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Mini electronic timers

Ichthyologist

Ichthyologist

Member
Joined
1 Dec 2012
Messages
72
Location
East Renfrewshire
The big orange DIY store is selling 3 mini electronic timers for 10 squids in the Xmas section just now. Quality is great and cheaper than any on flea bay. As you were.
 
I was looking for something that I could integrate into a DIY pump, are there any small mountable timers? This would eliminate the need to have a physical timer in the plug and would look nicer integrated into the pump mounting box.
 
I bought wilkinsons own digital timers before and they have been poor....randomly stopping working and needing a reset until recently when they have just given up at probably around 7-8 months old.....I've now replaced them with the bog standard pin timers which don't account for power cuts, but at least last the distance!
PPage666 said:
I've had these for about a year now still working, and yes they are 7 days.
Click to expand...
Good to know the b&q ones perform better, may give them a go in the future.
Cheerio,
Ady
 
LondonDragon said:
I was looking for something that I could integrate into a DIY pump, are there any small mountable timers? This would eliminate the need to have a physical timer in the plug and would look nicer integrated into the pump mounting box.
Click to expand...
I looked at integrating a timer into my dual peristaltic pump, but in the end decided not as:
  • Mountable timers were not cheap, starting at about £25 each for a digital one. See Surface Mount Timer section on rswww.com to get an idea of costs.
  • Often mountable would have needed a relay (and PSU) to switch the mains pumps as well.
  • When mounted in a box, would need to be easily accessible to changes times and set time clock as well easy to get to move forward & backward 1 hour in spring and autumn.
  • Would have made my dosing box even bigger.
In the end I went for the remote control Home Easy timers as in here.
Anyone used Byron/Home Easy remote timeswitches ? | UK Aquatic Plant Society.

These have worked brilliantly.
  • Sockets are small, so you can get 4 switched sockets next to each other on an extension block.
  • Can set the time periods for timers from comfort of arm chair.
  • Current time is set on remote, so easy to move forward/backward in spring/autumn.
  • Can control up to 16 sockets.
  • Has 16 timer slots.
 
LondonDragon said:
Found these on ebay also! but this are bulkier! Digital LCD 7 Day Programmable Timer Time Relay Switch 16A | eBay
Think the Digital timer that B&Q sell can be dissembled for this purpose, for six quid will get one and try!

these could also work attached to the back of the box where I mounted the pump: Cn101A LED Digital Power Programmable Timer AC 110V 16A | eBay
Click to expand...
Couple of issues
  • Last item is 110V ?
  • You want to risk your fish to a cheap timer from China (note CE probably means China Export, not Conformité Européenne) so has it been safety tested ? Why do you think I was looking at spending £25 on a "proper" timer ?
  • Remember if the timer fails to on, your fish will be over dosed.
  • I have had issues with the B&Q timers just forgetting their settings. Definitely due to inductive load as when I connected my air pump through a computer surge suppressor the timer was OK (but Belkin suppressor was so big it wouldn't fit in the cupboard under the tank! ).
Maybe take apart the B&Q one, they just switch a 16A relay on live pin, and fit a suppressor of some form. Reason I had one apart (needs a security tool kit to open security screws) was once to see if could be panel mounted and other time to possibly fit some suppression/surge capacitors to the electronics, which I couldn't do as a the timer is a single chip is bonded directly to the PCB under a block of epoxy.
 
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