On a Paragon 8145-20 Defrost Timer, I know you land the refrigeration circuit on terminal 4, the heater on terminal 3, but what goes on terminal "X" and terminal "N"

http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html#8145
If dial is rotating and keeping good time each day, then Trippers might be bad?
Test across terminals 1 and N for 240Volt... if you are not getting 240V, the flip breaker fully off and then fully on. Test for 240V again.
Temporarily disconnect wire on terminal 4, and then temporarily move wire on Terminal 3 to Terminal 1 and see if your defrost heater is working. Heater might be bad.
Disconnect wire on terminal X and see if timer resets.
Buy new timer

Gene

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1) Copy following links for defrost timer resources, explanation, manual, general description and illustrations:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html#defrost
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/8145-20-wiring-600.jpg

2) Generally:
Power wires connect to terminals 1 and N.

Heater turns ON during defrost cycle, so heater connects to NO terminal 3, and to terminal N

Refrigeration fan motor is OFF during defrost cycle, and ON during refrigeration cycle, so it connects to terminal 4, and to terminal N.

Limit switch, which is the pressure or temperature sensor, connects to to terminal X and to terminal N. When defrost cycle pressure or temperature reaches set point, the limit switch activates, and this causes 8145 timer to reset, and then defrost cycle ends.

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Assuming you have Paragon 4001 40 amp 120Volt timer
By-pass the timer so only pool pump is connected to breaker.
To do this, move wire from terminal 2 and connect to terminal 1.
If breaker no longer trips, then replace timer with Intermatic T101
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-T104-Intermatic-timer.html#T101
Crossover wiring: Paragon terminal 1 goes to Intermatic terminal 1.
Paragon terminal 2 to Intermatic terminal 2.
Paragon terminal 3 to Intermatic terminal A
If breaker keeps tripping after bypassing timer, then tighten wires on circuit breaker and test again.
If breaker keeps tripping, then move wires to another same-size breaker.
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-replace-circuit-breaker.html
Breakers trip when they sense overheating.
If motor is causing problem, you might need electrician to track down source of overheating.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

8145-20 is 240Volt defrost timer:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html#8045

You are testing the 8145-20 timer.
The timer dial should rotate continuously. Trippers on dial rotate around. When they reach the trip switch, the timer starts the defrost cycle.
Terminal 3 has power during defrost cycle.
Terminal 4 has no power during defrost cycle.
With 240Volt timer, terminals 1 and 2 and N and X test for live power to ground at all times.

The limit switch is connected to terminal X and to terminal N.
During the defrost cycle, the limit switch measures the pressure or temperature.
When pressure or temperature reaches the set point, the limit switch closes the circuit and this trips the solenoid inside timer. The solenoid turns off the timer relay, and the defrost cycle ends.
At this point the timer turns off the defrost, and sends power to the refrigeration.
Terminal 3 has no power during refrigeration cycle. (The opposite of defrost cycle).
Terminal 4 has power during refrigeration cycle.
Test these terminals for power to ground. One or the other should have power at all times, but not both.

If timer will not enter defrost cycle, make sure the X-3596 trippers are not worn down.
Disconnect the wire to terminal X and see if defrost cycle will start.
Test terminals 3 and 4 again and see if removing wire from X caused a change.

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Open following links for 8145-20 wiring diagram and resources:
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/8145-20-wiring-350.jpg
http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html#defrost

8145-20 is 240Volt defrost timer.
Heat strip and compressor should not activate at same time.
As a general rule heater connects to NO terminal 3 and compressor connects to NC terminal 4
NC terminal 3 compressor is on all the time until defrost cycle begins.
NO terminal 4 heat turns on when defrost cycle begins, and at same time NC terminal 3 compressor turns off.
At then end of the defrost cycle, NO terminal heat turns off and NC terminal 3 compressor turns on again.

