MH blowing timers

[hookedonreefs]

I've been thru about 10 timers from HD. Every other day, it seems, my metal halides blow the timers
I use the grounded run-of-the-mill timers for like $10. Are these just too cheap, or should I be using something else? As you can see in my sig. I only have 2 175watt MHs. I hate to see what happens with the 400watters.
Please help - I'm actually getting sick of going to Home Depot. Not a good sign!

 

[sebae0]

i have 3 mh's, 2 250w and 1 175w and all of them are on the cheap hd timers. been using them for 2 years now with no problems. when you say they blow do you mean fry the circuit in the timer?

 

[hookedonreefs]

It's weird, the electricity still goes through, but the timer stops keeping time. I find most of the time it's when the lights go off! That's REALLY weird 'cause I could imagine the power draw to start the lights, but excess power when powerinf off just sounds wrong.

 

[hookedonreefs]

There is a power rating. Something like 1800 watts & 15 amps. (I know it's 15 amps). So I don't think thats it. I'll bug the guys at HD, but if there's more input I'm all ears - actually eyes, but that's symantics.

 

[pyro383]

Do you have seperate ballasts? If so try individual timers. Although you shouldn't be blowing a singe timer as the 175mh ballast is I believe a 1.7amp draw. You could try the heavy duty timer that HD sells. I also have seen people having trouble with GFI and mh's.

 

[dockery07]

We've had the exact same problem with Icecap 660. I don't think the problem is with the steady state current rating that is listed on the unit. I think the problem we had was with the inrush current (current requred to get the ballast up and running initially) on some devices, this current can be up to 6 times the normal steady state current. We blew 6 timers before we upgraded the timer over a year a go, and haven't had a problem since. You might be having the same problem.