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Spark inside timer/ Timer caught fire/
Fire inside timer/ Overheating
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Spark inside timer/ Timer caught fire/ Fire inside timer/ Overheating |
| Use only 600 volt wire. Lamp cord, extension cords are not rated 600 volt. Use copper wire only. Aluminum wire is fire risk and should be avoided or installed by professional. 30 amp breaker use 10 gauge / 120-240 volt 30 amp outlet can be installed on 30 amp breaker only/ use 10 gauge wire ... cannot be connected to 15-20-40 amp breaker.  Orange/ #10 gauge wire, with ground ... 30 amp capacity. Safe maximum: 30 x 80% = 24 amps. Buy: 10-2 gauge/ 30 amp 10-3/ 30 amp Southwire electric tools |
Yellow
12 gauge 20 amp 120 volt 20 amp outlet can be installed on 20 amp breaker, but not 15 amp breaker/ use 12 ga wire. ... cannot be connected to 30-40 amp breaker. 1  Yellow/ #12 gauge wire, with ground ... 20 amp capacity. Safe maximum 16 amps. Buy: 12-2 gauge/ 20 amp 12-3/ 20 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground Rolls of stranded wire HOOK UP Wires |
White
14 gauge 15 amp 120 volt 15 amp outlet, AFCI, GFCI, timer, switch etc can be installed on 15 or 20 amp breaker. Never connect 15 gauge wire to 20-30-40 amp breaker.  White/ #14 gauge wire, with ground ... 15 amp capacity. Safe maximum 12 amps. Buy: 14-2 gauge/ 15 amp 14-3/ 15 amp NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
| 50-60
amp breaker use 6 gauge / 240 volt 50 outlet can be installed on 50 amp breaker only  Buy: 6-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
40-50
amp breaker use 8 gauge / 240 volt 40 amp outlet can be installed on 40 or 50 amp breaker only  Buy: 8-2 wire Southwire electric tools NMB is house wiring UF is underground |
  Copper ground wire. Every device, load, metal enclosure etc must be grounded. Ground wire must be continuous throughout installation, never switched on-off, never used as a Neutral wire. Generally ... use same size as other wire in circuit Buy: 12 gauge copper ground wire Ground wire Green ground wire Ground pigtails Ground rods/ ground clamps at Amazon |
 Non metallic flexible cables must carry ground wire, but do not have hazard of short circuit causing injury from shock. Armored steel cable can be used as a grounded connection, and will protect wires from damage. Metal can be energized from an insulation failure. All conduit ...metal, plastic ... flexible and rigid ... must be attached to structure, and attached to enclosures, boxes. Movement, damage and deterioration are major cause of electrical failure. Buy: Non-metallic flexible conduit Power whip Armored cable Southwire armored cable cutter Pull boxes |
 Electrical tools must be insulated. Always best to disconnect power, but insulation failure, lack of proper grounding, grounded neutral, lack of GFCI, out-of-code wiring, generator operating without transfer switch, and other problems still pose a risk to anyone working on electric power ... even when breaker is off. Buy: Electrician tools kits KLEIN TOOLS Tools kits IRWIN tools KNIPEX Telephone cable knife Low Voltage Mounting Bracket for Telephone |
Push-on wire connectors in place of twist-on connectorsBuy:Push on wire connectors Amazon Red 3P connector for 10-14 gauge wire Lever connectors for stranded wire at Amazon HOOK UP Wires |
 Protect wiring from damage Use nipper instead of pliers or screwdriver for removing staples (and nails). Do not damage cable or wires inside cable. -Code says: Cable SHALL BE secured without damage to the outer covering. NEC sec. 336-15 Buy End cutting nippers at Amazon |
  Electrically insulated tools When removing insulation from wire, do NOT score or put cuts on surface of copper wire. Doing so increases resistance and heat on wire and creates possible weak point. Buy tools: KLEIN TOOLS Wire strippers at Amazon Electric Wire Stripping Machine Linesman pliers Utility knife at Amazon |
 Multimeters Voltage is tested across two separate wires. Ohms or resistance is tested across both ends of same wire. Amperage is tested along one or two points on same wire. Buy: Analog multimeter Multimeters at Amazon Klein multimeter Electric testers at Amazon Clampmeter for testing amp flow on line |
 GFCI circuit breaker A GFCI circuit breaker will protect all boxes on circuit. Circuit must be grounded. Ground wire must be continuous and connected to each piece of equipment. White wire on circuit breaker must be connected to Neutral busbar inside the breaker panel. Buy GFCI circuit breakers |
Push down 1" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breaker Buy single-pole: Choose from 15 to 60 amp Eaton CL series Siemens 15-60 amp Single-pole tandem breaker Tandem breakers |
Push down 2" wide Push down breaker Plug-in breakers Buy double-pole: Choose from 15 to 125 amp Choose from 15 amp to 200 amp Eaton CL series circuit breaker Siemens circuit breaker Double pole GFCI |
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Timer
fire:
Cause: Stranded wire under COM2 terminal got hot, came loose and caused fire Solution: Replace timer When installing timer, Use only solid copper wire Solder end of stranded wire to make solid Resources: for timer manuals, wiring and purchase GM40 series, GE 15000 series, Tork series Intermatic defrost timers Resources Match breaker and wire size |
 Fire inside timer caused by stranded wire Keep enclosure door closed at all times |
Two alternatives. 1. crimp a ferrule onto the wire so the screw terminal digs into that, and the strands are protected. 2. Use a terminal type in which the wire strands are protected from the screw. |
Fire
caused by stranded wire
Do not use stranded wire under screw plate on timer, contactor, relay, outlet, switch or any electrical device Resources: Terminals What is amperage Basic house wiring How to troubleshoot household electricity |
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| Causes of timer fire | ||
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Both wires MUST be same
