Electricians - Is my Timer System damaged?

Question

I have a DG120 Tork timer system. Here is a schematic of the wiring for it: http://tork.com/pdf48w.htm

I believe i have hooked it up correctly but when i turn on this sytem to set the schedule i notice that it is already providing output to the load (which is an outlet jack area, 2 of them, where i connect my pond pumps to). Its very strange because although the timer system says it is "OFF" i am still getting power to the load. The wiring is in a way that the "NO" has a wire connected to it (see the diagram) but there is no wire to "NC".

And here is where it gets stranger. When i move the wire from "NO" to "NC" i notice i only get output power to one outlet jack area and not to both areas. And it still didn't matter if the timer system was showing "OFF". It still was providing power to the one outlet jack.

My guess is the internal switch is damaged and stuck part way between "NO" and "NC" but mostly at "NO" which would explain why it gives full power to both jacks.

An Electrical Engineer:

Thanks for the response. To be clear my TImer System is wired to represent the left diagram (my unit is the DG 100).

I have no clue about this field so bear with me. From what i see there are 3 colored wires in my box: black (or dark grey), White, and Pink, and some stray wire with no plastic coat at all (which is sitting off to the side -- not attached to any contact). These wires are connected in this way:

1) "H" has the black wire
2) "N" has the white wire
3) "NO" has the pink wire
4) "C" has a jump wire connected it and "H" together

And thats it. Is my wiring correct? It doesn't show on the diagram but the "H" and "N" are the INPUT. The "NO", "C", and "NC" are the OUTPUT.

Answer 1

I'm not sure you have it connected right from that diagram. That is instructions for the timer. You said "when I move THE WIRE from NO to NC..." Just one wire? You have 2 normal 120V receptacles. The one black wire from NO or NC goes to both receptacles (brass screw). The silver screw on both receptacles goes to the white wire from your power source, which also goes to the N connection of the timer. The black wire from the power source goes to the C and H connections. Sorry if this is too basic, but I'd like to know for sure you have it wired correctly. "Stuck part way between NO and NC" doesn't make sense.

Ok, Your colors are maybe faded, but you are talking about a cable that has black, white, red, and bare copper. Your original question said DG120, but it which one you have isn't the critical issue. You said this is what is in your box. Do you mean the box the timer is mounted in? I'm not familiar with that product, but there needs to be a way to cover the connections, and that could be a box (similar to mounting a receptacle). Or did you mean the box for the pool receptacles.

If the box is for the timer, the other end of this cable goes to the box with the pool receptacles? Did you run this cable or did it exist. If it existed, what was in the box before you put the timer in? I could see replacing a switch with a timer, but I don't know why a switch would have that kind of wire going to it (it wouldn't need the white wire). If the colors are faded, I doubt you ran the wire.

How were things connected before you started? If you had a switch I could see it connected to the black and red wires. Or maybe you had a different timer there before than needed the white wire.

The bare wire is a safety ground connection. If there is a green screw on your timer, it should be connected to the bare wire. If there is no green screw or green wire on the timer, I would expect it to be all plastic. Any exposed metal on something should be connected to the ground wire.

Answer 2

Use an Ohm Meter and check for "open" at all combinations. If it is closed, you might have melted the contacts. Check for "conditions", open & close functions.