Lighting Do you need a heavy duty contactor relay for LED's ?

[true]

Hi Peeps,

Im using HPS lights at the moment and use a built in timer/relay contactor box to stop me frying the timer and surging to much power at lights on.

Do you still need these with LED's or can you just plug in a time in the wall?

 

[Son of Hobbes]

Hi Peeps,

Im using HPS lights at the moment and use a built in timer/relay contactor box to stop me frying the timer and surging to much power at lights on.

Do you still need these with LED's or can you just plug in a time in the wall?

What kind of timer are you using that it's frying out at lights-on? Do you have dirty power at your grow location?

 

[true]

I dont have any problem as I use contactors with a built in timer.
I was just wondering as LED's are less power is there any need for a contactor relay thing?

 

[wwwillie]

Need to know what HID compared to which LED. 1000watt HID will use a bit more than a 90 watt UFO, but a 240 watt LED is close to a 250 watt HID, so it is really a matter of total load and what the contacts of your timer are rated for. Watts/Volts=Amps (This is for DC, but useful in approximating you load values). So a 1000 watt lamp at 120 volts gives about 8.5 amps. You would need a switch capable of handling 10 amps to be safe.

 

[Dr Fluff]

LED's unlike HID bulbs, LED's can reach 100% brightness instantly, in order to protect the driver they use soft start which stop that initial power surge thus protecting the electronics.
Most recent LED lights have soft start and also don't have the massive power draw at start up and do HID ballasts/lights, it is this power surge that can effectively fuse cheap timer terminals together.
With HID lights the contactor regulates the massive power surge thus protecting the timer. In my honest opinion buy the best timers you can no matter what type of light you use , as they are often one of the first thing to let a grower down.
I've not come across anyone using contactors for LED's, I do however use a surge protected socket to ensure any electronics don't get any nasty spikes.
Good advice from wwwillie about not exceeding amperage, believe it of or not i just deleted a line saying just that coz I thought i was going on to much.lol nice one wwwillie. I'd give you a like but have run out will a hug do :hug:

 

[pop22]

its the surge that kills timers, thats why modern HPS/MH ballasts are also created for" soft start". A 1000 watt HPS with a conventional ballast at start up can come close to exceeding the nominal 15amp rating of the average timer, thus the need for the relay contactor box.

 

[Dr Fluff]

its the surge that kills timers, thats why modern HPS/MH ballasts are also created for" soft start". A 1000 watt HPS with a conventional ballast at start up can come close to exceeding the nominal 15amp rating of the average timer, thus the need for the relay contactor box.

Good info pop. It's been sometime since used HID Hps/MH and was unaware of these developements, would these ballast be the new electronic ballast as opposed to the old magnetic ballasts?

 

[pop22]

yes the "didgital" electronic ballasts also consume less power than the old magnetic ones. generate less heat also. And most can run either type bulb with no problem.