Timers for warming up espresso machine in the morning?

#1: Post by **BrainInAJar** » January 7th, 2009, 7:41 pm

Maybe a stupid question, but is there some reason why I shouldn't pick up a daily timer ( one of the ones designed for air conditioners, etc ) and use it to turn on my machine early in the morning so that it's warm before I wake up?

When I was evaluating machines I kept seeing "optional timer" as a selling feature of the Viv. and I thought it somewhat strange, seeing as how timers are about $20 a piece and can work with pretty much anything

#2: Post by **Marshall** » January 7th, 2009, 7:49 pm

The Vivaldi requires a special $195 timer and will not work with ordinary lamp timers. I use a cheap lamp timer on my own machine, as I think it is wasteful to keep an espresso machine on all night.

January 7th, 2009, 8:45 pm

Thanks, I wasn't sure if I was missing something ( cycling mains power causing life reduction or something *shrug* )

... looking forward to espresso tomorrow morning ...

#4: Post by **PJDiez** » January 7th, 2009, 9:33 pm

I've been looking for a 20A timer for my Duetto. Does anyone know where to find a suitable--preferably electronic and programmable--timer rated for 20A?

#5: Post by **Bob_M** » January 7th, 2009, 9:50 pm

PJDiez wrote: I've been looking for a 20A timer for my Duetto. Does anyone know where to find a suitable--preferably electronic and programmable--timer rated for 20A?

i got mine here http://www.discount-hydro.com/productdi ... 72&navid=7

January 7th, 2009, 10:06 pm

I'm sure that someone here has more elegant solution, but if you are a little handy, you could do it with this. http://www.cetsolar.com/7daytimer.htm You'd need to create a couple pigtails and stick it in a junction box but it would get you 7 day programming.

I did something different with my 220v machine. I used one of these http://www.king-electric.com/prodtemp.a ... 120-ESP230. A 220v, 7-day programmable timer was not seemingly simple to track down so I used the thermostat. The key to this one is that it's line voltage for electric in-wall heaters so it can switch the 220v internally. It's setup to turn on the machine at 6am on weekdays and off at 8am. On the weekends, it will come on at 8am and go off at 3pm. To fool it into switching, I the max low and high temperatures as the setpoints. The overrides are easy enough to play with if I want it on or off at a non programmed time.

Wes

#7: Post by **TroyR** » January 7th, 2009, 11:14 pm

BrainInAJar wrote:Maybe a stupid question, but is there some reason why I shouldn't pick up a daily timer ( one of the ones designed for air conditioners, etc ) and use it to turn on my machine early in the morning so that it's warm before I wake up?

I don't think there's any reason not to as long as it is rated to handle your equipment.

On a side note. I have two young boys in the house, my timer serves as an interlock so little fingers can't turn on the machine while I am not around.

Regards,
Troy

#8: Post by **mhoy** » January 7th, 2009, 11:23 pm

TroyR wrote: On a side note. I have two young boys in the house, my timer serves as an interlock so little fingers can't turn on the machine while I am not around.

I trained my 5 (and 7) yr old to turn on the machine if she see's that the timer has turned it off and I'm still in bed.

The Intermatic 15 amp timer has worked well, it's almost a year old now.

Mark

#9: Post by **TroyR** » January 7th, 2009, 11:34 pm

Nice work, Baristas in training no doubt! Mine would probably use the steam as a weapon against each other.

Troy