6lbs grow with only 4x600hps on 24/7

InvestInMe said:

in not sure what you mean by splicing the cord from 1 ballast into 2 light?-------------
Igot a 600 watt digital blast that says it can only light 1 light?

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I was just trying to explain how I actually saw this done. Im sure there are different ways to wire this set up but in the end the result will be the same- you get to run 2 lights off of one ballst!

But Investinme you are right, your ballast can only power light one light at a time. But since herb flowers under a 12/12 light/dark cycle we can just let the ballast run 24/7 and run a 2nd room of lights while the 1st room is in the 12 hour dark period! You'll have 2 lights hooked up to the one ballast right, now when the lights go off in room 1 the lights are just coming on in room 2! Using this method the ballast runs 24 hours a day just like you want so we dont have any power spikes!

This thread got me thinkin so I did a little research and found out that this technique has recently gained alot of popularity due to the security risks caused by power spikes.
They actually make timers built specifically for this called flip-flop timers. All the lights are ran thru one timer so that at the exact moment that the lights in room 1 go out the lights in room 2 come on. This way you aren't trying to run 2 lights off of one ballast simulteneously, your just re routing the power from the ballast to a different bulb at the end of each 12 hour cycle. You alternate the power from the ballast back and forth every 12 hours from room 1 to room 2. This way you can use only the 4 ballasts you already have to power the 8 lights in your 2 rooms! Can you dig it????

http://www.yahooka.com/forum/growing/151880-growing-part-2-c-grow-room-design-setup-lighting-issues.html

Check out this page, scroll down close to the bottom until you see "What is a flip-flop relay?"
This explains how the technique works.
I was excited when I started reading this thread because this is a really cool technique and I knew this would be an excellent solution to your problems. Forget haulin all those plants back and forth every 12 hours man, all you need is a flip-flop timer and 4 more bulbs/fixtures and your set!

If you're about avoiding all unnecessary troubles, why not just get a flip flop switch, or just run one big room in a perpetual cycle off 1 timer... I dont get it

Because he would rather be there every twelve hours for two months and lug all those plants back and forth then buy a few more lights.

Makes no sense to me, either, but he's convinced that he can do it and won't have a problem, regardless of what we say.

I think InvestInMe has a very good idea in theory, just not in practice. I had an old timer tell me about wanting to try this once. I finally persuaded him into not going this route.

But, if one utilizes the double-throw relay as mentioned by ChiefGL (great info!) then this becomes more of a possibility, and the power spikes would be eliminated. Only problem is you can't have continuous cycles unless you add a 3rd room, but dude's not worried about that. He just wants a BIG crop with no power spikes.

Ive known about these flip flops back in the day when Cannabis Calture did an interview with "hardcore" he ran 50 ballast and 100 lights with the relays . IM just not sure where I can get some and how hard they whould be to wire .

http://www.progressive-growth.com/proddetail.php?prod=43015
Heres a link to a place that has a couple different ones, this is an 8 light one like youd need. Its about the same price as one new ballast would cost you so really cant beat that but Im sure if you look around and find some that arent on a hydro web site theyll be half that much! Just google "flip flop relay grow light or hydroponics" a bunch will pop up

http://forum.grasscity.com/grow-room-design-setup/507280-how-build-relay-flip-flop.html
This is actually a link to a DIY flip flop relay if your into to building shit and saving money when ya can like me! I saw a couple other DIY ones too under that same google search.

Thats excatly what im lookign for thanks Cheif

InvestInMe said:

Thats excatly what im lookign for thanks Cheif

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No prob my man, Ive always been a fan of the flip-flops but I rarely see folks take advantage of em. I mean with all the potential problems they can prevent and money they save youd think theyd get alot more use ya know. But definitely keep me posted on your progress with this Im really interested in seeing how the rooms turn out. What strain/s are you planning on running anyways???

i have some afgan seedsn stright ouit of an afgan feild Ill be trying out and some ordered Blue berry x Kush..

