apt timer switch not timing

tipptom

Have one of the apt timer switch with a circular dial that you push the little thingies in at the time you want the time to come on,its been working fine for the 3 years its been in but the timer wont work on it now since the break its had during the summer.Its switching on and of fine by hand and the little light is on,just wondering could this be something simple or should i just replace.

mazthespark

replace it the motor is gone in it i would imagine. can be got in any electrical wholesaler

tipptom

Yea,thats grand,thought it might be something simple i was missing,thanks for letting me know.

ShamFeen

Is the time setting on the r.h.s correct? It could be out an hour from the clocks going back!

tipptom

No,it wont come on at all on any time we do it on.

ShamFeen

Ah there goes the cheap fix! Replace it so, if you want the timer function working. The APT clocks are generally between €20-€40 depending where you purchase

tipptom

thanks,hope its nearer the 20.

tipptom

Guys,got new timer,fitted it and its not timing so it looks like its not a timer fault after all,any ideas?.

DublinDilbert

Get the old timer and put 220v onto the motor terminals see if it runs. Try the same with the new one. It's bound to be something simple.

Although unlikely, It's not beyond the bounds of possibility that the one you got is faulty.

Bruthal

Make sure you connected the live feed and the switched live in the new timer the into the right terminals or the timer motor in new one wont move when the timer output is off. A quick check would be to move the manual switch to always on and see does the timer advance then.

beanie10

Assuming you connected it right it could be a bad neutral connection. Check to see if thers is 220v between live and neutral if not check spur beside it for bad connection.

Bruthal

beanie10 wrote: »

Assuming you connected it right it could be a bad neutral connection. Check to see if thers is 220v between live and neutral if not check spur beside it for bad connection.

And why could it not be a bad live connection?

beanie10

Because the light is lit on the timer if it was a bad live connection there wopuld be no light. IF its a bad neutral connection the light will come on due to a potential difference across the motor. Also you dont need a neutral to switch it manually, neutral is only needed to run the motor.

M cebee

i'd assume the old one packed up-and the he mixed up the feed and switched live

that's the usual scenario anyhow

could be the neutral on timer-but i'd say it's unlikely if load neutral is looped thru timer and load is working

Bruthal

beanie10 wrote: »

Because the light is lit on the timer if it was a bad live connection there wopuld be no light. IF its a bad neutral connection the light will come on due to a potential difference across the motor. Also you dont need a neutral to switch it manually, neutral is only needed to run the motor.

Yea but op does not say light is lighting or not lighting on newly fitted timer. The usual cause of a timer stopping is mixing up the live in/live out connections. As soon as the timer switches off, the motor stops because there is now now feed to the motor when the timer times off.

tipptom

The orange light stays on all the time on this new one whether its switched on or not which we found unusual as the light only came on on the old one when it was switched on,the motor is not moving at all and when i was wiring it there was one live in and one live out,i presumed the live in was the live comiing down from the switch above.

Bruthal

tipptom wrote: »

The orange light stays on all the time on this new one whether its switched on or not which we found unusual as the light only came on on the old one when it was switched on,the motor is not moving at all and when i was wiring it there was one live in and one live out,i presumed the live in was the live comiing down from the switch above.

Switch power off to the timer and swap the live in and live out wires around and then try it. If that does not fix it the timer is probably faulty.

ovak666

Hi im new to this boards and would appreciate any help with my problem. My apt central heating timer ( the one where you push the little buttons in) Well after a power blackout my timer clock will not work "only manually. But when I open it up and wriggle it, it comes back on. Would be glad of any advice as it is driving me nuts.

Robbie.G

ovak666 wrote: »

Hi im new to this boards and would appreciate any help with my problem. My apt central heating timer ( the one where you push the little buttons in) Well after a power blackout my timer clock will not work "only manually. But when I open it up and wriggle it, it comes back on. Would be glad of any advice as it is driving me nuts.

Replace it they are not really repairable.

Antenna

Robbie.G wrote: »

Replace it they are not really repairable.

There is a capacitor (in series with the mains) in these APT timers I have come across that goes low in value with time and the clock motor eventually will stop.

I could fix a couple of these timers I came across by replacing this offending capacitor - see attached picture of timer and the bad capacitor that was replaced.

solargain

By the time you drive out there , dismantle the timer , solder in the components , the consumer would have a new one fitted for probably less money.

Risteard81

solargain wrote: »

By the time you drive out there , dismantle the timer , solder in the components , the consumer would have a new one fitted for probably less money.

Especially given the fact that he has had a number of years to replace it at this stage.

adrian92

I have replaced a few of these. - they seem to have a high failure rate .

Just check though, after you have replaced, it wait about up to one hour (yes!) after energisation for the clock to show signs of movement ( I guess it takes a while for the internal movement to take up the slack)

adrian92

Robbie g - I noticed too this capacitor faulty too .
Do you know where to source one?