On Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:15:29 -0500, RBM wrote:

On 3/1/2012 6:04 PM, Doug wrote:
On Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:10:58 -0500, wrote:

On 3/1/2012 1:16 PM, bud-- wrote:
On 3/1/2012 10:29 AM, Doug wrote:
On Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:46:25 -0600,
wrote:

On 3/1/2012 7:28 AM, Doug wrote:
The timer I wired in (successfully I might add) says in the sales
sheet it doesn't require a neutral wire. What is the advantage of
this? Still trying to learn wiring

Congratulations!
Did you get it working with the timer at the light-end (not hot feed
end)?



No Bud, I had to wire it at the hot feed end per instructions. I
tried almost a whole day everything I could think of, getting
frustrated trying the leg end until I read on a site (not in the
instructions by the way) that it had to be wired from the hot feed
end. As soon as I switched it to the feed end, it worked.

Some timers used the ground wire in place of the neutral. If the current
is within the allowed "leakage" current it can (or at least could) pass
UL. It is possible that is what Leviton is doing (so it needs to be at
the power end). (Doesn't seem likely since there is a battery.) It is
one reason the code now generally wants neutrals at switch locations.

Funny
thing is I haven't programmed it yet, just working it in manual mode
right now. It is kinda funky tho on a 3 way switch because the timer
controls the 3 way circuit (well at least in manual mode) so if you
try to control at the other end, it won't work. As long as the timer
is turned on, the other switch works fine. To me, that's not a true 3
way circuit but what do I knowgrin. I think it really would be
better on a single pole switch which is what I plan to do with the
other timer I have.

I would expect that if the timer is turning the light on maybe both
switches wouldn't work. If timer is not turning the light on both
switches should work. Does not sound like that is what is happening.

Some of these timers use a voltage robbing circuit to power them, which
is a pia because they shut down when the bulb that they're controlling
blows, and have to be reprogrammed.
Strangely, the diagram for the 3 way wiring showed the timer being
located at the feed end of the circuit, but when wiring it as a single
pole, it doesn't matter which of the two wires you connect to are hot. I
haven't installed this particular model, but when I've done other
Intermatic models, it hasn't mattered which side the thing went on.
(lol) None of them work very well, for very long, anyway.


That doesn't sound good. Gee I hope it lasts a while after all the
time it took me to get it right.

Well, from my experience with Intermatic electronic timers, most
failures occur right at the time of installation, at such a high rate
that I always carried two on my truck. If you're in an area subject to
voltage spikes from lightning, they're toast. Other than spikes and
DOA's , I've seen them last for many years and work just fine. One
caveat, they don't work well on 3 way systems where the switches are
pretty far apart, like front door and garage. These days, unless the
customer specifically requests and electronic in wall time switch, I use
the Tork in wall mechanical timer. They have to be installed in a single
gang switch box, by themselves, and they require a neutral, but they are
indestructible.


I live in an area that doesn't get too many spikes but I've gotten
some over the last 10 years or so. I haven't programed it yet but it
works in manual mode so I presume that means not DOA. I guess time
will tell. Thanks for the info...