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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer 1
#21763458 - 06/04/15 09:29 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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When using ultrasonic humidifiers to create optimum conditions in a home-made fruiting chamber, such as a greenhouse, it is important to have a timer that is capable of continuously repeating a cycle that will run the humidifier for a very small percentage of every hour. In order to achieve this, many will spend their hard earned money on an expensive repeat cycle timer that is marketed for such applications. The following TEK will detail how to convert a normal inexpensive 24-hour repeating light timer into a short cycle repeating timer capable of 52 second intervals. The process involves removing the tiny gears inside, discarding one, gluing two others together, and then putting them back in their places.
For this illustration I picked up an Utilitech indoor timer for $4 from Lowes (model #UTTNI2412), however this conversion will work for most similar timers. I chose this model because it was inexpensive, and could be opened with a Phillip’s head screw driver. Many of these types of timers come with peculiar screws or fasteners that require special bits or tools to remove. There are many, many different makes and models of these types of timers but the majority of them have the same motor/gear mechanism on the inside. The rest of the internals vary greatly, but a mildly intuitive person can easily figure out how they function.

The first step in the conversion process is to flip the timer over and remove all the screws so that you can open up the unit.

Make sure you open the unit very carefully and lay it flat before doing so. This is because there are some pieces inside that may come loose once the outer shell is separated. Pay particular attention to the on/off switch, as there will almost certainly be a removable piece associated with it.
 Not only does this piece allow you to activate/bypass the timer, but it also trips the on/off switch for the appliance (when “timer on” is selected). If this piece is not installed correctly, the unit will not function properly. Make sure you take the time to study your particular unit so that you know where everything goes, should any pieces fall out.
Next locate the tiny motor and gear apparatus. This looks the same for most timers of this variety.
 Next pull the motor/gear apparatus free from what is holding it in place. For this model I simply grabbed it with my fingers and wiggled it free.
Next, locate the two clips on the narrow sides of the housing and slide your thumb nail underneath to separate the top from the bottom, exposing the gears.
 The little round magnet may fall out but that’s ok. Simply pull the motor off and replace the magnet.
Now place the gear housing in front of you and make sure you have space to lay out all the gears. Notice how there are four pins holding the gears and magnet in place. I will label these pins A, B, C, and D from left to right (D being the pin with the magnet)

Now pull away each gear and lay them out in a grid system, and label them as if you were playing battleship. The first gear you remove is A1. The second is B2, the third is A3, and so on. This is so you can put all the gears back in the order that they belong and so that you don’t mix them up. Place all the gears in the same orientation that you remove them in.

The next step is to remove one of the pins. Sometimes you can pull them out by hand, these were in there tight and were lubed up pretty good, so I used a pair of pliers to gently pull out pin A (sorry for flipping the housing around in the picture). It doesn’t matter which pin you pull out, I chose A because it was the longest pin in this particular unit, and was therefore the easiest to work with.

Now place the pin into the 2nd gear you pulled off of column B (B4 in this case). Make sure the geared nipple is facing up. You will be gluing B2 onto B4, the pin is simply used to insure proper alignment during the gluing.

Get some plastic epoxy and dispense equal portions of each substance onto a mixing surface. I just bought a tooth brush, so I used the packaging as a mixing container.

Next, get a very thin utensil to stir with. A paper clip works best, I used a piece of incense, which was barely thin enough. Create the bonding reaction by mixing the substances together.

Now retrieve B2 and place it on the pin, on top of B4 with the geared nipple facing up, again in the original orientation. (Im holding the gears upside-down in the pictuce)

Using the paper clip, apply a little bit of epoxy in between the two gears so that they will be bonded together. Try your absolute hardest not to get any epoxy on the pin. As I said earlier, the pin is simply being used as an alignment tool, and will need to be pulled away once the epoxy sets. All you need is a little bit, the epoxy is strong and the gears are small, just make sure that there is enough epoxy to bridge the gap between the two gears.

Now set the two gears down to allow the epoxy to set.

Go make a sandwich, or find something else to do for about 5-10 minutes. You want to be back before the epoxy has fully set incase you got glue on the pin.
 mmmm, pastrami….
I got glue on the pin and waited 10 minutes before checking on my gears, so I needed to gently remove the pin with pliers. Make sure the gears do not become separated and that they remain properly aligned when removing the pin. Also scrape off any glue that may have been accidently applied to the pin.

Wait an additional 10 minutes and the epoxy will have set to the degree necessary to continue. Now place the glued gears at B2 and remove A3. By gluing B2 to B4 and getting rid of A3, you are bypassing a gear and shortening the cycle!

