Description
Switch a full bank of grow lights from one timer, safely
The Black Box Contactor Timer is a wall-hung metal controller that switches several grow lights on and off together from one built-in Grasslin segment timer. The timer only tells the unit when to switch; a heavy-duty contactor carries the lighting load, so the start-up surge from HID ballasts never passes through the timer's own contacts. Choose the 4 Way or 6 Way to suit your grow room, with a total capacity of 26 A fed through two supply leads.
Key Benefits
- Protects the timer – the contactor takes the inrush current that burns out or welds the contacts of ordinary plug-in timers.
- Up to 26 A of lighting – four lights of up to 1000 W each, or six of up to 600 W on the 6 Way.
- Built-in Grasslin timer – set the light cycle once and every connected light follows it.
- Moulded plugs and rubberised leads – tough cabling for a humid grow room.
- Integrated hanging bracket – mounts on a wall or batten, off the floor and away from water.
Why do plug-in timers fail on HID lighting?
HID ballasts draw a sharp surge of current at ignition, far above their running load. Plugged straight into a domestic timer or extension, that surge overheats the timer's contacts until they fail, leaving lights stuck on or off and the light cycle wrecked. A contactor splits the job: the timer switches a small control current and the heavy-duty contacts carry the lights – and the tangle of extension leads comes off the grow room floor.
How to Use
- Hang the unit on its bracket near the lights, off the floor and clear of water.
- Set the Grasslin timer segments for the hours the lights should be on.
- Plug each ballast or LED driver into one of the timed sockets.
- Plug both supply leads into wall sockets – the unit needs two plug-in points – never into an extension lead.
- Keep the total load within 26 A: 4 Way up to 4 × 1000 W; 6 Way up to 6 × 600 W or 4 × 1000 W.
Technical Specifications
- Type: contactor timer with built-in Grasslin mechanical segment timer
- Versions: 4 Way (four timed sockets) or 6 Way (six timed sockets)
- 4 Way capacity: 4 × 250 W, 400 W, 600 W or 1000 W lights
- 6 Way capacity: 6 × 250 W, 400 W or 600 W lights, or 4 × 1000 W
- Maximum total load: 26 A
- Supply: two leads with moulded UK plugs – two plug-in points required
- Sockets: UK 3-pin, switched by the timer through the contactor
- Leads: rubberised
- Mounting: integrated hanging bracket
- Standards: built to CE standards
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lights can I run from the 6 Way?
Six lights of up to 600 W each, or four 1000 W lights. Whatever the mix, the total connected load must stay within 26 A.
Why does it need two wall sockets?
The unit has two supply leads so its 26 A capacity is shared between two sockets rather than loading one. Plug them into two wall sockets, never into an extension lead or adaptor.
Can I use it with LED grow lights?
Yes. Anything on a UK plug can be switched, and LED drivers also draw an inrush current at switch-on, so a contactor protects the timer in a room of large LED fixtures too – keep within 26 A.
Can I run two different light schedules from one unit?
No. Every socket follows the one built-in timer. For a vegetative room and a flowering room on different light cycles, use a separate contactor for each.
Works Well With
