PDA

View Full Version : light timers.... please help

TX26257
09/12/2006, 06:24 PM
Ok I am running 4 tanks with 8 timers but I am going through timers very fast were they stop keping time or not turning on and off what is the best timers to get.... plug in type I am not a good electrician..... please help
TX26257
09/12/2006, 07:05 PM
I would love to know what times you guys are using
druce
09/12/2006, 07:07 PM
I use the ones in from the wallmart electrical isle. The outdoor ones with the covers and that are able to accept the 3 prong plugs.

12+ months and they are still working fine
TX26257
09/12/2006, 07:07 PM
sorry I mean timers
TX26257
09/12/2006, 07:51 PM
ok so what are the rest of you guys using
neotekz
09/12/2006, 07:58 PM
the one that i use are for christmas lights and are very heavy duty and waterproof. like druce said get one that can be use outdoors as those are usually more rugged.

or get a aquacontroller and get rid of all those timers :)
druce
09/12/2006, 08:02 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8133189#post8133189 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by neotekz

or get a aquacontroller and get rid of all those timers :)

I plan on doing that just as soon as I hit the lottery :rollface:
neotekz
09/12/2006, 09:08 PM
if u don't get one with all the options they are pretty affordable. wouldn;t be much more than all those timers that u got. just order the aquacontroller Jr for 218 with the grp buy. i have 4 timers now too, i can;t wait until i can get rid of all of them.
ppht
09/12/2006, 09:11 PM
hit the lottery? 4 tanks you can go for an ACjr.... Come on be honest now.. hehehe
drummereef
09/12/2006, 09:12 PM
I second the notion of the AC jr. Great product at a reasonable price... for a controller. :)
TX26257
09/12/2006, 09:29 PM
I really don't want to sound cheap but one tank is in the living room and one in the den and one in the basement and the last at the office. So I need a controller on all of the and unless I was wrong they 300 a piece so I would spend 1200 just to help me turn on the light and turn them off..... any way of not spending that much and having a reliable system
ppht
09/12/2006, 09:32 PM
TX26257 : You can use an AC3 and wire them all together and monitor them all with one conroller and expansion probe controllers..
TX26257
09/12/2006, 09:38 PM
even the ones at the office across town and when yo say wire this is a 3800 sqft house u mean wireing all through out it
ppht
09/12/2006, 09:41 PM
ahhh Okay,, for the regular guy no. I could with creative Cat-5 wiring... But you have a unique situation.
TX26257
09/12/2006, 09:47 PM
so what's the best option for my unique situation that won't cost 1000
chucksta1
09/13/2006, 02:04 AM
Get ones that are "appliance" rated. I picked up some from a surplus store for undr 10.oo each. one year later, no failures in four units. The weatherproof are good as far as being resistant to moisture, as they are deseigned to work in the rain, cold and snow, but appliance rated are meant to withstand 12 anp draws and start up surges (like when the lights come on). Also, if there's a power outage, they willl telll you how long it was out for. (if your lights always go on at eight, and now they all go on at 8.20, it was out for 20 min. A didgital will just lose it's programing and stop.
Hal
09/13/2006, 10:37 AM
This is what I have:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00013K68C.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

But it is very finicky. Seems like half the time the dial doesn't keep the time. So I'm looking to replace it with this:

http://images.skymall.com/images/products/e2/26/04/69657257x.jpg


I like this one because it has a battery backup and one button re-programming for daylight savings time.
SDguy
09/13/2006, 10:41 AM
Before getting my Neptune Jr, I used the regular mechanical timers from Home Depot. 4 years no problems. I had a couple on a monitor lizard cage for over 13 years, no problems. If you are blowing through timers that quickly, you must have salt spray hitting them or something...
snowman5373
09/13/2006, 01:28 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8132767#post8132767 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by druce
I use the ones in from the wallmart electrical isle. The outdoor ones with the covers and that are able to accept the 3 prong plugs.

12+ months and they are still working fine

This is what I have used in the past and present. I have had 0 issues with these.
TX26257
09/13/2006, 01:31 PM
i was using to normal ones from wal mart like the one Hal pictured I will try the outdoor type and see what diffrence this will make
DancingFlower68
09/14/2006, 01:38 PM
Are you sure they're burned out? I sometimes have the same problems with mine, but it's because I turned off the lights manually momentarily for whatever reason, or flipped the override switch or something and somehow got them all screwed up. I don't know how many times I've had to re-set them! It doesn't help that the little sticky paper with the instructions fell off either! They're also in 24 hr time so I actually have to think which really sucks!