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  • TC
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    [split] [link=http://coffeesnobs.com.au/YaBB.pl?num=1254702685/0#0][splithere][/link][splithere_end]

    Leave a comment:


  • tasadam
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Originally posted by argon link=1211203775/0#8 date=1211239751
    make sure the steam valve is shut properly and all switches in the right place
    Good advice.

    Originally posted by Andy Freeman link=1211203775/0#5 date=1211205195
    **shudder**
    Make sure you have a working smoke alarm nearby fellas.
    Please be extra paranoid about unattended, hot and wet electrical items.
    Then theres the argument that "my" machine has been designed to be left on all day...
    Never hurts to be cautious, tho.

    I use a timer - I have a VBM Domobar, and checked first, with Chris from Talk Coffee where I got the machine from.
    The machine has 2 switch settings - one for pump only and one for pump + heating element.
    So long as there is water in the boiler before the heating element turns on, no problem.
    But that doesnt answer, why is it that the pump turns on for 20 seconds or so when the timer kicks in (at 5:30 AM).
    Shouldnt the boiler already have water in it if all that has happened to it is it was turned off (by the timer) at 10:30 PM the night before?
    If so, whats the pump doing turning on like that for 20 seconds or so? And if it is because the boiler is actually draining overnight for some strange reason, perhaps I shouldnt be using the timer.
    Any thoughts?

    My timer is digital and so a touch of a button or two and I can change the turn on (or off) time, or put the thing off if we decide we dont want a hot drink for the rest of the day.

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  • raphec
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    My Classic is on a timer switch i got at Ikea. Turns on every morning about 20 minutes before i wake up. Turns off approximately 15 minutes after I leave for work.

    This way if i accidentally forget to turn it off, it turns itself off.

    Been working very well for me so far.

    I do have safety switches installed as well.

    Leave a comment:


  • Martial_Monkey
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Originally posted by Andy Freeman link=1211203775/0#5 date=1211205195
    Switches 45mins before I wake and then on again 30 mins before I get home from work.
    **shudder**
    Make sure you have a working smoke alarm nearby fellas.

    Please be extra paranoid about unattended, hot and wet electrical items.
    In order to protect the silvia we also put a surge protector - not that it is the most sensitive piece of equipment in the house (good idea for the 6910 with its circuit board and all) - with an inbuilt earth leakage switch in addition to the one for the house. We are paranoid for all our equipment as we are renting an old house with fairly dodgy electricals.

    Have been greatful for it once already as when I was last descaling I spilled water on the machine causing the earth leakage on the machine to trip ( I was touching the machine at the time).

    Leave a comment:


  • Viviane
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Originally posted by PIDKits link=1211203775/0#12 date=1211252868
    A  frightening number of "I need to replace the boiler [or pump] on my Silvia" stories begin with "I had my Silvia on a timer, but I accidentally left ...."

    Proceed with caution.

    Jim
    Jim, I hear what you are saying, and what Andy had to say earlier. I would have thought, however, that there would be at least an equal number of people who could say "If Id had my machine on a timer, it wouldnt have been left to leak all night, Id have picked up the leaking wand when I woke up / got home from work after it had only leaked for 1/2 hour....."

    If you are someone who uses your machine frequently throughout the day, then turning her off and on and waiting for her to warm up every time you want coffee isnt an option. In this case a timer to make sure the machine is off overnight and while youre out of the house seems to be good sense to me.

    Leave a comment:


  • jggall01
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    A frightening number of "I need to replace the boiler [or pump] on my Silvia" stories begin with "I had my Silvia on a timer, but I accidentally left ...."

    Proceed with caution.

    Jim

    Leave a comment:


  • rong
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    I use a programmable switch from DSE. It is programmed for morning and afternoon with different start times at the weekend (later times at w/e ). I would always advise additional precautions such as RCDs etc and avoid cheap and nasty crap. Mine has been in use for around 3 years without problem (so far).

    Ron

    Leave a comment:


  • yeeza
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Originally posted by argon link=1211203775/0#8 date=1211239751
    Me too - I use a slim HPM unit, works well - Point of Caution, make sure the steam valve is shut properly and all switches in the right place
    Haha, yea hI learnt that one early on. After leaving the steam knob open to bleed the boiler on shut-down, I forgot to do it back up again only to wake in the morning to hissssssss. I havent done it since.

    Leave a comment:


  • yeeza
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Originally posted by Andy Freeman link=1211203775/0#5 date=1211205195
    Switches 45mins before I wake and then on again 30 mins before I get home from work.
    **shudder**
    Make sure you have a working smoke alarm nearby fellas.

    Please be extra paranoid about unattended, hot and wet electrical items.
    I also have it on its own designated residual current device so Ive got that part covered. And yeah the smokie is around the corner. You do those things as a sparky. Thanks for your concern though Andy and good advice

    Leave a comment:


  • argon
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Me too - I use a slim HPM unit, works well - Point of Caution, make sure the steam valve is shut properly and all switches in the right place

    Leave a comment:


  • coffeebreath
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Yep - Ive been using one on my La Pavoni commercial machine for yonx.
    This thing costs a second mortgage in power bills if Im not careful.
    I set the timer to come on at times I know Im gonna be at home and want a coffee...
    works well!
    Cheers, Anthony

    Leave a comment:


  • fatboy_1999
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    Well, my on/off switch on the Expobar actually died.
    It basically crumbled away like the plastic holding some of it together just perished.

    I too use a timer (7 day programmable from www.dailydeals.etc), so the switch is rarely in the off position.

    I dont know if it was the always on syndrome or the fact that the switch was dodgy, but I had to replace it.

    It was all of $2.75 to replace, but finding a shop that had the damn thing was the challenge.

    I went to Middys but no luck, they sent me to another electrical wholesaler, they had none, they sent me to an audio specialist who had buckets of them. I bought 2 just in case it happens again. Not exactly the same as the original (slightly different terminals - 6 rather than 4, and no markings on the switch - but they did have some with ON/OFF), but the same size, same colour and does the same job. Took 5 minutes to replace.

    I now toggle my switch off and on when I do my weekly chemical backflush.

    Leave a comment:


  • andy
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches


    Switches 45mins before I wake and then on again 30 mins before I get home from work.
    **shudder**
    Make sure you have a working smoke alarm nearby fellas.

    Please be extra paranoid about unattended, hot and wet electrical items.

    Leave a comment:


  • anthonyd
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    I got a digital one from bunnings - works a treat - for most of the higher end machines I have seen switching it on/off at the wall will make no difference then switching it on/off at the machines switch.

    Leave a comment:


  • yeeza
    replied
    Re: Automatic timer switches

    TG, damaged how? as in cracking or crackling, or bad connection(high resistance from corrosion). I read somewhere someone used a timer switch on an Expobar for so long and never actually used the actual switch that maybe some condensation mucked around with the terminals cos it never got used. Wasnt substantiated though. Could have just been a dodgey switch.

    Leave a comment:

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