your rating/experience with the coralife digital timer

fishforu · #1 06/26/2006, 12:06 PM

thinking of purchasing the coralife digital timer below but now am hesitant because of the two negative reviews. what has your experiece with the timers been like? or simply use the standard mechanical/non-digital timers?

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...roduct=ES01690

thanks.

jabel · #2 06/26/2006, 12:19 PM

The link is for a non-digital timer. Its for the coaralife power center. If thats what you are thinking about buying be careful. I had one for about 1.5 yrs and it was running powerheads mainly. It shorted and caught fire. Luckily my stand and components didn't have any damage except for some melted plastic and hoses. The end result was bad. 90% of the coral in my tank died within a few days. It didn't help matters that I was on vacation, so I probably could have prevented the die off. In short, I don't trust them. I've used the individual timers form Home Depot for years and have never had a problem.

Jeff

rbdesigns · #3 06/26/2006, 12:24 PM

I have two and both malfuntioned within a couple of months. The dial no longer works. I don't remember if it was on this board or on nano-reef, but someone's house caught on fire because the timer malfuntioned and I think the entire tank melted.

rykwong · #4 06/26/2006, 12:34 PM

I just bought the imitation one that's just like the coralife digial for $14 shipped to my door from Ebay. No problems here for the past 4 months.

Rich

fishforu · #5 06/26/2006, 12:45 PM

thanks for your inputs. think i'll pass and simply use the standard mechanical timers from home depot. i'm using the timers for my metal hallide and actinic lighting.

antiant · #6 06/26/2006, 02:23 PM

so the home depot ones are the most safe and reliable to use? i just wanna be sure that my house isnt being put at risk.

ezcompany · #7 06/26/2006, 02:59 PM

mine is crapping out on me as well. i would not recommend it.

fishforu · #8 06/26/2006, 03:01 PM

the home depot timers i'm referring to are the single three-prong standard timers. i assume that's what most people use. not sure whether they are safer or not but have not read/heard any problems with them.

moses13 · #9 06/26/2006, 03:49 PM

I bought the Coralife wave timer and it crapped out within 6 months. I certainly wouldn't buy one of those again.

bassnman11 · #10 06/26/2006, 03:53 PM

Lowes has a strip setup with 4 plugs on the switch and 4 more on a digital timer. I have had mine for 4 months and no trouble so far.

slavearm · #11 06/26/2006, 03:55 PM

I have had 3 crap out on me now. I have two in to coralife for repair again. I am probably going to ebay them. I decided it was just easier and cheaper (when you consider the potential loss) to buy another DC8.

Slavearm

snslarison · #12 06/26/2006, 05:11 PM

I have two that have been working for over a year without any issues. Nothing bad to say.

laverda · #13 06/26/2006, 07:40 PM

I won one in the SCMAS raffel and it lasted about 3 months before craping out.

bromion · #14 06/26/2006, 08:28 PM

The first one I got had a broken battery backup, the replacement to that stopped delivering power in about 2 months. Worse, the customer service people have not returned either of my two e-mails for warranty replacement!

I now use Stanley outdoor digital timers. They were about $15 each at OSH, are designed for outdoors (water resistant), and fairly heavy-duty. Only 1 outlet each, however.

Fridmani · #15 06/27/2006, 01:19 AM

JUNK!

ScotchMaster · #16 06/27/2006, 01:35 AM

Ive had mine for about 1 year and its finally getting wore out...I need to replace it soon

laverda · #17 06/27/2006, 01:52 AM

THe slightly more expensive digital timers at home depot and Lowes are much better then the mechanical ones.