Now replace the pin, all the gears, and the magnet back in their proper positions. Make sure that all the gears are mated properly to one another.

Now for the tricky part. Place the motor back on top of the magnet and snap the top of the housing back onto the bottom. If you can’t get it at first be patient and do not get frustrated. You will get it after a minute. You may need to gently pry on the clips to gain a little more clearance, but be very careful if you do, the plastic is easy to break. Also be mindful that the top of the housing may have slots for some of the pins to go into. Line those up first and it will be much easier to clip them back together. Make sure you didn’t knock any gears loose during the process. Also make sure that the main gear (the white piece that protrudes from the gear box) is properly housed inside the depression of A1. When you spin the main gear you should hear a soft zipping sound. If this piece is not properly housed, the unit will not function properly.

Now place the gear and motor apparatus back into its proper position.
 Nice and snug.
Finally insure that all the loose pieces are in their correct positions before closing the unit back up. You will have to line up the main gear from the gearbox, as well as some other pieces, to go into the timer dial. Notice the pin on the toggle switch piece that needs to be lined up into a slot on the top of the timer. You must make sure that all of these pieces are correctly positioned to ensure functionality of the unit.

Lightly torque the screws down to close the unit back up. Spin the dial and listen for the zipping sound and make sure that it feels like it did before you opened it up. If everything seems in order then test it out.
Each gray pin that used to represent a 30 minute duration, now represents about 52 seconds. The entire cycle lasts just under 42 minutes and will repeat continuously. How easy was that? Now you can be a lot more precise when tuning your greenhouse and have saved enough money to buy a pressure cooker! Ballin on a budget, Shroomery style!
-amp244
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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SpaceWaste
Meatpopsicle



Registered: 04/03/15
Posts: 25
Last seen: 5 years, 1 month
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: amp244]
#21763584 - 06/04/15 09:55 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: SpaceWaste]
#21763768 - 06/04/15 10:34 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Oh damn, I just saw the similar threads and someone already did this tek. Now I feel stupid. Oh well all he did was post a link. At least I did a nice write up for it.
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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insanemike

Registered: 02/23/14
Posts: 4,272
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: SpaceWaste]
#21763815 - 06/04/15 10:47 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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You are a godsend, amp244. I have resorted to having my humidifier set to 30 minute on/off cycles at full blast and than 2 shotgun style trays on the bottom shelf to keep humidity up while on the off cycle. I've been able to maintan 92% humidty without completely saturating everything on the lower shelves. I will definitely be giving this a go.
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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: insanemike]
#21767691 - 06/05/15 09:13 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Cool man, Let me know how it goes!
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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livelogikal
Stranger
Registered: 06/06/15
Posts: 21
Last seen: 1 month, 27 days
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: amp244]
#21774910 - 06/07/15 04:21 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Fucking nice man!! I actually invested in a cycle timer along time ago for a different application. I actually dont need another, but need a project to occupy my time while Im off work due to an injury! So here's the beginning. I start now! Thank you!

Well these intermatic timers are a bitch. No screws on the back plate. They have those damn plastic squeeze clips. I chose to just cut them off.
 Secondly there was a star screw under the timing face gear. As seen here.

Can't find my needle nose pliers so will improvise a way to remove gears from casing. Shouldn't be much effort. Photos will allow me to reinsert correctly.
Edited by livelogikal (06/07/15 05:27 PM)
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livelogikal
Stranger
Registered: 06/06/15
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Last seen: 1 month, 27 days
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: livelogikal]
#21775196 - 06/07/15 05:31 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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I will improvise from here on out. Seeing your TEK is not compatible with my timer. Your thoughts on this brand would be appreciated bro!
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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: livelogikal]
#21776103 - 06/07/15 09:10 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yea those gears are definitely different, but you may still be able to shorten the cycle by doing the same thing I did. If you remove the gear that is right below the "main" gear(the one that protrudes from the gear box) and glue the two that are affected by it, you will be shortening the cycle. Not sure how much shorter it will be because I haven't done it with that type of gear box, but you could always give it a go and let us know! Good luck.
And yea those fucking fasteners piss me off so much. Idk why they have such a problem with people getting into their $5 timers. It's not like anyone would send one in for maintenance, they don't cost much.
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: amp244]
#21776165 - 06/07/15 09:22 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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And when I say the gear right below the "main" gear, I mean the one that is in the same column as that one but below it. The two to the left of that are the ones to glue.
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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Machiavelliavore
Vermiculite Hater



Registered: 12/08/14
Posts: 3,038
Loc: The Sporetorn States
Last seen: 3 months, 18 days
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: amp244]
#21848697 - 06/24/15 01:18 AM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Hey, Thanks so much for this method. Just did it today and came up with an easier way to do the same thing, at least on some timers (Intermatic.)
 I've labled the gear pieces A, B, and C. Each piece contains two gears. Call the big ones A, B, C, and the little ones a, b, c. A/a is the first gear in the stack, the one that connects to the motor.
The procedure is simple. Snip around (B) with a pair of sharp cutters until it does not contact (a). You may need to plug it in briefly to rotate the gear before most of it is removed. A dremel could also probably be used to grind this down as an alternative.

