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How to Troubleshoot Intermatic timer and replace Intermatic clock motor |
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 Never
assume power is OFFUse 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 |
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| 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 |
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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 |
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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 |
 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 |
 TrippersYellow 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 all Water heater Box timers |
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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 |
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 Timer mechanism |
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 Look for clock number  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 |
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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 |
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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. |
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 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 |
 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 |
 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. |
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. |
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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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Buy
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