Timer with ballast?

badasstang

Member
I have been wanting to get a timer for my helios lighting becaues I leave the light on way to long. But, I want the blue light to come on first for about an hour, then the white, then vice versa at night. The problem..I have the ballast that both lgihts are connected to that, then one card to the wall. Two switches on the ballast...but is there any way that someone either makes a ballast with a timer, or a timer that can be used with the ballast plugs?
Thanks for reading
 

citation

New Member
I recently bought Electro-Lites 2x96 power compacts made by CustomSeaLife. It has two on/off switches, and two power cords wich allowed my to plug into separate heavy duty timers for the dawn day dusk simulation. I only have about a years experience but I hope this will help!
 

slick

Active Member
If your ballast only has 1 powercord then I think your stuck. Unless there is a way I don't know of to put it on the inside somehow. But I would not recommend opening your ballast and messing around with the wireing.
 

badasstang

Member
Yeah I have only one powercord...I wasnt planning on going inside the ballast, just wondering if there is a ballast that I can buy with either two cords, or a built in timer.
 

broomer5

Active Member
I went to Helios website - but it was under construction.
To answer your question - if your ballast enclosure has two separate switches - then you may be able to use two independent timers. One plug powers ballast components, two separate swithes control each light/lamp circuit - on/off.
So the system is designed to allow for only one, or both light circuits to be either on or off.
Both A & B off
A on - B off.
A off - B on
Both A & B on
Intermatic make some nice digital timers - that are intended for direct wiring to the circuit ( they don't have a typical plug like most other timers we use ). You can find them at Home Depot - I've seen them there.
This of course would require you opening the ballast enclosure, and wiring into where these two switches, providing you have the room to do so.
You could leave the swithes in the "on" position, and just wire to the timers. Or you could remove the switches - but no reason to really.
First I would contact Helios - and run it by them to be sure.
I would not suggest doing this yourself unless you've had some experience wiring up AC circuits.
An electrician could do this easily for you though.
Or ....... there are options now from PFO ballasts , where they use the same Intermatic integral timers mounted right into the ballasts. I'm using one of these dual timers ballasts to run my 400 watt VHO ( picture below )
Again - checking with Helios would be the best route in my opinion.
 
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