Timer for coocker unit..

[Carlos Arruda]

Hi all.

I have got a small house where I let all 4 rooms, to different people. It has been classified as an HMO "House of Multiple Occupation".

Everything I can do, I do as I am good working with wood, electrical (completed my level 3 in electrical installations last year) and fire alarms.

Now, I have no issues doing any electrical work on my own as, even though not yet registered with a CPS "NAPIT or NICEIC", which I may never do, I have all my work then tested and certified by another colleague of mine who is a registered electrician.

As admittedly my experience in some fields is yet limited. But to cut to the chase, I am worried that people might leave the cooker unit on and forget about it, as it has happened in the past. It also happens that I have had a friend mentioning a timer switch that will engage a count down timer once the cooker is turned on, my guess is this unit detects the flow of current and activates a count down timer that will disconnect the unit once time has run out. This time could be set to whatever we want it to be I guess. I am also assuming that this timer will have to be reset if user still needs to use cooker unit. But the principle here is to have it cut the power after a certain time in the event someone has forgotten to tune the cooker unit off.

Anyone has any idea of such timer device or anything that could act in the required way?

Many thanks to all.

Regards,

Albert (Second name)

 

[Andy™]

seems a bit OTT, but a push button connected to a timer switching a contactor should do it

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Immersion boost time switch operating a contactor to supply the cooker....

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Wiring_Accessories_Menu_Index/Timers_Index/Immersion_Heater_Timers_2/index.html

opcorn

 

[Andy™]

well thats a bit more simpler than my idea

 

[NozSpark]

Or maybe a pneumatic time lag switch set to half a nano second right next to the cooker, connected via a contactor, so that someone always needs to be attendance of the cooker for it to work

 

[Andy™]

or a coin meter?

 

[septiclecky]

Why is my joint only half cooked?

oh yeh the landlord fitted a timer to the cooker

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

I would honestly have to ask "Is it worth it?"

First of all you have to find a "device" that detects the current being drawn then start a timer, then cut off its own supply after x time.

Yes you could "cobble some parts together" but how much will it cost and how reliable will it be?

But also as has been said, will you not upset the tenants more than it is worth, as the cooker will stop say half way through cooking Sunday lunch.(or similar) where as would it not be easier to say, leave the cooker on all day if you like, YOU will ALL be paying for it, not me. 

 

[Carlos Arruda]

Hi Richard-the-ninth.

That is exactly it. The tenants are all more than just tenants. They have come to be family friends as we've known all for over a decade now and, with such low rents "£55.00" all inclusive, including internet connection, one has to be more strict with all outgoing costs.

This has been talked amongst them and they all agree that, merely for safety reasons, if this could be implemented, it could be peace of mind for all. There has been one occasion where the oven has been left un-attended and, hadn't it been for passers by that know me and my wife, who had seen all the smoke coming out the kitchen window, it could have well been a massive disaster. This was when the cooking appliance was gas only. I am now changing it to electric as current legislation was requiring me to add special extraction fans connected to a control panel that would engage the solenoid gas valve upon detecting the existence of extractor fans working. Off course all costs of works involved, given that none of this was in place, was an easier solution to just change the cooking appliance to electric.

Now, I can understand that some people wouldn't like their dinner half cooked but it doesn't have to be like that. All they need to do is to remain within the premises and keep an watchful eye over their food whilst cooking. If the cooking appliance switches off due to time out, all they need to do is to reset it.

Many thanks for your input.

Regards,

Albert

 

[Carlos Arruda]

Hi all.

Given all interesting remarks, I think items below is what would do the trick.

Hager - 40 Amp 2 Pole Contactor

Timeguard TGBT4 Electronic Boost Timer (up to 2 hours)

Given that the Timeguard only works with loads of up to 3Kw I would have it connected to the Hager contactor which supports up to 40A. The cooker appliance is rated at 7Kw (30A).

Any more ideas?

I did thought of the coin time meter but at £95.00, the above solution is a third cheaper.

Many thanks to you all.

Regards,

Albert

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

With the boost timer jobbie the duration can be increased part way though by re pressing the  buttons....

so if cooking needs a long time they just need to keep eye on timer indicators and press again before all LEDs go out!..

and worst case it will always switch off after max 2hours if unattended..  to meet your basic requirement.

so most of Richards observations in post#8 are incorrect.

Guinness

 

[Carlos Arruda]

Thanks Special Location.

