Decent 220 volt timer

[darcyh]

Hello:

Electricity is going to time of use here. We heat water with electricity. I'd like to put the water heater on a timer switching it on during lower cost periods.

I have searched around for a decent 220 volt two-pole timer with digital display and battery back up.

Many of the big box stores offer a metal enclosed Intermatic that only switches one pole and requires 110 volts for the timer motor. You would have to run a 110 circuit or multiwire to feed the timer motor. Some suggest connecting one side of the timer motor to the ground wire and feeding the other side from one of the 220 volt legs. I really do not want to do this.

Can anyone suggest a timer that meets my requirements:

- heavy enough to switch a 20 amp load
- electronic with battery back up
- two poles to disconnect both sides of the 220 circuit
- nice metal or plastic enclosure that can be permanently wired in

As always, thanks very much.

Dave

 

[Norcal]

Intermatic & others make water heater timers with 240V timer motors actually 208-277V & BTW 110 & 220V no longer exist in North America...


http://www.intermatic.com/products/ec 4 layer/mechanical time switches/24 hour/t100 series.aspx

 

[SiGmA_X]

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

Works great and its all 240v powered. The plastic part kind of *****, but its cheap and easy to buy and seems well built.

 

[VinDSL]

http://www.intermatic.com/products/ec 4 layer/mechanical time switches/24 hour/t100 series.aspx

Yep! That's the one!

That's all I use - had 4 of them, in the last 25 years. Built like a Sherman Tank! The last one I bought was 2001.

Everyone sells the plastic models (like the post above). The metal ones are harder to find, and cost a little more, but they're made to take the elements. Bought it at Lowe's, if I remember correctly.

When I was a kid, we had one of these in the backyard, sitting in the sun, for our pool pump motor. Never had a problem with it.

I had two, in our basement/great room, for the water heater. Only reason I replaced the original is because the motor got noisy after years of use, and I got tired of listening to it.

The latest one is in a different house. I use it for the water heater too. Been sitting out in the garage for 10 years -- probably gets 120 degrees out there, in the summer. Still working like a champ.

We're on a plan here. The "cheap" hours are 7:00PM-Noon. Personally, I just run the water heater between 6:00AM-9:00AM. That way, everybody gets their showers, and so worth. Then, the water heater recovers, and we have enough hot water for rest of the day, with the heating elements sitting idle. Like a big Thermos bottle, you know?

These things have saved me 1000's of dollars, over the years. Worth their weight in gold!

Anyway, I'm a big fan of these timers. It's a fairly easy install. The toughest part is bending the Romex. LoL!

Edit

I went outside and double-checked the model number. I have a WH40 (aka "Little Grey Box").

Here's an OEM link: http://www.intermatic.com/products/... switches/mechanical water heater timers.aspx

Here's a Lowe's link: http://www.lowes.com/pd_160601-251-WH40DL3_4294858954__?productId=3125325

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'd check with the electric utility to see how their time of use program is going to work before you buy anything - they may be providing a little smart box that will control things. My central a/c is set up that way so they can cycle it off and on during high demand periods. Another example is my parents had off peak power for their electric water heater 50 years ago, and in their case the utility had a separate meter just for the heater.