Alternatives to Coralife Power Center multiple socket timer? - Equipment

pineapple · 09-21-2004, 10:33 AM

Are there any alternatives to the Coralife Power Center (apart from using multiple timers)? I find that the Power Center's many tiny switches (for want of a better word) on the time dial are fragile and easily disturbed by accident. The article would be good if it replaced the 'mechanical timer dial' with a digital/LCD timer system. Are there any alternatives?

Just in case you don't know what the Power Center is, I have included a photo below. You use the dial to set the time that you want power to come on or go off. When the power comes on, one set of sockets are live with power, and the other set are not powered. When the switch powers off, the previously not powered sockets become powered. This is useful, for example, if you want one switch to control lights on/off; air stone/air pump to come on after lights go off; CO2 solenoid to go on and off with lights &c.

Andrew Cribb

bharada · 09-21-2004, 10:44 AM

I use appliance timers. If I need multiple items run off the timer I either plug in a multi-socket adapter, or a whole powerstrip into the timer. This doesn't address the one-set-on, one-set-off capability of the CoraLife unit, though. But I personally don't have any situations where I do that (turning on an airstone at lights off, etc...) so it's not an issue for me.

JanS · 09-21-2004, 02:23 PM

I picked up a Power Sentry timer strip very similar to that last year at Wal-Mart for around $12. I haven't been able to find them there since though.
Someone else told me that Wal-Mart sells digital timer strips like that too, but I've never seen them there. Maybe it varys from store to store, though. I guess a search on their site, or maybe a similar store may bring something up.

If you find something, I'd be interested in hearing where since like you said they are really handy when you're dealing with multipul things on one timer.

pineapple · 09-22-2004, 05:02 AM

Interesting. I was in Rutland, VT Wal-Mart this summer and looked but did not find anything. As Bill said above, the only way seems to be to attach a powerstrip to two heavy duty appliance timers. But that is not a space saving or elegant solution to a simple problem.... Perhaps this is yet another market opportunity - or just a dumb idea no one would buy.

Andrew Cribb

pineapple · 02-17-2005, 10:00 AM

There seems to be a new timer on the market which resembles the one mentioned above but has a digital mechanism instead of the motor driven one Coralife uses. Someone recently complained that the motor on the Coralife appliance makes a noise. The digital timer should solve the problem. Here is a photo:

Andrew Cribb

JanS · 02-17-2005, 10:29 AM

Ooh! Any idea where to find these?

pineapple · 02-17-2005, 10:38 AM

Jan,

Here is a link to one supplier.

Andrew

dennis · 02-17-2005, 01:22 PM

Geez, expensive. I have been plannig to just build my own "power center" to go in my cabinet for the new 40 gallon tank. The biggest problem I have with times is that usually one cannpt plug a grounded plug into them, unless one buy the expensive kind. I use the $5 walmart timer that can go on and off every half hour if you want

JanS · 02-17-2005, 04:07 PM

Thanks Andrew.

Actually, I don't find that such a horrible price compared to the non-digital Coralife strips. I might have to order one or two.
Now if only I don't err like I did a couple of weeks ago and plug one of the filters into the timed side of the strip.....

pineapple · 02-18-2005, 05:19 AM

That is a risk! I almost did it myself once. I'm surprised Coralife is not more on top of this or that the Reef Community doesn't have several variants of this type of multiple socket timer... such is life. There's a business opportunity for you, Dennis...

Andrew Cribb