It's not often I read a complete thread but I had to this time. Good luck with your project and hopefully you can pull it off. I think your aiming a little high but that's always a good thing. I don't understand the not wanting to use timers and how you think you can maintain moving all this stuff around for months on a precise schedule no less. When plants get big moving things gets a little harder than you might think. Keep it simple is always the best approach and being an engineer I know one thing, everything works on paper but not so in real life. Relays, flip/flops, splices....WOW. Like I said, everything works on paper. Good luck

calibob said:

It's not often I read a complete thread but I had to this time. Good luck with your project and hopefully you can pull it off. I think your aiming a little high but that's always a good thing. I don't understand the not wanting to use timers and how you think you can maintain moving all this stuff around for months on a precise schedule no less. When plants get big moving things gets a little harder than you might think. Keep it simple is always the best approach and being an engineer I know one thing, everything works on paper but not so in real life. Relays, flip/flops, splices....WOW. Like I said, everything works on paper. Good luck

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First of all he's not even talking about moving the plants around anymore, didnt you read the thread???
And if your using a flip flop relay you will be using timers. That was the whole purpose of typing 50 paragraphs
explaining the flip flop, so he could use timers and wouldnt have to move plants around, didnt you read the thread??? That had been addressed awhile ago, problem solved, moving on. He initially didnt wanna use timers because he wanted to avoid power spikes, which makes very good sense because thats what makes you stand out to the electric comp. 9 times outta 10. The flip flop solves all those probems. If your running 2 flowering rooms youd be stupid not to use a flip flop anyway, why buy all the extra ballasts and have huge power surges every 12 hours? And there's not anything complicated about using a flip flop either, its gonna be alot simpler to hook up 4 ballasts and 8 lights to a flip flop relay on 2 15 amp circuits than trying to find enough power sources to run 8 ballasts. Bringing a flip flop into the equation didnt make things complicated it actually simplified everything a lot more. I wouldnt call setting up a simple room with 4 600s aiming high... Thats all this is except its 2 simple rooms and the lights are ran thru a flip flip timer, when the lights are on in one theyre off in the other. If your an engineer you should know that this isnt that complicated.
Invest Im gonna be keepin an eye on this one my man, I have a feelin this special little afghani you speak of is gonna be very interesting to watch! So did you buy the seeds or did they actually come straight from some hash makin plants????

Exactly where does the power company see these spikes? Your meter does not record spikes, only usage. Power companies can only see spikes on trunk lines unless they install equipment to narrow it down to one particular address. They are not concerned about a couple of thousands watts. Moving lights with cords in a room full of plants or moving large plants is the same thing, a major pain in the ass. Quality should be the end result not quantity. As stated before, good luck and hope it works out.

calibob said:

Exactly where does the power company see these spikes? Your meter does not record spikes, only usage. Power companies can only see spikes on trunk lines unless they install equipment to narrow it down to one particular address. They are not concerned about a couple of thousands watts. Moving lights with cords in a room full of plants or moving large plants is the same thing, a major pain in the ass. Quality should be the end result not quantity. As stated before, good luck and hope it works out.

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Calibob thats what I was saying, he has no intention of moving plants or lights. That was just his first idea in the very beginning of the thread, the flip flop relay was the simple solution. With a flip flop relay he can run 2 lights in seperate rooms off each ballast on opposite 12 hour cycles. When the lights go off in room A they come on in room B and the ballast stays on 24 hours a day.
The power spike happens when your using a large amount of power for 12 hours a day at the same times every day. The power company can tell when your peak usage times are. If your using 10,000 watts from noon to midnight and then suddenly drops to 2-3000 watts right after midnight on the dot everyday consistently at the same time for months at a time that would look suspicous to anyone who wanted to look at it. It would show a clear pattern on a day to day usage chart, running your ballasts 24 hours a day will elliminate this and your ballasts last longer when they arent turned on and off everyday. I know power companies dont flag high usage or anything but the cops can get warrants to check your power usage and no 12 hour a day power spikes might just keep a judge from issuing a search warrant and in turn save your ass from getting raided!

SOOOOO hows the project comin so far InvestInMe? Aint seen you around the thread for awhile, hope all is good. Lemme know how everythings goin and what you decided ta do man.
PEACE

just waiting on getting all the ingreadients befor starting my cycle/ taking a bit of time to get all the parcles as its christmas

i'd never trust myself to always be there every single day to switch everything over!! anything could happen that could prevent you from being home the same tiime everyday to do this!!

I just read through this thread and I have to say the flip-flop is by far the best idea for the least amount of hassle and additional costs. The only thing I could think of was to seperate the rooms with panda film hung on a rail, something like vertical blinds for a sliding glass door. But moving the lights around easily has got me stumped. Somebody suggested hanging them on a gallows set-up with wheels seems like a good option.

I think I would go with the flip-flop, sounds a lot easier. Either way good luck and keep us posted.