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How to Troubleshoot Intermatic timer and replace Intermatic clock motor

water heater element
Never assume power is OFF
Use non-contact voltage tester on timer, on wire, on outlet to see if power is present.
Press button on tester, if single beep then no power is present. If continuous beep then power is present.
Never stand on bare ground, always stand on dry boards, do not hold or touch anything metal when working on timer or water heater that has power, tape tester leads to wood sticks, never touch wet water heater, or flooded water heater, or timer that had a short or fire without turning power OFF.

Buy:
Multimeters at Amazon
Buy non-contact voltage tester at Amazon
Electric testers at Amazon

Override lever
Dial rotates on time? Manual override turns Load ON-OFF? Load turns ON-OFF? Troubleshoot action
1) Yes
Dial rotates on time
If dial is rotating, then electricity to timer is good.
Yes
Load turns on-off with override
Yes
Load turns on-off
No action
Timer working
2) Yes
Dial rotates on time
Yes
Load turns on-off with override
Yes
Load turns on-off
But only when using override
Replace trippers.
Check for loose wire at terminals
3) Dial rotates
Yes, but not keeping time
Yes
Load turns on-off with override
Yes
Load turns on-off
But not at scheduled time
Replace clock motor.
How to replace clock motor
Check for loose wires
Check circuit breaker
Reset clock after power outage
4) Yes
Dial rotates on time
Yes
Load turns on-off with override
No
Turns ON but not OFF -or-
turns OFF but not ON
Replace trippers
Intermatic trippers and parts
5) Yes
Dial rotates on time
NO,
Load does not turn on-or-off,
But override snaps crisp-n-clean
No
Load does not turn on-or-off
Check breaker and power to Load;
Check Load is working
Test for voltage going to load.
Check for loose wires
6) Dial rotates
But stops after tripper passes
Yes
Load turns on-off with override
Yes
Until dial stops
Check Wiring.
Line and Load wires are reversed.
(Line wires are from breaker. Load wires go to electrical device.)
7) NO
Dial not rotating
Yes
Load turns on-off with override
Yes
But with override lever only
Replace clock motor
How to replace clock motor
8) NO
Dial not rotating
No No
Load does not turn on-off
Check wiring
How to wire T100 series
How to wire Sprinkler timers
More timer wiring
Check circuit breaker and power to timer
How to replace circuit breaker
Check for loose wires at terminals
Use nose to smell for burned connection
Burned wires, scroll down on page.
9) Yes/NO
Dial not rotating
Lever is sluggish or stuck and will not move Yes/No
Load does not turn on-off
Turn off power, spray WD-40 on lever and gears, replace clock motor, buy new timer
10) Timer wires are burned and melted
Scroll down on this page
Chart as pdf

Resources:
Load ratings for Intermatic timers/ pdf
Intermatic enclosures and ratings
Intermatic trippers and parts and enclosures
How to replace Intermatic clock motor
3-phase timers
Compare boxtype timers
Figure correct wire and breaker
Intermatic control centers and manuals
Intermatic sprinkler timers
How to wire subpanel

Intermatic Pointer is stationary
Remove dial, Clean Timer and add white grease: See photos
Pointer was accidently moved
T100 series pointer points straight down to 6 o'clock
Sprinkler timer pointers point to 7 o'clock
Position the pointer and tighten screw

Pull out and rotate dial clockwise until current time lines up with with siilver pointer

Resources
How to operate and set T104 timer
How to wire Sprinkler timer
Other things to check with timers:
1) Check light bulb. Check wall outlet. Use non-contact tester to check if power is live.
2) Check timer override: Move override lever, or push override button, should cause Load to turn ON even if clock motor is bad.
How to replace clock motor     Modular clock motors
3) Flip circuit breaker all the way off, then fully back on.
4) Wiggle circuit breaker and listen for crackling sound, and use nose to smell for electrical burning.
5) Tighten wire(s) on circuit breaker
6) Move wire(s) on breaker to different same-size breaker.
How-to-replace-circuit-breaker.html
7) Check load rating of timer, and compare with load demand.
Check if wire size and load size match.
Load-ratings-for-Intermatic.pdf    Color-code-for-wire.html
8) Reset GFCI. Check if circuit is on a GFCI breaker, or GFCI outlet located in bathroom or kitchen.
More than 1 GFCI on a circuit can cause tripping.
How-to-wire-GFCI.html
9) Open timer box or remove timer cover and check if wires are burned, if wire connectors are loose, or if terminal screws are loose, and use nose to smell for indication of electrical burning.
10) If you have analog timer, look if dial is rotating. If dial is rotating, then clock motor is good, but trippers may be bad.
Intermatic-trippers-and-parts.html#trippers
11) Prevent power SURGE damage to timers, water heater, appliances, circuit breakers, main breaker panel, household wires etc
How-to-wire-Whole-house-surge-protector.html
Remove trippers from dial and push manual override lever to ON position.
Use this technique if your water heater will not function and you want to test water heater circuit, or if you want water heater turned ON full time while guests are in town.
How to override dial-type mechanical timer

damaged intermatic timer
Tripper lever can become worn.
Remove yellow dial.
Inspect the point where tripper hits the tripper lever.
Ideal conditions the tripper wears out before the tripper lever.
But if grease is allowed to dry out then the lever can wear down before the tripper.

