Shanus
Active Member
The long awaited MDT-1.
I have been eyeballing a way to make my room a tad less cluttered, and a tad safer from both fire hazard and over heating. I am only running 1 exhaust fan to cool lights and filter air, 24hrs a day. So, an overheat shut-off is vital to help prevent total devestation when my fan finally dies. It isnt a matter of if, its a matter of when. But, I digress.
After sending nearly $200 for this timer, I had HUGE hopes for all the wonderous things it can do. So, let me try to run down what Ive learned. Hopefully I can keep this fairly organized to read. Just remember, I am the pickiest damn person! I don't mind paying a tad more than I should, if what I buy is exactly what I want, of good quality, and reliable. I'm not a professional grower! I like to consider my perspective, one of a advanced level hobbyist, who tends to obsess. This review will be based on the hobbyists needs i hope.
The Gooodies!!
a) 10yr warranty! Hell yeah, I like equipment I dont have to replace yearly!
b)Very neat appearance, just the right size, and receptacles seem to be made of a durable quality plastic/rubber compound. (not that bullshit hard plastic that breaks easily)
c)The power cord and remote temp cord are both of good quality. The power cord is fairly long, altho the temp cord is only 6' or so.
d)The readout is easy to read, easy to understand, and not too cluttered
e)The buttons are clearly marked (in ENGLISH woohoo!), easily understood, and operate as intended. Very easy to learn!
f)The mounting bracket works perfectly, and it makes me grin at how clean it looks on the wall of my main room.
g)The unit has 1 recycle timer thats easily set, and controls 2 outlets
h)one HID outlet is controlled via a simple /on-time off-time/ setting thats either in 24hr clock or 12hr clock.
I)the Hid outlets are both programmable for delay restart, and over temp cut-off.
j)All settings and modes are easily known with little green led's on the front.
k)Over temp is user setable
l)hot restart time is programable.
m)data logs any overtemp issues and when occured.
Now, thats the gist of what this little box does. No, nothing exciting or extravagant, but I got it for the overtemp and hotstart protection. Both of these are on it, easily adjusted, and do what I wanted. I probably could have made the same thing from a couple of stand alone pieces, but I like the simple/clean look.
The not so great:
I was under the impression (seller told me), that this timer could control my veg room also. No matter how hard you wish it is true, this thing controls one lighting schedule only.
a)The lower HID outlet IS NOT user programmable, it only comes on when the upper outlet is off. Since I dont run a heater or anything like that for a night cycle, this feature is a waste for me. Kinda pissed, I was told it could be programmed to trigger my flower room on a different time schedule. TOTALLY FALSE!! This timer wont run my two rooms like I had been told.
b)the recycle timers are just that, a recycle. you can only set it to come on for so long and stay off for so long. Little disappointed it cant be set by the clock, rather its set by its own on and off timers.
c)The recycle timers are not seperatley adjustable. So, I could have actually done w/o the 2nd outlet and purchased a $6 pwr strip with 6outlets.
d)The face of this, tho clean, is a simple one piece sticker. Ive noticed that with use, these kind can quit pushing in so well. I would have preferred standalone buttons. This unit isnt water resistant anyhow.
e)the display constanly cycles thru your info. would be nice if you could choose what it showed. I prefer the temp or clock, not the countdown on the recycle timers.
f)the digital readout is in RED! Since the temp cord is so short, this until is IN the room and wouldnt a green readout be preferable?
Told you I was picky. So, I give this piece of equipment a 6 out of 10. Yes, it does what it says, but it could really be capable of so much more. Maybe Im biased because I was told things that werent true, and expected a $200 timer to replace 4 timers. In essence, this only replaced 2 timers, one of which isnt protected by the overtemp. And the recycle timer??? cmon, I buy $10 timers all day that are infinitely adjustable by the minute with 20programs. Good thing I water on a even schedule. should you want irradic water times, this aint gna work for you. And the bullshit night on only outlet? If I was runing a heater, maybe, but hell...15amps and a heater is ALL I could run.
I would be so damn happy if:
1) Both HID outlets where programable on seperate timers. Then I could run a trigger cord to another box and run a seperate room, protected, with this timer.
2)Both recycle timers where actually seperate digital timers. I mean shit, who the hell recycles when they can just program?I cant even run an uneven water schedule on these. And they are both controlled by ONE timer? Cmon man, gimme a break!
3)The buttons could be buttons, not a sticker pad
4)The readout could be in green, and show only what I want it to.
5)The temp cord could be long enough to actually put NEAR my lights, you know, where the heat will present itself first?!
6)A remote trigger jack in it, so I can hit a button and kill the power to the entire unit. (now Im dreaming, but wouldnt it be nice to say "o' shit", and kill the power to your room from another location?!)
7)the option to control ALL the outlets with the overtemp protection.
I would be thrilled if one of these damn chinese companies paid me to tell them what I would want in these things!! I would have paid more to get more for sure. Now Im going to have 2 seperate timers to run to seperate lights! Had I known, I would probably have gone a different route. Im sure they did it this way so i buy 2 of these instead of one.
So, this little box does keep my room a tad safer. Yes, it is a nifty item and is much better than timers laying around. Im not regretting buying this, for the simple fact that it WILL shutdown and delay start if Ive ever an issue. That alone makes me think this was a worthy investment.
So, theres my review. Anyone got any questions, feel free. and of course, rep is always appreciated
Happy growing to you!
