20 Most Recent Intermatic WH40 - Water Heater Time Switch - NEMA 1 Indoor Steel Case - DPS Questions & Answers

If you have a meter carefully check power to timer. If there and there is no power out of timer replace it.

Try mounting on rubber standoffs. The mechanical timers are noisy and when mounted on a wall that amplifies the noisy.

As a test, un bolt it from the wall and see if noise is acceptable. If so, find a cushioned mount.

The timer is a 24 hour type, designed specifically for use with electric water heaters.The simplest way to keep the water heater on 24 hours a day is to remove the "trippers". The "trippers" are the movable black and silver metal clips that are held on the edge of the time dial with thumbscrews. Unscrew the thumbscrew on all the trippers and remove the tripper for the time dial.

Just below the time dial, you'll find the manual switch lever. On some models, it pokes through an opening on in the door / front cover - on others it can only be operated by opening the door. Move this manual switch lever to your choice of on or off position. The switch will not longer be operated automatically - and will stay in the position you have chosen until you or someone else changes it.

Please rate this reply - good luck!

Which delay timer do you have? 9 pin, 11 pin, etc?What voltage are you using?What is amp rating on timer?Copy following links for general and specific wiring diagrams:http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-pin-timers.htmlhttp://waterheatertimer.org/images/10-pin-wiring2-1000.jpghttp://waterheatertimer.org/images/ON-delay-timer-diagram-900.jpgAdd a comment.Genehh If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

1) Copy following links:http://waterheatertimer.org/images/WH-Off-pin-clip-washer-600.jpghttp://waterheatertimer.org/images/WH-lever-001-400.jpghttp://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-Intermatic-timer.html2) Examining the WH40 in my office, there is a clip washer that holds override lever in place against timer body.This might be considered V-shaped spring.Buy at local hardware store3) Add comment and say what you discover, and attach photo If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

You posted 2 questions.
Add a comment to clarify problem
One question says black wire is sparking is inside water heater, and this question says black wire is sparking inside the panel and is posted under WH40 water heater timer.

If wire is sparking, then it is not attached firmly, or wire is not attached correctly, or there may be too many amps drawn across the terminal.
WH40 has 40 amp terminals and will handle all residential water heaters.

Open following links for instruction how to avoid sparking, and avoid fires inside timer:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-Intermatic-timer.html#fire
Open following link to see how to apply wire nut:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-twist-electric-wire.html

Probably some dirt fell on the gears inside timer.
Turn off power and spray WD40 on gears.
Or blow out timer with air.

Open following link for photos, illustrations and resources.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-Intermatic-timer.html#clock

Take a moment and rate answer:
And take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on timer or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

Sounds like pump issue or loose wire and not the timer.
Check wiring at pump. Read pump manual. The pump may have overheat cycle that trips off and then comes back on to protect pump without requiring owner to press reset button each time.

If timer turns OFF, then the manual override lever moves to the off position, and when timer turns ON again, the override lever moves to the on position. If override lever is moving without a tripper, then I would like to know more about that. Add a comment with photo posted on Flickr.

Same with the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker switch does not trip and reset once a day.

A loose wire could cause occasional connect-reconnect.
Check terminals inside timer for signs of high heat and burning. Check that insulated part of wire is not under the screw-down-plate.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-troubleshoot-Intermatic-timer.html#plate

Check circuit breaker for signs of burning and smell of electrical burning and sound of shorting on the busbar.

Upvote the help.
And take advantage of fixya expert assistance live.
For a price, expert works with you while you work on timer or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

If I understand correctly, you have the WH40 water heater timer.

If timer dial will not rotate, then use manual override to turn on circuit to water heater.
If manual override will not move back and forth, the tripper pin might be wedged against the lever.
Lift and rotate dial out of way.
If manual override does not click back-and-forth, then timer is probably bad.
If manual override clicks, but water heater does not turn on, then check electricity.

If you need more help, post a comment and I will respond

Do you still ahve the pins? If so, and thhey are the thumb-screw type, simply loosen the thumbscrew enough to allow the activationg portion of the pin to slide behind the disc and the pointer portion in the front. Then tighten the screws when you have them in the locations you want. Be sure to differentiate between the "ON" and "OFF" pins when you are setting the times.
http://www.retrevo.com/support/Intermatic-WH40-manual/id/22966bh233/t/2/
Download your instruction manual in PDF here:

If this is new installation, you have Load wires and Breaker wires reversed.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-WH40.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/WH40-water-heater-circuit-5.jpg


Hot wires from breaker connect to terminals 1 and 3 ... notice also there are small white wires connected to terminals 1 and 3.
Small white wires go to 240Volt clock motor located on back of mechanism, so these terminals have to be Hot all the time so clock motor is ON all the time >> thus hot wires from breaker connect to same terminals that have small white wires.

Load wires to water heater connect to terminals 2 and 4

Reverse your wires and things should work fine.

If you have Intermatic timer, then clock motors are available for most hard-wire box-type timers. Most pool and spa timer modules are available or have same/similar replacements. If you have plug-in timer, including power pack or portable outdoor timer or indoor plug-in or in-wall timer, then no clock motors are available.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Intermatic-trippers-and-parts.html

If you have Tork timer, then clock motor is available for 1100 series.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Tork-timers-and-manuals.html
If you have Paragon timer, clock motors will be hard to find
http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html
If you have other brands of timer, then clock motors are not available except Deihl, DIGI and Grasslin timer modules, but post brand and model number of timer so I can search my files.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Woods-timers-and-manuals.html

Nema 1 means indoor-only enclosure or box.
For example Nema 3R is raintight for indoor-outdoor box, which is typical for outdoor swimming pool timers.

If you have water heater timer, open following page for common timers with images, manuals and wiring for each.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Boxtype.html

The WH 40 is a double throw switch, meaning that it will switch two contacts simultaneously. If you are switching the pool pumps with this WH 40 they will all switch at the same time without the desired delay. (You do not mention how the pumps are switched).
To connect the timer for the elements, a live and a neutral are needed to run the clock.
A live is connected to the two switched 'in' terminals and two wires must then be run to each of the coils on each of the two relays.. A separate live must go to each pole of each relay, the switched live then goes through the thermostats and to the elements.
A neutral must also go straight to the neutral side of each relay coil and to each element, unless you are using double pole relays, in which case you can switch both the neutral and the live wires going to the relays (this is the preferred circuit). Then each switched live will go to a thermostat and the switched neutral will go the other terminal of the heater element. The elements you are using are very heavy and your relays will have to be able to handle around 120 amps at 110 volts or about 60 amps at 220 volts. At 220 volts your 40 amp contactors will only handle 8.8 kw with no safety margin.
If you want a safety feature to time the pumps and elements separately, you will either need two timers or perhaps a pressure switch or flow switch to isolate the heaters when the pump pressure or flow falls.
Come back to me if this layout does not agree with what you have in mind or I have not made any point clear enough.

You probably could but my question would be "why?" Water heater timers are made to turn power off to waterheaters during the times that we dont need hot water, like in the middle of the night or while you are at work. This keeps the hot water heater from working during those times and wasting energy (gas or electric). Tankless water heaters already have this builtin because they only work when you actuallty turn on the hot water. If the hot water faucet is not turned on, the tankless heater never comes on. It does not use a bit of energy until the hot water is actually turned on. So it will not be using energy during the night or while you are at work. So there really is no reason to do what you are thinking about unless you have another reason that I cant think of. Tankless heaters are great and this is why they save 60% of energy of conventional tank heaters.