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Kyle Boatright
February 18th 05, 11:33 PM
I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able to
set the thing to turn on an electrical appliance at a set time, then turn it
off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on again until
I tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.The application is for the
pre-heaters on my RV-6. I've got a battery warmer and a sump heater.

The low-down is that I work 15 minutes from the airport, so I can drop by
very easily at lunch or right after work to set a timer if I think I'm going
to be flying the next day (this is particularly useful for flights early on
Saturday morning). There are many timers that will support this function.
The problem is that most of 'em will then turn on again at the same time the
next day, and the next, and the next. Or maybe, they will turn on a week
later. The situation I want to avoid is where I set the timer for, say,
Saturday morning, then plans go bad and I don't get to the airport for a
week or two and the heaters run on a daily basis or weekly basis until I
reset or unplug the timer.

I've tried the big box stores, Grainger, etc. and have not found a timer
that works the way I want.

Suggestions?

KB

Pianome
February 19th 05, 12:09 AM
A friend of mine uses a cellular activated timer....make a call to turn on
his electric pre-heater.....would something like that work for you?

--
Turbo Tiger

wmbjk
February 19th 05, 12:37 AM
On Fri, 18 Feb 2005 18:33:35 -0500, "Kyle Boatright"
> wrote:

>I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able to
>set the thing to turn on an electrical appliance at a set time, then turn it
>off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on again until
>I tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.The application is for the
>pre-heaters on my RV-6. I've got a battery warmer and a sump heater.
>
>The low-down is that I work 15 minutes from the airport, so I can drop by
>very easily at lunch or right after work to set a timer if I think I'm going
>to be flying the next day (this is particularly useful for flights early on
>Saturday morning). There are many timers that will support this function.
>The problem is that most of 'em will then turn on again at the same time the
>next day, and the next, and the next. Or maybe, they will turn on a week
>later. The situation I want to avoid is where I set the timer for, say,
>Saturday morning, then plans go bad and I don't get to the airport for a
>week or two and the heaters run on a daily basis or weekly basis until I
>reset or unplug the timer.
>
>I've tried the big box stores, Grainger, etc. and have not found a timer
>that works the way I want.
>
>Suggestions?
>
>KB

This might suit you.
http://www.intermatic.com/images/instruction_sheets/158ss11362.pdf The
description on their web site is too poorly written to be of much
help, but the instruction sheet might be useful. I haven't used this
particular model. But here's how its very similar brother the E120C
works - the device is 100% battery powered, a motor and gear train
operate the contacts. Tapping the cover hits the manual on/off key, so
it can be used as a normal switch. About $30. Fits in a standard box,
uses a decora cover plate.

I imagine the guts are very similar on the interval version above, but
the controls and logic are different.

There are plenty of affordable universal interval timers that plug
into an octal socket. About $50 for the timer and socket. There are
also lots of spring-wound types. There's even an outfit (don't have
the URL handy) that will make you a custom spring-wound one.

Wayne

Kyle Boatright
February 19th 05, 01:25 AM
"Pianome" > wrote in message
news:7tvRd.9396$4D6.5649@attbi_s51...
>A friend of mine uses a cellular activated timer....make a call to turn on
> his electric pre-heater.....would something like that work for you?
>
> --
> Turbo Tiger

Somewhere, I saw an ad for one of these. It was several hundred dollars.
More than I wanted to pay for the limited use I intend. To add insult to
injury, you have to pay montly rent on a pager to serve as the trigger.

What I need is a $20 solution. I might spring for $50 if all else fails.

KB

Blueskies
February 19th 05, 01:34 AM
"Kyle Boatright" > wrote in message ...
> I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able to set the thing to turn on an electrical
> appliance at a set time, then turn it off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on again until I
> tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.The application is for the pre-heaters on my RV-6. I've got a battery
> warmer and a sump heater.
>
> The low-down is that I work 15 minutes from the airport, so I can drop by very easily at lunch or right after work to
> set a timer if I think I'm going to be flying the next day (this is particularly useful for flights early on Saturday
> morning). There are many timers that will support this function. The problem is that most of 'em will then turn on
> again at the same time the next day, and the next, and the next. Or maybe, they will turn on a week later. The
> situation I want to avoid is where I set the timer for, say, Saturday morning, then plans go bad and I don't get to
> the airport for a week or two and the heaters run on a daily basis or weekly basis until I reset or unplug the timer.
>
> I've tried the big box stores, Grainger, etc. and have not found a timer that works the way I want.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> KB
>
>

An old auto-on coffee pot that automatically turns off in 2 hours or so?

