Timer on 2807

[Davepjr]

Hello I found a timer beside the electrical panel on my Riviera 2807 made by paragon and if looks factory installed as it is in a real tight spot in the storage cabinet beside the electrical panel and I am wondering if anyone knows what it would be for. I could post a picture of it, if I knew how to do that on here...lol

Thanks In advance

Dave

[g36]

Does it look like any of these? http://waterheatertimer.org/Paragon-tim ... nuals.html
Probably is connected to a breaker in your panel try water heater first since many of these in homes on water heaters. Then move to others or try and follow wiring to source or equipment.

[Davepjr]

Thank you so much !! I found the timer in the link that you provided and it states that it is a water heater timer...I can not thank you enough for as......I have no hot water when plugged into shore power but only when the heater exchanger from the engines and my marina wants to replace the water heater..lol

Thank you ! Dave

[Midnightsun]

Just curious as to why the timer for the water heater? Have been around boats most of my life but never heard of this before. I assume someone installed this to take advantage of lower electrical rates at certain times?

[Davepjr]

******UPDATE******

I just turned the breaker on for the water heater and turned the timer "past 20" as per the instructions on the faceplate...and waited a few minutes and BANG I have hot water, once again thank you for this information !

To reply to Midnight Sun's questions, this timer looks factory installed as the location of it would be next to impossible to install after so I have no idea as to why the timer, but the showers are going to feel better now !!!

Thanks Dave

[Midnightsun]

Not sure how a timer works on a boat as the set time will never be correct. Once disconnected from shore power the timer will stop and the start again when plugged in. Just do not see the benefit or logic behind this feature. Personally I would disconnect or set the timer to off in order to bypass it. Glad you found your water heater problem by the way.

[km1125]

Source of the post turned the timer "past 20" as per the instructions

I think it's just a count-down timer, as when the OP wrote "turned the timer "past 20" as per the instructions" that usually how they operate.

Folks would use this so the water heater shuts off after a certain amount of time so it isn't left on inadvertently. I almost always shut off the breaker for the water heater whenever I leave the boat. You would have to make a point to anticipate when you need hot water so you give the heater plenty of time to get the tank up to temperature, or keep resetting it as the day goes by.

[Viper]

OK that's different. Never heard of that either and can't see a boat manufacturer installing one or why you'd need it but you never know. I have not seen one on the Rivieras I've been on but I wasn't looking for one either. If there was a real use/need for a hot water heater timer, you'd think they'ed be common these days with all the options there are now but I haven't come across any modern builds with that option either. I really can't see it being OEM, maybe someone can confirm with Carver.

Personally I would remove the timer and manage its operation with the panel breaker, it's safer that way. It can't be that difficult to remove as it seems accessible given that you were able to set it "past 20" That would be a pain to have to reset for varying needs.

So out of curiosity, how does this work? You set the timer for a certain length of time and then it shuts the power off to the heater after that, and you have to reset every time you want hot water, or want it at a different time? And as Hans mentioned, how does it know what time it is if you keep disconnecting shore power, you have to reset the current real time when back at a dock? Am I missing something here?

Not calling you out Dave, I'm just trying to figure out what the real benefit is and why someone would install one. From the theories so far, I don't see it but hey, I've seen a lot of other things that made me scratch my head before too.

Glad you found the problem

[g36]

Glad the info I found was helpful.

[Davepjr]

hello Everyone and thank you for this discussion. The Timer is a manual dial count down timer similar that we would see say on a heat lamp in a hotel bathroom or on a spa tub or even lets think of a manual egg timer. After looking more into it today, there is no way this was put on after the fact. On the Riviera there are 2 black cabinet doors beside each other, one is the electrical panel with the breakers and the other is a storage cabinet. in the storage cabinet there is the timer that is mounted into the side of the breaker panel....I wish I know how to add pictures here !! So this is how it works thanks to The Black Pearl putting me in the right direction....you turn the breaker on for the hot water and the volt gauge reads 0. turn the mechanical "egg timer" past 20 and the volts raise to 120 (ish) and the timer ticks away. My boat is a 1984 so there is no time keeping ability with this timer so plugging in and out is not an issue. At the end of the day...it works and I am extremely happy as I bought the bought 3 years ago and the guy selling it to me stated he knew nothing about the boat. I know how much a new one is and so this year I had decided to have the mechanics change the element and they said no that it was too far gone and I need to replace the whole thing. I turn to you guys...and bam...i have hot water !!! Thanks again for all your help ! Dave