My central heating timer is one of the old mechanical types where a
disc slowly rotates with time, and the central heating is switched on
and off by plastic knobs attached to the disc.

The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last.

The timer is plugged into a wall socket. Would it be OK to buy a
timer plug from Argos, set the times on that, and plug the broken
timer into it? that way I could leave the old mechanical timer to
"always on" and use the digital plug-in timer to control the heating
by switching the power to the old timer on and off.

Are there any safety issues with this?

I am assuming that my boiler has a seperate power supply to the timer.
Is this always the case?

On 5 Dec 2003 12:38:22 -0800, (anon) wrote:

My central heating timer is one of the old mechanical types where a
disc slowly rotates with time, and the central heating is switched on
and off by plastic knobs attached to the disc.

The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last.

The timer is plugged into a wall socket. Would it be OK to buy a
timer plug from Argos, set the times on that, and plug the broken
timer into it? that way I could leave the old mechanical timer to
"always on" and use the digital plug-in timer to control the heating
by switching the power to the old timer on and off.

Are there any safety issues with this?

Probably not unless the thing falls apart..

However, it is a simple and inexpensive job to put in a nice new
proper timer so that would be a far better option.


I am assuming that my boiler has a seperate power supply to the timer.
Is this always the case?

It really depends on how the system is wired. If the timer is
plugged into a wall socket then the boiler should be getting its
supply from that as well, otherwise the setup isn't safe anyway.....

It would be a good idea whatever you do, to look at and sketch out how
everything is wired. If you need help with that, post back again.






..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

In message , anon
writes
My central heating timer is one of the old mechanical types where a
disc slowly rotates with time, and the central heating is switched on
and off by plastic knobs attached to the disc.

The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last.

The timer is plugged into a wall socket. Would it be OK to buy a
timer plug from Argos, set the times on that, and plug the broken
timer into it? that way I could leave the old mechanical timer to
"always on" and use the digital plug-in timer to control the heating
by switching the power to the old timer on and off.

Are there any safety issues with this?

I am assuming that my boiler has a seperate power supply to the timer.
Is this always the case?

I presume you are talking about a Randall 102 or 103

Better to buy the electronic equivalent e.g. Randall 105E, no need to
rewire anything and it
--
geoff

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , anon
writes
My central heating timer is one of the old mechanical types where a
disc slowly rotates with time, and the central heating is switched on
and off by plastic knobs attached to the disc.

The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last.

The timer is plugged into a wall socket. Would it be OK to buy a
timer plug from Argos, set the times on that, and plug the broken
timer into it? that way I could leave the old mechanical timer to
"always on" and use the digital plug-in timer to control the heating
by switching the power to the old timer on and off.

Are there any safety issues with this?

I am assuming that my boiler has a seperate power supply to the timer.
Is this always the case?

I presume you are talking about a Randall 102 or 103

Better to buy the electronic equivalent e.g. Randall 105E, no need to
rewire anything and it

Too true Maxie, also the ubiquitous Landis & Gyr mechanical version has a
direct replacement digital model.


---
--

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I presume you are talking about a Randall 102 or 103

Better to buy the electronic equivalent e.g. Randall 105E, no need to
rewire anything and it

Too true Maxie, also the ubiquitous Landis & Gyr mechanical version has a
direct replacement digital model.



For those of us with a bit of relevant experience,

"The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last."

gives it away as being a 102 or a 103. The direct backplate compatible
replacement is the 103E or the 105E

To replace it with any other make would involve replacing the backplate
and rewiring it

listen and learn



--
geoff

"geoff" wrote in message
...

"The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last."

gives it away as being a 102 or a 103. The direct backplate compatible
replacement is the 103E or the 105E

To replace it with any other make would involve replacing the backplate
and rewiring it

We had an old Randall with the same symptoms, and bought a Drayton Tempus
Seven from B&Q, for about 40 quid.
It comes with a replacement backplate and a simple wiring diagram, and was
pretty easy to fit. It works a treat.

In message , Steve
writes

"geoff" wrote in message
...

"The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last."

gives it away as being a 102 or a 103. The direct backplate compatible
replacement is the 103E or the 105E

To replace it with any other make would involve replacing the backplate
and rewiring it

We had an old Randall with the same symptoms, and bought a Drayton Tempus
Seven from B&Q, for about 40 quid.
It comes with a replacement backplate and a simple wiring diagram, and was
pretty easy to fit. It works a treat.


A 105E will do the same without a rewire
--
geoff

Their not getting it are they! Yup, I had the 103 and direct replacement
with the 105E - what a difference - changed and programmed in two minutes
:-))

--
Regards

SantaUK
Mail me at:
arjf (ng) zzvyyne (qbg) pb (qbg) hx === ROT13
Use http://andrewu.co.uk/tools/rot13/ to convert to readable format

"geoff" wrote in message
...
In message , Steve
writes

"geoff" wrote in message
...

"The problem is that it's very old and the plastic knobs just get
pushed around the dial so the heating wither stays on, or stays off
depending on which knob actually managed to switch it last."

gives it away as being a 102 or a 103. The direct backplate compatible
replacement is the 103E or the 105E

To replace it with any other make would involve replacing the backplate
and rewiring it

We had an old Randall with the same symptoms, and bought a Drayton Tempus
Seven from B&Q, for about 40 quid.
It comes with a replacement backplate and a simple wiring diagram, and
was
pretty easy to fit. It works a treat.


A 105E will do the same without a rewire
--
geoff

In message , SantaUK
writes
Their not getting it are they! Yup, I had the 103 and direct replacement
with the 105E - what a difference - changed and programmed in two minutes
:-))

One can only try
--
geoff