Kyle Boatright
February 19th 05, 01:39 AM
"Blueskies" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Kyle Boatright" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able
>> to set the thing to turn on an electrical appliance at a set time, then
>> turn it off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on
>> again until I tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.The
>> application is for the pre-heaters on my RV-6. I've got a battery warmer
>> and a sump heater.
>>
>> The low-down is that I work 15 minutes from the airport, so I can drop by
>> very easily at lunch or right after work to set a timer if I think I'm
>> going to be flying the next day (this is particularly useful for flights
>> early on Saturday morning). There are many timers that will support this
>> function. The problem is that most of 'em will then turn on again at the
>> same time the next day, and the next, and the next. Or maybe, they will
>> turn on a week later. The situation I want to avoid is where I set the
>> timer for, say, Saturday morning, then plans go bad and I don't get to
>> the airport for a week or two and the heaters run on a daily basis or
>> weekly basis until I reset or unplug the timer.
>>
>> I've tried the big box stores, Grainger, etc. and have not found a timer
>> that works the way I want.
>>
>> Suggestions?
>>
>> KB
>>
>>
>
> An old auto-on coffee pot that automatically turns off in 2 hours or so?

If I understand this correctly, an auto-on function is something I really
want to avoid. You don't want to preheat every morning, just the ones when
you're likely to fly.

KB

Blueskies
February 19th 05, 01:53 AM
"Kyle Boatright" > wrote in message ...
>
> ".
>>>
>>> Suggestions?
>>>
>>> KB
>>>
>>>
>>
>> An old auto-on coffee pot that automatically turns off in 2 hours or so?
>
> If I understand this correctly, an auto-on function is something I really want to avoid. You don't want to preheat
> every morning, just the ones when you're likely to fly.
>
> KB
>
No, the coffee pot has a switch that enables the auto on function (Proctor Silex machine) You have the clock set to the
time you want the coffee to turn on. It then stays on for a couple of hours and shuts itself off - one shot after delay.
It will not turn on again until you tell it to...Hack into the plate and have it fire off a relay (if your heater is a
big draw) or use it directly...
http://www.proctorsilex.com/use_care/index.html

Morgans
February 19th 05, 06:19 AM
"Kyle Boatright" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able
to
> set the thing to turn on an electrical appliance at a set time, then turn
it
> off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on again
until
> I tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.

Cheap wise, you need two timers. Get a wind up 24 hour timer, and use the
"on" juice coming out of it to run a 24 hour programmable timer. Plug your
heater into that second timer.

So, you go to the airport and wind up the timer, set the correct time into
the clock timer, and the time you want stuff to come on. Since the windup
timer will only run hot for 24 hours, after that the clock won't work any
more.
--
Jim in NC

Kyle Boatright
February 19th 05, 12:55 PM
"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Kyle Boatright" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able
> to
>> set the thing to turn on an electrical appliance at a set time, then turn
> it
>> off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on again
> until
>> I tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.
>
> Cheap wise, you need two timers. Get a wind up 24 hour timer, and use the
> "on" juice coming out of it to run a 24 hour programmable timer. Plug
> your
> heater into that second timer.
>
> So, you go to the airport and wind up the timer, set the correct time into
> the clock timer, and the time you want stuff to come on. Since the windup
> timer will only run hot for 24 hours, after that the clock won't work any
> more.
> --
> Jim in NC

Sounds like a homebaked lash-up, which is perfect for me. ;-) I just wish
they had a 48 or 72 hour wind up timer so I'm not tied to going to the
airport inside a day of needing the heater to run.

KB

Robert Bonomi
February 19th 05, 02:28 PM
*sigh* this is REALLY a 'no-brainer'. Get *two* timers.

Timer #1 is a garden-variety 'seven-day' type, and is plugged into the wall.
Make sure it is adjusted for the 'correct' time, and set it to turn 'on'
at the appropriate time, and to run for *AT*LEAST* as long as desired.
(Setting it to run 'longer' is better -- this ensures that timer #2 is the
one that really controls when things turn off.)


Now, timer #2 is a 'single day' timer with *REMOVABLE* trippers, and is
plugged into timer #1. Set the time to 12:00 (regardless of what the
"actual" time is), and put an "off" tripper at the interval _after_ 12:00
for the desired run-time. And *manually* switch _this_ timer "ON".

Now, plug the heaters into timer #2.

Since timer#2 is *not* powered, the 'clock' on it does -not- run. *UNTIL*
timer #1 turns on, that is. Once it does start running, it turns the
heaters OFF after the desired interval.

Obviously, once timer #2 turns off, there nothing to turn the heaters
back 'on' again (because there is *no* "on" tripper installed on timer #2).

This may not be as much "fun" as hacking a coffee-maker, but it does have
the advantages of being a 'plug-and-play' solution, and "UL-Listed".
And takes a whole 3 minutes or so to set up. *grin*

"Intermatic" (available at Graybar, Grainger, the various BORG, as well as
many hardware stores) makes timers with removable trippers. Three different
varieties of 'em, in fact. 1) that plugs directly into an outlet, 2) a
'corded' table-top box, where the cord plugs into the outlet, and 3) a
unit that is 'hard-wired' into a circuit (*doesn't* fit in a standard
switch/outlet junction box -- is a bigger "surface mount" box, with it's
own hinged cover).



