Haunted timer
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
I added a generator transfer switch today and when I finished up my c8835 timer was running backwards. Did not think it was possible... Series of events:
1. Put inverter that runs the stoker on generator power. Stoker ran fine.
2. Shut off line power and wired in transfer switch. Stoker still running fine on generator
3. Turned power back on and had 4 new transfer circuits running on line power. Inverter is still plugged into generator. Stoker running fine.
4. Disconnected inverter from generator and connected it into line power. Timer started running backwards.
5. Turned power off at stoker waited 30 seconds to power back up. Timer still running backwards.
6. Connected stoker directly to line power, bypassing inverter, timer ran correctly.
7. Turned off inverter, disconnected, then reconnected line power to inverter. Connected stoker back to inverter. timer now runs correctly
Any ideas on what happened? Obviously something happened with the inverter, but I did not think these timers could run backwards... I'll be paranoid for weeks, thinking it will happen again. I guess I better run generator drills a few times this week to see if it happens again.
1. Put inverter that runs the stoker on generator power. Stoker ran fine.
2. Shut off line power and wired in transfer switch. Stoker still running fine on generator
3. Turned power back on and had 4 new transfer circuits running on line power. Inverter is still plugged into generator. Stoker running fine.
4. Disconnected inverter from generator and connected it into line power. Timer started running backwards.
5. Turned power off at stoker waited 30 seconds to power back up. Timer still running backwards.
6. Connected stoker directly to line power, bypassing inverter, timer ran correctly.
7. Turned off inverter, disconnected, then reconnected line power to inverter. Connected stoker back to inverter. timer now runs correctly
Any ideas on what happened? Obviously something happened with the inverter, but I did not think these timers could run backwards... I'll be paranoid for weeks, thinking it will happen again. I guess I better run generator drills a few times this week to see if it happens again.
- WNY
- Member
- Posts: 6307
- Joined: Mon. Nov. 14, 2005 8:40 am
- Location: Cuba, NY
- Hot Air Coal Stoker Stove: Keystoker 90K, Leisure Line Hyfire I
- Coal Size/Type: Rice
- Contact:
others have had it happen. here's one thread.
Check wiring polarity, it shouldn't matter with AC. It could have blipped when you were switching over or check inside the timer, small catch could have flipped causes it to go one way or another. ?
Timer Running Backwards?
Check wiring polarity, it shouldn't matter with AC. It could have blipped when you were switching over or check inside the timer, small catch could have flipped causes it to go one way or another. ?
Timer Running Backwards?
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
Thanks WNY. I actually found that thread a little while ago. Hope mine doesn't die on me like his eventually did... I plan to run a few generator tests this week to see if I can recreate the issue under "normal" generator usage.
- coaledsweat
- Site Moderator
- Posts: 13763
- Joined: Fri. Oct. 27, 2006 2:05 pm
- Location: Guilford, Connecticut
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Axeman Anderson 260M
- Coal Size/Type: Pea
I went through this with my Axeman timer. My recommendation is you heave it. If it runs backwards, there is a mechanism worn or broken that prevents it from doing so and it can't be trusted as I recall. It also tended to stick on. That's when I discovered the morons had disconnected the high temperature saftey.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
Generator has a sine wave as does that inverter, if sine wave is square or modified rather than pure, any motor will struggle from the less than perfect sine waves of square and modified and can be damaged beyond repair.
- McGiever
- Member
- Posts: 10130
- Joined: Sun. May. 02, 2010 11:26 pm
- Location: Junction of PA-OH-WV
- Stoker Coal Boiler: AXEMAN-ANDERSON 130 "1959"
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: BUCKET A DAY water heater
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Warm Morning 414A
- Coal Size/Type: PEA,NUT,STOVE /ANTHRACITE
- Other Heating: Ground Source Heat Pump and some Solar
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
My PSW inverter/charger has one 125 ah battery and will last for about 1.75 hours (of stoker runtime) if you believe the online calculators. The kaa-4 is wired to the inverter/charger. I also have an inverter generator to hook up for any long power outages. It doesn't happen too often here, but I like to be prepared. Had an ice storm years ago and were without power for a week.
The transfer switch is hardwired to the breaker in the electrical panel for the inverter/charger running the kaa-4. I just plug in the generator and throw the manual transfer switch. Inverter/charger will then recharge the battery and kaa-4 gets generator power through inverter/charger.
The transfer switch is hardwired to the breaker in the electrical panel for the inverter/charger running the kaa-4. I just plug in the generator and throw the manual transfer switch. Inverter/charger will then recharge the battery and kaa-4 gets generator power through inverter/charger.
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
Has anyone switched to a percentage timer like the Intermatic ct2000? With the c8835 running backwards that one time, I'm looking for something solid state versus mechanical.
Attachments
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
Thanks Rob... I was looking at a panel mount from the same manufacturer but it did not have as much control over the cycle time. This one looks interesting and very affordable.
- nepacoal
- Member
- Posts: 1696
- Joined: Wed. Nov. 21, 2012 7:49 am
- Location: Coal Country
- Stoker Coal Boiler: Keystoker KAA-4 / "Kelly" and an EFM 520 at my in-laws
- Hand Fed Coal Boiler: Harman SF-260 - retired
- Coal Size/Type: Buck
The thread below details the solid state timer replacing the mechanical Intermatic timer
New Solid State Timer
New Solid State Timer