Timer for 2-speed spa pump?

[PopcornSally]

Hi Super Pool Geniuses,

I have a cedar hot tub with a two-speed pump (WMC Corporation JS Series--see attached photo for the label). The pump is controlled by two external toggle switches: one for off/on and one for high/low.

I want to install a timer to turn the pump off and on during the summer when we'll probably use the hot tub without heat (like a tiny swimming pool). I only need the timer to control on/off and I would like to manually control the speed via the previously installed switch (if that's possible).

I had one electrician tell me to get a 120 single pole timer so I got an Intermatic 101R. A different electrician from the same company came to install it today. He didn't tell me until he was finished that we now have only one speed option for the pump (high)!!! No, that won't do.

They're sending out someone with more knowledge in a couple of days, but I'm trying to educate myself on what sort of timer would actually work. I did a bit of poking around here, and it seems a single pole double throw timer might be what we need. I like the Intermatic mechanical timers but I'll get whatever works.

Can anyone here advise on what I should get? Or whether there is a way to make the 101R work?


Thanks, y'all!

 

[Jimrahbe]

Sally,

I am a little confused, which is not all the unusual for me..

Why not just use the timer to control just the on/off of the motor and let the high/low stay with the existing manual switch???

Please let me know what this option does not do, that you want the timer to do??

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[PopcornSally]

Sally,

I am a little confused, which is not all the unusual for me..

Why not just use the timer to control just the on/off of the motor and let the high/low stay with the existing manual switch???

Please let me know what this option does not do, that you want the timer to do??

Thanks,

Jim R.

Haha, I was just editing my message. You're right--that's exactly what I want to do--control off/on with the timer and use the existing switch for hi/low. Apparently, the guy who put in the timer doesn't think the Intermatic 101R timer can do that. I don't understand enough about electrical devices to understand whether the guy was right or just didn't know what he was doing.

 

[Jimrahbe]

Sally,

I suspect the electrician just did not understand stand what it was you wanted.. The 101R should work just fine..

Basically you have 120 volts coming from your breaker panel to the existing manual on/off switch.. When you turn on the switch the voltage goes to the High or Low speed switch..

All your electrician needs to do is to remove the wires going to your manual on/off switch and connect them to the new timer.

There is no real down side to this, except that the pump will run at whatever speed the High/Low switch was in last..

Thanks,

Jim R.

 

[PopcornSally]

Sally,

I suspect the electrician just did not understand stand what it was you wanted.. The 101R should work just fine..

Basically you have 120 volts coming from your breaker panel to the existing manual on/off switch.. When you turn on the switch the voltage goes to the High or Low speed switch..

All your electrician needs to do is to remove the wires going to your manual on/off switch and connect them to the new timer.

There is no real down side to this, except that the pump will run at whatever speed the High/Low switch was in last..

Thanks,

Jim R.

Thanks, this makes sense to me. Hopefully the more experienced electrician will be able to sort it out.