must i use a contactor to use timer on 20w cfls??

hey all, i know search is meant to be my friend, but he always tells me to knob off QQ
anyway, i'm growing seedlings/early veg under strings of 20w cfls (24/0), and read that i should turn them off every four hours or so, to let them "chill out" lol.
well, i cant do this with a normal timer ( i'm in the uk) right? must i use a contactor etc like with a HID??
any replies much appreciated folks

thats a load of bs bro...i used cfls and let them on continuously for 18 hours daily for 2 months....good luck with your grow....

Why would you need to use a contactor? How many amps are you drawing? I have several timers rated for 12-15 amps that handle stringed T5 fixtures without issue. Are timers not available to you?

awesome, thx for the quick reply Captain

klm - i'm no electrician and i already had a string of mayb 8 bulbs ( 14w - 20w iirc) blow when i plugged them in so going easy with the home electrics.. atm i got 3 20w bulbs per string, on 13amp cable and fuse - can i use a cheapo timer with these then??

just use a timer.. but dont be turning them off every 4 hours

cheers again folks
i love my hobby XD

pitchforksandtorches said:

awesome, thx for the quick reply Captain

klm - i'm no electrician and i already had a string of mayb 8 bulbs ( 14w - 20w iirc) blow when i plugged them in so going easy with the home electrics.. atm i got 3 20w bulbs per string, on 13amp cable and fuse - can i use a cheapo timer with these then??

Click to expand...

I would go with the high amperage timers. The 15 amp timers are about $12 (in the US) and I would think one would handle all of your lights, though you could get two and divide it across two sockets.

You are drawing less than 2 amps with your lights. Add in fans, pumps or any accessories and you can figure you will be at about 2.5 to 4 amps. Still below the rating of any of the "better" timers. Also, long wiring runs will cause you issues. Keep your extension cords short to avoid popping breakers.

thanks for the extra detail, it's good to know i can xpand a little and without blowing any more stuff up