Electrical question

[haninja]

I have a 2x65w PC light powered by one 130w ballast. The ballast has black and white wires as input, red and 2 blue wires output. The black and white wires are connected to the power cord. The red wire is split going with one of the blue wires to one of the PC bulbs. Same goes for the second blue. All this is standard wiring and everything is run on a one timer. The timer powers both light bulbs at the same time.

Now for the question. I want to have a timer per bulb. I want to have the actinic run 1 hour before the 10k and 1 hour after.
Is there a way to do so with what I have? Or do I need to have two ballasts?

 

[wolfie]

The safest way are to use 2 ballasts. there are way to go around that, but it is not safe at all. I still say you are better of getting another ballast and get over it.

Why try to save a little money and put yourself and your tank at risk?

 

[james s_]

You could run a timer off each blue wire coming off the ballast if you want to.You will need to modify the wiring a bit.I dont see why it would not be safe as long as you do it correctly.Really depends on the timer you are using as well.

 

[chicagoman_35]

make sure your timers can handle the high voltage output of your ballast.

 

[james s_]

chicagoman_35;34069 wrote: make sure your timers can handle the high voltage output of your ballast.

It may end up being easier just to get yourself another ballast.That way you can use a three prong plug and switch the ballast itself instead of switching each individual lamp.Would simplify it quite a bit.

 

[haninja]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I read in a different post that you are an electrician. I’m somewhat of a hobby electrician myself:roll: . Seriously, I know what I’m doing when it comes to electricity. Perhaps you can explain more about this option. </span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">A regular time has 3 prongs. 1 is obviously the ground. How would I wire the one blue to the two coming from the time? </span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Is the blue wire kinda of a pass-through and is not part of the ballast coil? Could I connect the blue to one of the wires coming from the other timer?</span>

46bfinga;34068 wrote: You could run a timer off each blue wire coming off the ballast if you want to.You will need to modify the wiring a bit.I dont see why it would not be safe as long as you do it correctly.Really depends on the timer you are using as well.

 

[jefft]

If it were me I would buy a small relay with no/nc contacts and have the timer control the relay. I don't remember exact voltages, but timers contacts are not generally designed to break higher currents. You can break all wires on the relay contacts and you could mount the relay inside the hood cover and just run the control wires down to the timer.

 

[haninja]

jefftullius;34185 wrote: If it were me I would buy a small relay with no/nc contacts and have the timer control the relay. I don't remember exact voltages, but timers contacts are not generally designed to break higher currents. You can break all wires on the relay contacts and you could mount the relay inside the hood cover and just run the control wires down to the
timer.

<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Yep, that’s the other option I was thinking about. Probably NO contacts. Could be a very quick and simple solution. Now if I can only find the right relay…</span>

 

[wbholwell]

haninja;34191 wrote: <span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Yep, that’s the other option I was thinking about. Probably NO contacts. Could be a very quick and simple solution. Now if I can only find the right relay…</span>

Check McMaster.com

 

[haninja]

Thanks wbholwell. Amazing site. I'm getting lost there...

 

[james s_]

haninja;34166 wrote: <span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I read in a different post that you are an electrician. I’m somewhat of a hobby electrician myself:roll: . Seriously, I know what I’m doing when it comes to electricity. Perhaps you can explain more about this option. </span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">A regular time has 3 prongs. 1 is obviously the ground. How would I wire the one blue to the two coming from the time? </span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Is the blue wire kinda of a pass-through and is not part of the ballast coil? Could I connect the blue to one of the wires coming from the other timer?</span>

The blue wires should be the contact point for each bulb to complete the circuit.You cannot connect the blue wire to the two wires on the timer obviously,since one is the neutral and one is the hot.But you could wire a timer to each blue wire and share the neutral on the timers which basically give the timer a neutral which it needs to operate.A timer is nothing but a switch,similar to one on the wall.It breaks contact to the wire at a specific time,very simple.It seems you allready know all this though.Is the voltage on the output of the ballast 120v?Have you checked?

You can find a relay locally at DH supply,Rexel,Graybar,Mayer,Grainger,and several others.

 

[haninja]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I made a diagram. Kinda crude but explains the general direction.</span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">

 

[haninja]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">Actually, the relay will be on the 10K&#8230;</span>

 

[james s_]

Are you going to use a relay on each lamp?Seems like if you go this route you will need to use two relays.so that each individual timer will control a relay for each lamp.

 

[haninja]

<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">I will only need one relay and I&#8217;ll explain why: the ballast will get power from a timer 12PM to 8PM.</span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">There will be a second timer powering the relay. That timer will kick the relay 1PM to 7PM since the Ballast is already powered up, the relay will juts connect the second bulb.</span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma;">This way I&#8217;ll get 8 hours actinic and 6 hours 10K where the actinic starts an hour before and ends an hour after the 10K.</span>

 

[james s_]

makes sense! good luck

 

[haninja]

<span style="color: black;">Thanks 46bfinga. One last question: will part number 7664K16 from McMaster.com will do the trick?</span>

 

[schwaggs]

I think everyone would agree that buying a second ballast is the proper way to do this. Is it worth the risking electrocution and/or burning your house down to save the cost of a $20 ballast?