Time lag switch on Shower pump

[lordwoody]

Hi my teenagers shower until the hot water runs out and no matter how many times I nag them they continue to do it!

I was thinking of putting a Time lag switch on the wall in the airing cupboard so they would need to press it before getting in the shower and it would last 15 mins and then switch of the pump.

Is this feasible?

This is what I was thinking of fitting...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00FCZCE70?ref_=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_i

 

[JohnW2]

I was thinking of putting a Time lag switch on the wall in the airing cupboard so they would need to press it before getting in the shower and it would last 15 mins and then switch of the pump.

Will the shower not work at all without the pump - I thought they merely increased the pressure, hence shower flow rate. If that were the case, it might just take them longer to exhaust the hot water!

Is this feasible?

I can see no reason why not (provided you use a time lag switch which is suitable for a motor load) - but, as above, I'm not convinced that it would necessarily completely solve your problem. Something more dramatic (and much more tedious to install) like electrically-operated valves in the supply pipes to the shower (again, with a time-lag switch) might be required!

Kind Regards, John

 

[lordwoody]

When the pump is not running its just a trickle so it would not be worth standing under it!
Its a Sirrus Hower Storm Shower Pump 2.5A

 

[bernardgreen]

After 10 minutes a warning sounds, then at 12 minutes the hot water valve shuts and the person who ignored the warning gets a sudden cold shower. ( Not recommended where people of a nervous disposition may be using the shower ). Installed in a campsite, ( my memory may be wrong about the times )

 

[JohnW2]

When the pump is not running its just a trickle so it would not be worth standing under it!

Fair enough. In that case, as I said, I think your proposal is 'feasible' - provided, as I said, that the time-lag switch is rated to switch a motor load of the size/power in question. You would need to check that, since switching a resistive load (like an immersion heater) is much less demanding on the switch.

Kind Regards, John

 

[lordwoody]

Its the same as this pump

 

[lordwoody]

OK after doing some searching I have come up with this idea!
Fit a remote activated Timer MRT16-REM which are used for lighting and central heating pumps.

See http://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/783619-remote-activated-timer

Correct me if I am wrong, I have a 3 core cable that comes out of the fused spur (L, N & E) to the pump.

The earth would bypass the timer and go straight to the pump
The Live would go to the timer L
The Neutral would go to the timer N

N would come out the timer from the same terminal and go to Pump
LO would go to Pump

When the pump comes on it would automatically start the timer and run for however long I set it.

Whats the Trig Terminal for?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Correct me if I am wrong, I have a 3 core cable that comes out of the fused spur (L, N & E) to the pump.

The earth would bypass the timer and go straight to the pump
The Live would go to the timer L
The Neutral would go to the timer N

N would come out the timer from the same terminal and go to Pump
LO would go to Pump

Yes.

When the pump comes on it would automatically start the timer and run for however long I set it.

Whats the Trig Terminal for?

No.
When you press the activator the timer starts and switches on the pump for the set time.

Trig Terminal is for a remote Trigger switch.

https://04646a9cf351cc0d3888-b8b406...846ecc93bcb4f313d839a7fca087c5.pdf?1410617229

 

[lordwoody]

This type of Switch does not have a activator.
When the Shower tap is turned on the water starts to flow through the pump which activates the power to the pump.
would that not be classed as a activator?

 

[JohnW2]

When the pump comes on it would automatically start the timer and run for however long I set it.

No (at least, not if I understand the device correctly) with (only) the wiring you suggest. With just that wiring, I don't think that the pump would ever come on - the timer will only start, and the pump come on, if/when you connected L voltage to the Trig (trigger) terminal (e.g. with a 'start' switch).

If you (permanently) connected together the L and Trig terminals, then when power to the pump first appeared (on the L terminal), the timer would start and the pump would come on. If you had configured the device for its "Resettable" mode, then I think the pump would then stay on indefinitely (until the shower was turned off). However, although the instructions are not totally explicit about this, I think that if you selected the "Non-resettable" mode, it would probably do as you wish.

However, assuming your teenagers are reasonably intelligent, I think that they would soon find the way around this (or any similar arrangement involving a timer). All they would have to do would be to turn the shower off, and then back on again, and they would probably immediately get the 'timing period' all over again!!

Whats the Trig Terminal for?

See above.

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

This type of Switch does not have a activator.

Then you need a remote one - a momentary switcch.

When the Shower tap is turned on the water starts to flow through the pump which activates the power to the pump.
would that not be classed as a activator?

No, that won't work (or wouldn't stop when you wanted it to).

There will be no power to the pump until you activate the timer.

 

[lordwoody]

Even though it has a permanent live feed?

 

[JohnW2]

Even though it has a permanent live feed?

As I wrote earlier, if you connect together the L and Trig terminals, AND set the switch to it's "Non-Retriggerable" mode, then it might work as you would wish (but the instructions are not clear about that) - but you would, as I said, still have the problem of 'intelligent teenagers'

Kind Regards, John

 

[lordwoody]

OK thanks, your right with this remote devise the kids will just switch it off then back on against when the time is up, at least with the timer push switch they would have to get out of the shower and out of the bathroom to press the switch again!

So back Tony original ideal.

 

[JohnW2]

OK thanks, your right with this remote devise the kids will just switch it off then back on against when the time is up, at least with the timer push switch they would have to get out of the shower and out of the bathroom to press the switch again!

Maybe teenagers have changed in the couple of decades since I had any, but when I did, I don't think that the need for a quick trip out of the bathroom every now and then would have deterred them from having 'everlasting showers'! I used to think that this was a sex-specific issue (mine are both daughters), but I hear from others that the problem can be at least as great with sons!

To be serious, I don't think there is any (practical) solution that couldn't be easily "re-set" - but the need to reset after a period of time might at least remind them of the fact that they are exhausting the house's hot water! In a similar situation, I did once hear of someone installing a separate, small, dedicated hot water cylinder for just the shower (so that "when the hot water was gone, it was gone"!) - but that's a bit extreme, and a lot of work.

If it's any consolation, IME teenagers do eventually turn into human beings!

Kind Regards, John