Timer

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bass4rent

Member
Ok maybe my search is not working proper.
looking for a diagram and info on setting up a water heater timer.
i want to have the timer run 4x 240v plug pane 4x 120v is this possible?
I swear to have seen this set up be for I never asked or took a good look
https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&client=safari&q=water+ehater+timer&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&bvm=bv.1355534169,d.aWM&bpcl=40096503&biw=1024&bih=672&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=OALmUNWZEonuqAHU-4CAAQ#biv=i|12;d|LDtLfCR45d6n4M:
thats the style of timers hey had a box wired next to it half the plugs labeled 120 half 240
 
Curiosity2

Curiosity2

Active Member
There is a way and it’s probably not legal ether. If you’re wiring the timer 240volts then you have 2 Hot wires and a ground also known as the Neutral. Each hot wire has 120 in it when used with the Neutral. It’s not a good idea to do whatever you’re planning on doing mixing 240 up with 120 although it can be done.

Explain what it is you want to do and there might be a better way, for all I know you might just want to use a 240 volt timer on a 120 volt setup.

Edit: I just reread the first post. You want (4 240 voltplugs) and (4 120 volts). This is not good at all. After thinking for a minute, if you had to ask the question then it’s obvious you don’t know a lot about electrical. Here is something to think about, 1 what AMPS are you going to be pulling 2 is your wire rated for it. 3 If the wire could handle the Amps can the timer? Probably not, have a look it’s rated and marked on there somewhere. Now let’s talk about the breaker, it’s going to be a double pull and meant to be used for 240 volts. I don’t know what would happen if a short was on one of the 120 volt plugs. Would the breaker trip as fast as it needs too? Probably. If you’re not over rating the components it can be done, it just not legal, and you shouldn’t be doing it yourself either.

Run a second wire to you setup and get a second timer or buy one of the many devices that are out there on the market designed to do just what you’re wanting to do. There priced around $800 dollars.

In the long run it will be worth it, less chance of crawling out of a fire some night.
 
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bass4rent

Member
I know about amps and wire gauge,overloading,testing be for putting power, the timer can handle 120-240v 40 amps so if I wanted to run 4 600watt lights on the 240 and then have fans and smaller things run off 120 one timer one wire. I found the same timer as far as specs go in digital with battery back up I see boards made like this in grow shops asking 500$ they plug into a oven outlet ovens 120v for lights,fans 240 for elements so its a 3 wire it has a neutral 2 hots and ground, this is why I'm asking in my head it makes sense that it is possible or maybe the timer is different than I thought and someone can tell there are 2 kinds , maybe someone can point me in the direction of decent priced timers with at least 4 -6 240v plugs that can handle 40a I won't plan on drawing that much but when the lights fire up it will use close to that and I like to be safe than sorry
 
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bass4rent

Member
I don't sleep in the grow either. I just have to much plugged into 120 I know it's on the edge of to much. I want to run new wire for just the grow but Im limited to space on the panel it's 200 amp but a small ass box not even close to having 200 amp worth of breakers there so I'm not going to draw to much power.there are always other options but this seems like a good plan run one heavy wire one heavy duty timer for everything major if the breaker trips lights and fans off same time not fans off lights on. Digital ballasts
 
Robfather

Robfather

Active Member
bass4rent said:
I don't sleep in the grow either. I just have to much plugged into 120 I know it's on the edge of to much. I want to run new wire for just the grow but Im limited to space on the panel it's 200 amp but a small ass box not even close to having 200 amp worth of breakers there so I'm not going to draw to much power.there are always other options but this seems like a good plan run one heavy wire one heavy duty timer for everything major if the breaker trips lights and fans off same time not fans off lights on. Digital ballasts
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Curiosity2

Curiosity2

Active Member
It’s hard to draw a diagram for you when I don’t know what wire and timer you have so here is a simple diagram I made on Turbo cad. Sorry it’s small but I tried to upload a PDF file and it wouldn’t let me. REMENBER this is not legal to do but it will work if you’re not overloading with amps.

