4 bulbs per ballast! - Vertical / Colosseum Growing - International Cannagraphic Magazine Forums

Dr.RedWhite · 06-14-2015, 05:40 PM

Suppose you ran 1 600 watt magnetic ballast for two 5x5 rooms on a flip and had another DTDP relay in each room to run two stacked bulbs. This would run 600 watts for 24 hours straight, 12 hours for each room. Seems like you would be getting the most out of your ballast and it would last longer because it was not being turned on and off twice a day. Or would I be better off to run 2 ballasts and not flip the lights in each room just from room to room? Each room would have 4 palnts with height topped out to 5 feet or so and tied to screens. I like the one ballast idea to save electricity and to not have the 12 hour signature for my smart meter to read.

who dat is · 06-14-2015, 09:31 PM

I've not done this but it sounds like a lot of electric fuckery going on. If you're that concerned about it why not get another ballast to split the work load and not have one running constantly? You could still do the split but probably good to have some redundency in case your one ballast shits the bed.

delta9nxs · 06-15-2015, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.RedWhite

Suppose you ran 1 600 watt magnetic ballast for two 5x5 rooms on a flip and had another DTDP relay in each room to run two stacked bulbs. This would run 600 watts for 24 hours straight, 12 hours for each room. Seems like you would be getting the most out of your ballast and it would last longer because it was not being turned on and off twice a day. Or would I be better off to run 2 ballasts and not flip the lights in each room just from room to room? Each room would have 4 palnts with height topped out to 5 feet or so and tied to screens. I like the one ballast idea to save electricity and to not have the 12 hour signature for my smart meter to read.

hey man! how you doin'?

i have run flips exactly like you are talking about and they work fine. you will have flip flops flip flopping flip flops.

all the solenoids for each flip can be wired together in parallel with 16 ga and controlled with a timer.

so you'll have a timer on the room to room relays and a timer in each room on the lamp to lamp relays.

i got mine at automation direct. https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...D-PR40-2C-120A

i put each relay in a box for safety although there wasn't much arcing.

Dr.RedWhite · 06-16-2015, 06:43 PM

I've been running wild in Colorado and loving it. If there is a more fun area than around Durango I don't think I could handle it! That is the relay I have been using to do the flip from room to room and they are great. Even in the dark they make hardly a spark. When it cools off again I will be running as described. What a great hobby!

einsteinlady · 09-10-2015, 02:16 PM

I have this relay controller. Its for 4 ballasts flipping to 8 lights.

https://www.fraservalleygreenhouse.co...d-8-flip-flop/

I would like to be able to do what you guys are talking about and be able to flip flop the lights one more time. So essentially 4 ballasts running 16 bulbs but only 4 bulbs on at a time for 6 hours at a time.

How could i do this?

Dr.RedWhite · 09-18-2015, 11:03 PM

Well you would have to add another relay run on another timer for each two bulbs in the stack. Set your extra timer to run 6 on 6 off which changes which bulb is on and does not actually turn a bulb off. The relay will switch when the light is not powered but it won't matter. Have to look at your controller. Might be able to use another controller like yours to run the other 8 bulbs but I do it the hard way by using individual relays. I may be getting too deep in the rabbit hole but I would bet you could wire the second controller in after the first to run the stacked bulbs.

toastfighter2 · 09-24-2015, 09:06 AM

Your best bet is to have two ballast on flips, 12 on in one room, and 12 dark in the other.

Dr.RedWhite · 09-25-2015, 09:35 PM

I disagree toast. Less heat, less electricity used flipping the lights room to room. When a ballast starts up it uses a lot of electricity, when you flip the bulbs they light quicker and I have seen no evidence they don't last as long. Plus not having the ballast on a timer saves money. Having a timer run a relay is much easier on the timer too.

LSWM · 09-25-2015, 10:14 PM

The ballast uses more power when initially lighting up the bulb. I don't believe any power is saved, nor would it increase or decrease the life of the ballast.

Building proper flip box is not the simplest or cheapest task. Whether or not flipping bulbs 6 hours at a time is worth it I couldn't say. I'm not sure it's worth all the extra effort.

Drekoushranada · 09-26-2015, 03:29 AM

How would a person use/wire this relay?

