Some Electrical Help Please.

[Geoff]

i know just enough about 120v wiring to be dangerous.

i have an intermatic FD60MWC auto shut off timer that i need to hook up in SPDT, reverse function. i am not understanding the wiring diagram. i am sure it is a real basic diagram, but i just can not wrap my brain around it right now.

do i run two lines into the timer? what happens to the second load?

i plan on running the an outlet on this timer, so be as simple in your explaination as possible. i can be pretty dense sometimes.

thanks,

G~

[whatevva]

Geoff, it sounds like you just want the outlet to STOP(I'm assuming that's what you meant by reverse operation) for a timed period? If that's the case then just run the 110 volt line to the common terminal, and the load wire from the normally closed terminal to the gold screw on the recepticle. When you turn the knob on the timer, the contact will open and cut power to the recepticle. You only need 3 wires if you're trying to operate the the recepticle from 2 locations.

[Geoff]

Ok, thanks Butch. i will try that this weekend.

i was just confused why it was showing both Line 1 and Line 2 going into the switch.

G~

[Rippey]

Did you get it working?

[Phishnoob]

Originally Posted by whatevva

Geoff, it sounds like you just want the outlet to STOP(I'm assuming that's what you meant by reverse operation) for a timed period? If that's the case then just run the 110 volt line to the common terminal, and the load wire from the normally closed terminal to the gold screw on the recepticle. When you turn the knob on the timer, the contact will open and cut power to the recepticle. You only need 3 wires if you're trying to operate the the recepticle from 2 locations.

Okay I am confused now.

White goes to common? Is there a red wire involved. Not my project but just trying to understand this.

[Rippey]

Black=HOT
White=Common (return ground not earth ground)
Green=Earth Ground

[whatevva]

When you're running a 2-Wire "switch Leg" both wires are hot at some point. You tie the white to the hot blacks at the destination, the white AND back go to each side of a switch (or timer) and the Black returns the switched hot to the device being operated.

Perry, don't confuse Common with Neutral. On a relay the Common terminal is the lug that gets the feed. Then there are two points, one normally open (no contact when there is no power to the coil or un-actuated by a spring), and a normally closed lug that only has power until the coil or spring is actuated.

As for a Neutral (white) wire, all neutrals end up at earth ground at some point, but are still current carrying conductors. They also carry the same amperage as the hot wire since amperage is equal throughout an ac circuit.

[whatevva]

Black=HOT
White=Common (return ground not earth ground)
Green=Earth Ground

Rippey, Common is a term used for DC circuits and Relays. The White should be referred to as a Neutral.

[Rippey]

scares me when I say that I know of 2 people that touched the white thinkin it was ground on an old 60amp. They got shocked but not seriously. Only when they bumped the well pipe.

[whatevva]

scares me when I say that I know of 2 people that touched the white thinkin it was ground on an old 60amp. They got shocked but not seriously. Only when they bumped the well pipe

I've seen SOOOO much damage from Neutrals that weren't properly grounded. Shocks, yes, but depending on plug configurations, you could end up with 220v going to everything that's plugged in! That's why everyone's so hot for proper grounding nowadays.

In the case of the ole' 60 amp...that poor neutral is just searching for a convenient way back to ground, and if it's through a person....well....

[Rippey]

Ya when we redid my g-mas house it was cloth wireing FUN

[Phishnoob]

Originally Posted by whatevva

When you're running a 2-Wire "switch Leg" both wires are hot at some point. You tie the white to the hot blacks at the destination, the white AND back go to each side of a switch (or timer) and the Black returns the switched hot to the device being operated.

Perry, don't confuse Common with Neutral. On a relay the Common terminal is the lug that gets the feed. Then there are two points, one normally open (no contact when there is no power to the coil or un-actuated by a spring), and a normally closed lug that only has power until the coil or spring is actuated.

As for a Neutral (white) wire, all neutrals end up at earth ground at some point, but are still current carrying conductors. They also carry the same amperage as the hot wire since amperage is equal throughout an ac circuit.

Now I understand. Thanks for detailing this out. Electronics guys are way different from electricians.

[Geoff]

OK, i got it figured out. the main problem was that i did not read the box well enough and the instructions were clear, if i had read the box.

the switch i listed was actually a SPST, i needed a SPDT. when i actually took the SPST apart i realized my error and went on the hunt for the correct timer. of course they do not make the timer i wanted, so i had to combine the SPST with the SPDT to make a 60min SPDT timer. :rolleys: apparantly Intermatic feels that if you need a SPDT timer than it needs to be a 2 hour timer. i only need 15min.

luckily the timer section is completely independant of the switching part. super easy to just swap out the timer.

once i saw it apart i realized i was thinking it through to hard. imagine that!

G~

[Scuba_Dave]

Originally Posted by Rippey

Ya when we redid my g-mas house it was cloth wireing FUN

I've been working on redoing the cloth wiring in my house
2nd floor has all been removed, basement all replaced, The 1st floor is left, which will be very hard as it is all top down wiring.

I will most likely redo the outlets from below (basement) & leave the cloth wiring on the lights unless I happen to gut a room & redo it

[Rippey]

Gooooooooooood hear it