Metal Halide On A Timer

[john.o]

Is it safe to plug a MH into a timer?
Or do i run the risk of burning them out and stating a fire?
How do you guys do it?

 

[ben1987]

my halides got timers built in, but before i had that unit i used to just use a standard timer. They state their maximum load on the packaging. The digital ones tend to keep more accurate times but have a lower max load.

 

[john.o]

Thanks for that Ben
That’s exactly what i was thinking; you can get M/H with timers built in, so why would a standalone timer not do the same job? When i suggested this idea to my LFS owner he looked at me like i was nuts and said you don’t want to do that, you will set the house on fire you will need an M/H contactor first {£49.} But like you say Ben the timers state their maximum load on them {in my case 230v – 50Hz 300w max} and as my M/H is only 150w i am well within the max recommended load surely , i just don’t know i have read the product description for the contactors and i am thinking that these are for use when your M/H wattage exceeds that of your timer. Am i correct in my thinking or am i missing something? I would like to hear from you peeps how many of you just use standalone timers and how many of you use an inline contactor.

 

[ben1987]

ive done mine this way since i started, i still have a house. Couldnt you put an RCD on it if you are worried?

I think you need to be well below the timers stated maximum as you get a surge when you first fire the bulb up. Also ballasts are inefficient aswel, so the actual usuage will be more. I got some heavy duty timers. Max - 1,000W iirc, never misssed a beat.