Have GE digital timer 15117. Can't figure out how to make the display show AM/PM so I can set it correctly. Clock hour/min just cycles through 12 hours without noting AM or PM setting. Can't program without this setting.

Copy following link to identify timer and download possible manual:
http://waterheatertimer.org/Woods-timers-and-manuals.html#oval
Add comment and describe timer in detail.
Usually if a timer offers choice between 24-hour clock with 1-thru-24 displaying for current time, vrs 12 hour am- 12 hour pm, then the choice is first thing you set before programming. The choice is made before setting current time, and usually this is accomplished with single button push that toggles between 12 and 24 on the display.
The product manual has specific steps.
Not every timer offers 12-24 choice.
Again, add comment and describe timer in detail, or attach photo for best available resources.
Gene
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If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

1) Set current time:
Press reset button to clear all programs , display should flash 12:00 AM Monday
Press and hold CLOCK button.
Press Hour, minute and day buttons until current hour minute and day display.
Release Clock button.
Next step is to program the timer
Example shows how to turn on at 5PM each day and turn off at 11 PM each day.
2) Programming review: Each program requires ON time to be set, and then OFF time to be set For example you set Program1 ON 5:00PM for ALL days. And then you set Program1 OFF 11PM for ALL days. Minimum on-off set time is 1 minute.
3) Programming steps: Press PROG button until Timer 1 ON appears on display Use Hour button to set 5 PM Use MIN button to set :00 Default selects ALL days (If you want other days, press DAY button until display shows correct block of days) Press PROG button again to save Program1 ON 4) Now for Program1 OFF 5) To set Program1 Off Press PROG button until Timer 1 OFF shows in display. Use Hour button to set 11 PM Use MIN button to set :00 Default selects ALL days (If you want other days, press DAY button until display shows correct block of days) Press PROG button again to save Program1 OFF 6) Program 1ON and Program1 OFF have been set ... so press the CLOCK button to return to current time. If you want to set another program, press PROG button until Timer 2 ON displays 7) After setting programs, press Clock button so current time shows. 8) The manual shows one more thing ... if you program the timer during the hours 5-11pm, and the timer should be ON during those hours, you have to 'tell' the timer to turn ON by pressing the manual override ... after that the timer will operate normally.

Westek TE22 two-pack offers choice between 12 hour am-pm display or 24-hour 'military time' display.
Open following link for typical manual
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/TE22DHB-manual.pdf

Look at step 7 in manual under Clock Time Setting.
Step 7 says, "press - button for 3 seconds to choose display"

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You posted under the Woods 7-day timer 59018 or 59028.
Here is the manual:
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Woods-59018-59028.pdf

There are several programmable timers today that look like Woods, and each brand has different programming.

If you do not have Woods, add a comment and I will walk through programming your brand

1) You have the clock set correctly which implies the wiring is correct. Good job!
2) Programming review:
Each program requires ON time to be set, and then OFF time to be set
For example you set Program1 ON 5:00PM for ALL days.
And then you set Program1 OFF 11PM for ALL days.

3) Programming steps:
Press PROG button until Timer 1 ON appears on display
Use Hour button to set 5 PM
Use MIN button to set :00
Default selects ALL days
(If you want other days, press DAY button until display shows correct block of days)
Press PROG button again to save Program1 ON

4) Now for Program1 OFF

5) To set Program1 Off
Press PROG button until Timer 1 OFF shows in display.
Use Hour button to set 11 PM
Use MIN button to set :00
Default selects ALL days
(If you want other days, press DAY button until display shows correct block of days)
Press PROG button again to save Program1 OFF

6) Program 1ON and Program1 OFF have been set ... so press the CLOCK button to return to current time.
If you want to set another program, press PROG button until Timer 2 ON displays

7) After setting programs, press Clock button so current time shows.

8) The manual shows one more thing ... if you program the timer during the hours 5-11pm, and the timer should be ON during those hours, you have to 'tell' the timer to turn ON by pressing the manual override ... after that the timer will operate normally.

If you need more assistance, add a comment.
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You happened to catch the same guy that answered before.

Lets go through the exact programming steps:
Your schedule is ON at 7am and Off at 7pm ALL week.

1) Set the clock to current time:
Hold down clock button while doing next steps
Press Hour button until correct Hour am-pm shows (10:00am for example)
Press MIN button until correct minute shows.
>>> Now wait, the manual seems to leave off a step here... it doesn't say to enter current day.
OK, lets make sure current day is set.
I guess you press Day button until current day shows.
Now release the clock button.



2) Program the timer to your schedule:
Press and release PROG button.
press it once and Program1 ON is ready to be programmed
The screen looks like the picture below:


3) Ready to set Program1 ON:
The display shows the number 1 and it shows the word ON.
Press DAY button as many times as it takes until all days show at top of display.
Press Hour button until 7 am shows in display
Double check that the time is AM
Press MIN button until :00 shows in display

4) ON time for Program1 is set
We are ready to set OFF time for Program1.

5) Press the PROG button until the display shows Program1 OFF just like photo below
Notice that the number 1 and the word OFF appear on display



6) Ready to set Program1 OFF
Press DAY button as many times as it takes until all days show at top of display.
Press Hour button until 7 pm shows in display
Double check that the time is PM
Press MIN button until :00 shows in display
OFF time for Program1 is set

7) Programming is complete, and we are ready to use the timer
(If you want more programs, press PROG button until program2 ON shows in display)

8) To exit programming, press the CLOCK button.
Current time show in the display.

