best fireproof timer

[The Iceman]

i had one just about catch on fire on now Im freaked out!! Whats the best timer out there that is safe?? obviously dont care about money just safety

 

[magiccannabus]

Intermatic brand is pretty good. Get one of their industrial timers, or build a relay timer. There's lots of DIY pages about that online.

 

[rasputen]

How many watts/amps are you timing?

The Intermatic Water Heater timers are very heavy duty but still have to be sized corectly. My policy is to "try" to keep my ampacity of a circuit at 200% of load. But then I run 2 #10 wires in parrallel for a 40 amp sub panel.

 

[DiscoBiscuit]

^^^what rasputen said.^^^ have you considered a fire proof timer enclosure? it obviously wouldn't save your timer in the event of "it" catching fire but it might give you some additional safety/protection.

 

[Budweiser13]

Use a contactor....

 

[The Iceman]

im just running 2000watts.....man some of you guys might aswell be speaking greek as i dont know jack about electicity

 

[Pinball Wizard]

I bought a mechanical timer, made by GE; designed for outdoor swiming pool pumps. $18 at Walmart, 15 minute increments. It can handle start up jolts, very well. 3 years old, never a problem.

Inclosed metal housing, designed for outdoor use, weather proof. 120 volt. UL rated.

 

[chimei]

i had one just about catch on fire on now Im freaked out!! Whats the best timer out there that is safe?? obviously dont care about money just safety

Out of curiosity what kind of timer were you using that nearly caught fire?

I switched to digital timers years ago when I had a mechanical timer get stuck and spark up enough when I was present to look like it would have caught fire eventually.

To others.. Is a digital timer a false sense of security? I always assumed the digital timer had some type of relay in it and with no mechanical moving parts other then just the relay if it has that even, less failure prone, and I alway keep it way under what it is speced for. I only run a single 400 watt lamp or single 600 watt. If I recall correctly any of the grounded digital timers you can get at Walmart are all rated for 15 Amps. Same digital timers that the hydro stores around here sell for 5-6x the price.

 

[magiccannabus]

The problem with digital timers is that often they do use a relay, but the parts used are low quality enough to still not handle lots of power. Ideally using a digital timer attached to a relay system of some kind would provide you with the best combination of safety and features.

 

[Bozo]

plastic will burn ,15 amp plastic timers digital or mechanical will get hot and as I first stated plastic will burn .2 K of light is 20 amps + or - so a 15 amp plastic timer will heat up and catch fire
I would recomend you buy that
http://www.intermatic.com/?action=subcat&sid=85

 

[magiccannabus]

2k of light is more like 17.5 amps isn't it?

 

[Bozo]

my sun system ballast says 9.5 on case @120 volt
I belive @ 220 it would be closer to your number
My point was only that plastic light timers suck and can start fires with 9.5 amps running through them 5.5 less than they are rated for