Bathroom timer

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

User Name

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician
Hey guys, was on a job last week, customer has 3 bathrooms, each has by the sink an Intermatic spring wound 15 minute timer, and we don't know what it's for. Behind the timer there is an 18/2 tstat wire connected to it. There doesn't appear to be any load on it when I try to run it, we don't really know where the wires go to either. It's not for the exhaust fan, that's on its own timer. There's no ceiling heater, there's no in floor heat.

Do any of you guys wire anything like this? Run a 18/2 low voltage to the bathroom counters and do something with it? My only thought is maybe for a recirc pump on the hot water lines so if you got in the shower the water is hot right now? I've seen ppl do that but not with a timer... I was there for other stuff, so I didn't dwell on this.
 
Could this be something that had a purpose when the house was built, but that purpose is no longer relevant?
 
The house actually isn't very old, I forget the age but there hasn't been any changes to it since. Along those lines, I'm wondering if it were meant for something that never happened.
 
Could it be for a hot water recirculator? They should have a timer
 
That's kind of what I'm leaning toward, I think the hot water recircs I've done were controlled by aquastats, so the lines were always hot. But maybe a timer could be a way to maybe be more efficient?
 
User Name said:
That's kind of what I'm leaning toward, I think the hot water recircs I've done were controlled by aquastats, so the lines were always hot. But maybe a timer could be a way to maybe be more efficient?
Click to expand...
Way more efficient. Turn it on for 3-4 minutes when your in the bathroom. Instant hot. No need for it to run if no one is around. Saves the pump and electricity.
another good timer option would be a motion sensor to control the recirculators.
 
California Energy/Green code requires temporary run timers or motion sensors for hot water recirc. in each room with hot water. Not all new homes have it. It depends how the energy calculations are done and other energy tradeoffs made.
 
If it was hot water recirc there would be a pump at the water heater.
The other possibility is a remote exhaust fan
 
tom baker said:
If it was hot water recirc there would be a pump at the water heater.
The other possibility is a remote exhaust fan
Click to expand...
I'm guessing it was for a recirc, but maybe future use. I do remember they asked their plumber and he didn't know what it was for either. So I'm guessing there's no pump or he would know. I didn't think to look for one, was on other missions.
 
Alot of those were put in ffor those old scary heat lamps or toe kick heaters, i just dont get the low voltage wire... or the mystery itself!
 
Seen that used for use with a relay contactor with low voltage transformer used to control a high voltage device or equipment such as a baseboard electric heat. That contactor could be just about anywhere, attic, basement, hall closet, etc. If no voltage present (usually around 16-24VAC), could be the transformer not functioning or it has been de-serviced. Should be able to connect a Fox and Hound and trace the wire if you want to try to fix or to confirm it is fully de-serviceable that would allow for the control device to be removed.
Still used to allow a standard T-stat to control the 240V baseboard heat.
Great when replacing the old baseboard that had a rotary control on the heater and making it fully controllable with a standard T-stat. Also useful to allow addition of central air with use of electric baseboard.
 
I worked in a house once that had a similar set up and all the wires ran back to an air exchanger. That house was only around 10 years old as well.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top