Looking for countdown timer
 

I'm wondering if anyone knows of a product that would work like the feed time mode on a Wavemaker. What I'm looking for is a timer that when activated would cut power to a device for a predetermined time. Once the time elapsed power would be restored to the devise.

Anyone know of something?

J

Jason why wouldn't a simple cheap light timer work? Perhaps I don't understand what you want.

Doug

Stage lighting timers. like from Chauvet or some similar.

I use a digital timer made by Noma, for outdoor use. It's from Canadian Tire, around $20. There's a "CD" button, which is a countdown timer for whatever amount of time you preset. I use it to control my return pump when feeding, I hit the CD button, and the pump shuts down for the 45 mins that I've set.

Sweet I'll check those out.

Thanks
Jason

May want to look at power interrupters. I believe this is their function.

One way to do it is a wall switch timer, and hook it up to a relay.
The relay needs to be a double pole, double throw,like this http://www.active-tech.ca/b2c/redire...D=50%2D069%2D0 When no power is applied one side is closed, the other open. When power is applied, it switches.

I thought I saw a DIY project on RC a couple weeks ago where the guy was using spa timer switches. He obviously did some clever wrangling so that when the switch was "on" it was really "off". I'll see if I can find it, if I do I'll post the link.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1150133
Delphinus i think i was looking at the same one, bookmarked it. Would this be it?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...eadid=1150133&

:)

(I want to try this..)

Haha, sorry, Ol'Nobodaddy, you beat me to it :)

I guess this kind of switch is called a "shutoff timer" not a "spa timer". (If you go on a hunt for one, might be easier to find if we call it the right thing!)

Yeah i've got a lot of bookmarks of potential interesting things reef related. If i could only start working on the tank, instead of just reading about things i could do to it i might have fish in it this year.

Cool Link Thanks Guys. I'm a little concerned about the live pin described as NC when the timer is active. I guess I could insulate it off to avoid arcing.


J

The RC post is what I was thinking. No worries with the NC pins. It won't arc, but it'll get ya if you don't put it in a box.

Cover it in a gob of silicone maybe? That's what I'd do.

a 555 timer project would do the trick if you're up for learning about electronics and have the time to put one together. it would involve a 555 timer and a 120vac relay.

Ya a 555 timer would work but I'm just not comited to the time and effort of learning and then building.
I think I'll try the CT timer that has the built in CD timer. If that is not successful I'll build one like the one on RC.

Thanks all

J

So this Noma timer has a countdown timer where it's off for the duration of the countdown? Ok, I guess that sounds like a no-brainer then .. I thought more or less anything we could buy that wasn't specifically a "feed your livestock timer" would be to have the power ON for the duration of the countdown, and then switch off ... not the other way around.

I want to go look for this timer .. if you find it, can you let me know the model name or something (or snap a quick-n-dirty picture of it so we know what to look for)? I'll try heading over Canadian Tire tonight myself if I can swing it.

I'll try. I'm not likely to go out tonight in search. But some time this week

J