here are 2 options. you can either plug it in and give it a try. hope you don't have any problems with it. or you can look into it further and add up the power usage of everything. can one breaker handle what you're putting on it? my guess is it should be fine, but can't know for sure without more details.
Electrical Ques. If I can help someone I will...
- Thread starter kushmonster
- Start date
here are 2 options. you can either plug it in and give it a try. hope you don't have any problems with it. or you can look into it further and add up the power usage of everything. can one breaker handle what you're putting on it? my guess is it should be fine, but can't know for sure without more details.
royalgreen
Well-Known Member
the ballast gets plugged into a normal outlet and stays powered on. the relay plugs into the timer where the ballast "used to be". the relay will be turned on and off on a 12/12 cycle and will switch the single ballast between rooms. understand that? good luck and lots of bud
so even tho my timmer has an off swtich it should just turn the other one on :S????or is there another timer that i need to buy??
the ballast doesn't plug into a timer, it just gets plugged right into the wall outlet and stays powered 24/7. the relay should have a power cord on it to activate/deactivate it, that plugs into your 12/12 timer so it knows when to switch the light between rooms. how is that? did I explain it better? lol
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
Just wanna add in that the 2 bulb cords get plugged into the relay.
One bulb to the NO (normally open) set and the other to the NC normally closed contacts.
(Oh dang! thats an AB part? part number is the price! AB make good stuff, but really pricey new) That part comes in a lot of configurations. Check the coil voltage of *yours* Its also listed aas SPST to DPDT. DPDT is what he needs.
700-HG42A1
is the part number for a DPDT relay with 120VAC coil.
royalgreen
Well-Known Member
thanks guy's you been a big help. and thank you for the head's up on the price thing that should really help do to the fact that i need 3 of the dam thing's...starting a stadium grow wish me luck....
BUMP..........ahhh that taste good
BUMP..........ahhh that taste good
a stadium grow?thanks guy's you been a big help. and thank you for the head's up on the price thing that should really help do to the fact that i need 3 of the dam thing's...starting a stadium grow wish me luck....
BUMP..........ahhh that taste good
royalgreen
Well-Known Member
hey guys thank you for the help with the flip flop relay...i got a new one for yea...i need to make a vertical mover to make my lights go up and down...i was thinking a simple pulley system that allows me to move the lights up/down like so.High Tech Garden Supply. but i need it to be automatic. is there some kinda sensor that i can put on there to stop and then make it go up to a point???
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
Light mover are simple in concept but the mechanics can be tough for a DIY project.
One idea is get a threaded rod and a DC motor (AC motors don't reverse easily) A switch at either end that reverses the polarity of the motor.
Another idea is to use a roller chain and weld a 'dog' onto it to pull the lamp.
Having the use of a machineshop will help greatly. Otherwise its going to be a lot of JB weld
Now a threaded rod isn't the best for a leadscrew, but it will work for us low budget folks.
"vertical mover" as in automatic height adjustment. I think that's what they meant
not easy to do, or necessary either. just go check on the plants every few days and adjust the light manually. I use a simple chain from walmart and put hooks on the lights.
if you really want it automatic, I would mount a few sensors on the light. once a day, have the light raise up a few inches then drop back down until one of the sensors is tripped. maybe infrared or ultrasonic.
I've had my own thoughts about a horizontal light mover. just something simple like a carrage to carry the light, then a string or chain to a mini dc wench type thing. a small switch on each end of the track connected to a relay. actually, I had to do something like this back in high school years ago. I built a small elevator out of knex, with a string to a small motor, then 2 switches to a relay. it went up and down without stopping. just have to jump off quick when you get to your floor.