I have been eyeballing a way to make my room a tad less cluttered, and a tad safer from both fire hazard and over heating. I am only running 1 exhaust fan to cool lights and filter air, 24hrs a day. So, an overheat shut-off is vital to help prevent total devestation when my fan finally dies. It isnt a matter of if, its a matter of when. But, I digress.
After sending nearly $200 for this timer, I had HUGE hopes for all the wonderous things it can do. So, let me try to run down what Ive learned. Hopefully I can keep this fairly organized to read. Just remember, I am the pickiest damn person! I don't mind paying a tad more than I should, if what I buy is exactly what I want, of good quality, and reliable. I'm not a professional grower! I like to consider my perspective, one of a advanced level hobbyist, who tends to obsess. This review will be based on the hobbyists needs i hope.
The Gooodies!!
a) 10yr warranty! Hell yeah, I like equipment I dont have to replace yearly!
b)Very neat appearance, just the right size, and receptacles seem to be made of a durable quality plastic/rubber compound. (not that bullshit hard plastic that breaks easily)
c)The power cord and remote temp cord are both of good quality. The power cord is fairly long, altho the temp cord is only 6' or so.
d)The readout is easy to read, easy to understand, and not too cluttered
e)The buttons are clearly marked (in ENGLISH woohoo!), easily understood, and operate as intended. Very easy to learn!
f)The mounting bracket works perfectly, and it makes me grin at how clean it looks on the wall of my main room.
g)The unit has 1 recycle timer thats easily set, and controls 2 outlets
h)one HID outlet is controlled via a simple /on-time off-time/ setting thats either in 24hr clock or 12hr clock.
I)the Hid outlets are both programmable for delay restart, and over temp cut-off.
j)All settings and modes are easily known with little green led's on the front.
k)Over temp is user setable
l)hot restart time is programable.
m)data logs any overtemp issues and when occured.
Now, thats the gist of what this little box does. No, nothing exciting or extravagant, but I got it for the overtemp and hotstart protection. Both of these are on it, easily adjusted, and do what I wanted. I probably could have made the same thing from a couple of stand alone pieces, but I like the simple/clean look.
The not so great:
I was under the impression (seller told me), that this timer could control my veg room also. No matter how hard you wish it is true, this thing controls one lighting schedule only.
a)The lower HID outlet IS NOT user programmable, it only comes on when the upper outlet is off. Since I dont run a heater or anything like that for a night cycle, this feature is a waste for me. Kinda pissed, I was told it could be programmed to trigger my flower room on a different time schedule. TOTALLY FALSE!! This timer wont run my two rooms like I had been told.
b)the recycle timers are just that, a recycle. you can only set it to come on for so long and stay off for so long. Little disappointed it cant be set by the clock, rather its set by its own on and off timers.
c)The recycle timers are not seperatley adjustable. So, I could have actually done w/o the 2nd outlet and purchased a $6 pwr strip with 6outlets.
d)The face of this, tho clean, is a simple one piece sticker. Ive noticed that with use, these kind can quit pushing in so well. I would have preferred standalone buttons. This unit isnt water resistant anyhow.
e)the display constanly cycles thru your info. would be nice if you could choose what it showed. I prefer the temp or clock, not the countdown on the recycle timers.
f)the digital readout is in RED! Since the temp cord is so short, this until is IN the room and wouldnt a green readout be preferable?
Told you I was picky. So, I give this piece of equipment a 6 out of 10. Yes, it does what it says, but it could really be capable of so much more. Maybe Im biased because I was told things that werent true, and expected a $200 timer to replace 4 timers. In essence, this only replaced 2 timers, one of which isnt protected by the overtemp. And the recycle timer??? cmon, I buy $10 timers all day that are infinitely adjustable by the minute with 20programs. Good thing I water on a even schedule. should you want irradic water times, this aint gna work for you. And the bullshit night on only outlet? If I was runing a heater, maybe, but hell...15amps and a heater is ALL I could run.
I would be so damn happy if:
1) Both HID outlets where programable on seperate timers. Then I could run a trigger cord to another box and run a seperate room, protected, with this timer.
2)Both recycle timers where actually seperate digital timers. I mean shit, who the hell recycles when they can just program?I cant even run an uneven water schedule on these. And they are both controlled by ONE timer? Cmon man, gimme a break!
3)The buttons could be buttons, not a sticker pad
4)The readout could be in green, and show only what I want it to.
5)The temp cord could be long enough to actually put NEAR my lights, you know, where the heat will present itself first?!
6)A remote trigger jack in it, so I can hit a button and kill the power to the entire unit. (now Im dreaming, but wouldnt it be nice to say "o' shit", and kill the power to your room from another location?!)
7)the option to control ALL the outlets with the overtemp protection.
I would be thrilled if one of these damn chinese companies paid me to tell them what I would want in these things!! I would have paid more to get more for sure. Now Im going to have 2 seperate timers to run to seperate lights! Had I known, I would probably have gone a different route. Im sure they did it this way so i buy 2 of these instead of one. So, this little box does keep my room a tad safer. Yes, it is a nifty item and is much better than timers laying around. Im not regretting buying this, for the simple fact that it WILL shutdown and delay start if Ive ever an issue. That alone makes me think this was a worthy investment.
So, theres my review. Anyone got any questions, feel free. and of course, rep is always appreciated
Happy growing to you!