gauge Straighten each wire If wire is corroded or overheated, clean the end with sandpaper and wipe with cloth. If wire has been melted, cut back and reattach, or replace wire. Tighten screw very tight against copper wire |
Use wire connector |
Use push-on wire connectors |
3
wires/ or different gauge wires Join wires with wire connector or push-on connector Run jumper to screw terminal. Buy: Push on wire connectors at Amazon Red 3P connector (shown) for 10-14 gauge wire Connector assortment Resource: How to select and install wire connector |
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Fire safety/ Do not put stranded
wire under screw plate Do not install stranded wire under screw. Problem1: picture shows 2 different gauge wires under screw plate Problem2: Stranded wire will expand and contract and come loose under screw plate, even if it is the only wire under the screw plate Attach stranded wire and solid wire with wire connector, and run solid copper jumper wire to screw terminal Take photo of wires before starting.  Resources: Timer caught fire Load ratings for Intermatic timers/ pdf |
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  12 Ga |
10 gauge or 12 gauge? Compare your wire with short pieces of 10 and 12 gauge wire from local box store 10 gauge for 30 amp breaker. 10 gauge wire can have black-white and sometimes black-red 12 gauge for 20 amp breaker 12 gauge will have black and white wires . Resources: Match color code and amp rating for wire Basic house wiring |
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Add black tape when White wire
carries voltage (applies to 208 and 240V
circuits) With 120 and 277 Volt circuits, White wire is Neutral, and Black is Hot With 208 and 240 circuits, both wires are Hot, and both wires carry voltage Black tape on White wire identifies wire is Hot and not Neutral |
| Prevent fire | |
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Arc
fault breaker can prevent fire inside timer caused by a loose wire or
stranded wire Arc fault breaker trips when there is short to ground (same as GFCI) but it also trips when a spark is detected on the line Spark from loose wire will trip breaker... this will signal that wire is loose under the screw plate, or there is a ground fault on the line Only one GFCI-protection device per circuit... so you cannot have GFCI and Arc fault on same circuit... nor can you have 2 GFCIs on same circuit.... they will cause tripping It is OK to have more than one ordinary breaker or fuse per circuit Buy Arc fault breakers at Amazon Resources: How to wire arc fault How to wire GFCI |
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Keep enclosure door
closed All electrical connections must be made inside a box, and each box must have cover or door to stop fire from spreading High heat even will be confined inside the box, and provide fire safety All electrical devices have amp rating and max amp overload rating Resource: Why you need ground wire |
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Match wire and breaker size with
load Match timer rating with load Attach wires to enclosure Attach wires to structure Resources Color code for wire and breaker Intermatic enclosures |
Use
Wire connectors, or conduit clamps to secure wire to enclosureBy code, all wire must be securely attached to enclosure to prevent wire pull-out. Wires or conduit must be secured to structure, so there are no loose wires. Wires inside the enclosure cannot lay over top of connection terminals. Join all ground wires together and cover with wire connector. Push ground wires down and away from connection terminals. Resource: Wire clamps |
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General household check-up Feel if breakers are warm-hot Check outlets, switches and other electrical devices for heat Use nose to smell for burned parts Use ears to hear cracklings Use eyes and look for sparks Resource: How to troubleshoot household electricity |
 This timer appears to have damage on 1 component... but actually several components have dark solder connections, showing that several parts overheated |
Burned
resistor on timer
R1 resistor burned, R2 resistor burned Replace timer No prevention steps Check that timer is receiving correct voltage and Load does not exceed rating. This is common problem as timer ages Normally if R1 or R2 are burned... look carefully and other nearby parts have signs of burning also. R1-R2 are usually first place you see overheat problem This is true with older and newer models in the GM and Woods and Tork series digital timers, including defrost series Frequently these timers with burned R1 are sold on ebay after they have been removed from service... simply because the timer looks good or repair seems simple. Check if one of the relays is still functional.. sometimes a timer can be used with one relay. Related solutions: Use correct voltage to match timer Do not exceed load rating on timer Use correct wire and breaker Resource: Match breaker and wire size Figure volts amps watts More resources: Compare similar timers Compare all box timers GM series defrost timers |
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Unburned
R1 R2 resistors Note there are no high-heat or burn residue at end of each part |
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Unburned
R1 R2 resistors Note there is no high-heat or burn residue at end of each part |
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Relay points Points on timer relay can get burned It is normal for carbon to build up on points, causing loss of electrical contact. Turn power off, and use nail file to clean points There are no replacement relays for these timers... but you can clean points with a nail file... and if relay is bad, frequently one of the two relays will still function, and load can be controlled by turning off 1 hot wire Resources: How to wire GM40 timer Difference between relay and contactor Contactors |
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Burned
part on electric water heater Replace part, cut back burned wire Resource: Electric water heater parts and replacement |
 Contactors/ relays |
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