Automatic Tank Light turner-on-er thing?? Does it exist?

[madasafish]

Hi all,

I've got a question about timers for tank lights. Has anybody come across these in their time as an aquarist? I'd really love to get one each for my 55-gallon and 10-gallon, so that the tanks can be completely unmanned for a weekend (I've got an automatic feeder already, and the slow-release food).

I'll be away for the next few days backpacking the White Mountains, NH (now you know why I'm asking!) but would really appreciate any information you can provide. I'll check up on this posting Monday night.

Thanks

 

[e-cat]

just got too any department store and buy a timmer that people use for when they go on vacation too turn lights and other things on too make people thing there home, there cheap, under $20

 

[lmw80]

as e-cat said, it is a timer you are in need of. It might be cheaper to get one at a place like Target or K-Mart if you have one near you. We have our living room light on a timer. It turns on at 8:30pm in case we are not home, and it turns off around midnight. It is quite useful.

 

[Allivymar]

I picked up a timer from petsmart. Was about 10 bucks, and works great.

 

[madasafish]

Thanks for the responses. So, this will work on a light switch which involves pushing rather than flicking? I've never used a timer on a light before (I'm such a city boy...). Do you put it on the light itself, or in the power strip?

Thanks

 

[madasafish]

Allivymar,

Hmm... interersting. Is it specifically tailored to tanks, or just a general timer? Is it positioned on the tank, or on the power strip?

Thanks

 

[Allivymar]

My timer plugs into the wall/power strip, and the tank light plugs into the timer. The light is always switched "on" but doesn't actually come on unless the timer lets it. I don't know if it will work with a wall switch tho.

*edit*

and while i bought it from Petsmart, I'm sure any old timer will do

 

[e-cat]

for a general timmer you would plug the cord from your light into it and then pug the timmer into an outlet, you would also have the light switch left on at all times

 

[jratuszn]

My ballast has an "on/off" toggle, but if I leave it on and plug it into a timer, the flourescent bulbs just kinda flicker a bit, and never really turn all the way on. Do they make timer specifically for old flourescen/ballast setups?

 

[e-cat]

there shouldnt be any power running too the bulb mabey try an new timer

 

[jratuszn]

I don't think it's the power to the bulb, but rather the power to the ballast. It does the same thing with the timer as it does if I turn on the switch on the ballast before plugging it into an outlet. I think the ballast has an "ignition voltage" to get the bulbs going which is above the normal running voltage. I think this must be supplied by a capacitor or some other electronics which store up a charge when the ballast is plugged in, but turned off. I think the only way for this to work would be a timer that has a small "leak" of current through the line even when it's off. Does anyone know if this product exists?

 

[e-cat]

iv never heard of one like that, your could probably bring a timmer that works fine too an school around you and have the electronics teacher see if they could do something like that too it.

 

[jratuszn]

Jeez, that's a good idea-

I'm sure I could do it myself by just adding a heavy resistor in line with the hot wire. Hmmm... I'd better go talk to the poeple at radioshack before I get too creative and burn down my apartment.