Need some help setting a segment timer........

**Gareth83** · 24-03-2008 09:54 PM

I have a segment timer similar to this:

anyone know how you set them?

I want to set it so that it comes on at 8am.........

**Ripped Barbarian** · 24-03-2008 10:00 PM

Best thread of 2008!

If it's mechanical ususally they have little pegs, usually ones facing inwards indicate 1 and outwards 0.
Put the peg at the correct time on the wheel, set the wheel position to the current time, switch the over ride switch to 0 and turn on.

If it's not removeable pegs it'll be small tabs that can be pressed in either position.

Test it's function by rotating the wheel.

**Gareth83** · 24-03-2008 10:07 PM

sorted, cheers RC!!

Going to put a fan on a timer for my new alarm clock.

Was looking to buy a sunrise alarm clock but they seem overpriced IMO

**mxd** · 24-03-2008 10:13 PM

Someone is growing cannabis

**Ripped Barbarian** · 24-03-2008 10:15 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by Gareth83

sorted, cheers RC!!

Going to put a fan on a timer for my new alarm clock.

Was looking to buy a sunrise alarm clock but they seem overpriced IMO

Exactly what i do, it gives you so much creative opportunity as to your alarm set up.

I used to have a '80 watt titan industrial fan' but it would start up instantly and startle me far too much, not a really natural way of waking up....

So now i have a weak bench grinder with oversized discs, it takes a little while to spin up to speed, gradually getting louder rather than startling me, it's still not perfect tho.

When i need to be sure of waking in the morning i connect the titan fan up with a tesco bag elastic banded to it and it inflates with a 'bang' and loud rustling which would wake the dead.

I'm going to perfect the system one day and have a bright light that gradually comes on (dawn simulation), very healthy way of waking.

**Gareth83** · 24-03-2008 10:33 PM

yeah, I was about to bid on a dawn simulator on eBay but knew I had a timer lying around the house.

I woudl like to re-create one but I have no way of adjusting the light brightness. I suppose an energy saving bulb could do the trick as these seem to take a few minutes to get to full brightness.

**Ripped Barbarian** · 24-03-2008 10:46 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by Gareth83

yeah, I was about to bid on a dawn simulator on eBay but knew I had a timer lying around the house.

I woudl like to re-create one but I have no way of adjusting the light brightness. I suppose an energy saving bulb could do the trick as these seem to take a few minutes to get to full brightness.

You could easily rig up your own with some electrical knowledge and a speed control circuit.

You won't be able to use most energy saving bulb for a device however as they have a certain activation and sustaining energy to work, they are effectively binary in operation.

I'm going to use a halogen floodlight bounced off my white ceiling.

A VERY crude and heath robinson techinque would be to connect several timers each staggered with an increasingly bright bulb, that's wickedly inefficient and cumbersome tho, nigh on mr bean.

**Gareth83** · 24-03-2008 10:56 PM

got any links to a speed control circuit??

I have 2 bedside lamps, might just set one up 15mins before the other.

**HandyX** · 24-03-2008 11:00 PM

Ripped Caveman is nearly correct with his instructions. Though he forgot to mention whacking the ****e out of it when the cute little timer fails to work as promised.

**Ripped Barbarian** · 24-03-2008 11:11 PM

Quote

Originally Posted by Gareth83

got any links to a speed control circuit??

I have 2 bedside lamps, might just set one up 15mins before the other.

I'm just trying to find something that would be a simple case of 'plug and play'

It's not actually a easy thing to find something that delivers a 30 or 60 minute 0-100% smooth output device.

If you had PIC microcontroller or something programmed for the function it'd be great but i'm not programmer and i couldn't advice on the additional circuitry for this.

There HAS to be something useable on maplins.