In article >,
Kyle Boatright > wrote:
>I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able to
>set the thing to turn on an electrical appliance at a set time, then turn it
>off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on again until
>I tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.The application is for the
>pre-heaters on my RV-6. I've got a battery warmer and a sump heater.
>
>The low-down is that I work 15 minutes from the airport, so I can drop by
>very easily at lunch or right after work to set a timer if I think I'm going
>to be flying the next day (this is particularly useful for flights early on
>Saturday morning). There are many timers that will support this function.
>The problem is that most of 'em will then turn on again at the same time the
>next day, and the next, and the next. Or maybe, they will turn on a week
>later. The situation I want to avoid is where I set the timer for, say,
>Saturday morning, then plans go bad and I don't get to the airport for a
>week or two and the heaters run on a daily basis or weekly basis until I
>reset or unplug the timer.
>
>I've tried the big box stores, Grainger, etc. and have not found a timer
>that works the way I want.
>
>Suggestions?
>
>KB
>
>
>

Morgans
February 19th 05, 09:35 PM
"Robert Bonomi" > wrote in message
...
>
> *sigh* this is REALLY a 'no-brainer'. Get *two* timers.
>
That *is* great! I never thought of the removable tripper, so no on
selected. Only problem is that the 7 day timers are pricey, aren't they?

Again, good thinking. I had the two timers, you got the rest of it right.
--
Jim in NC

Kyle Boatright
February 19th 05, 09:37 PM
"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Robert Bonomi" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> *sigh* this is REALLY a 'no-brainer'. Get *two* timers.
>>
> That *is* great! I never thought of the removable tripper, so no on
> selected. Only problem is that the 7 day timers are pricey, aren't they?
>
> Again, good thinking. I had the two timers, you got the rest of it right.
> --
> Jim in NC

The 7 day timers can be found for under $20... Got one the other day. Now I
just need the one day that runs as described.

KB

Jeff
February 19th 05, 10:06 PM
Kyle,

How about one of these?

http://www.foxelectricsupply.com/content/products/ProductDetail.asp?qsCatID=26320&qsProductNo=SS7C

http://www.foxelectricsupply.com/content/products/ProductDetail.asp?qsCatID=26320&qsProductNo=SS8

Jeff


"Kyle Boatright" > wrote in message
...
> I'm looking for a timer with a specific functionality. I want to be able
> to set the thing to turn on an electrical appliance at a set time, then
> turn it off after a selectible time. I don't want the thing to come on
> again until I tell it to. Not one day later or 7 days later.The
> application is for the pre-heaters on my RV-6. I've got a battery warmer
> and a sump heater.
>
> The low-down is that I work 15 minutes from the airport, so I can drop by
> very easily at lunch or right after work to set a timer if I think I'm
> going to be flying the next day (this is particularly useful for flights
> early on Saturday morning). There are many timers that will support this
> function. The problem is that most of 'em will then turn on again at the
> same time the next day, and the next, and the next. Or maybe, they will
> turn on a week later. The situation I want to avoid is where I set the
> timer for, say, Saturday morning, then plans go bad and I don't get to the
> airport for a week or two and the heaters run on a daily basis or weekly
> basis until I reset or unplug the timer.
>
> I've tried the big box stores, Grainger, etc. and have not found a timer
> that works the way I want.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> KB
>
>
>

Robert Bonomi
February 20th 05, 02:07 AM
In article >,
Morgans > wrote:
>
>"Robert Bonomi" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> *sigh* this is REALLY a 'no-brainer'. Get *two* timers.
>>
>That *is* great! I never thought of the removable tripper, so no on
>selected. Only problem is that the 7 day timers are pricey, aren't they?

Depends what you consider 'pricey', I guess. ,grin>

I was at the Blue BORG (Lowes), today.
They had 7-day timers for under $15, and removable tripper one-day ones, for
under $10.

Note: The *only* reason for the 7-day timer is to allow one to set thing up
"more than one day" in advance. If you'll never need more than 24 hours
'lead time', you can use a "daily" timer for timer #1, as well.

>Again, good thinking. I had the two timers, you got the rest of it right.


I've used that 'off only' tripper set-up for various things for more than
30 years.

It is absolutely *wonderful* where you have things that might get 'left on'
(usually because somebody just "forgot" to turn 'em off), and not discovered
for an extended period.

Robert Bonomi
February 20th 05, 02:24 AM
In article >,
Kyle Boatright > wrote:
>
>"Morgans" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> "Robert Bonomi" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> *sigh* this is REALLY a 'no-brainer'. Get *two* timers.
>>>
>> That *is* great! I never thought of the removable tripper, so no on
>> selected. Only problem is that the 7 day timers are pricey, aren't they?
>>
>> Again, good thinking. I had the two timers, you got the rest of it right.
>> --
>> Jim in NC
>
>The 7 day timers can be found for under $20... Got one the other day. Now I
>just need the one day that runs as described.

Intermatic makes one -- their model "TN311CL". It's called a "heavy duty
appliance timer", rated for 15A. The Blue BORG (Lowes) sells it, here anyway,
for $9.97. Comes with 3 green ("on") trippers, and 3 red ("off") ones.

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