Timer for 2 ea 250 watt MHs

[jonathan11]

I'm looking for a timer for my 2 MHs. I have a 20 amp house circuit available. Wondering if 15 amp rated timers would be capable of handling these? Seems 20 amp timers have different plug ends from 15 amp timers. Thx in advance.

Walter

 

[Whiskey]

I had 3X 250W MH running off a heavy duty outdoor 15 amp timer for a couple years over my 180G SW Reef It seems that cheap timers rated for 15 amps really can't take 15 Amps in the long term, however I found that the heavy duty outdoor ones were just fine.

The cheap ones would last for a month or two, but at some point the contacts would fuse together, and the lights would never shut off.

Whiskey

 

[Whiskey]

P.S. 2X250 should technically only pull 4.16 Amps; however especially if you have magnetic ballasts, some funny things can happen right at startup.

Whiskey