SparkDr

I've got hundreds of the resistors, but only about 50 of the plugs. I can assemble them to order until the parts run out. What's everybody looking for in terms of quantity and pricing?

Consider a lighting contactor. I've used them in commercial and residential projects for security lighting and/or landscape lighting projects. A single time clock can be used to power up multiple circuits or lighting loads at the same time. I recently used a 16 pole contactor for a large residential project to control low voltage, line voltage, and motor loads (water pumps for fountains). I used 13 poles of a 16 pole contactor so there is room for expansion. I'm controlling it with an Intermatic astronomical time clock for self-adjusting dusk to dawn & daylight savings time operation.

As an electrician, here's what I see so far. You've got a double-pole 30amp breaker feeding a 20a 250volt receptacle with an unknown wire size gauge connecting them. Regardless, it's not simple or cost effective to split this into 2 circuits. You've got 2 hots and a ground wire going to the receptacle and will need 2 hots, 2 neutrals (or 1 shared neutral) and a ground wire for the 2 circuits. This means you're already short a wire right off the start unless you combine your grounds and neutrals (not recommended even though they are technically tied together within the circuit panel box). Also, the box you have is fed by a 2 pole 60amp breaker so it is not 2 60amp circuits as you noted but rather 60amps total. My biggest concern is the blank spaces in the panel box cover. That shiny silver stuff is bare buss bar exposed back there. For the love of god, get yourself over to the home center and spend the 8 bucks for some pop-in plastic cover fill plates. You have a GE TML series box which will take almost any brand of 1" wide fill plate. You've got plenty of room to take a lot of power from that box and not much of a load in place already. Please do the right thing and call in a pro when the time comes. You might lament the cost up front, but you'll never regret having it done correctly and safely.

Never heard of them before reading your post, but after seeing the product must say I am intrigued. I'll be keeping an eye out for any testimonials as well.

As an electrician, I will offer up a little information in hopes of helping clarify things. First and foremost, controllers should always use grounded plugs into GFCI receptacles or circuits protected by GFCI breakers. After that, it becomes your choice as to how strictly you wish to adhere to the NEC (National Electrical Code). The NEC is written primarily in the interest of safety and satisfaction of requirements for insurance purposes. As soon as you elect to use a product outside of it's rated use (ie: SPT outdoors) a code violation occurs and you have, in essence, given your insurance company a reason to deny a claim in the event of a related incident. I'm not saying it happens, only that it could. The things I've seen in the real world would give a code purist ulcers. Unfortunately, it's usually us as homeowners who show the most disregard for our own personal safety by creating our own violations in the interest of cost cutting. I bit the bullet for my display & have 100% outdoor rated 3-prong cords of appropriate wire gauge for all elements. Having said that, it has been one of my biggest expenses against the budget & I won't begrudge the SPT users of their decisions particularly those in non-snow and drier regions. The rest of the info already posted here on ampacity & wire gauge should answer most of the other questions. To add my two cents on waterproofing, I tape nothing. I use a product called Scotchcote by 3M (#43906) on permanent joints. It's ugly, messy, & smells bad (think molasses colored rubber cement), but it works real well. For on the ground joints, I buy 6' lengths of 1" ID self seal polyethylene pipe insulation from any home center & cut it to length to slip over the connections http://www.lowes.com/pd_21416-1410-S12XB/6_4294765361__?productId=1060007&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1&facetInfo=. While not waterproof, it sheds rain and eliminates snow penetration while elevating the connection slightly off the ground as well. The open ends and mild porousness allow it to breathe and dry out quickly once wet. No nuisance trips yet!

Hudson Falls, NY ( home to LOR as well ) in the Lake George / Saratoga region.