built-in timers fooey

[slugworth]

I have a clamp light grow-light from walmart that the timer isn't very reliable.
Ditto on a 4 foot grow-light from ocean state joblot.
I may have to try some kind of filter on the power going to them.
You have to manually turn them on so an external timer would be useless.
The 4 foot actually says you can't use an electronic timer with it.

[JRinPA]

high tech fun

[slugworth]

My 1st clamp light would turn off at the proper time but I had to turn it on manually.
I have that one dissected but never got around to wiring it up manually to a 5v dc source.
Originally it was a usb power supply with balls.
6 tiny wires plus a ground wire.

[JRinPA]

Can you rig it power on only? Then put a timer in front of it?

[slugworth]

That I can do with a steady hand and keen eye soldering skills.
Clamp lights are nice once the plants get big.
You can clamp them to anything.

[slugworth]

I found a clamp light similar to my defective one in goodwill today sans power supply.
It takes a 3a usb type supply which I had from the defective one.
Testing the timer function now.
3 modes
3/9/12 hours.

[slugworth]

so far so good.
Not bad for $6.50

[JRinPA]

better than it finding a landfill this year.

[slugworth]

Judging from a previous price tag on it, floating around different goodwill stores for 1.5 years.
Useless without the usb power supply.

[slugworth]

I may have spoken too soon.
The light turns off at the proper time but never turns on the next day.
I have to babysit and turn it on manually.
Same problem as the original goodwill clamp light.

[slugworth]

I bought another 3amp usb power supply today to try just in case the original was flaky.

[JRinPA]

hmm seems to me there is a name for this...throwing some kind something, after another something...

[worth1]

hmm seems to me there is a name for this...throwing some kind something, after another something...

I was thinking the same thing.

[slugworth]

I can always use the power supply for other usb items.
The original power supply had problems just charging a cellphone.
If that fixes the problem I will buy another and get 2 clamp lights earning their keep.

[worth1]

I found out there's an adapter that plugs into a power tool battery that can charge your phone over and over.

,

[slugworth]

I have a small solar cell that has a usb connector,originally designed to recharge a bike led headlight.
That will do phones on a sunny day.
A crank radio from GW once handed out by the Red Cross to disaster sufferers has a radio/flashlight/usb port and has a solar cell on top
The new power supply actually was worse than the original.
Instead of the light going into standby after it's cycle,it turns completely off and I have to disconnect it from the wall then plug back in.
Trying a 2.4A power supply now.Hoping it doesn't get that burning sensation.

[slugworth]

Endeavor to persevere.
I tried even another power supply and got the 3 hour mode working on both defective clamp lights.
This leads me to the question: How much light does a tomato plant need indoors just to stay alive?
I don't care about thriving,just staying alive til next year.
With the old style fluorescent fixtures I was able to play around with different K ratings to keep the
plants alive but not taking over the place.One set of plants are in the range of a 2700K nightlight,so
they are never really in 100% darkness at night. I will try the 6 hour mode on the timers this a.m. to
see if that function is working.

[slugworth]

The power supply was a big one with 4 usb ports good for 2.4amps each
But the label says 8amp total so I have both 3amp lights plugged into that.
No odors or burning sensation.

[slugworth]

I switched over to 9 hour mode on both before they shut off by themselves.