Does my exhaust negate my timer?

Fenderbender

Fenderbender

Well-Known Member
Hmm could it be that the draw from my exhaust fan which is just a small mixed flow inline fan messes with the mechanical timer?
As I can't have it run 15 minutes and then switch off. it can switch on but it has hard time switching off.
I switched the timer with the one from the ventilator that's doing 15 min off 15 on all day long... it works for about a day and then it has problems switching off after 15 minutes as well I just runs through.. not sure what's exactly happening here.
 
Fenderbender said:
Hmm could it be that the draw from my exhaust fan which is just a small mixed flow inline fan messes with the mechanical timer?
As I can't have it run 15 minutes and then switch off. it can switch on but it has hard time switching off.
I switched the timer with the one from the ventilator that's doing 15 min off 15 on all day long... it works for about a day and then it has problems switching off after 15 minutes as well I just runs through.. not sure what's exactly happening here.
Click to expand...
idk. i run my exhaust 24/7
 
If both are mechanical (or analog) style timers then consider setting the one on the exhaust fan to 30 minutes "on". If it still has a problem turning off then replace it with the other one and try again.

Also, does the timer that is not turning off as expected start to work correctly when it is switched over to the ventilator?

If your timers are the kind with the turning wheel check that there is nothing that can touch that timer. A hanging cord might be rubbing against the wheel and making it turn slowly so it might be 30 minutes or more to click to off. Or a moving fan could be bumping into a cord which which then is pushed up against the timer and that keeps the wheel from turning as it should.

Fenderbender said:
Hmm then I'd never have any humidity in my tent.
Click to expand...
The humidity going into the tent would be the same as the house, room, or where ever the tent is sitting. Then any plants in the tent would be giving off moist air plus what evaporates from the soil, soil-less mix or whatever you are growing in.
 
Yes I do believe it works better after longer blocks than 15min for switching off but a half hour is a long time.. it kinda just needs to run a couple of minutes really.. and I did put the one that wasn't working with the fan on the ventilator and that one is doing it's job in 15 min increments again.. so weird that the fan doesn't want to switch off after 15.

And yep my tent is in a dry loft-attic thing if I put the exhaust on I instantly bring the humidity down a lot.. so I kinda time that the humidity raises until 70-ish and then fan brings it down in the 40's and then it rises again.. it's only half a square meter 50x100 with 3 SIPs if I don't fan it starts raining down the walls.. but If I fan all the time humidity is too low for veg.

I should just get a climate controller so I can set humidity and bring fan speed down.. or just one of those digital exhaust fans that can also run at more silent speeds and fans when temperature or humidity gets too much.

If I slowly replace all components of my tent then soon I can build up a second tent with the old stuff again :p
 
Fenderbender said:
Hmm could it be that the draw from my exhaust fan which is just a small mixed flow inline fan messes with the mechanical timer?
As I can't have it run 15 minutes and then switch off. it can switch on but it has hard time switching off.
I switched the timer with the one from the ventilator that's doing 15 min off 15 on all day long... it works for about a day and then it has problems switching off after 15 minutes as well I just runs through.. not sure what's exactly happening here.
Click to expand...
I don’t have any experience with the timer yer using. I just run the old analog timer’s ⏲️ and a inkbird. CL🍀. :thumb: :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
Roy Growin said:
I've reverted to analog timers, but not the type where 15min segments are pushed up or down, they are fiddly to set, easy to dislodge and keep failing
The one I use now has push-in pegs for off/on and is totally reliable
Click to expand...
Those tiny little colourful plastic pegs? that are easy to lose :p
But yeah those are even older school timers.
Who still makes those? but yeah I'm in the EU so different stuff, but most timers are pretty wonky the ones I'm using are kinda rather good as they're German and I kinda already have been using them for years and they still work well with the ventilator so I'm wondering what's going on with the fan? current jumping or bypassing the relay?

And any digital timers I've tried kinda suck too, although I've only tried those with lights but they fail as well after a while.
 
Fenderbender said:
Those tiny little colourful plastic pegs? that are easy to lose :p
But yeah those are even older school timers.
Who still makes those? but yeah I'm in the EU so different stuff, but most timers are pretty wonky the ones I'm using are kinda rather good as they're German and I kinda already have been using them for years and they still work well with the ventilator so I'm wondering what's going on with the fan? current jumping or bypassing the relay?

And any digital timers I've tried kinda suck too, although I've only tried those with lights but they fail as well after a while.
Click to expand...
No idea of manufacturer, but I ordered it from a trade electrical store [UK] - it may well be German made, you know, they tend to make stuff chunky and solid

The little pins have interference fit holes in the casing to store spare pegs so I haven't lost any...yet

I like stuff I can pull apart and see what's happening - can't do that with a PCB
I'd probably open up the fan too, just to make sure contacts are good, clean blades, bit of light oil etc
 
Fenderbender said:
...I kinda already have been using them for years and they still work well with the ventilator so I'm wondering what's going on with the fan? current jumping or bypassing the relay?
Click to expand...
My timers are between the wall outlet and the fan or light. The timer controls when or if the current goes to appliance and there is no way it can jump or bypass it.

Is there a small manual switch that will turn the appliance on even when the timer is supposed to be preventing the current from going through? I have occasionally bumped that switch on the aquarium lights when doing maintenance and it might be hours before I notice.
 
SmokingWings said:
My timers are between the wall outlet and the fan or light. The timer controls when or if the current goes to appliance and there is no way it can jump or bypass it.

Is there a small manual switch that will turn the appliance on even when the timer is supposed to be preventing the current from going through? I have occasionally bumped that switch on the aquarium lights when doing maintenance and it might be hours before I notice.
Click to expand...
Yeah but I think the jump happens in the timer.. I mean how does it still make contact after it's been told to go off after 15 minutes? but the problem is less with longer time blocks.. if the distance is increased between switches in off and on position.. so question is how are those built on the inside.

There's no switch but rather a little wheel that inverts the off an on.. which could be part of the problem.
 
Fenderbender said:
Those tiny little colourful plastic pegs? that are easy to lose :p
But yeah those are even older school timers.
Who still makes those? but yeah I'm in the EU so different stuff, but most timers are pretty wonky the ones I'm using are kinda rather good as they're German and I kinda already have been using them for years and they still work well with the ventilator so I'm wondering what's going on with the fan? current jumping or bypassing the relay?

And any digital timers I've tried kinda suck too, although I've only tried those with lights but they fail as well after a while.
Click to expand...
I’m using the analog timer ⏲️ for my light and a inkbird for the fans and dehuey. Haven’t had any problems yet. CL🍀. :thumb: :cheesygrinsmiley:
 
Fenderbender said:
Yeah but I think the jump happens in the timer.. I mean how does it still make contact after it's been told to go off after 15 minutes? but the problem is less with longer time blocks.. if the distance is increased between switches in off and on position.. so question is how are those built on the inside.
Click to expand...
After 10 years of having some of the cheapest analog timers available running the lights on each of my aquarium I ended up breaking one by accident while unplugging it from the wall. Then while trying to figure out how I broke the first one I ended up breaking the other doing the same steps while unplugging. Good thing I keep a couple as spares for "just in case" situations.

Inside was a small plastic wheel and a small basic circuit board with small wires soldered to it. I figured it was not worth investigating what or how each part worked along with the others to I tossed it all. Probably should have tried to put one or both back together just to say I fixed them but into the trash.

Christmas lights are already on display at the big box home improvement stores. The analog and digital timers will be going on sale for a few bucks off regular price so I will have to pick up one or two new analogs.
 

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