Hello. My parents have got an ancient Smiths timer which controls some outside lights. At the moment, no matter how the timer is programmed, the lights are on all the time, unless the timer is actually switched off. Dad used to fiddle with it and, miraculously, it did what he wanted. Now, for some reason, it won´t.
The timer has an override button on the left. Then there's a row on three buttons (hours, minutes, and set). Then there´s a vertical slider with S at the top and N at the bottom. There's a window above the buttons where the time appears.
A fair number of these mechanical timers use standard microswitches to switch the load. If yours has one of these then it's easy to test if the contacts have welded closed and is should be easy to replace if you can solder. Pop the top off and have a look.
crikey, dont give us anything to work on. Get a multimeter, open the timer and see whats going on.
Ok. There are three screw-type contacts (like the ones inside a standard
3-pin plug). One is labelled COM, the other teo are labelled L1 and L2. (There´s actually a mirror-image arrangement on the other side of the timer but these are all dead.) There are only two wires - black and red. The red goes into the COM and the black into L1. After taking the back off, I could see three small cylinders connected to the contacts. A black burn mark showed that something had burnt out. I took the thing down to a local electrical supplies wholesale shop and showed it to a very competent guy there. Getting a new timer wasn't an option because the ones that work with just 2 wires are limited to four hours. Getting a new programmable timer would mean re-wiring the system.
The guy suggested I try putting the black wire into L2, and maybe I would have to reverse program the thing (on = off and vice versa). I tried this but it didn't work. The lights stay on when the timer itself is switched on. The difficulty is I'm not completely sure how to program the thing in the first place. For instance, what do N and S mean on the slider? What exactly is the purpose of the Override button?
that the use of L2 hasnt worked indicates something more serious than a fried switch contact (the most common cause). However, I'll say this once again: we cant possibly fault find it without knowing the details of how it works, blind, remotely, and without being able to test it. Either fault find it yourself, or as you cant, at the very least post a bunch of pics so we've a clue what type of timer it is.
The only thing that I can help with is the function of the "Overide" button. It "overides" the timer action, switching the thing off if it's on or on if it's off.
I hope someone takes you outside and kicks your bollocks into your pelvis, you fuckwitted wankstain. FFS learn how to use Usenet properly, in particular learn not to post binaries to non-binary groups.
that the use of L2 hasnt worked indicates something more serious than a fried switch contact (the most common cause). However, I'll say this once again: we cant possibly fault find it without knowing the details of how it works, blind, remotely, and without being able to test it. Either fault find it yourself, or as you cant, at the very least post a bunch of pics so we've a clue what type of timer it is.
Absolutely not, if you're clever enough to find Altopia then you're also clever enough to realise that posting binaries to a non-binary group is a hanging offence. If you don't then you are fuckwitted wankstain.
Had you been standing before me at the time I would have delivered the kicking necessary.
the power ratings indicate its almost certainly triac switching, not relay
the black patch on the pcb should have a fried component on the other side - it would be usful to get a pic of the whole of that board, component side.
Since this is a triac switcher, the using the L2 trick wont work.
the power ratings indicate its almost certainly triac switching, not relay
the black patch on the pcb should have a fried component on the other side - it would be usful to get a pic of the whole of that board, component side.
Since this is a triac switcher, the using the L2 trick wont work.
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That's odd. I uploaded thse in exactly the same way as the first lot. The links work fine for me. I see they got bunched together. Could that be it? Separating them...
supply, and excess current has flown causing them to fry open circuit. So you need to fix the problem and replace the Rs, preferably with slightly higher power rated ones. Or maybe there's no other circuit problem, only inadequately specced Rs. Going to be fun working out what value they should be.
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