The LaydeKillas Posted October 31, 2007 Author Share Posted October 31, 2007 It's such a tight squeeze in my box room, i've gotta half dismantle my extract system just to get at the plug to take out the offending article. B*ll*cks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prawn Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Good luck with it mate, it'll all be right in the end Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The LaydeKillas Posted November 1, 2007 Author Share Posted November 1, 2007 So it took me about an hour, but I managed to dig out the suspect contactor, reroute the electrics, squeeze everything back into place... Guess what? The contactor works fine now!!! Any ideas people? Any theories as to what went wrong? The timer works fine as well? A temporary fault? Induction loop? Dodgy ballast? RF frequencies? Haloween? I'm at a loss... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prawn Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Turn it off and on again I.T. theory applies to everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The LaydeKillas Posted November 1, 2007 Author Share Posted November 1, 2007 Turn it off and on again I.T. theory applies to everything Thats true. I've got 2 find the answer to this problem though. I can't just have lights staying on at random. I caught it this time after 20 hours, but next time i might'nt be so lucky. Any knowledgable uk420 members want to venture a guess? Maybe it's because one ballast turns on when the other turns off, causing a power surge maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KC Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Maybe it's because one ballast turns on when the other turns off, causing a power surge maybe? I doubt that, the light will only use 4.6 amps on start up and the one running would only be using a couple of amps Sorry no idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The LaydeKillas Posted November 2, 2007 Author Share Posted November 2, 2007 Aye. I know you're right. I'm just clutching at straws. I'm genuinely perplexed... Thanks for trying tho. Does anyone else have any theories? Anyone have a similar setup to mine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The LaydeKillas Posted November 3, 2007 Author Share Posted November 3, 2007 Assuming your wiring is correct, then it is the contactor. Can't be anything else if the light is still on with the clock out. I am still not sure though how you wired it and what type of contactor and what load per contact you are using. It sounds like a contact of your contactor welded when switching. When disconnecting it and moving it the contact could have come open again. Hi wassup. Now there's a plausable theory. I'm running 2x 400w HPS in 2 grow tents. As one light goes out, the other comes on. They are both ventilated by the same 960m2hr extract fan. Inside each tent are 2 small clip on fans All the power to run both ballasts, extractor fan and internal fans come from one socket. This socket uses a RCB for safety, to a four way extention cable. EACH ballast has its own contactor relay which draws its power from said 4 way extention. The power for the 2x analogue timers that switch the contactors on/off is drawn from a different 4 way extention cable powered by a different socket. Each contactor relay is 1Kw rated and turns on ONE 400w ballast and 2 internal clip on fans. The contactor relay under suspicion at the moment is an EcoTechnics 'Powerstar' 1Kw, (with the female socket output replaced with a 2x female socket output by myself). This is a relatively new contactor as i've only been running this setup for month or two. The sysytem was working fine until the other night. I hope everyone can understand that. I can't draw and a picture's impossible, (all the components minus the suspect contactor relay are still powering my grow). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highgrade Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 that sounds well dodge hope you get it sorted, if it were my setup I would probably swap with another contactor if poss & use the suspect one to switch an inductive load somewhere else in your house thats not so important to see if its @ fault which it must be the way you describe the problem.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hydro98 Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 (edited) i make my own contactors, ive seen them stick on before, new ones that is not old. Edited November 3, 2007 by jjon98 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Jones Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 If a light comes on as you turn one off then could very well be a shared neutral as you cut the neutral back it becomes live and can give power to things linked I have seen it before Check the neutrals If its a contactor then if one welds they all weld its on the same mechanism Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The LaydeKillas Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 (edited) Shared neutral eh? Not exactly sure what that is. Sounds good though. Is it the current being drawn from one socket for different appliances, being in the same phase, causing problems? I've come across different phases of electricity setting up pro audio equipment. More importantly, any practical solutions? What about running each light for 11.45 mins on/12.15 off, leaving a 15 minute gap between one light coming on and the other going off? I want to keep drawing the current for both lights and the extractor fan through the same RCB.... I've no idea what model number the contactor is wazzup, it has no markings in that respect. Thanks for the input people. This is a tricky one. Edited November 4, 2007 by The LaydeKillas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Jones Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Check the neutrals mate I reckon thats your prob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The LaydeKillas Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Check the neutrals mate I reckon thats your prob What is it exactly i'm checking for? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davey Jones Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 I may have got my wires crossed here it was the when one comes on the other switches off that caught me I see it regular if its a shared neutral then it can back feed as it becomes live when its return path is cut causing all sorts of head aches. As it used to work its probably not this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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