DIY adjustable Delayed On timer

[Echale3]

Here's the companion part to the DIY Feeding Timer I made. This is the equivalent sort of thing to the Reef Octopus Skimmer Delay On box, but less expensive.

This allows me to automatically have my ATO and my protein skimmer turn off when I use the DIY Feeding Timer I made (see my post on how to make it) to turn the pumps/powerheads off to feed, but not turn back on until some preset time after the pumps/powerheads come back on.

Here's the parts list:

Delay On Timer (user can set from 0.03-10 minutes delay): https://www.supplyhouse.com/Packard...MIx820oPaagAMVyvLICh3kIwX8EAQYAyABEgL5HfD_BwE

2-gang weatherproof box: https://www.lowes.com/pd/TayMac-2-G...ard-Switch-Outlet-Wall-Electrical-Box/4005491

Waterproof cord conduit fitting: https://www.lowes.com/pd/Sigma-Electric-ProConnex-1-2-in-Cord-Grip-Connector-Conduit-Fitting/3150211

Outlet (can use GFCI if you want): https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-White-15-Amp-Decorator-Outlet-Residential-Outlet/1001438384

Extension Cord: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwire-8-ft-16-3-Outdoor-Extension-Cord-in-White-277563/301132618

Wall Plate: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton...e-1-Blank-Wall-Plate-1-Pack-80708-W/301701277

Optional is to use a female disconnect fitting to use when you connect the hot wire to the input/output spade connections on the relay. It's pretty tight in the box, there's not much room to use a spade connector, so I soldered the hot wires to the relay and bent the connections down some for plenty of clearance.

Female disconnect: https://www.lowes.com/pd/IDEAL-12-Count-Disconnects-Wire-Connectors/3127721

The Delay On Make Timer has a red knob that allows you to preset the power-on delay for your ATO/skimmer up to 10 minutes after your pumps come back on. I have a 30 gallon sump on a 125 gallon tank, so I set mine up for a 5 minute delay, although I probably could have set it for a minute or so and been just fine. Once the timer is set and in the box you'd have to take to cover off to reset it to a different time delay.

The extension cord is to supply power to the unit, I cut a foot or two off the outlet end so I'd have some spare wire to use. The cut end goes into the box and the relay and outlet wires up to it, the plug end plugs into the feeding timer outlet.

*** One thing with this unit is that it's only rated for 1.5 amps, which, at 120 volts, means it can power a maximum of 180 watts output. That's plenty, though, to run my Tunze Osmolator and my Curve 5 skimmer. ***

Attached is a .pdf file showing the schematics.

Also attached is a picture of the relay I used, showing the wire loop you have to clip in order to use it on a 120V circuit.

 

[theatrus]

Love the simple application - those timers are everywhere in all sorts of systems, and generally pretty bulletproof.

 

[Echale3]

Thanks! These delay on relays are apparently commonly used in HVAC applications to spread out the startup amperage on a given circuit running multiple motors, that way you're not running startup amperage all at once and potentially tripping the breaker.

The one I built seems to be working just great, so my Osmolator alarm doesn't sound and my skimmer doesn't go wild when the sump fills up due to the return pump being off during feeding.

 

[madlos123]

I have made something similar but with float switches for ato delay and skimmer controller.
So far both have worked like a charm with no problems.
You can also daisy chain them to make a 10 to 20 min delay or more lol.

ATO 4 years ago.


Skimmer Controller 2 years ago.

 

[Echale3]

I have made something similar but with float switches for ato delay and skimmer controller.
So far both have worked like a charm with no problems.
You can also daisy chain them to make a 10 to 20 min delay or more lol.

Cool, I like seeing how others solved the same problem -- there's lots of ways to skin a cat, LOL!

I went the way I did because I could control both the skimmer and the ATO with one delay unit and hook it up to my pump/powerhead feeding timer. I run my ATO trigger in my sump so I don't have waves on the tank surface to contend with as far as triggering the ATO every few seconds.

Total cost here was about $40 (not including tax) to purchase all the parts to make a delay on timer. Once i had all the parts together and my soldering gun hot I think I had this done and ready to be plugged in about 15 minutes.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Actually you want this Timer. Made in the USA, and will Delay after a Power Failure, possible saving your equipment. I have them on my UV, to match the 10 minutes feed delay on my pumps. Also if you are using AC Voltage Skimmer Pumps can Delay that to prevent boil over from the high water in the Sump, after a Power out.

ICM Controls ICM203 Delay on Break Timer, 18-240 Vac, 1.25" Height, 2" Width 2" Length.​

 

[Echale3]

Actually you want this Timer. Made in the USA, and will Delay after a Power Failure, possible saving your equipment. I have them on my UV, to match the 10 minutes feed delay on my pumps. Also if you are using AC Voltage Skimmer Pumps can Delay that to prevent boil over from the high water in the Sump, after a Power out.

ICM Controls ICM203 Delay on Break Timer, 18-240 Vac, 1.25" Height, 2" Width 2" Length.​

The timer you're mentioning seems to be discontinued, at least on the website I checked. In any event, it's functionally exactly the same as the timer I spec'd in my post -- it's in the same size case, the only real difference is the writing on the case.

Have you checked out my post on creating a Feeding Timer? Here's the link.

The delay on timer is the perfect companion to the feeding timer -- as you said, it prevents your skimmer from boiling over due to high water levels in the sump if it starts up at the same time the circulation pump and power heads turn on. I have my skimmer and my auto top-off hooked up to the delay on timer as it also keeps my ATO from going haywire due to high water in the sump. A 5-minute delay is plenty of time to get the sump water level back to normal in my case.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

Does yours Delay on Make or Delay on Break? You want the Delay on Make. Also I used this switch on my enclosure.

DIYhz Momentary Push Button Switch, 1A 250VAC SPST Mini Pushbutton Switches Normal Closed(NC) Black & Red Cap - 20pcs.​

 

[Echale3]

Does yours Delay on Make or Delay on Break? You want the Delay on Make. Also I used this switch on my enclosure.

DIYhz Momentary Push Button Switch, 1A 250VAC SPST Mini Pushbutton Switches Normal Closed(NC) Black & Red Cap - 20pcs.​

Not to put too fine a point on it, but when I wrote the original post I put a picture of the timer unit I used so people would know what it looked like. It has Delay On Make printed right on the box. I'm not sure how you missed seeing it but it's clearly there and has been since I made this post last year.

The way I set mine up didn't require a momentary switch because the Feeding Timer Box that controls the pumps and power heads also feeds current to the Delay On Timer, which has the ATO and skimmer plugged into it. When you do it that way the whole thing operates as a unit -- whichever time delay button on the Feeding Timer you push turns off the power heads, pump, ATO, and skimmer for "X" minutes. The pumps and power heads then come back on by themselves after "X" minutes and ~5 minutes after that the skimmer and ATO automatically come on. The two boxes (Feeding Timer and Delay On Timer) are designed to work together. I probably could have hardwired the Delay On Timer box to the Feeding Timer box but doing it as a plug-in setup works fine.

I can see where you'd need the switch you used in your box to trigger the delay on make timer if you're just using a "Feed" button on the power supply for the main circulation pump to shut it down and shut down nothing else. You just have to remember to push the button each time you turn off the main pump, which would be easy enough to do.