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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
6-2 wire
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
6-2 wire
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
armored cable
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
Southwire armored cable cutter
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

Push-on wire connectors in place of twist-on connectors

Buy:
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
multimeter
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
single-pole breaker
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
double-pole breaker
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
timer fire 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
Causes of timer fire
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

Larger image
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
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
Prevent fire
Install arc fault breaker 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
prevent timer fire 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
Fire inside Intermatic timer 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
Romex connector Use Wire connectors, or conduit clamps to secure wire to enclosure
By 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
Outlet is warm   circuit breakers are warm 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
burned resistor on timer
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
R1 resistor Unburned R1 R2 resistors
Note there are no high-heat or burn residue at end of each part
R1 resistor Unburned R1 R2 resistors
Note there is no high-heat or burn residue at end of each part
burned timer

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
Burned part on electric water heater
Replace part, cut back burned wire
Resource:
Electric water heater parts and replacement

Contactors/ relays
Install and troubleshoot garbage disposal Waste King disposal
Programmable timers

Woods timers
surge protection
Buy
Industrial electric

Industrial supplies

Tools and home improvement

Home and garden

Hayward pool
Pentair pool

Southwire electric
Buy
Tools

DEWALT
Black and Decker
Stanley
SKIL
Makita
Porter-Cable
Bosch

Irwin Hand tools
Klein hand tools
Fluke electrical testing
Dremel hobby tools

Campbell Hausfeld air powered
Tekton automotive

Powerbuilt automotive
Saws and saw blades
box timers Resource:
Compare box timers
DPDT timers
Intermatic
Control water heater w/ Z-wave
Intermatic control centers Resource:
Intermatic control centers: and parts
Digital control centers and parts
Tork control centers and parts
Subpanels
All control centers and parts
Enclosures
programmable timer Resource:
Programmable timers
Countdown timers
Off delay timers
On delay timers
Timer modules
Din rail
Twin & one-shot
Woods
Intermatic
Tork
Low voltage power packs Recirculation systems
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