Plug-in timer spec ?

Max current for an inductive load.

Thanks.

So what would that mean in practical terms i.e. what equipment can and can't be used with it and how would the man in the street know ?

Avoid most motor loads. Even something like a 1hp motor would draw 10 or more amps on start up. Motors with a controlled start up such as modern washing machines are possibly OK. I suspect the 4amp rating will also apply to heavily capacitive loads and should be thought of as a limit for Reactive loads.

As for the man in the street? Most won't know and that goes for the man in the shop too I suspect and would be none the wiser if the restriction was spelt out on the packaging.

I have run my Liebherr fridge on one since 2010 when the thermostat failed just as the 2 year warranty expired, and the UK agent for Liebherr won't sell me a thermostat.

However, I find that every few days it would lose all its settings (Smiths timer). Eventually I plugged it into a BT surge protector that I bought in an electronic junk shop (ex BT exchange). Problem never re-occurred, but I never worked out what was causing it. BY the time I has realised that the fridge wasn't running, many hours had already passed. I don't have an wireless tat in my house but the neighbours on the same phase might have.

So beware of spurious resets if you are running something important.

I gave all my electronic timers to the charity shop. They were a pain to set up and change. Mechanical timers IME are cheap, easy to use and reliable.

I wonder how long it will take the Great Public to realise that.

NT

I'm guessing you're still using a mechanical adding-machine !!

AOL!

I simply cannot get my brain around the setting instructions:-(

A sparks fitted one to control a heat recovery extract fan in a rented flat. The tenant wanted to change the settings but neither she (Portuguese) not I could grasp the required pin pushes to get a simple fixed on/off daily operation.

They can be a pain, and I have certainly replaced some failed electronic ones with cheap mechanicals.

However, as I think I discussed here some time ago, what the mechanical ones cannot do nowadays is select permanently off, or anticipate the next switching operation, then resume as programmed.

I also got through two digital immersion boost timers (one replaced under warranty), only installed as back-up to my gas heating, without ever using them in anger, and now replaced with a mechanical timer, which doesn't even have to wear itself out by running.

Chris

When the IoT ones appear you won't even have to change them twice a year for GMT etc... And you'll be able to switch things off and on in the home while driving ;-)