Intermatic digital timeclock keeps reseting

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Bwas

Member
Location
Florida
I never use complicated time clocks because there is always an issue with the programming and I end up having to spend a bunch of time proving the thing actually works.
 

Aleman

Senior Member
Location
Southern Ca, USA
Does this switch a contactor? I ordered a new astro unit so I wouldn't need to screw with the settings anymore. And it kept spazzing out on me, maybe once every 2 weeks. I called the vendor and they said I needed a filter across the contactor coil. I had thrown these away when I installed it. So the local supply house got these for me they were cheap. And they fixed the problem. Haven't had to touch the thing in awhile.

I looked just now and the part number is Intermatic ET-NF.
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
Does this switch a contactor? I ordered a new astro unit so I wouldn't need to screw with the settings anymore. And it kept spazzing out on me, maybe once every 2 weeks. I called the vendor and they said I needed a filter across the contactor coil. I had thrown these away when I installed it. So the local supply house got these for me they were cheap. And they fixed the problem. Haven't had to touch the thing in awhile.

I looked just now and the part number is Intermatic ET-NF.

If you're asking about ours, yes, they switch contactors. It has the same 1800VA rating you get out of any other ANSI C136.10 control. Most contactor coils draw around 20VA.
 

Aleman

Senior Member
Location
Southern Ca, USA
If you're asking about ours, yes, they switch contactors. It has the same 1800VA rating you get out of any other ANSI C136.10 control. Most contactor coils draw around 20VA.

Well then, you might try the filter. I can't remember having to reset the time every time our timer glitched. What happened was the lights would fail to turn off or on. I think at least once the time reset on me as well. You might need 1 filter per contactor.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Well then, you might try the filter. I can't remember having to reset the time every time our timer glitched. What happened was the lights would fail to turn off or on. I think at least once the time reset on me as well. You might need 1 filter per contactor.
The person you replied to never mentioned having problems with the product he sells. I'm guessing you maybe were intending to reply to the OP?
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
That's correct. Our timer gets a date, time, latitude & longitude fix every time it's powered up and it continuously stays in synch.

The on-off timing is a pre-programmed algorithm leaving nothing for service personnel to do and it requires no batteries.
 

Barbqranch

Senior Member
Location
Arcata, CA
Occupation
Plant maintenance electrician Semi-retired
Are you saying the operator has no control over the scheduling of the lights? Is it just dusk to dawn?
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
As noted, a second fixed time clock can handle things like turning the lighting off after close of business, while the astronomical, constantly changing turn on time is handled by the photocell replacement.

Tapatalk!
 

J.P.

Senior Member
Location
United States
Does this switch a contactor? I ordered a new astro unit so I wouldn't need to screw with the settings anymore. And it kept spazzing out on me, maybe once every 2 weeks. I called the vendor and they said I needed a filter across the contactor coil. I had thrown these away when I installed it. So the local supply house got these for me they were cheap. And they fixed the problem. Haven't had to touch the thing in awhile.

I looked just now and the part number is Intermatic ET-NF.


This looks like the ticket. How does it install?
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
This looks like the ticket. How does it install?


quote_icon.png
Originally Posted by Aleman

Does this switch a contactor? I ordered a new astro unit so I wouldn't need to screw with the settings anymore. And it kept spazzing out on me, maybe once every 2 weeks. I called the vendor and they said I needed a filter across the contactor coil. I had thrown these away when I installed it. So the local supply house got these for me they were cheap. And they fixed the problem. Haven't had to touch the thing in awhile.

I looked just now and the part number is Intermatic ET-NF.



It is a capacitor, may have a resistor as well, it's purpose is to absorb the inductive kickback that occurs when the magnetic field of the coil collapses when you open the circuit, this kickback is nothing more then a release of stored energy in the "inductor" which is what the coil essentially is. It can be many times the normal operating voltage, but is very short in duration. The old "point and condenser" ignition systems on internal combustion engines take advantage of this effect to generate the high voltage spark used in those systems. Every time the points open the magnetic field in the coil collapses and creates the voltage necessary to produce the spark.
 
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