O.k. iI have been growing random seeds for about 3n1/2 weeks with the lights going 20/4. the plants have been going pretty good but last night the timer was unplugged somehow and the lights didnt turn on while i was sleeping. The plants got about 13 hours darkness instead of thier normal 4.... this is the second time the timer has failed on me and they recieved more dark than normal, throwing off thier schedule. My question is, are they going to be messed up? does this affect yeild, sex, ect.? Also all began to pre-flower at the nodes.. what should i do? just continue the normal sched.?

Dude, just continue onwards. Why 20/4? and not 18/6?
2nd time it failed? maybe there is a problem with it? Try replacing it, they are cheap.

u will be fine, but dont let this happen again

It is rare that they would pre-flower after one night of interuption. They may have already started to preflower based on its maturity.
I agree with videoman, 18/6 is better for the plants in veg.
Remember, you can take a plant to full flower, cut it down to practically one
shoot and it will re-vegitate under the proper conditions. They'll be fine.

Buy a new timer very cheap. 18/6 on the light. They need their rest just like we do.

Having the Lights turned off a couple of times during the vegetative state can cause the right amount of stress to lean plants toward female characteristics. So dont even worry about it.

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Failed 2 times huh? I would definitely get a new timer and get it quick. Get a digital timer so you can program it at the exact time that you need. Start out over again, but use 18/6 or 16/8. Also, check your wiring. Something may be loose and causing the timer to turn off. I had that problem with a previous cord I was using. Good Luck.

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Or perhaps hermies. I would not intentionally stress my plants. MJ likes a routine.
Peace

my timer did the same to me when i started flowering but i just went on and it was fine, during veg i did 24/0 if your not guna get a new timer you should probally just tryin the 24/0 cycle that way you wont have to worry about it goin out

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help plants in flower and timer failed on for extra 4 hours now i can,t sleep to worried i might have stressed them out there at 3 1/2weeks on 12/12