Your pool timer can kill you

Most pool timers have a very unsafe design flaw and you are at risk every time you turn them on and off. In this video I will show you exactly what could happen (and did happen to me) as well as ways to prevent it. Intermatic T104 timer and other timers with similar designs.
Multimeter (INNOVA 3320 Auto-Ranging Digital Multimeter):
amzn.to/3aU3A7g
Timer (Intermatic T104 208-277-Volt DPST 24 Hour Mechanical Time Switch):
amzn.to/3aTj63j
** note if you get this timer please put electrical tape over all these connections that I mentioned in the video!

[@MikeC-og3kx]

You are missing the screw that holds the plastic cover in place. It is the hole right under the on/ off lever!

[@mannyamenta5566]

There is supposed to be a small Phillips screw that goes in the middle of the two holes behind the switch

[@michaelfullerton3626]

It's a general purpose timer. Not necessarily for just pools. It may be redundant, but I'd install a separate power switch as a 'master' for times when you have to kill power quickly. Especially if you have wet hands or are standing on wet ground. For about $20-30 in parts (Lowe's/Home Depot) you can be much safer. I'd rather not be sticking wet appendages into an electrical box with only a plastic card keeping me from meeting my maker.

[@goodlifehacker]

Good suggestion. It would be great if that became a standard to have a safe kill switch in an easily accessible spot.

[@pack899]

Thanks for the video... it's something that's looked over for sure, that can happen to anyone.

[@carlolarussa3672]

I was going to say you probably only got shocked with 120 but you figured it out it's definitely a horrible design tho how hard is it to put a hard plastic safety cover

[@cm1212]

I agree that is certainly not a safe design for something that we pool owners have to turn on and off regularly while performing maintenance. As you say in the video let's hope they change this going forward.

[@bkwilcox6796]

The round hole is supposed to have a screw in it. I wouldn’t even pull the plastic cover back without turning off cutoff power. My box has an additional metal plat on top of the plastic cover.

[@ortonh1]

Mine doesn’t even have the plastic cover

[@goodlifehacker]

Be careful! I still think about that shock every single time I flip that lever

[@thadeusmoor3535]

Before you make statements like that make sure that your equipment is correct you are missing a screw that holds that plastic on I can see that from the get-go

[@goodlifehacker]

Unfortunately it was this way when I moved in and I have seen a bunch of videos and real world examples where the little card isn't even on there anymore. It needs to be made in such a way where if the installer forgets a miniature screw it doesn't lead to a possible fatality.

[@cryptastrophy]

Thanks for the warning. I'd love to hear @MikeHoltNEC Mike Holt's thoughts on this.

[@Greg_the_Hutt]

Those wires underneath that box aren’t even secure. That’s probably what got you cause there might be a cut jacket on one of those. All you have to do it flip that tab. I’ve operated thousands of those. Many without those covers & never got shocked. You would had to have literally stuck your fingers right into those terminals to get shocked

[@goodlifehacker]

Hi those wires were on secure in that they are tightened tightly under the terminal block screws. The issue is the jacket on the wires was stripped off in such a way where you can see much of the wire exposed under the screw and also the terminal is right behind the lever that you have to operate. It was very easy to touch either the bare portion of the wire or the screw terminal and I was on the other side of the timer reaching over the top while getting sprayed with water so no time to carefully operate the lever and since the plastic tab slipped down I got nailed. This was years ago and I have secured everything, but to this day I still carefully think about what exactly I am touching when I open that cover. Some shocks you don't forget and this was one of them. Please be careful especially when operating without the tab it just takes one small mistake and you're done.

[@laffloridaful]

I dont even have that plastic protector in front of my wires...!!!

[@flpaintman71]

I agree it’s a horrible design. However, I see you are missing the screw and you have some exposed wire. Looking close , I see some bare wire where it looks like the insulation was damaged. Regardless , I agree with you, just a bad design, at least on my disconnect switches it’s a piece of rugged rigged plastic that snaps in, as opposed to what looks like a notebook binder shield.

[@goodlifehacker]

Yes I bet a lot of these are missing the screw. Some people commented on here that they are missing the insulation card altogether. Even with the screw though curious little hands could too easily get under that card. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@dizzydell3668]

It’s 2021 now why aren’t universal digital pump timers popular

[@goodlifehacker]

Not sure really. I'm guessing mechanical is more reliable. I like having that lever there to switch it on and off when backwashing, etc... I would just like it to be safer.

[@johndexheimer6390]

Mechanical Timers like this are much more reliable and easier for general consumers to understand how they operate and work. These timers are definitely dangerous because of what he is talking about in the video. Will it automatically kill you if you accidentally shock yourself? No. Could it kill you? Sure. Is it likely to kill you? No. A better design is definitely a good idea but until they come out with a better designed mechanical timer builders and consumers start using them these will be common place and this will be an issue.

[@ngengnhoy2902]

This pool timer can kill you one build all metal with bad ground bad connections who ever standing on water or your hand is wet can shock you out of your life 😂

[@ikeo8666]

just got a new pool, frankly all i see is this kind of timer. why doe no one use the other plugin kinds? is there a reason?

[@goodlifehacker]

Some 1.5hp and above pumps use 240 volts I'm guessing that's one reason. It seems intermatic has the monopoly on hard wired timers.

[@user-wt7qi4yc8c]

There is supposed to be a little leprechaun in there that warns you of the safety hazards of letting screw happy gremlins roam around free all willy nilly without your gremlin mesh guard.

[@goodlifehacker]

He must have been on vacation that day! :)