When powering something at 120volts and if you can power it with 240volts instead, that will cut the amps down by half. Your 4x600 watters should draw (600/240=2.5amps) 2.5*4=10 amps which isn’t a lot of amps. I hope you’re going to use 8/3 wire or bigger on this MacGyver setup because if you’re not, the lights alone have already got close to the amps allowed for 12 gage or smaller. 8/3 wire or 8 gage with 3 insulated wires and 1 bare wire inside, is good for 40 amps up to 100’ of wire, over 100’ you need to go to 6/3 wire and you still can’t pull over 40 amps.

THIS is not LEGAL. I hope I didn’t need to post my disclaimer for this one. Good Luck.
Timer RIU2.jpg
100_1373.jpg
 
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bass4rent

Member
Thanks !yeah most of the timer stuff I looked at that's what the inside looks like and yeah the wire will be at least that big thanks for the good info and warnings I'm going to look into this more when I make it out to the city no grow shops around here. Would it be better to use 2 single breakers rather than double. 20amp breaker and all the wire, timers and plugs in the cuircut are rated 40amp wire from the box in the house to the shed like 15' - 20' max
 
ASMALLVOICE

ASMALLVOICE

Well-Known Member
Is there any reason why you wish to run things on 240 volts. There is nothing to gain that would overcome the hazards from doing so, just curious.

Peace and Safe Grows

Asmallvoice
 
Curiosity2

Curiosity2

Active Member
ASMALLVOICE said:
Is there any reason why you wish to run things on 240 volts. There is nothing to gain that would overcome the hazards from doing so, just curious.

Peace and Safe Grows

Asmallvoice
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There is benefits using 240volts instead of 120volts, it cuts the Amps in half. The less amps on a system to get the “same job” done, is always better. If we were talking about motors, they will have better start performance, more power under load, and there is more efficiency, this hold true for a ballast.

If you plug your 1000watter into a wall socket, your drawing almost 8.5amps and the breaker in the panel for that plug is going to be 15amps rated at most. There is usually 6 other wall sockets on that breaker, plugging anything else into that circuit will max out the breaker. Plug in a second 1000watter in the same plug or circuit, and the breaker and wire is now running at its max.

Run you ballast off of 240volts and your amps now go down to about 4 amps, allowing you to run 2 more on the same circuit instead of only one.
 
ASMALLVOICE

ASMALLVOICE

Well-Known Member
Curiosity2 said:
There is benefits using 240volts instead of 120volts, it cuts the Amps in half. The less amps on a system to get the “same job” done, is always better. If we were talking about motors, they will have better start performance, more power under load, and there is more efficiency, this hold true for a ballast.

If you plug your 1000watter into a wall socket, your drawing almost 8.5amps and the breaker in the panel for that plug is going to be 15amps rated at most. There is usually 6 other wall sockets on that breaker, plugging anything else into that circuit will max out the breaker. Plug in a second 1000watter in the same plug or circuit, and the breaker and wire is now running at its max.

Run you ballast off of 240volts and your amps now go down to about 4 amps, allowing you to run 2 more on the same circuit instead of only one.
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I am well versed in electricity and the hazards that can arrise from the misuse thereof. I just have a problem with something not being totaly legal and safe. I would not give advice to someone that was not 100% electrically correct, and that is exactly what has happened here. Even more so with someone who is definenly not electrically inclined.

Asking me to overlook one simple safety violation is asking me to compromise my entire attitude towards the value of a life, and that I cannot do.

Safety First

Asmallvoice
 
Curiosity2

Curiosity2

Active Member
ASMALLVOICE said:
I am well versed in electricity and the hazards that can arrise from the misuse thereof. I just have a problem with something not being totaly legal and safe. I would not give advice to someone that was not 100% electrically correct, and that is exactly what has happened here. Even more so with someone who is definenly not electrically inclined.

Asking me to overlook one simple safety violation is asking me to compromise my entire attitude towards the value of a life, and that I cannot do.

Safety First

Asmallvoice
Click to expand...
I’m behind you 100% HE SHOULD NOT DO IT. The best way forhim would be to hire a professional.
 
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