You posted under Paragon 4001-00 120Volt SPST timer

1) If timer is not keeping correct time, generally you need to buy new clock motor.
However Paragon is no longer making timers and parts, except for defrost timers.
4001-00 is not defrost timer.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html#Paragon4000

2) You probably need to replace timer
Intermatic cross reference shows T101 timer is correct replacement.
http://www.intermatic.com/customer%20service/competitive%20cross%20reference.aspx

3) Amazon sells T101 for $43.
This price is a lot lower than trying to find somebody who has specific Paragon clock motor
http://www.amazon.com/Intermatic-T101-Hour-Dial-Timer/dp/B00002N5FN

4) Grainger and many other places sell T100 series replacement trippers and motors.
No worry about defunct product

5) Wiring for T101 appears below:
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-T104-Intermatic-timer.html#T101

Cross-over wiring is as follows:
Paragon terminal 1 goes to T101 terminal 1
Paragon terminal 2 goes to T101 terminal 2
Paragon terminal 3 goes to T101 terminal A

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See defrost timers and wiring diagrams and manuals
http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html#defrost

You posted under 8145-20

8145-20 is time initiated, temperature or pressure terminated.
Defrost timer training pdf

The 8145-20 timer:
Power leads connect to terminals 1 and N.
For 120Volt circuit: L is black hot wire to terminal 1, N is white neutral wire to terminal N
For 240Volt circuit: L1 and L2 are the hot leads from 240V breaker


'NO' means normally open, so terminal 3 turns ON only when timer turns on (that is 'time initiated')
So the hot gas valve for defrosting is connected to terminal 3 and turns ON when timer turns ON.
The other wire from hot gas valve connects to terminal N where it completes the circuit

'NC' means normally closed, so terminal 4 is ON at all times EXCEPT when timer turns ON.
That means fan is ON all the time, except when time initiated sequence begins, and then fan turns OFF while hot gas valve is defrosting unit.
The other wire from fan connects to terminal N where it completes the circuit

The cycle limit switch is connected to terminal X.
This is the switch that terminates the defrost sequence and turns timer OFF
Other wire from cycle limit switch connects to terminal N where it completes the circuit

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I do not recognize this number, so if you give the make and model number of the freezer or refrigerator you have.


Time clocks I have used are Paragon 8145-00 for 120 Volts or Precision 6145-0

With terminals 1-2 Power, 3- (Normally Open) Defrost Heater, 4 Control (thermostat or low pressure) Normally Closed, N- Neutral X- Termination Solenoid.

In defrost N-3 power for heaters as NO switch is now closed and N-4 NC switch is now opened.
You have a bad NC switch in the time clock, that is why you get 120V 3-Ground.
Remember electricity travels the path of least resistance.See the following

http://www.defrostimer.com/wiring.html

See wiring diagrams and manuals at following link:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-timers-and-manuals.html#defrost

8145-20 is 240V time initiated, pressure or temperature terminated with back-up time termination.
8045-20 is 240V time initiated, time terminated.

So 8145-20 has pressure or temperature limit switch that connects to terminal X that turns timer off, and ends defrost cycle. This timer is for hot gas defroster that has pressure/temperature limits. Check and see what the back-up time termination is set at on 8145-20. Look at small inner dial.

The 8045-20 timer does not use pressure/temperature limit switch, and instead you have to estimate length of time you want defrost cycle to run, and set inner dial to that time. Use same time as back-up time termination on 8145-20. Of course the pressure/temperature limits would not be exact and defrost cycle might not work correctly.

Here's the change-over wiring from 8145-20 to 8045-20.
There are other wiring variants depending on equipment.
240V hot wires from breaker box are L1 and L2
a) 8145-20 L1 is at terminal 1 > move L1 to terminal N on 8045-20
8145-20 L2 is at terminal N > move L2 to terminal X on 8045-20

b) 8145-20 hot gas defroster is at NO terminal 3 > move defroster to NO terminal 3 on 8045-20
Complete the 240 circuit to defroster by connecting to L2 at terminal X

c) 8145-20 refrigeration is at NC terminal 4 > move refrigeration to NC terminal 4 on 8045-20
Complete the 240 circuit to refrigeration by connecting to L2 at terminal X

Your refrigeration circuit should be connected to terminal # 4, as this is the normally closed set of contacts, and the heaters should be powered from terminal # 3 as this is the normally open set of contacts. Hope this helps.