Using 120v cords while running 240v?

[Tonygreen]

I bought that solis tek digi, cut my internet immediately when I plugged it in, tested for over an hour and it interrupted it every time, grow shop grumbled about replacing it with a standard magnetic and told me the rf from the remote caused interference not the ballast, well the remote is the entire cool thing about it! Someone else told me he was full of it about the remote though and it was probably a bad ballast.

 

[Hammerhead]

I had my modem and router in the flower room for a long time. I never had any isses with RF.. I use Lumatek. If the Solis gave you RF problems any digi would IMO. I agree the unit was defective..

 

[FlowerFarmer]

People have been conditioned throughout their entire lives that if a given plug fits it's corresponding receptacle, then it is safe to use it. I've read a number of times on here of people who accidentally fried their equipment from this precise scenario, and in at least one instance, it was an electrician who did it. MJ isn't really known for improving your memory or clarity of thought. The other problem is the equipment that has the wrong cordset - if it gets moved to a different location or sent in for repair, etc, it has a high potential of being plugged into the wrong voltage at that point. It is pretty stupid to have to check and see how every ballast is tapped prior to energizing it because some stoner thinks that bypassing a universal standard to save ten bucks is a wonderful idea.

I agree with you if we are talking about ballasts without dual voltage selection from outside of the case that have been converted to 240v within, but its rather a moot point for all magnetic ballasts being released today that have the spin-around dual voltage feature.

In the instance of dual voltage ballasts.. like the one pictured below.. spending $10 is not going to save you from a stoner mistake.

If the user is foolish enough to plug it into 240v at the male side of the removable power cord then it is plausible that they may likely make the same mistake at the female end of the power cord, now made possible with the above type of selector.

Ya know what I'm saying Rives?
I mean.. it least its noted on the dual voltage ballasts, but again.. it still doesnt prevent stupid. One could just as easily fry their ballast with the proper 240v power cord by plugging it into the wrong side of the dual voltage selector.

In order to prevent this manufacturers would (and should) have to change the female end of the power cord so that they cannot plug into one another at the ballast side of things.

 

[Hammerhead]

Its not the ballast we are concerned about.. most of the equipment in a grow room is not 240v. Fans, heaters ,chillers, Some AC units,timers,controllers lots of stuff. If any of these get plugged into that outlet well we know what will happen. Why make the situation dangerious when its completely unnecessary. I have one of these controllers the 120v and 240v outlets are right next to ea other. It would be very easy for ssomeone to make that mistake. I rewired mine painted the box red labled it with 240 and used nema 6-20r they look like this..you cant plug a 120v device into it..

 

[FlowerFarmer]

Ah.. I understand ya.

Wasnt realizing that DX Hydro's controllers have 120v outlets on them as well for a all-in-one power solution. Thought we were just referring to 240v light controllers.

Can definitely see why one could mistakenly into the wrong outlets in close proximity to one another.

 

[Holdin']

Theres no confusion on my part. we are not talking about the cord itself..120v cord will work thats not the problem. Its cuases a unsafe situation.. If yo do that and forget that outlet is 240v you could cause a fire if you plug in a 120v device into 240v. The cost to have the right stuff is minor. The 240v cord is 12$ do it right the first time.

Okay man thanks for clearing that up - and like I said, my bad I was the one misunderstanding.

I was just stating that there would be no harm done to a 240v ballast if this were to be done.

Not that I would say it makes sense to change a receptacle just to accomidate a cord... I would never go that route myself, and it is indeed kind of silly...

I was just sayin'

 

[hvac guy]

If you have a dxhydro controller, I would open it and make sure it has ul/csa approved receptacles. Opened on of his controllers, and none of the nema 6-15 receptacles had any markings, let alone voltage/amperage ratings. Just like the ez-box timer, they use no name yellow receptacles and the opening for the bx fitting is about 3" wide on the 16 ballast unit. When buying any electrical device, including ballasts, make sure all the components are ul/csa/ce listed.

http://lumz-n-blooms.com/products/controllers/ezbox/

 

[Hammerhead]

They where not. Like I mentioned I had to rewire my unit to pass code. There are still somethings that need to be done to pass code but I will live with it. The relays need to be in a separate box. They cant be mounted in the controler. I Have yet to do that. I replaced all outlet with 6-20r and I upgrades the wires size to 10g. I removed the 30a breaker installed 2 20a breakers. 1 for the 240v side(all lights are on this one 2200w) 1 for the 120v side. Some of the 240v/120v are timed..My unit is basically made by myself if you look at what I replaced. the only thing that was left is the panel and the relay..

 

[dansbuds]

They where not. Like I mentioned I had to rewire my unit to pass code. There are still somethings that need to be done to pass code but I will live with it. The relays need to be in a separate box. They cant be mounted in the controler. I Have yet to do that. I replaced all outlet with 6-20r and I upgrades the wires size to 10g. I removed the 30a breaker installed 2 20a breakers. 1 for the 240v side(all lights are on this one 2200w) 1 for the 120v side. Some of the 240v/120v are timed..My unit is basically made by myself if you look at what I replaced. the only thing that was left is the panel and the relay..

With that being said .... I take it you'd NOT recomend the DX controllers ?? from the sounds of it he's cheapening out on materials to the point they're dangerous !!!

 

[rives]

Dan, I can't speak for HH, but I think that DX can build controllers however you want - you just need to be an informed consumer and tell him that you want UL-approved devices and for the controller to be fully code-compliant. The problem that he is dealing with is that he has to be competitive against other companies that are not building quality gear. CAP for instance, with their "revolutionary" receptacle that will accept either 120 or 240 plugs is flouting every electrical convention, code, and compliance that exists. They all seem to use shortcuts like vastly over-sizing the circuit breakers with the justification that it is code-compliant in one particular, highly-limited instance that will never apply to any of us. At least with DX you have the option of telling him how you want it built.

 

[dansbuds]

I'll let Hammer comment on this himself .... because i'm pretty sure he didn't get what he wanted if he had to rewire it . just sayin

I'm glad i have an electrical back ground & can build these units myself when & if i ever get big enough to need one !!!