Then, epoxy (a) to (C) with a needle or thin paper clip. Try to avoid getting epoxy onto the gears other than (a) which is inevitable. If you do hit one, (A) is far preferable to (C), since (A) can be snipped off the same way (B) was if it can't be cleaned. Clean any epoxy that gets onto (C) as best you can (using a clean toothpick or piece of cardstock.)
Rotate (A) and (C) together with a thumbnail while the epoxy is setting to try and make sure it doesn't bond to the pin (5mins.) Do it again after the epoxy sets (~25mins) until it smooths out. Plug in the timer and observe the gear action to make sure it's moving correctly. If not you prolly got too much epoxy in the shaft and can use OP's method to remove it and glue more cleanly. I did two and didn't have this issue.
P.S. Anyone with an Intermatic timer, simply drill out the four studs in the back and pop the little thing that says intermatic off the front with a screwdriver and remove the dial.
--------------------
I spawned some popcorn casings and had double-overlay cause I didn't put enough hydrogen peroxide in my automated aquarium mister. I only got one mushroom so I cut off the head part where the seeds fall from and put it in a jar of LC and sprayed it all over a tin of PF cakes I made with gravel, cardboard, and bisquick in my microwave. I think it will be good cause B+ is so potent. Triggered yet? Only a square would say "a cube is a cube."
No, this does not look right...
Edited by Machiavelliavore (06/24/15 01:27 AM)
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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: Machiavelliavore]
#21850779 - 06/24/15 02:39 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Nice shit man. Yea so you are bypassing that one gear just the same, only this way you don't need to take out any gears and risk mixing them up. Instead of physically removing B, you mutilate it lol, nice.
And yea I hate those intermatic fasteners. Such a pain. Nice technique using the drill.
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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Green Bastard
Stranger

Registered: 02/26/14
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Loc: Canada
Last seen: 3 years, 8 months
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: amp244]
#21850802 - 06/24/15 02:43 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Phuckin' excellent!!
Wish I'd seen this years ago....
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Juiceh
Dabbing All Day



Registered: 09/25/12
Posts: 3,208
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: amp244]
#21851005 - 06/24/15 03:20 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Quote:
amp244 said: Oh damn, I just saw the similar threads and someone already did this tek. Now I feel stupid. Oh well all he did was post a link. At least I did a nice write up for it.
I saw the post date of the OP and thought to myself, "I modified my timer months ago didn't I already see this?" Super easy to mod these times. I got 2 more I need to mod that I have been putting off. I should do that this weekend.
Edited by Juiceh (06/24/15 07:36 PM)
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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: Juiceh]
#21851434 - 06/24/15 04:54 PM (8 years, 7 months ago) |
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Yea, we should try to see how many different types we can get to work. As long as you can get inside of the timer and expose the gears you just need to bypass the second to last gear and viola!
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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Vetro
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: amp244]
#23303330 - 06/03/16 12:30 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Thank you for this awesome write up, worked like a charm! I did have one serious problem with it though and I found a simple solution so I wanted to share...Using the above numbering system the gear you remove, A3, in addition to its gearing action also functions as a spacer on its shaft, without it the piece that seats into A1 has a tendency to come unseated which kills the timer switch function. Rather than removing this gear(A3) I simply filed its outside teeth off with a dremmel as well as the outer teeth of the upper of the two discs you glue together(B2) and left it in place. Works great and much more sturdy now! Thanks again!
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amp244
Sporocarp Stretching


Registered: 08/05/08
Posts: 1,336
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Re: Converting a normal 24-hour light timer into a short cycle repeating timer [Re: Vetro]
#23303555 - 06/03/16 02:00 PM (7 years, 7 months ago) |
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Nice addition! It is true that each individual timer has subtle differences in the gearbox. It may be more advantageous to file A3 down rather than removing it.
-------------------- How to Convert a Normal 24-hour Light Timer into a Short Cycle Repeating Timer "Monopoly, besides, is a great enemy to good management, which can never be universally established but in consequence of that free and universal competition which forces everybody to have recourse in it for the sake of self-defense." -Adam Smith
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