The timer should be operating correctly now.

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There are 6 programming buttons on face of 15117 timer.
Download pdf manual

Review of steps:
The AA battery is installed with correct polarity
Timer blinked 12:00
Set clock while holding down clock button

Press PROG to display EVENT1-on (there is a tiny 'on' that shows on display)
>day button selects day, weekday, weekend
>> hour minute buttons to set ON time for EVENT1

>Press PROG so display shows EVENT1-off (ther is a tiny off that shows on display)
>repeat steps above to set OFF time for EVENT1

>Press PROG until EVENT1-on shows in display
>repeat steps to set on-off times for EVENT2

> when finished programming, press CLOCK

> Last step, set mode
MODE is on-off override
MODE is also Automatic or Random

Solution ideas:
Press MODE until Automatic displays)
-Press MODE key to see if manual override works
-Look at digital face (or take photo of it) and compare with Figs shown in manual to see if there is a match

-Check breaker. Check light bulb. Remove timer and see if load works without it. Check that light switch is turned on if plug is controlled by light switch.

-Review programs: Push PROG key to review programs
-Other timers ignore conflicting schedules ... for example EVENT1 says ON at 7 and OFF at 8, but EVENT2 says opposite, or overlaps, then timer ignores programming

-Reset timer and repeat programming: Press CLOCK, MODE PROG to reset timer
-Make a chart of your EVENT1 on-off times, and EVENT2 on-off times, EVENT3-7 on-off times before programming to make sure there are no conflicts.

Here's how to set Woods TD1000 timer

This is older timer with backup battery. Plug in timer to see if battery will work. Display shows when battery is charged. No display, then timer is no good.

TD-1000 timer has 8 on-off functions per 24-hour day ...newer timers each offer 7 day function with choices of each-day, week-day, or week-end programming. The wider choices with newer timers may explain why TD1000 instructions are hard to find

Timer has 5 buttons + reset:
TIME MODE PROG HOUR MIN

Set time
Press and hold TIME > use Hour to set hour, Min to set minute
Release Time button ... correct time should show

Program: Capacity for 8 on-off times per day
Press PROG to set first ON time
ON and number 1 are displayed on left
Use hour and minute button to set ON time

Press PROG to confirm
Now, OFF and number 1 are displayed
Use hour and min key to set OFF time

Press PROG to confirm

When 8 programs are set, Press MODE key.
Choose Manual OFF. Manual ON, Auto ON, Auto Off

To use programs, select Auto ON

DST daylight savings time has to be done manually.
Press HOUR MIN button simultaneously > timer set up one hour
Repeat again and timer goes back one hour

Do not plug timer into extension cord > must be plugged into wall

that is not a problem. I copied the instructions straight from the manual which you can also review by clicking here.
Using the clock and timer.
To Set the Clock The clock must be set to the correct time of day for the automatic oven timing functions to work properly. The time of day cannot be changed during a timed baking or self-cleaning cycle. Press the CLOCK pad. Press the HOUR and MIN + or – pads to set the time of day. Press the START pad. Make sure the clock is set to the correct time of day. To Set the Timer Press the KITCHEN TIMER ON/OFF pad. Press the HOUR and MIN + or – pads until the amount of time you want shows in the display. The maximum time you can enter in minutes is 59. Cooking times more than 59 minutes should be changed to hours and minutes. For example, enter 90 minutes as 1 hour, 30 minutes. If you make a mistake, press KITCHEN TIMER ON/OFF and begin again. Press the START pad. After pressing the START pad, SET disappears; this tells you the time is counting down, although the display does not change until one minute has passed. Seconds will not be shown in the display until the last minute is counting down. When the timer reaches :00, the control will beep 3 times followed by one beep every 6 seconds until the KITCHEN TIMER ON/OFF pad is pressed. The 6-second tone can be canceled by following the steps in the Special features of your oven control section under Tones at the End of a Timed Cycle. The timer is a minute timer only. The timer does not control oven operations. The maximum setting on the timer is 9 hours and 59 minutes. To Reset the Timer If the display is still showing the time remaining, you may change it by pressing the KITCHEN TIMER ON/OFF pad, then press the HOUR and MIN + or – pads until the time you want appears in the display. If the remaining time is not in the display (clock, delay start or cooking time are in the display), recall the remaining time by pressing the KITCHEN TIMER ON/OFF pad and then pressing the HOUR and MIN + or – pads to enter the new time you want. To Cancel the Timer Press KITCHEN TIMER ON/OFF pad twice.

If you need further assistance follow up with a comment and please let me know and i will be glad to assist you further. Thanks, Midwest-tek

Push the mode button twice to enter the "set time" mode. Once the digital display is blinking, keep pushing "mode" until the PM display section in the upper left corner comes on. Once that happens you are back to the 12 hour clock. To set the clock, use the 1-4 buttons to set the hours and minutes.

Hope this helps.

There is a switch on the back to set time, alarm, or display time. Select the switch to time set first. Tap top of unit to toggle between settings blinking display is the one to be set. Change it bi tapping on the sides ( ) or(-) don't forget the 12 hour display or military 24hour. Switch back to clock display when hour and minute display are both blinking or the setting will not take effect