Leviton 612-6230M-W Decora 30-15-10-5 Preset Minute Electronic Timer, White
by Leviton
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Leviton 612-6230M-W Decora 30-15-10-5 Preset Minute Electronic Timer, White
Customer Review: Timer Does Not Work Without a Neutral Wire
Summary: 1 Stars
I returned the timer switch. I bought this timer switch thinking that I had finally found a push button timer switch for my bathroom fan. The rotary dial timer switch frequently "hangs up" and stays on forever. This push button switch was hard to find and expensive, but it was what I thought I needed. I took it out of the package and tried to wire it in where the dial timer switch had been. when it didn't work by just connecting white to white and black to black and ground to ground, I took a closer look at the many-fold, fine print instructions. Then I emailed Leviton technical support asking what to do. Here is their answer:
----- Original Message -----
From: Tappen, Jason
To:
Sent: Wednesday, February 22, 2006 3:55 PM
Subject: RE: leviton.com Contact Technical Support
Hi Chris,
Most likely those wires you have in the box are Hot
(Black), Load (White), and Ground. No switch would function
without a load wire. Unfortunately, if this is the case you
will not be able to use this or any other timer switch we
manufacture, since all the timers we manufacture that are
compatible with a fan will require a neutral connection.
If you have any questions feel free to contact me.
Thank you,
Jay Tappen
Leviton Technical Support
(800) 824-3005
----- Original Message -----
Then I contacted Smarthome to return the timer switch, and they told me how to do that. However, I had to pay the return shipping cost, AND I was not refunded the original delivery cost. So I lost about $10 in the bargain just to find out that the timer would NEVER work in what I believe is a common wiring situation. It's not my fault and the there is no warning that I can see about this wiring limitation.
Customer Review: Solved a moisture problem for us
Summary: 5 Stars
I installed this switch 18 months ago in our bathroom (a room isolated from any outside venting thanks to a peculiar design decision made by the previous owners). Previously the exhaust fan had been operated by a standard toggle wall switch, and all of us would forget either to turn it on or turn it off while running the shower.
The installation was simple, and the "decora"-style block modernizes the room in a snap. The switches are labelled "30-15-10-5-Off" and that's what they do -- push one of them and the fan stays on for that length of time, in minutes. Each switch has an LED indicator next to it, and the time remaining is indicated by the LEDs lighting in turn, from top to bottom (e.g., when 10 minutes remain, the 15 minute LED extinguishes and the 10 minute LED lights). When two minutes remain, the 5 minute LED begins to flash. The OFF LED is a positive indicator that the device is off, and doubles as a night locator (good for our bathroom without windows!). It is unfortunately set a little too far into the lamp housing, which means it can't be seen unless one is facing the switch nearly head on.
As with other Leviton products, the circuitry is commercial-grade and reliable. Unlike some mechanical timers, this switch does NOT have an option to "hold" in the ON position. This may make it unsuitable for applications such as outdoor safety lighting where it is sometimes desirable to keep the lights on (say, when you're expecting company).
For a bathroom exhaust fan, it is close to perfect, and I recommend it without reservation.
Customer Review: Great Timesaver
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great time and money saver. You can't leave an exhaust fan on all day and risk burning out the fan motor. We already had two timer switches like these installed, one for each bathroom but we needed a third for the master bath. Luckily, the electricians installed the largest outlet box possible in the bathrooms, because these devices and their connections take up quite a bit of room in the box.
Wiring is not difficult. The only tricky part is hooking up the two black wires -- one is for the line input (power) and one is for the load (fan). I used a voltage "sniffer" to determine which was the line input. I turned off the circuit breaker for switch, unhooked both black wires from the switch, spread them apart so they wouldn't touch, then temporarily turned on the power and used the "sniffer" to see which black wire was hot (the "sniffer growls in the presence of voltage). That one was the "line" supply. Ground and white neutral connections were obvious. I also shortened the four wires on the switch so I wouldn't have to stuff so much wire back into the outlet box. Oh, we also removed the long aluminum tabs on the sides of the switch so that it could coexist in the same outlet box that houses the light switch.
I only wish they had one that worked on the exhaust hood over our cooktop.
Customer Review: Works well, but it's HUGE
Summary: 4 Stars
I've installed three of these in my home, all controlling bathroom exhaust fans. The switch works great, and it's been wonderful not to have to remember to turn off the fan. (Or, even more importantly, not to have to remind the kids to do it!)
In each case, the switch is in a dual-gang box. The switch is so deep and wide that it can take some serious wire origami to make it fit. It'd probably be fine next to a standard light switch, but in my bathrooms it was going in next to another Decora switch, and, in one case, a Decora dimmer.
In all three cases, I had to remove the breakaway parts of the metal shield. (On a dimmer switch, this would remove the maximum amperage it could handle. I assume the same happens on this timer, although the manual doesn't mention it.) I had to remove the breakaway parts on the dimmer switch too. Even with all that, in one box I had trouble getting the switch in because there was a small amount of conduit sticking into the box from the side; the timer was so wide that the few millimeters caused a real problem.
If you're putting this in a single-gang installation, you'll probably have a much easier go of it. But it sure would have been nice if they provided dimensions and details on how much of the metal shield you can break off.
Customer Review: Very satisfied
Summary: 5 Stars
Just installed two Leviton Decora Preset Timers in our master bathroom. So far they are working great. They look better than a dial timer.
Installation does require a neutral (4 wires: Neutral, Load, Line, and Ground). The box is bigger than normal switches but I had no problem installing it. Very pleased with the purchase.
My only complaint, which another reviewer mentioned, is that there is a metal plant around the switch that is designed to fit under the plastic cover. If you are installing it into a multiple switch gangbox, the neighboring switch will overlap it. If you are installing it in a single switch gangbox this will not be an issue. I found this to be annoying when trying to make the switches flush with the cover. I actually got a hacksaw and cut off the excess metal and it worked fine. This is a small criticism.
Overall I am very happy with the purchase and have ordered 3 more for the other bathrooms in our home.