wall receptacles because they've broken just from ordinary use.

 

[Electrician]

hey thanx for the info, I have not personally gotten the chance to look inside one of them but what you say makes me feel a lot better about them.

The last few years I have seen quality of all sorts of electrical equipment go to shit so its not surprising they are not made with quality components. I live in a fairly new house and I've had to change out half of the wall receptacles because they've broken just from ordinary use.

I hear you on the quality going down, its all about making stuff cheaper these days. Unfortunently quality goes down also. I was trippin also the first time I took one apart thinking the same as you. Then I see the voltage selector. The one I had came wired for 120Volt and I had to take out a jumper and move it in order to get 240Volt. Pretty cool product just seems like they didn't spend money on the components.

 

[40AmpstoFreedom]

Alright now that I have the actual box in hand rewiring is very easy...

Unfortunately they sent me the wrong box. They sent me a 3 wire plug and play instead of a 4 wire. I am guessing the 3 prong version is missing the the 4th wire I need to make this work? I only see 3 wires and I don't want to cut into the line and ruin the box for return to check for a 4th wire just not being used. From what I can see is there is only 3 wires.

I am guessing this will not work for rewiring to my 4 prong head? Just want to make sure before I go ahead and order a whole new box because I can't wait 2 weeks for the shipping etc on this one to exchange it...

 

[Iron_Lion]

4 wire = 2 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground

3 wire = 2 hots, 1 ground.

4 wire allows you to split the 240 circuit in to 120 volts if needed, no neutral means no 120 volts, but you can still wire in 240 v plugs.