# Electronic Timers



## tubamanandy (20 Mar 2016)

Anyone using any nice/modern/reliable electronic timers to control their lights/CO2/Pumps etc ?

About 3-4 years ago I came across a really nice such unit on Ebay from the far east (electronic multiple timers/6-way) but ended up having to bin it due to poor reliability.

Someone must make a decent one that can control 4-6 devices ?


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## sciencefiction (20 Mar 2016)

I bought one of the energenie power management system a few years back. It can be setup to the minute and has been working relentlessly, although I've been using it for lights only. It needs to be setup via software on a computer.  Here is a link to it but they may have newer models and you can also find it cheaper than that. It has 4 timed plugs that can be setup individually and one non-timed.
https://energenie4u.co.uk/index.phpcatalogue/product/ENER011


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## zozo (20 Mar 2016)

Im using a DC12 volt version of this one
http://www.banggood.com/Digital-Cn1...e-Timer-Switch-16A-110V220V-240V-p-75624.html
for over a year now for the co2 solenoid.. No problems at all..  It even got wet inside one day, half a year ago, stopped working. I took it apart blew it dry and it was good to go again and still going. Also got a VAC 220 volts from above, not in use yet. 12 volts isn't a probem when it comes to wet, wont try it with the VAC 220..

They also come in din rail version, bit more expensive..


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## ian_m (20 Mar 2016)

I used one of these for years and years, cost a lot but 100% reliable.
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMETU17.html

Not used no, on my tank, as you can't get two of them next to each other in an extension block.


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## tubamanandy (20 Mar 2016)

Nice one guys - any more out there ?


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## ian_m (21 Mar 2016)

This is what I currently use.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/anyone-used-byron-home-easy-remote-timeswitches.21210/

I was running 6 switched sockets from same remote.

However.....

I have had a couple of the units fail. They switch on for a couple of seconds then off. I have had 4 fail in same way, of which 3 were replaced by Byron, no questions asked.

In all the years of using I have had a couple of failures.
- Once where I walked away with the remote, left it on coffee table about 15ft from tank. It turned on my macro dosing but didn't turn it off. So my tank ran with over 300ppm nitrate and 80ppm phosphate for a couple of days before I noticed ie no macro in dosing bottle. As we all know high nitrates and phosphates does not cause algae, which it did not, but neither did the plants grow fantastically fast....So dosing EI++++++ does not make better plants.
- Another time it failed to turn liquid carbon off and overdosed liquid carbon. Melted some of my plants and a caused a couple of fish deaths.
- Once didn't turn my air pump off during the night, was still on in the morning.

To improve reliability of turning off, on macro, micro and liquid carbon I use two overlapping timer slots on the remote, so that the sockets get two turn off commands. This has worked 100% for ages, but is a bodge really....

All the above is to be replaced with this..... a Siemens PLC controller. The setup below has 12 switched outputs and an Ethernet connection for remote setting. I am still making it. Base Logo!8 unit (4 outputs) is about £100.




Setting the Macro pump times...on at 12pm off at 12:13pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only. Easy....



Programmed like this via LCD display. B1 is a timer block.




Or this, via the PC programming software. Just connect a timer block to an output relay. This one has different light settings on Friday and Saturday, if you would like something like that ?. Each timer has 3 time slots.






Will write a blog when finished constructing...


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## Wisey (21 Mar 2016)

I use these:

http://www.timeguard.com/products/t...-day-slimline-digital-plug-in-time-controller

Been running a couple of them for about 10 months now and seem very reliable. Not cheap, but I wanted reliability so was not bothered about the cost. CO2 is running on one and the other currently controls an air pump which comes on over night.


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## ian_m (21 Mar 2016)

Wisey said:


> I use these:
> 
> http://www.timeguard.com/products/t...-day-slimline-digital-plug-in-time-controller
> 
> Been running a couple of them for about 10 months now and seem very reliable. Not cheap, but I wanted reliability so was not bothered about the cost. CO2 is running on one and the other currently controls an air pump which comes on over night.


Same ones as I referred to above. Quality product.


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## Wisey (21 Mar 2016)

ian_m said:


> Same ones as I referred to above. Quality product.



Ah yeah, your link didn't work for me, but its just the extra square bracket on the end, I see you linked the same one now. Thinking back to last year, it was probably on your recommendation that I bought these ones in the first place, Ian.


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## tubamanandy (27 Mar 2016)

Sciencefiction - many, many thanks for your recommendation - decided to go with it and very impressed with the quality of the device.


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## sciencefiction (27 Mar 2016)

I am glad you like it tubamanady. It's a very reliable timer indeed, great quality and precise too.


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## alanchown (30 Mar 2016)

I bought the energenie switch as mentioned above. My example doesn't work. On its way back to Amazon!


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## sciencefiction (30 Mar 2016)

Mine is around 3.5 years old now, working non-stop.


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## alanchown (30 Mar 2016)

I plugged it into PC, managed to set up an on and off on socket 1, it clicked a few times and then was no longer recognised on PC. Tried laptop, no joy. Unmanaged sockets work,so there is power. No lights on managed sockets. It also has a high pitched whistle. 
A bit disappointed!


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## sciencefiction (30 Mar 2016)

I think you didn't manage properly setting up the software on your computer. If you accidentally click on the "picture" of the sockets themselves to the right hand side the setup screen where it says devices,  it actually switches off the sockets. I did exactly the same thing when I first used the software  From what you've said above I am pretty certain it's a "user" issue 

Therefore the only socket that worked for you is the unmanageable one, which you can can't switch off via the software, only from the wall


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## sciencefiction (30 Mar 2016)

alanchown said:


> It also has a high pitched whistle.



If the time is not setup correctly or if you left the device unplugged for a while and then plug it in the socket without synchronizing the time via the software again, the timer makes a beeping sound which may be described as a "high pitched whistle". This can be disabled by a button on the side of the timer. Then it won't alert you anymore. It's handy as you'd know if the electricity went off in the house while you were away because the timer would beep until the time is synchronized or you manually switch off the beeping.


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## alanchown (30 Mar 2016)

It's not that type of whistle. It's not loud but quite high pitched, pretty certain it's not the alarm sound.


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## alanchown (2 Apr 2016)

Amazon has delivered a replacement, all seems good so far.


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## tubamanandy (2 Apr 2016)

Using it for a week now - amazing product !


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## David2016 (9 Jun 2016)

Hi there, if I may add my thoughts to the mix. 
My lighting is run via a central heating controller bought from screwfix. Horstmann Channel plus H47XL 
This one has 4 channels/ out puts. Which means 4 lights can be set up. Co2  solinoid  
 can be piggy backed to the main lighting. 
Depending on the start up load of the lights, tubes are quite high it might be a good idea to run the outputs through a relay to remove the load on the programer. 

This one keeps time via rts and even sorts out the hour with daylight saving.


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## ian_m (10 Jun 2016)

Guess what my mate used to control his marine tank, 20 odd years ago....two off two channel (hot water and heating) central heating timers, as just as today the plug in timers just weren't 100% reliable.


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