Timers: and Lighting

[ciaus]

Ok, so maybe I am getting lazy, but I decided that it would be really clever to have a timer for the lights on my tank....( I am not saying this is an original idea...)

So off to the Rona I go....I find a unit for under 20 dollars, which is digital, and has two outlets.  Perfect....I bring it home and program it in a set that covers all seven days, timer one coming on at 13:00 and off at 19:00, and timer two set for on at 19:01 and off and 06:45.  I plugged in the T5 to the socket I presumed to be associated to socket one and the LED "moonlight" to socket two. 
So far so good...sounds liek a reasonable expectation.....but the unit would never turn on, or off, the lights at all.  Defective unit.  Back to Rona.  I am now adverse to that make/model, so I get a unit, on the advice of the electrical department employee, that is one dollar less, and more "reliable.

Off home I go, configure at set up as above...one light comes on and goes off, as expected, only I had the sockets programed in reverse, so I switched which light was plugged where...problem solved.

Well for days the T5 has cycled properly, but never have I had the moonlight come on, or go off with the timer, yes the switch is in the on position for the LED and it works when plugged in directly to the outlet....  I really don't want to have to use an outlet and timer, for each light...but it looks as thought that is what is going to have to happen unless someone thinks they can make this work?  Am I being "thick" and just not grasping a basic concept here?

Bottom line question: Can you have a single timing device with multiple outlets control different devices, on a global schedule, in perpetuity?

Ciaus

[magnosis]

Maybe it's a dumb thing to say but.. did you make sure all outlets are controlled via the timer ?

I'm saying 'cause the one I use has 8 outlets, of which only one row (4) are controlled by the timer, the other 4 are always powered.  The one on/off switch kills all 8 outlets.

[ciaus]

There are only two outlets, and yes they are both controlled...I just can't get the two timers to play nice with each other...

[cichlidicted]

am not sure what the cause is, but i have a couple of suggestion you might want to look at.

Check the maximum watts available on the timer, it probably can't handle both lights.... since, the timer is automatic, check to see if there is seperate programming for each outlet on the timer ...

I personally got mine from wallmart ... automatic for around $7 is am not mistaken.

Goodluck.

[10gnano]

I think that outlet one has to be on for outlet two to turn on, so you would have to run both lights at the same time. so put led as outlet one and your T5 as outlet two.

[Soeman]

i think it would probably help us all if we had an idea of what timer you are using.

I think that outlet one has to be on for outlet two to turn on, so you would have to run both lights at the same time. so put led as outlet one and your T5 as outlet two.

if this is the case, switching the plugs would mean that only the moon light comes on, and never the t5s :s

[Snider82]

try runnining your "outlet 1" as your led's and have them on all day.    and have Outlet 2 (the t5's) on for the day time hours.  just do this for 24 hours,  and see if the t5's will come on during the day, while the moon lights are on.    this could prove that 10gnano's idea is correct.   

if thats the case ( "1" has to be ON for "2" to work),  id like to know what timer your using cause it would be perfect for what i need in a timer. :-)

[ciaus]

I  have now started the test cycle...
Socket one, LED Light, 23 hours 59 minutes on.
Socket two, T5 On at 12:31; off at 20:59
Note:  Socket one is on the right side, as you face the the unit when it is plugged into the wall.  There is no "marking" which makes a distinction between the two sockets.

The unit I currently have is a Nordik model TH-868c, and is made for Rona.  It is shaped with a round upper edge, and a squared bottom and fits in the palm of your hand.  It has a single male plug for a 110 circuit, and two female receptacles for time controlled devices.  The female plugs ae on the bottom side, so as to keep a relatively low profile from coming off of the wall.  Overall a good design, now if it works as some suspect...
The initial unit I had was made by Woods, and did not ever work, even though it cost one dollar more, it was also at rona, but Woods branded can be bought in many places.

[ciaus]

This becoming bizarre, bordering on driving me down the last short leg of road to insanity!

Socket one, LED Light, 23 hours 59 minutes on.
Socket two, T5 On at 12:31; off at 20:59
Note:  Socket one is on the right side, as you face the the unit when it is plugged into the wall.

The T5 in socket two came on, and went off as expected above.  The LED was set to go off at 20:29 and come on at 20:30....on that schedule it would be "on" for 23 hours 59 minutes,   What happen is the strange part.  The T5 came on at 20:30, the LED light was not on behind the T5( checked by toggling power switch on T5 lamp.)

I am open to helpful and on topic constructive suggestions.   

[Toss]

I would recommend you to buy TWO separate digital timer, one control the LED and the other control T5.

[ciaus]

I would recommend you to buy TWO separate digital timer, one control the LED and the other control T5.

Yeah, I am there with you on that point...oh well...
Thanks all for the help.

Ciaus

[JetJumper]

Home Depot has the cheap ones on sale right now!   $5.00

[ciaus]

I bought the final four from Home depot on Innes at Tenth line in Orleans...In talking to the clerk there....the units are not being discontinued by the manufacturer, but rather Home depot is dropping the brand in favor of GE products.  He said the power bars were on for 12 bucks for the longest time then they dropped them to five.  He said they used to have hundreds of them in stock...not no more!

Ciaus.

[ciaus]

UPDATE to previous post:
Am testing the setup of the Intermatic unit.

I am as confused as ever now.  Everyday(7 day events for all)  I set timer 1 on at 7:50pm, and plugged the lamp into socket one on the left.  I set the off time for 1 to be at 7:57pm.
for the second timer I had it set to come on at 8:00pm and off at 8:05 PM.
Results:

7:50pm:  both devices plugged into the bar turned on.
7:57pm:  both lamps go off
8:00pm:  both Lamps on
8:00pm:  both lamps off

How can having multiple timers be of ANY use if they supply power to every device?  I am I looking at the use of these devices incorrectly?

[Toss]

Not sure on what you did. Are you testing 2 units or 1? You need to plug one device per unit.

[Snider82]

Ah  multi timer not what we think! lol.   i bought a timer with 4 outlest before... and it said "multi timer control" or something like that.    all it did was let me set up to 8 times a day where they would come on, and go off..  not individualy.  i suposte this could be usefull for more control over christmas tree lights?     no good for timeing lights tho

[Toss]

Of course, most timer we buy at hardware store will only control one device on multiple "on off" per day, 7 days a week.
You can buy special aquarium timer that let you control day light and moonlight at the same time.
http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=11379