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Old 13-10-2012, 07:42 PM   #1
StephenDawn
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Default Lighting setup

Right after 4 blown solar glows and eventually a blown arcadia d3 we are deciding to get rid of our timer to determine whether its that or not and we were just wondering if anyone uses and type of timer successfully and i mean no blown bulbs not just a few months. The problem we have is with our shifts being varied at work were either up too late or early to give izzi her first blast of sun where as with the timer we can give her a steady 13 hours daylight without any change in the times of the day. So were switching to manual for now but unfortunately it means izzi's sun times are going to differ through the week.
So if your using a timer successfully please let me know what type it is where from how much etc... Thanks all.
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Old 13-10-2012, 07:59 PM   #2
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I'd ask Arcadia John for his input, at the end of the day I'd say the manufacture would best suited to say what there bulbs work best with which timer!

I'm afraid I can't help much more as I use separate bulbs and have no problem with blown bulbs.
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Old 13-10-2012, 08:07 PM   #3
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I just have timers from screw fix.... lamps have never blown for me! Then again I've only ever had two
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Old 13-10-2012, 09:30 PM   #4
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This question came up awhile ago, this is what ArcadiaJohn had to say.


"One point that is starting to become clear to us is that the use of some timers can dramatically reduce the lifespan of some M.V lamps.

It would seem that mechanical timers with cheaper components do not deliver a clean, smooth current load. And can cause a dramatic spike of energy at start up. It seems that in some cases particully with those lamps that may use no so effective electronics and firing parts just can't handle the spike and it causes over wear in the arc tube.

Now this is only just starting to become clear to us!! So not proven.

I would be inclined to use a good timer maybe one with surge protection built in. It maybe worth paying a tenner for a timer that protects the lamps and saves us blowing up lamps one after the other than getting a pound shop one and potentailly reducing the lifespan of the lamps.

I hope to have more deffinate advice very soon for you all, until then I would keep the info in mind

John"
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Old 13-10-2012, 09:33 PM   #5
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I just looked at the thread I got that from and its the one you started
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Old 13-10-2012, 11:46 PM   #6
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I have 4 timers bought cheap from eBay and they have worked perfectly fine for me, they are the segment ones x
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Old 14-10-2012, 11:06 AM   #7
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I have all my lights/heat sources on digital timers. The main plug socket for my extension has a surge protector on it. My brother is an electrician and so I got him to check all was ok.
You can never be too careful xx
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Old 15-10-2012, 10:27 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TillyTortoise View Post
I just looked at the thread I got that from and its the one you started
Yeah? If you look at the thread properly you will see that it is a completely different topic and I wanted input from people who use timers... which i didnt get from that thread because it was about bulbs not timers. Sure i could carry on and take that thread off topic but that would lead to people looking at the name of the thread and thinking "oh i've read that" therefore I wouldnt get any response. Nice observation though.

So it seems people can use timers. Yuna i have a surge protected extension lead can you ask your brother if i should plug the timer into the wall then the lead into that or how I have been doing with the timer into the lead and lamp into timer.
Also what digital timers do you guys use? Links please?
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Old 16-10-2012, 10:47 AM   #9
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Hi, it's a very inclear subject, surge protectors do seem to be effective in some areas.

There are so many factors that can reduce lamp life, the amount of times the lamp has to strike everyday, the actual screw fitting stability, local fluctuations in current and spikes from timers.

I'm going to be very honest, I don't know the definitive answer as yet, we were having issues with halides in wales at one point?? When we started to advise surge protection the issues just went away. The same has recently been the case in the northern Cambridge area.

So if you want some very effective fail safe advice of a product that's safe to use with timers is move to a stat controlled halogen heat source and use HO T5 for the light and UV.

I am working on a solution but as there are so many variables it may take a while.

But surge protectors and good quality timers do lessen the risk to M.V lamps popping through power spike.

As a remixer though the Arcadia lamp is guaranteed for a year, if it fails just get another one!!

John
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Old 16-10-2012, 10:58 PM   #10
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Cheers john, any idea as to my question above regarding in which order I should have my surge protected power leas and timer? Izzi is in a room where we need the extension lead for her lamp so its always going to be needed. So any idea if we should have it:
Socket - lead - timer - lamp
Or:
Socket - Timer - Lead - lamp
Cheers.
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