Immersion timer what's wrong ?

[Gorby]

About 3 years ago our electrician used an immersion heater timer to control our outside light. The timer is wired into the light switch, which in turn powers the outside light. The light switch remains on all the time and the timer effectively switches the light on and off in the evening.

All was well until last week when the light wouldn't go off. It stayed on passed the time that it should have switched off. We have replaced the timer and now the light won't go on at all. The bulb is OK and there is power to the timer.

Any ideas what the problem is ?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

The first problem was probably the timer breaking.

The second problem was probably incorrect wiring.

But you don't give much to go on.

Is the new timer identical to the old one? What type is it? Are you sure you wired it up the same as before?

 

[Gorby]

Sorry. Can't remeber the make of the first one and the second one came from Focus DIY.

I copied the wiring into the new one in exactly the same order as the old one.

There were five 'holes' to put the wires into. The first one (on the left) was black, the second one was empty, the third one was the green/yellow wire, the fourth one was grey and the fifth one was brown.

The light on the timer is on, but the outside light won't go on at all, even if we override the timer by using the switch on the side.

Is it possible that the new timer is different to the old one in terms of where the wires go.

I'm not an electrician so ........

 

[wingcoax]

[quote="
I'm not an electrician so ........[/quote]
SO, get hold of someone who is. Yes the layout is probably different. The contact details are sometimes moulded onto the back of the timers.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

OK I think you answered your own question. The chances that 5 connections on one timer would have the exact same functionality and be in the same order as a completely different timer from a different manufacturer are vanishingly small. The only way to wire this up correctly is to understand what you are doing.

You could try posting a photo of the opened timer with the wires coming in, but I fear that your best and safest approach is to get an electrician in.

 

[STI]

Or follow the instructions that came with the timer It probably wont refer to a light but substitute immersion/load or output whatever term they use for the load side of the timer as your light.

 

[Gorby]

OK, thanks for your comments.