Override the timer for moonlight

auntkaren

auntkaren

Member
:help: We have a 24G Nano DX
The moonlight lamp and the other lamps are on the same on/off switch. We have the light(s) on a timer and the moonlight is never on in the dark. Could someone guide me through reconnecting or something so that we can turn the moonlight on after the main lighting goes off?
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
TURNING ON YOUR LIGHTING SYSTEM (Daytime)
Your Nano-Cube is pre-installed with a dual illumination system that offers daylight and nightlight illumination.
A. Connecting the Remote Ballast
1. Connect the (2) male cables from the canopy to the (2) female cables out from the remote ballast. Align the notched groove and insert until you have a secure fit.
B. Plug power-cord from the remote ballast into an outlet strip that is properly approved and equipped with a fuse or circuit breaker.
C. Press the switch located on the remote ballast to ‘ON” position to turn on compact fluorescent lamps (daytime lamps). This will simultaneously start the dual cooling fans integrated in the
TURNING ON YOUR LIGHTING SYSTEM (Nite Lite)
Your Nano-Cube incorporates our Nite-Vu LED’s that simulate nocturnal cycles with very dim blue light (nightlights) that casts sparkling rays that shimmer for a more natural light cycle commonly found in nature.
A. Press the switch located on the remote ballast to “OFF” position and press the switch located on top of the canopy hood to “ON” position to turn on the Nite-Vu LED lighting. B. The Nite-Vu LED lighting is very dim not to disturb the night cycles of fish but just bright enough to watch their nocturnal behaviors. The Nite-Vu LED lighting is best seen when surrounding light is turned off in the room.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Jake the problem she (she... I think) is having is that the JBG Nanos use a single plug for the entire lighting system. A timer connected to the power cord switches everything, including the moonlights.
Karen, I've got the same problem but it's in my office at work, and I am [usually] not there at night so I chose to live with it.
Hopefully someone else on here can help you, but I've been meaning to do exactly what you are asking about. If I have time to do it next week, I'll glady post instructions for you. You are going to have to take the ballast apart and add a second power cord that allows you to power your lights and moonlights separately.
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
so there isn't a switch on the external ballast and on the actual hood?
thats from the jbj websites instructions on how to get them to work seperately from daylights
even if there is only 1 cord I would read that carefully and try it
probably something that's commonly easily missed since they have it set up kinda screwy
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
There is only one plug that connects the entire lighting system to the wall. The moonlights, fans, and main fluorescent lights all run off this one plug. The lights can be switched independantly using rocker switches on the hood, but if you want to use a timer to run the lights, then you have to plug the entire lighting system into this timer, so the moonlights and main lights all switch together. You can flip switches all you want, but it doesn't change that the timer cuts the power to the whole fixture, including the moonlights.
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
hhmmm, well I tried guys sorry.
I dont have a nano I have a 65 but if I was you I'd get ahold of JBJ and see if this is a common problem and see what they will do.
If nothing then I'd suggest opening it up and throwing a switch on the negetive side of the power compacts and drilling a small hole in the canopy to screw the extra toggle switch into and this will allow you to turn them off without turing off the leds
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Dude... it's not a matter of switches. The moonlights and the main lights ARE individually switchable. She is saying that she wants to use a TIMER and a timer can't control the lights individually (like to turn the main lights off and leave hte moonlgihts on) because the whole thing only has one plug.
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
damn, then it would be quite a bit more difficult you would probably have to run a 12 volt adapter to the led or leds and plug that into a seperate timer rather then doing another switch.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
The ballast pack is going to have one or two ballasts (depending on whether it's a plain nano or a DX) and a transformer that runs the LEDs and the fans. It's a matter of running a dedicated power cord in for the LED/Fan transformer so you can plug the LED/Fans into the 24hr. power and the lights into the timer. The fans will run 24x7 but I doubt anyone will care about that. This is a huge complaint with the JBJ nanos and I have yet to see someone document a fix for this.
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
yeah like we both said, seperate the leds "12v" from the ballast and wire them to one of those 12v power packs like a cell phone charger or super nintendo power pack and then plug that power pack into its own timer from like wall mart or something they're really cheap. The timer would become the on/off switch for the leds. It is like a big fault in the design...
Am I getting closer scsi? lol
 
jakebtc

jakebtc

Member
so the fans would still only work when the main lights are on and you'd basicly throw in another "transformer" for the leds to run on a seperate timer
 
auntkaren

auntkaren

Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
There is only one plug that connects the entire lighting system to the wall. The moonlights, fans, and main fluorescent lights all run off this one plug. The lights can be switched independantly using rocker switches on the hood, but if you want to use a timer to run the lights, then you have to plug the entire lighting system into this timer, so the moonlights and main lights all switch together. You can flip switches all you want, but it doesn't change that the timer cuts the power to the whole fixture, including the moonlights.
SCSInet you worded my question so much better thank you! LOL I would really appreciate it if you did let me know how you managed to override the connection between the two kinds of lights. The ballast is remote so we shouldn't have to remove the lid, right?
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Correct. I keep forgetting to take the ballast home to do this. I'll try to remember to do it tonight.
 
unleashed

unleashed

Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
There is only one plug that connects the entire lighting system to the wall. The moonlights, fans, and main fluorescent lights all run off this one plug. The lights can be switched independantly using rocker switches on the hood, but if you want to use a timer to run the lights, then you have to plug the entire lighting system into this timer, so the moonlights and main lights all switch together. You can flip switches all you want, but it doesn't change that the timer cuts the power to the whole fixture, including the moonlights.
well thats kinda retarted sorry . coralifes come with 3 plugs
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
I remembered. I have pictures taken of the whole process. It took me about 15 minutes. I can't test it until I go into work tomorrow to hook it up, but I'm sure it'll work, so I'll update my website tomorrow morning with the process and post you a link... of course, I'll be doing this at work, so don't panic if it's not done by 11:59 AM.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Originally Posted by unleashed
well thats kinda retarted sorry . coralifes come with 3 plugs
It's only retarded if you can't fix it. If you can, then you get to take stuff apart and mess with wires, which makes it COOL.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Done! Don't say I never did anything for you....
www.davestanks.com
Click on "How To/DIY" and "How to Modify JBJ Nano Cube Ballast for Lighting Timers"
Hopefully the mods will let me link to my site on this message board. I don't sell anything on the site.
 
auntkaren

auntkaren

Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
Done! Don't say I never did anything for you....
www.davestanks.com
Click on "How To/DIY" and "How to Modify JBJ Nano Cube Ballast for Lighting Timers"
Hopefully the mods will let me link to my site on this message board. I don't sell anything on the site.
Um... Dave? Your site is really nice and quite informative, however, your directions as shown above above are a bit lacking. There is no link for How To/DIY! LOL
Did your rewiring work??
BTW have you seen my two missing Chromis? Maybe they went with your clowns. <GBG>
 
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