On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 17:08:35 -0500, micky
wrote:

On Sat, 17 Dec 2011 11:35:35 -0500, wrote:


What powers the motor in it with no neutral available?

It doesn't have a motor in it, but it's powered by allowing a trickle of
current through the circuit when it's in the off position
There are LOTS of 24 hour timer units available that have a little
button battery that operates the timer for a year or two per battery
change that will work anywhere a toggle or rocker switch will work -
including on 2 wire switched return circuits

"Mechanical" timers running a couple years on a battery?
24 hour "mechanical" timers doesn't make any sense either.

No, they exist. I think there are 7-day timers too. In the grey
metal box about the size of a thick bible, with a silver-grey lever
coming out the side for manual on/oiff. Usually hard-wired
And almost exclusively requiring a minimum of 3 wires - one of which
is a neutral.