Quote:

Originally Posted by delta9nxs

hey man! how you doin'?

i have run flips exactly like you are talking about and they work fine. you will have flip flops flip flopping flip flops.

all the solenoids for each flip can be wired together in parallel with 16 ga and controlled with a timer.

so you'll have a timer on the room to room relays and a timer in each room on the lamp to lamp relays.

i got mine at automation direct. https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/...D-PR40-2C-120A

i put each relay in a box for safety although there wasn't much arcing.

06-14-2015, 05:40 PM	#1
Dr.RedWhite Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 351	4 bulbs per ballast! Suppose you ran 1 600 watt magnetic ballast for two 5x5 rooms on a flip and had another DTDP relay in each room to run two stacked bulbs. This would run 600 watts for 24 hours straight, 12 hours for each room. Seems like you would be getting the most out of your ballast and it would last longer because it was not being turned on and off twice a day. Or would I be better off to run 2 ballasts and not flip the lights in each room just from room to room? Each room would have 4 palnts with height topped out to 5 feet or so and tied to screens. I like the one ballast idea to save electricity and to not have the 12 hour signature for my smart meter to read.
	Quote

06-14-2015, 09:31 PM	#2
who dat is Cave Dweller Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 6,023	I've not done this but it sounds like a lot of electric fuckery going on. If you're that concerned about it why not get another ballast to split the work load and not have one running constantly? You could still do the split but probably good to have some redundency in case your one ballast shits the bed. __________________ Instagram @whodatisco Who grows Glue better than you. (current)
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

06-16-2015, 06:43 PM	#4
Dr.RedWhite Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 351	I've been running wild in Colorado and loving it. If there is a more fun area than around Durango I don't think I could handle it! That is the relay I have been using to do the flip from room to room and they are great. Even in the dark they make hardly a spark. When it cools off again I will be running as described. What a great hobby!
	Quote 1 members found this post helpful.

09-24-2015, 09:06 AM	#7
toastfighter2 Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Middle America Posts: 678	Your best bet is to have two ballast on flips, 12 on in one room, and 12 dark in the other. __________________ Your style will eventually match your grow area and the amount of time and money you like to put into initial setup vs. long term maintenance.-stinkyattic "OVERGROW the WORLD.....one lil' Bathroom light bulb at a time"Dr. Bud Greengenes, Phd. in THC Beginners Links ICMAG'S OFFICIAL ~DIY~ LINK-O-RAMA https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=291712
	Quote

09-25-2015, 10:14 PM	#9
LSWM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 1,101	The ballast uses more power when initially lighting up the bulb. I don't believe any power is saved, nor would it increase or decrease the life of the ballast. Building proper flip box is not the simplest or cheapest task. Whether or not flipping bulbs 6 hours at a time is worth it I couldn't say. I'm not sure it's worth all the extra effort. __________________ LSWM's 3k Vert Donuts - Finished LSWM's Vert Donuts 2.0 - Current
	Quote

09-10-2015, 02:16 PM	#5
einsteinlady Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 68	I have this relay controller. Its for 4 ballasts flipping to 8 lights. https://www.fraservalleygreenhouse.co...d-8-flip-flop/ I would like to be able to do what you guys are talking about and be able to flip flop the lights one more time. So essentially 4 ballasts running 16 bulbs but only 4 bulbs on at a time for 6 hours at a time. How could i do this?
	Quote

09-18-2015, 11:03 PM	#6
Dr.RedWhite Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 351	Well you would have to add another relay run on another timer for each two bulbs in the stack. Set your extra timer to run 6 on 6 off which changes which bulb is on and does not actually turn a bulb off. The relay will switch when the light is not powered but it won't matter. Have to look at your controller. Might be able to use another controller like yours to run the other 8 bulbs but I do it the hard way by using individual relays. I may be getting too deep in the rabbit hole but I would bet you could wire the second controller in after the first to run the stacked bulbs.
	Quote

09-25-2015, 09:35 PM	#8
Dr.RedWhite Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 351	I disagree toast. Less heat, less electricity used flipping the lights room to room. When a ballast starts up it uses a lot of electricity, when you flip the bulbs they light quicker and I have seen no evidence they don't last as long. Plus not having the ballast on a timer saves money. Having a timer run a relay is much easier on the timer too.
	Quote