Lighting Controller vs Timer

[big ballin 88]

Well I'm thinking about buying a lighting controller since I'm running out of room on my circuit. I only run about 1000w in lighting(600w and 510w) for now, but would move up in the future.

I figure in the future, the most wattage I would run is 1200w in flower and 620 in veg. As of now, I run 1160w in lighting altogether. I think having 4-240v outlets is all I need.

What are the benefits to having a lighting controller over timers? I know they are more reliable and contain heavier duty parts. But for someone like me, is it truly worth it?

What benefits can be seen running one?

 

[GrowForIt]

I don't have a lighting controller, but I do have a 30 amp 240 volt complete Grow Circuit that I built and it controls my lights as well. I'd say a lighting controller adds a layer of safety to the grow by eliminating the timer from having to handle the high amp load the ballast puts on it when the lamp is starting up. With a lighting controller the timer doesn't have to handle any load. It also neatens things up in the room because all lighting cords are running to a central location.

Imo if you're running multiple hids you need a controller.

Peace

 

[iBlaze]

Pretty much you can run a more sophisticated system, you can have specific fans come on in combination with separate lights, you could have 1 light timer controlling your veg room AND your flowering room. More durability, once you invest in a light controller it makes life easier but is not fully necessary. I work as an apprentice electrician over the summer and if you can dedicate 1 breaker to that controller you have a more programable user interface for your outputs.

I'll invest in one of these for sure once I have to control multiple lights and go into a larger scale grow. The biggest downfall to these are their expensive price. If you need to upgrade fans/lighting you should do that first and continue running timers. But if you have everything you need and are just looking to make your room more sophisticated then have at it.

Hope I could help, iBlaze.

 

[budleydoright]

Taking the heavy load off of the tiny relay in a timer (almost all of em), is the single most important safety precaution you can and should take IMHO.

Most household timers, even the heavy duty ones are rated for a 15 amp resistive load, our ballasts are an inductive load, so cut that relays load by 50% and it's MTBF about 70%.

A controller has a large relay or contactor that is designed and rated for these types of loads. It will switch the load on and off when 120V is applied to the trigger cord.

I myself wouldn't run anything over a 400 on a timer that is rated for 15 amps.

 

[rrog]

Hmmm... So if I have a 600w and 1000w plus fans and bowers, might you have a recommendation on a controller? Your post is compelling.

 

[budleydoright]

If you are at all handy, do a search on DIY light controller on google. Read through it, it is quite simple to do. When your done looking it over, if you feel you can't do it, your understanding on how they work will help you select one. I would buy US built products though. I think there's a company called DXsoundco that makes one called the power theif that looks nice. If you are just running a single 1k you can build a simple relay switch to do the same thing.

I don't want to come across like chicken little, but this is an issue in almost every garden. I have seen countless cheap household timers sold with 1k kits. While it will work, it's just a matter of time before it fails. When it fails there is potentail for a fire as well as damaged shorted out gear or the timer will stick ON. Not great when your babies are in 12-12.

There was a pretty lengthy thread on this on the old OG site with lots of photos of failures.

 

[rrog]

http://www.rollitup.org/do-yourself/131039-diy-4-6-light-controller.html

Sorry to link another site. This is what you're talking about?

 

[budleydoright]

Exactly, provided you need that much juice. If you just want to get the load off your timer, like a single 600 or 1k. You could build a much simpler device.

Here's a 30 amp relay on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-new-30-am...099?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae29e888b.

It has 4 terminals, 2 are for the coil. Apply 120V to the coil and the relay connects the other 2 terminals internally. You could put this relay into a deep quad box, wire a 16 guage lamp cord to the coil terminals. then take a some nice 12/3 or better wire, pass the hot wire thru the relay, add plugs of your choice and there you go.

I think I'm going to do a DIY post on this, i have a friend at a shop that asked me about one and offered to trade me a nice day night fan controller for it. So a build is coming.

 

[budleydoright]

Here are a couple of shots of one I made a while back. Now this has a solid state relay and used 24V to activate it. i don't use solid state relays as they generate heat and are really made for more rapid switching.

Here's a crude drawing of the wiring. If you can do a light switch you can do this!

Here's the 30 amp relay from ebay.

And your typical 15 amp relay in most timers

It's about 1/4 the size of the 30 amp unit.

This does not mean you can run 30 amps, it is what is required to safely switch a 15 amp inductive load, reliably over time.

 

[GrowForIt]

Here is my version cost me a little over a 100 bucks to build. I already had the 10/3 with ground so that cut down on cost.

30 amps circuit
30 amp definite purpose contactor 120 vac coil
3 - 240 volt switched outlets - upgradable
4 - 120volt non switched outlets
1 - 120 volt timer outlet

Peace GFI

 

[budleydoright]

That's what I'm talkin about. That looks very well put together and SAFE! I'm of the opinion that ALL HID lights should have an external relay. Way better safe than sorry.

 

[rrog]

This thread turned out to be a real gem. I'm building one just as soon as I figure out which.

 

[budleydoright]

Here's mine:

The box on the left has 8 15 amp relays and 6 30 amp relays. It is all switched by a controller tht sits in the box.

If you look close you can see the size difference between them. 4 of the 15 amp units switch the 30 amp units.

It's important to understand that you need a light controller for each light cycle you desire, when they are the simple devices like the sentinal, cap, titan. the four outlets on those are all switched at the same time. so if you're running 2 rooms that exceed 600w ea, you would need 2 controllers.

I run ea 600 on a 15 amp breaker and switch it with a 30 amp relay, My AC, Dehuey and fans also run through their own circuit with a 30 amp.

 

[rrog]

Man, these are just so cool. I want to build a small one, controlled with a little AC timer

 

[budleydoright]

I just posted a DIY on a single 15 amp timed lighting controller.

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=223194

 

[ExoSteve]

If I don't want to mess with electrical stuff. Which light controller you guys recommand to me for a 1000w lumatek ballast on a 15A circuit @ 120v?

I want a plug N light one...ready to use.

Sentinel are good?

Thank you!

 

[budleydoright]

This will work.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260870615129