Can I plug an extension cord into a timer? I've researched online and didn't really find much about it. Dr. Fosters and smith has an extension cord with a timer on it that I'm kinda interested in but if I can use what I currently have on hand that would be great.
I often do this with a new tank. I hook my lights and CO2 up to the same timer. Reason being, it can be a total pain to have to sync two timers when you have not dialed in your photoperiod. Same if I am using two light fixtures. I have a timer right in front of me that says it is rated at 125v/1875watts/15amp and it's one of the cheapest timers with a ground out there.
This is the description for my timer. I'm just planning to plug in the evo quad beamswork which is 3w leds and has two plugs and planning to add another or was thinking of two clamps from Home Depot. Will it work?
The specs on things like timers are to give you a max amount of power that they can handle. In this case, your timer is rated for 15 amps. that is what many household outlets and breakers are rated so it is almost certain that the timer will handle the load. the weak point in many uses for extention cords it that people try to plug things that draw too much current and the cord overheats. As long as you are using less than something like 1200 watts, you should be fine with that timer and using extention cords. Technically one could go higher but I like room for error on rating electrical.
Looking closer? The timer says good up to 1725 watts. The light is good for 125 of incandescent but that leaves lots of room to run several LED which use like 8-10 or so. You can stack a tub full of LED bulbs on that setup. More than ten using 10 watt each!
I probably should have elaborated when I put the specs of my timer up but essentially, these timers are not going to be a problem for aquarium use, which is the point you made. I wasn't trying to scare people or make them feel the need to have to spec things out, I was just trying to make the point that it will likely never be an issue for our purposes.
Just a word of advice, maybe look into an extended power strip while you're at Home Depot. You're not going to be able to plug very many timers into a regular power strip, and you'll end up like I did with multiple extension cords plugged into a normal power strip, and each extension cord going to it's own timer. It makes the tank stand look just awful, and it's a hazard around water.
I did think about that. But I only need to use one extension for my lights. I'm gonna plug the timer directly to the wall and plug one extension then plug lights to the extension. Filters and heaters go to a different extension.
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