First time i have this issue, i just got home, and for some reason, the lights were still on. I dont see any evidence that i had a power failure while out, but the timer was about an hour behind schedule. Can this happen if the timer is faulty? do they become faulty in this manner? The pegs seem to be in the same place, but lights were only going out at 1:12 am instead of 12:16 like every night for 7 weeks now.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
those timers that have the push in pins have never worked well for me. 1 in 3 seem to not work for very long. I ended up spending the extra on a digital timer.
honestly, i bought this 20 years ago! lol..never used it though until roughly 2 years ago..it always worked fine..tonight i came home and was shocked to see lights on an hour later than usual. just wasn't sure how these things break, if it can 'slow' down as they get useless. i have another exact same one i got for 3$..selling for 13 at walmart, will plug it in tmr if lights are late coming on today or if i see the timer is off by afternoon.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
that's not a bad run then. Remember they are mechanical and plastic, lugs have probably worn over time in the mechanism.
That was my immediate thought as well, except my pc never restarted and the time on my microwave was still showing. I checked the timer now..it's right where it should be, im still really puzzled! lol
Tiffj
Well-Known Member
Beats me
upnsmoke13
Well-Known Member
Watch those mechanical timers, i almost burnt my room up with one. Correct digital timers shouldn't be substituted!
NanoGadget
Well-Known Member
If still consider upgrading. A digital timer with high load capacity will increase the safety of your room. What kind of light are you using?
I have a power surge protector plugged into the timer and the lights are plugged in the bar. Its not strong lights. During veg it's just an old mars 300 with a few cfl bulbs, and flowering i add a couple more cfl's and turn a 350ish watt cob light on as well. it's not a big professional setup.
NanoGadget
Well-Known Member
How many amps are you drawing total during flower? I've seen some cheap mechanical timers that probably would not be rated safe for what you are probably drawing.
I have no idea, i asked an electrician at work when i started if the setup is safe, he said there is nothing to worry about. i dont keep anything flammable near the socket and again, its plugged into two bars, one from the wall, the timer is plugged in that, and another bar into the timer that connects the lights. max power is maybe 700 watts at the most and whatever amps these little lights draw. Im not worried of a fire lol.
Lucky Luke
Well-Known Member
You should always be worried about a fire. Grow rooms can go up very fast.
If concrete can burn with no accelerant around, that will be something!
This timer is for 15 amps and 1800 watts, im using less than half of that, if it burns, the timer will be the only thing to melt. If i was running hps lights, with all the heat they give off, in a closet or near curtains or wood, maybe i'd be a bit more worried. Im more worried about the smell as that would be more damaging for me than a melted timer. Though not sure how it would melt because the surge protector should trip the circuit and cut power if anything unusual happens. Either way, timer seems to be back working, no idea what caused it to go off an hour late the other day, if it does it again, it goes in the garbage lol.
GBAUTO
Well-Known Member
Honestly, I've been using the same mechanical timer I picked up @ Wallyworld about 3 yrs ago. Absolutely steel hammer reliable for me so far. I like the fact that it uses a mechanical contactor to interrupt the circuit rather than an electronic switch. The only other electrical component is the drive motor for the timer-I suspect that it would probably last 20 yrs...