6/2 Or 6/3 Wire For Light Controller?

[Smokey503ski]

Checking to see which electrical wiring I will need.

I have a Titan Helios 12 which is a 8 light controller. 50 amps. Pretty basic.

Is 6/2 wiring what I need? Or is 6/3 what I need?

I'm planning on getting 10' of 6/2 wiring. Pretty simple wiring.
2 hot wires connect to the 50 amp breaker. Ground wire goes to the ground bar.
Pretty much the same idea in the light controller.
Not sure what the extra wire would be for when using 6/3.

 

[smokie]

The extra wire is neutral usually.

 

[Billyboat]

I just wired up 3 Titan helios controllers...

The old style Titans were set up for 4 wire, 2 Hots, a neutral and a ground.

The new Titan controllers I just got are set up for 3 wire, 2 hots and a ground, no neutral needed.

I was going to cheat and run a jumper from the neutral to the ground bar, inside the Helios but decided against it, for no real reason, (against code) So I just ran the neutral wire, and it attaches to my ground bus bar, right beside the green ground wire.

A 4 wire system is technically safer as it allows an extra path for the electricity to travel in the event you lose your ground. And it allows for 120V if need be, but you won't use that as your running all 220v ballasts I would assume. My powerbox units are all 4 wire, as they have 120v outlets on them as well.

 

[fishwhistle]

If your just running 220 6/2 is fine,if your controller has 120 and 220 capability you need 6/3.

 

[Smokey503ski]

It just has 240v. The reason I wondered is because of the 120v trigger cords for the timer?

 

[Billyboat]

It just has 240v. The reason I wondered is because of the 120v trigger cords for the timer?

Does it have a built in timer or is it one with a trigger cord on each side?

 

[Myco]

If it's only a standard 240v controller with a trigger cord for control then still no, 6/3 would be needless.

6/2 it is.

 

[Smokey503ski]

It has Dual trigger cords.

 

[ccWTF]

Im pretty sure all 50amp breakers are 220 volt. Like an electric range oven.
6/3 actually has 4 wires... Red and black are hot, white is neutral and goes to the same place as the ground.
6/2 is going to have 3 wires Black,White,Ground wires.