Diy digital 4 light controller with timer

i dont like the ground mounted right on the board but I left it until my buddy can tell me what to do with it.

using 220v outlets, and coloring them seems kinda like overkill . I would start by running the ground bar to a safe ground like a unexposed pipe or something.

Not to come out wrong but I think this could be considered a textbook case of negligence should god forbid something end up happening. Also should Leo come knocking about they would love showing that image in court. On top of anything else you have a post to your site where you are asking people to beta test your products for just slightly less than what a tested know working system would cost you. If this is where you get after dropping over 300 bucks on this set up I can only imagine how solid your controller is.

• [FONT=Tahoma, Calibri, Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif]2x 20 amp outlets. $6. To properly wire this, you would use 240v outlets. I used normal outlets, because thats what my ballasts have. Also I couldnt find them. Even commercially made controllers from the big hydro companies will use regular, or double tap outlets in their devices. Its not a big deal, just NEVER plug a 110 device into this controller, your device will fry[/FONT]​

  
  
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You said your device had 110v plugs. Are you using lumatek ballasts by any chance??? I have 2 1000w lumateks and i want to do somthing like this but i dont want to fry my ballasts. Im thinking it would work fine but i want a second opinion.
Let me know what yall think
Mr. Ed

phatplantman said:

Not to come out wrong but I think this could be considered a textbook case of negligence should god forbid something end up happening. Also should Leo come knocking about they would love showing that image in court. On top of anything else you have a post to your site where you are asking people to beta test your products for just slightly less than what a tested know working system would cost you. If this is where you get after dropping over 300 bucks on this set up I can only imagine how solid your controller is.

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i assume that was pointed to me? You obviously didnt check out the site. Its a environment controller using some relays and sensors. No scary exposed wire high voltage. Furthermore the project is dead, mainly because i lost interest in it. I do that a lot
As to me spending 300 to get where I am. Yea I do that a lot too... Must be an obama guy bothered by what I do with my money... I like to tinker. If I wanted a light controller today I'd just go buy one. Personally I can only spend so many hours in the garden before I need to nerd out on something else.

sorry to necro this thread but I just came across it since I'm back to thinking about when I'm going to plug this damn thing in and test it. my sparky buddy left town and I dont trust it without somebody else's eyes.

WTF your a little late Cheetoes lol. Did you get it working? Here is a controller I built to do lights, heater, extraction on high heat, and hopefully if I get a new furnace board CO2.

I don't want to get into a back and forth, and I am defiantly not touching politics on here. I was just pointing out it was unsafe and helping anyone who might read this post and think of trying to duplicate it. The controller comment had nothing to do with high voltage, just that this would be a reference for the quality of work you do. Just a suggestion you should take down the site or at least put a message that it is dead on there.

jeez, i was thinking of putting together a 5 ballast light controller myself, but after reading this thread, i dunno.... at first it seemed like a fairly simple thing to do, but now i just can't wrap my head around it. I'd like to build one where there would be a small delay between the start up of the ballasts, like even a 5 second delay, i'd imagine this would be a good thing?

so at the end of the day, is there a simple reliable, safe schematic i can use? I want to be able to use one T-101 timer to start five 1000w lights, that's it, that's all...

anyone?

Here is the schematic for the T-101 http://www.intermatic.com/~/media/Intermatic/Documentation/Time%20Switches/Mechanical%20Time%20Switches/24%20Hour/T100%20Series/T101%20Instructions.ashx In my opinion it would be even easier to hook this up than the ones on here.
From your power in hook up the green wire to ground, white to neutral, and black to the line inputs. If you are hard wiring you lights to the timer you will connect the green(ground) to the ground screw, white (neutral) to screw A, and tho a little confusing looks like the black(line) wire to screw 2. If you are going to run it to a box with outlet they are labled as to what wire goes where. I assume you are going to be using 240? if not it would not be able to handle the load at 120.

craftymofo said:

Here is the schematic for the T-101 http://www.intermatic.com/~/media/Intermatic/Documentation/Time%20Switches/Mechanical%20Time%20Switches/24%20Hour/T100%20Series/T101%20Instructions.ashx In my opinion it would be even easier to hook this up than the ones on here.
From your power in hook up the green wire to ground, white to neutral, and black to the line inputs. If you are hard wiring you lights to the timer you will connect the green(ground) to the ground screw, white (neutral) to screw A, and tho a little confusing looks like the black(line) wire to screw 2. If you are going to run it to a box with outlet they are labled as to what wire goes where. I assume you are going to be using 240? if not it would not be able to handle the load at 120.

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What? I'm using T101's as timers alreay, but each one power's one outlet, which one ballast runs off of.... I have 120v power running to my timer's. I don't see what you are getting at, as I dont see how a guy would hook 4 or 5 ballasts up to one T101? I have room in my panel for another double pole breaker (240), so what, if anything can I do with 1 T101 to power multiple ballasts at once? am i missing something??

Use the timer to trigger a contactor, the contactor will then take the load of the ballasts. A contactor is basically a magnetic switch, when you put power to the trigger side of the contactor it makes it close and make contact in power lines to the ballasts. So the timer only works the contactor, the contactor works the ballasts.

yeah, i get that. i thought he was suggesting something else. i want to start this project asap, but finding the stuff i need will be hard where i live, i will prolly have to make a trip to the city, as a "contactor" will be impossible to find around here, also, id like to use a digital wall mount type timer, but that may be hard to find as well.

Use the internet, you will save $ and time. Things like contactors and timers are used enough for general projects that they will not raise red flags being sent to your home.

Sorry, not sure how, but I guess I didn't read your actual question. What you need are time delay relays.

Sorry to bring up an old thread. But I would like to build a 6 to 8 output unit.
I'm in Australia and power here is 240 volt.
Can someone please help me with diagrams and parts needed. I also would like to have 1 or 2 safety switches as well

Any and all input will be greatly appreciated

Cheers
Min.

Can anyone tell me what height the thermostat or hygrometer should be in my bloom room please?