Does anybody have any experience with replacing the mechanical Intermatic timers with digital timers like this one? After a lot of sleuthing to find my phantom electrical consumption I discovered that the mechanical timers burn 80W apiece. The Intermatic specifications claim 3W max consumption, but when I shut down the breakers with these timers on them the power use drops by 80W. With two on my pump pad and one for landscape lighting (which as a 120V model and uses 40W), these things represent over 30% of my total power consumption (they use about as much as running my single speed pump for 4 hours a day). They have got to go, so I've been looking at digital timers and wanted to check with you guys first.
Digital Timers to Replace Mechanical Intermatic
- Thread starter sbcpool
- Start date
Hey SBC. Ihave never used the timer in your post but the price is good! The Intermatic T-104m is the standard around here. You live about 40 miles north of me so I would appreciate input on how it works out on your pool
morzh
0
Sbcpool
There is something wrong with your wiring OR there is something else in parallel with them on the same breaker. Intermatic does not consume much at all and it is a fact.
I had just one time trouble with it when the gear teeth wore off on the motor and it stopped rotating the clock.
Intermatic is very reliable and robust which cannot necessarily be said of today's electronics.
Check what else you have . 80W would melt the motor they use.
There is something wrong with your wiring OR there is something else in parallel with them on the same breaker. Intermatic does not consume much at all and it is a fact.
I had just one time trouble with it when the gear teeth wore off on the motor and it stopped rotating the clock.
Intermatic is very reliable and robust which cannot necessarily be said of today's electronics.
Check what else you have . 80W would melt the motor they use.
When it stops raining I'm going to disconnect the pump from the circuit and see if the 80W continues. I don't think there's anything else on the circuit since it's a 220V circuit and I don't have 220V outlets. I am wondering if they wired the pad with a 220V circuit and then ran a neutral back to the breaker box so they could wire up the 110V outlets on the pad using one line of the 220V and a neutral. Even then, there is nothing plugged into the outlets. There is nothing else electrical on the pad except a blower and the pool lights. Could it be the transformer for the pool lights? That would be an awful waste of power.
There's nothing on anywhere to consume 80W. That's what's making me crazy. I've unplugged everything in the house and turned off all the lights and I still see 200 - 220W at the meter. That's when I started switching breakers off and found the circuits with these timers eating power. If there is another load on the circuit it can only a ground fault with a poor connection to ground so that only 300mA makes it through.
morzh
0
It's the same timer I just ordered, except I won't be using it for my pump. The intermatics supply line power only and can't be used as a dry contact relay and the GE in your link looks like it can be. I'll be using mine to set a timer to my Aqua logic external interlock to prevent anything from running during our five hours of peak energy billing. Before getting my controller though I liked the Intermatic. Simple, solid, and reliable. Something else has to be using power on that circuit. How did you determine you were even using 80W ?
The power meter is digital and shows real-time consumption. Flipping that breaker drops the consumption by 80W (0.08kW).
I just ordered an Intermatic P1353ME
to replace my dual mechanicals (pump and boost pump for vacuum). I'll let you know how the upgrade goes when it gets here.
to replace my dual mechanicals (pump and boost pump for vacuum). I'll let you know how the upgrade goes when it gets here.
Let us know how it goes. Just told my wife about this, her response, "um, I want that!". Would love a wireless system, also attached to my heater, but that seems a little more complicated.
We're posting some peripheral info here but getting back to OP's question is interesting....."Do the intermatic mechanical timers use 80w"?
I don't know that answer but would find it interesting.....it sure seems excessive.
sbcpool, have you spoken with intermatic tech support to see what they say? Not about your particular wiring but about their units power consumption in general.
I don't know that answer but would find it interesting.....it sure seems excessive.
sbcpool, have you spoken with intermatic tech support to see what they say? Not about your particular wiring but about their units power consumption in general.
mgarf33
Well-known member
- Oct 27, 2013
- 207
If your old mechanical controller is not the cause, something is wrong with your kW meter or your wiring.
I would test the kW reading without the controller connected, and the breaker on/off.
Just curious, what kind of kW meter do you have? Or are you reading your main house meter?
On a side note, do you wonder why that GE digital timer is so cheap?
You get what you pay for in most cases!
There are likely fewer circuits, or cheaper components built into the board to protect the controller from frying.
I would pass on that cheapo GE control.
I would test the kW reading without the controller connected, and the breaker on/off.
Just curious, what kind of kW meter do you have? Or are you reading your main house meter?
On a side note, do you wonder why that GE digital timer is so cheap?
You get what you pay for in most cases!
There are likely fewer circuits, or cheaper components built into the board to protect the controller from frying.
I would pass on that cheapo GE control.
It's the utility's meter at the breaker panel.
- - - Updated - - -
Not yet. I'm not thoroughly convinced that it's the timer yet.
morzh
0
As I noted earlier, if it were your timer, 80W is plenty of power to get something in there VERY hot and maybe smoking, so if you feel around you will see the heat somewhere, especially in a closed box, open it and you will feel a puff of a quite hot air. 80W is lots os power.
If your box is cool (shade it for a while from the sun and see if it heats on its own) and there is no smell....no it is not.
But if it is (which I doubt) it is being defective and this is not a reason to choose the other type. They are indeed very low in consumption.
If your box is cool (shade it for a while from the sun and see if it heats on its own) and there is no smell....no it is not.
But if it is (which I doubt) it is being defective and this is not a reason to choose the other type. They are indeed very low in consumption.