Symptoms of this problem would be timer not functioning after new trippers are installed.
If the trip or lever is worn down as shown in photograph then a new timer needs to be purchased.
The trip lever is not sold separately except with new mechanism.

Buy:
156T1978A set 2
White grease
Resources:
Intermatic trippers

Resource
T100 series timers
T100 series mechanism only
Snap into old box
Timer mechanism only: usually cheaper to buy whole timer
Buy mechanism and snap into existing enclosure
T100 series mechanism is sold separately.
T104 timer = order T104M
T103 timer = order T103M etc.

Necessary only if gears are rusted and manual override lever does not snap crisp and clean.
New trippers and clock motor are cheaper than buying mechanism.

Fire-damaged timer can be replace with mechanism, without changing enclosure.

Larger image
Intermatic 156T1978A tripperTrippers
Yellow dial rotates as time passes, and the Off and ON trippers push lever that causes timer to operate. Clock motor operates dial and will keep correct time for years.
Image shows typical WH40 and T100 series

Buy:
156T1978A set 2
Resources:
Intermatic trippers

Tripper identification numbers

Compare timers
Compare all
Water heater Box timers
Timer making noise Timer making noise
Spray gears with WD40. Or blow out timer with air. See image of gears
Turn off power: WD40 vapor is highly flammable accelerant. Do not spray WD40 on live electric connections or hot surface.
Open timer door. Spray metal gears located under the yellow dial.
Then use thumb spring located top inside box to release mechanism.
Tip out mechanism. Clock motor gears are located on back of mechanism.
If removing wires, read information below to prevent fire hazard.
Take it apart and clean it: see pictures

Timer mechanism
Larger image
How to replace Intermatic clock motor
1) TURN OFF POWER
2) Release mechanism from box using thumbspring located inside top of box
3) Look at WG number printer on timer
4) web search that specific number

WG1573 clock motor
Look for clock number
WH40 clock motor
Consumes 3 watts power
Applies to T104, T174, WH40, pool timers etc

Buy:
WG1573 208-240Volt at Amazon
WG1570 120Volt at Amazon
WG1576 480Volt at Amazon
CW190-10 for 24 volt 60 Hz 24V at Intermatic
WG430 120 volt
WG433 / 240 Volt with long leads

America use 60 Hz power. Rest of world uses 50 Hz.
50 and 60 hertz devices are not always compatible.
WG1571 motor for 50 Hz 120Volt at Intermatic
WG1574 motor for 50Hz 208-277V Amazon

Applies to WH21:
WH233-18 clock motor at Intermatic

Applies to Sprinkler timers &T1900 & T1970 series

125Volt WG730 motor at Amazon
208-240volt WG733 motor at Amazon
480V WG736 clock motor at Amazon
T1800 sereis
125Volt WG430-20 at Amazon
208-277 Volt WG433-20 at Amazon

C8800 series cycle timer
WG770 125V clock motor for C8865-6
WG773 208-277V for C8866
WG780 C8835 125V at Amazon
WG750 C8845 125V clock motor at Amazon
WG790 125 volt clock motor for C8815 15-minute timer
T7400 7-day series:
WG1600 125V motor at Amazon
WG1603 208-277V motor

Larger image
Clock motor held in place with 2 star-screws
Image on left shows typical WH40 and T100 series timers

Remove 2 screws
Buy star screwdriver from auto parts store or hardware store.

Clock wires connect to terminals on front of timer
Make sure clock wires do not interfere with moving parts
Tighten all screws very tight
Keep wires straight
Use solid copper wire
If wiring terminal or end of wire are covered with green, use emery board to clean terminal and sandpaper to clean wire.
Insdulation under screw plate
Larger image
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  
Push on wire connectors
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
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


Larger image
10-3-wire
10-3-wire  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
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
Fire inside Intermatic timer
WH40 water heater timer
Avoid fire inside Intermatic timer
1000 house fies each day in US
1) Treat timer as a circuit breaker box, and keep enclosure door closed, and keep terminals screws covered with plastic insulator.
All elecrtrical boxes are covered to contain overheating and potential source of fire.
If wires overheat, then closed door contains fire by starving fire of oxygen.
Without oxygen, the fire cannot spread.
Door also keeps melted material from falling out of enclosure and onto nearby flammables.

2) Use wire connectors where wire enters enclosure.
Tighten wire connector against wires so wires cannot pull loose.

3) Know amp rating of timer by reading information on inside of timer door.
Match wire size to amp rating of wire. Match amp rating to nameplate rating of water heater or pump that is controlled by timer.
T100 series mechanism only
Snap into old box
Timer mechanism only: usually cheaper to buy whole timer
Buy mechanism and snap into existing enclosure
T100 series mechanism is sold separately.
T104 timer = order T104M
T103 timer = order T103M etc.

Necessary only if gears are rusted and manual override lever does not snap crisp and clean.
New trippers and clock motor are cheaper than buying mechanism.

Fire-damaged timer can be replace with mechanism, without changing enclosure.
WH40 timer How to set and operate
When insulator is installed, it is safe to touch inside of timer.
Always keep door closed to avoid fire hazard from sparking.




Resources:
How to set and operate T100 series timers





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