Titan Controls Timer - bad experiences

[DumpsterDonny]

First off the thing came with wiring help that was incorrect. Stating to hook the ground up with neutral. Red flag #1.

It was working fine for about 6 weeks.. Or so I thought. I go up to my room to periodically check for light leaks and the lights were on when they should have been off. I freak out and it turns out the timer never switched them off. After 2 more days of the timer being unreliable turning the lights off middle of 12/12 and not shutting it off I've decided to take this down and sending it back. They're most likely going to give me a replacement but I will not use it. I'll feel safer wiring something up myself. I bought this because I had the money and didn't want to be bothered but it's too unreliable for something so critical as photoperiod.

 

[mastacheeser]

i have run their co2 controller forever, it has outlasted 2 c.a.p controllers. i guess thats not saying much tho
good products from what i hear, but lights not turning off is def not cool.
i saw another thread on here somewhere saying they were crazy easy to make once u figure out how.

 

[DumpsterDonny]

I bought something because I wanted stability but I guess now I should have built it myself.

4 lights and under is cake you don't even need relays. Little greybox and some outlets. For like 60$ total

 

[DumpsterDonny]

10A load - Ampacity 15a/12a
Safe for 2 lights. Cost: everything $45

 

[mastacheeser]

what kinda lights u running?
those are only safe for 1 1000w each

 

[DumpsterDonny]

what kinda lights u running?
those are only safe for 1 1000w each

That timer is rated 15a.

I'm running 2x 1000w @ 240 - 4.9a each. Timer should handle up to a 12a continuous load safely.

Upon further inspection it specifies an 8a inductive load maximum so it's only safe for 6.4a continuous load from a ballast. Aka 1 light.

 

[mastacheeser]

just fried one last week with 2 600's and spent some time on the phone to figure out why it happened
this is the anwer i got
when running 240, they will run at at lot lower amperage, but when turning them on, they can still peak up close to the 7-8 amp point. so if two ballasts peak at the same time, blown timer

good luck to ya, nothing worse than timer probs

 

[Ne Obliviscaris]

I've always used a simple digital powerstrip that has a built in timer, but I notice almost everyone else uses mechanical timers as shown in the picture, why is that?

I use these:

http://www.amazon.com/06694-Saving-Outlet-Grounded-Digital/dp/B002TQUF1W

Each light goes into its own strip on the timed portion, fans etc. go into the 'always on' hour portion. I limit it to one 1000w (plus fans) per strip, each strip is plugged into a separate outlet such that they are drawing from different fuses on the main box. Is this a bad way to do things for some reason I'm unaware of?

 

[DumpsterDonny]

If you're on a 15a breaker and running 120 ballasts. You definately want to limit that to 1 light. If you're rocking those strips and they're rated 15a then you should be fine with some additional fans, pumps etc. Split it up evenly and don't go over 12A per 15A circuit. That's 1000w light plus a 8" inline fan.

 

[wdcf]

nice

 

[Ne Obliviscaris]

If you're on a 15a breaker and running 120 ballasts. You definately want to limit that to 1 light. If you're rocking those strips and they're rated 15a then you should be fine with some additional fans, pumps etc. Split it up evenly and don't go over 12A per 15A circuit. That's 1000w light plus a 8" inline fan.

Yeah, man, thanks. I should have mentioned, the breakers are 15 amps and the outlets are 120 v as you stated. I was under the impression that each 1000w pulled about 6a when on and up to 9a at ramp up, so as I keep anything else I have plugged in to the strip pulling under ~5a I should be good (which I am as i dont trip the brakers when the lights switch on).

So why does everyone use the mechanical timers ('mechanical' might not be an accurate description, I mean the non-digital ones, like the titan pictured). Any reason not to use the digital power strips?

 

[organicfreak]

digital balast can interupt controllers with interference

 

[organicfreak]

c.a.p products are worse titans are better i believe

 

[Dees Nuts]

lost my second timer. so I made this for less than $70.
GE 24-Hour Mechanical Time Switch

 

[Bubblehaze]

What kind of titan controller takes wiring it up ?
I have titan controllers and I never touched a wire.
We also make our own like Dees Nuts example.
Although the home depot timers have let me down we have one we replaced 5 times already.
This is what I use works great except the cord is short. They come 120 n 240

digital balast can interupt controllers with interference

Only if you use one of the 1st ones made the new ones don't .