For the people who were asking about using 240 volts to save electricity as opposed to 120volts , your answer is no it does not save. your meter measures watts or power . power is the same no matter how you slice it, 400 watts is still 400 watts no matter what the voltage is. the reason higher voltages are used ie. 240v , 277v, and 480v is that with lighting you can get more lights on a circuit because they pull less amps when you apply a higher voltage
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
I think a few of those touch sensors wired up as an 'OR' could work
"vertical mover" as in automatic height adjustment. I think that's what they meant
not easy to do, or necessary either. just go check on the plants every few days and adjust the light manually. I use a simple chain from walmart and put hooks on the lights.
if you really want it automatic, I would mount a few sensors on the light. once a day, have the light raise up a few inches then drop back down until one of the sensors is tripped. maybe infrared or ultrasonic.
I've had my own thoughts about a horizontal light mover. just something simple like a carrage to carry the light, then a string or chain to a mini dc wench type thing. a small switch on each end of the track connected to a relay. actually, I had to do something like this back in high school years ago. I built a small elevator out of knex, with a string to a small motor, then 2 switches to a relay. it went up and down without stopping. just have to jump off quick when you get to your floor.
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
The higher voltage is more force for motors and less copper in the wiring; aka cost savings. Inrush currents, resistive vs inductive loads will play into things too.For the people who were asking about using 240 volts to save electricity as opposed to 120volts , your answer is no it does not save. your meter measures watts or power . power is the same no matter how you slice it, 400 watts is still 400 watts no matter what the voltage is. the reason higher voltages are used ie. 240v , 277v, and 480v is that with lighting you can get more lights on a circuit because they pull less amps when you apply a higher voltage
Come across peak and demand metering? Spike a meter and jump a rate scale level or so for the rest of the month. (illegal but still done in the states)
Look at European machine wiring. They use a higher temp on the insulation so then can pull a few more amps for the same gauge wire.
(been through the US inspections of Euro equipment a few times. 3 day inspection.s They went over everything.)
240 vs 120 will save. Won't notice it in any bill, even over a year, but it is a 'tic' more efficient. So for real life, nope. no diff.
277 lights are used because a plants are wired for 480. And 277 is just a single leg of 480. So its 3 sets/runs of lights per single 480 3 phase breaker.
Haven't come across anyone using 480 lamps in a plant. And if they are I'd bet its because they are a Grounded Leg Delta vs Wye 480 system. (no 277 in that system.)
you lost me at "the"
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
Aluminum wire has a bad rap.
Main prob is that it expands and contracts quite a bit with heat. (using the outlet will warm the wiring) This tends to loosen the connectors at the outlets, switches, breakers, etc. When they are loose, they can arc across the gap and possible create a fire.
(and yes this is possible. my childhood house burned down from this)
Aluminum will also oxidize and basically create the above scenario.
(and anodizing aluminum creates a layer of aluminum oxide on the surface of the aluminum. That is non conductive)
Aluminum wiring isn't up to the NEC these days as far as I know. Went out in the 70s
BigBudBalls
Well-Known Member
OK, if its a light mover to run all the time (aka go up and down to reach them lower plants) And its a cooltube/vertical bulb style, I think I figured it out on the easy.
Have the lamp with some weight. Maybe even a soft bungee cord affixed to the floor and bottom of lamp. Then use an AC syncro motor (they are cheap, like $5 and turn real slow from .5rpm to 20 rpm) Attach a wheel to the motor, attach a cord to the edge of the wheel. Run the cord up and down to lamp. As the wheel spins, it will pull the cord raising it. Then down on the second 180 of the wheel. Just use some type of swivel to attach the cord to the wheel otherwise you will twist the cord.
The bungee will pull it back down and also keep it from swinging into the plants.
(looks good on paper)
ganjagoddess
Well-Known Member
Thats an interesting idea, if the motor has enough strength to load the bungee with any force...
Could be that the motor wont even be able to stretch the cord at all, after all your talking about a really cheap motor.
Could be that the motor wont even be able to stretch the cord at all, after all your talking about a really cheap motor.
ganjagoddess
Well-Known Member
Why not just buy a $109 Hydrofarm linear light mover, and mount it vertical... use a pulley and some metal cable and viola!!!!
Actually you can mount it any way you want, just attatch a cord to it, through a pulley, and to the light fixture....
Actually you can mount it any way you want, just attatch a cord to it, through a pulley, and to the light fixture....