I think that with the timer in conjunction with the contactor due to the size of the appliance, the timer itself can't handle the load, even if diversity was to be applied, so I'm using the contactor to deal with the load side.

Regards,

Albert

 

[Davethsparky]

It's a great idea, but unless it actually operates the oven and hob controls then it won't achieve much. 

If the oven is left on so that it is isolated via this timer arrangement then the oven controls will remain in the on position, and so the oven will come on when someone resets the timer to use the grill or the hob. But the person who switches it on just to use the grill or hob won't know that the oven has come on and so it ends up being on for a few hours again. 

Far at better that you evict the tenants who are too stupid to be able to cook a meal without forgetting about it than pandering to such idiots. 

 

[Carlos Arruda]

True but people will have to check cooker is in all off position before activating timer.

One can only hope they'll follow some basic instructions.

It's either that or heat detector on kitchen will be swapped for a smoke detector.

Now, this could be enough nuisance to them if alarm keeps tripping.

Personally I have seen cooker controls completely melted due to fire and heat detectors on fire alarm have never picked up.

It is my believe that by the time a heat detector picks up heat on a kitchen due to a fire, the fire is beyond the control of a simple fire extinguisher.

On an ideal world grown up people would simply be trusted to follow some basic guide lines.

But this is not always the case unfortunately.

All I need is peace of mind and a smaller bill knowing that the cooking appliance will be disconnected after two hours.

Many thanks.

Albert

 

[Doc Hudson]

It's a great idea, but unless it actually operates the oven and hob controls then it won't achieve much. 

If the oven is left on so that it is isolated via this timer arrangement then the oven controls will remain in the on position, and so the oven will come on when someone resets the timer to use the grill or the hob. But the person who switches it on just to use the grill or hob won't know that the oven has come on and so it ends up being on for a few hours again. 

Far at better that you evict the tenants who are too stupid to be able to cook a meal without forgetting about it than pandering to such idiots. 

If the tenants cannot identify which controls are on or off before they try to grill their bacon or boil the egg then I doubt they will be competent to use the oven anyway. I read the OP's post that all he is looking for is some means of ensuring that the cooker cannot be left switched on indefinitely. Its up to the users to ensure the rest of the operation surely?

Doc H.

 

[Davethsparky]

If the tenants cannot identify which controls are on or off before they try to grill their bacon or boil the egg then I doubt they will be competent to use the oven anyway. I read the OP's post that all he is looking for is some means of ensuring that the cooker cannot be left switched on indefinitely. Its up to the users to ensure the rest of the operation surely?

Doc H.

how is them identifying that the oven is on when it appears to be off any different to remembering that they have something in the oven cooking?

I maintain that anyone too stupid to be able to switch an oven off after use, or remember that their dinner is in there cooking, needs sectioning for their own good, or preferably being shot for the good of the human race as a whole 

 

[Davethsparky]

One can only hope they'll follow some basic instructions.

They clearly are incapable of this if they can't manage to remember that they have started cooking their dinner. 

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

 They have come to be family friends as we've known all for over a decade now and, with such low rents "£55.00" all inclusive, including internet connection, one has to be more strict with all outgoing costs.

Why not point out that costs have gone up, and their rent is no longer covering everything as it was, so you will have to change the conditions in their contract for which you are giving them 90 days notice (In writing) and charge them accordingly.

If you change the heat detector in the kitchen to a smoke detector again, all you will do is upset them and they will find a way round it, or it will "break all by itself"

 

[Carlos Arruda]

Hi Richard-the-ninth.

I can see where you come from but the thing is these guys are Portuguese, just like myself and, they have come to UK to work as I also did 14 years ago.

Luckily some of us are more wise with the money we earn and make investments. I was fortunate to invest and now I own this building with a small family run business chicken BBQ on the ground floor. So in all honesty I am quite happy to what I charge them currently. Off course, were they to leave, rents would most definitely go up to reflect current renting charges.

I mean and as said before, I've become friends with them over a decade now and these guys have nothing to their name other than just the roof over their heads, so I would feel terrible to increase rents.

Off course, the smoke detector could, as you well said, present issues as it's all connected to the entire building. In an event of a fire alarm trigger I would loose the gas supply to my grills, as the main solenoid valve is linked to the fire panel. But this can also be changed as I am thinking in installing a 2 zone independent fire alarm for the 1st floor.

Much appreciated for all inputs.

Regards,

Albert