Timer Keeps Quitting

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

Installed an Intermatic timer for canopy lighting at a fuel station over a year ago. Basic analog timer with the metal clock face.

It worked for over a year, then they told me it stopped. I went in, reset it, tested voltage and made sure it had a functioning neutral, which runs the clock circuit. I came back in a hour and it had moved. I told them not to switch the breaker and left.

Next week they called me and said it hadn’t advanced. I went and checked it, voltage was fine, but it wasn’t keeping time. I replaced the timer under warranty and scratched my head, but the new one worked.

Called me the other day, said they had a power outage and it wasn’t working. I told him he had to reset to the proper time every time there was an outage. He reset it last weekend.

Called me today and said it hasn’t advanced at all since then. The manual switch works fine, turns the lighting an and off, just the timer won’t work.

I’m stumped on this one. I find it hard to believe there is something wrong with two timers. I’ve seen those things 40 years old, rusted, covered in cob webs and dirt and still functioning.

It’s mounted indoors by the way.

 

[LarryFine]

The dial may not have sprung back fully.

 

[letgomywago]

Sometimes you need to protect stupid that's why I do the geosycronous electronic ones. They're more money but they fix themselves when power is lost for a bit. Just needs lat and long to do it's thing and time on or off.

 

[LarryFine]

Sometimes you need to protect stupid that's why I do the geosycronous electronic ones. They're more money but they fix themselves when power is lost for a bit. Just needs lat and long to do it's thing and time on or off.

And adjust for time of year.

 

[letgomywago]

And adjust for time of year.

The one I use gets info from a satellite

 

[hbiss]

I've replaced Tork time clocks many times because people turn the dial the wrong way trying to reset them.

-Hal

 

[LarryFine]

I was thinking of the kind you need to pull the dial out a bit to rotate it.

 

[readydave8]

I had same problem as you with 1st timer several times

One in particular would keep time until it hit the "on" tripper. Turned out plastic gear was a little stripped.

I prefer electronic except don't enjoy programming

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

Electronic is what I’ll go to if I can figure this one out. It’s a 240v lighting circuit, so whether I go with electronic timer or photo cell, it’ll be pricey, and it comes out of my pocket.

Already on my 4th trip over there.

 

[letgomywago]

Electronic is what I’ll go to if I can figure this one out. It’s a 240v lighting circuit, so whether I go with electronic timer or photo cell, it’ll be pricey, and it comes out of my pocket.

Already on my 4th trip over there.

See if you can get your platt manager to help you out with a "promotion" since they sold a non resilient timer.

 

[CoolWill]

It's much more profitable for the timer to sit at home these days. I blame them for quitting.

 

[winnie]

I've replaced Tork time clocks many times because people turn the dial the wrong way trying to reset them.

-Hal

I'm thinking that there is something that the users are doing which breaks the thing. Go there and ask them to demo what they do

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

I went there this morning. Apparently it worked today, turned the lights off on time.

I talked to the manager, she says every day she shows up the breaker panel door is open, despite huge signs saying not to use the breaker to shut off the lights. I explained (again) that every time they do that it stops the clock and then nothing will be in synch.



Operator error is looking more and more like the culprit here.

 

[Seven-Delta-FortyOne]

See if you can get your platt manager to help you out with a "promotion" since they sold a non resilient timer.

He took the first one back. It was definitely not working. I watched it for 2+ hours and it didn’t move.

 

[LarryFine]

Operator error is looking more and more like the culprit here.

Remind them there will be a service-call fee next time this happens.

 

[winnie]

You can upsell a battery backed up model. "I can't really give warranty service for user error, but I could offer you a discount on ...." Then charge 90% of what you'd charge a new customer...you already know the site issues that make jobs take twice as long as they should.

 

[gadfly56]

I went there this morning. Apparently it worked today, turned the lights off on time.

I talked to the manager, she says every day she shows up the breaker panel door is open, despite huge signs saying not to use the breaker to shut off the lights. I explained (again) that every time they do that it stops the clock and then nothing will be in synch.



Operator error is looking more and more like the culprit here.

Set up a hidden Wifi camera with a view of the breaker panel door and rat out the idiot who's apparently English illiterate. If they're doing this, they are also likely doing stuff that's way more unsafe.

 

[Fred B]

Set up a hidden Wifi camera with a view of the breaker panel door and rat out the idiot who's apparently English illiterate. If they're doing this, they are also likely doing stuff that's way more unsafe.

Heard of employee intentionally switching off timer lights for whatever reason, one even was a multiple time offender and was eventually caught stealing stuff from the store after hours when lights were deactivated by them. A camera installed without his knowledge got him caught.

 

[MTW]

Put in a programmable one, with a back up battery and a padlock tab, charge extra for the programming time and instruction on how to set it, and the cost of the padlock and breaker lock. Then it becomes their issue. Tell them it needs a battery replacement once a year. If they can still find the key at that time.

 

[AC\DC]

weird my post got deleted saying have the same problem with cadet thermostat—- some one must have stock in cadet or Intermatic—-



Put a lock on the panel only you need to get in there. Charge them for all visits since the “ bad timmer”