Thank you so much!!! Wow who knew a timer could be so tricky and yet so simple! You were the only one in the whole universe that could explain it and do it so well!
After I concluded that my Tork timer was not working on my Tower Garden (thanks for the video), I developed a work-around that solved the problem in a different way that you might like. I recently had purchased a 2-outlet Kasa Smart Outdoor plug on Amazon for $29. The Kasa plug is also Alexa-friendly so I set up an Alexa routine that runs every day from 12AM to 12 PM. The routine is simple - all it does is turn on the Tower Plug, wait 15 minutes (or whatever wait period you want), and then turns off the Tower plug. I repeat this “on-off” sequence 48 times over-and-over so the routine runs all day and night (there is no “loop” capability in Alexa routines yet) which is a bit of a pain, equivalent to setting all the independent switches on the Tork time. But once you have it setup, it works great. Less mechanical pieces to break (like on my Tork) plus you can more easily change the wait period to whatever you desire.
Hi there! Sooooo glad I found you on TH-cam. I have a new Tower Garden I bought a few years ago. Also just got a 2nd one on Craigslist for $50 recently. :0) Anyway, I ended up very ill & spent much time in hospital, along w/ several surgeries. I've hesitated to set them up. Your videos are so helpful and good quality too. You've inspired me to set them up. Thank you for making them.
Hi Rosemary - sorry to hear about your health issues - I hope you are much better now. Thank you for your comment and encouragement, glad you find what we are posting helpful. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, we have been doing hydroponics for years using different systems and love to share what we have found that has worked and also what hasn't worked. Enjoy your adventure in hydroponic gardening!
Good thing I found your channel.I had a problem with my hydroponics growth tower.My pump overheated for running 24/7.I bought a timer yesterday.Question, will damage the pump if it’s turning on and off every 15 minutes?will it decrease pumps life span?
Hi Glen, Thanks for the comment and question. I have had some of my pumps running on the 15 on 15 off schedule for 5-years and they are only turned off for cleaning of the various systems or the pump filter. In the last 5 years I have only replaced 1 pump I have 3 towers, a home made system I call a VGS, and a General Hydroponics system all on the 15/15 schedule. I do keep at least 1 extra pump on hand just in case of a failure.
Hi Nomad! Thanks for the question. The difference between the "on" setting and "timer" is the when in the "on" position the pump will keep running and not use the timer cycle that is set on the dial. When you select "timer" then whatever is selected for on/off on your switches will determine when the pump is on and off. Hope that answers your question!
I saw a another TH-cam video that said it was better just to run your system 24 hours straight. If you turn it off and on like you say you're doing they say your pump will only get half life. Do you have a comment on that?
Hello , My timer is new only Indoor and outdoor settings . I live in a temperate area most days and nights 50-68 degrees. Have you any wisdom for the new timers ? There is no dial for the 15-45 which sounds ideal .
Y set it at 9 o'clock when you said it was 7 is ther some sort of time delay trying to set mine to the time of the moment b4 plugged in. Do I start it with a 2 hour jump?
One of those tiny switches is stuck on mine. It’s very frustrating to have one switch that doesn’t work. I’m afraid to break it if I force it. Any suggestions.
Dear sir. I'm going to setup the small hydroponic system in our backyard garden Pls let me know the timer details.per a day how many times (on & off , ruing time ) the pump want to work (solution water running) Dutch bucket system or nft. Awaiting ur kind replay. Wassalam
I can't find the Tork 602A, only the 602B, but it only has 30 minute on and off cycles not 15 minute on and off cycles. I think Tork lost a market with that change.
Thanks for your knowledge and information. I have two timers, each one runs only on the on setting not on the timer setting. Since it is working on the on position I know it is not my outlet, I have rinsed off the filter. I am dumbfounded not knowing what else to to do other than to buy another timer but I don't think that is the problem. Any ideas? Thanks for any input you may have.
Hi Rene, Sorry to hear you are having problems with your timer. We had one fail last year - here is what you can do to see if the timer is bad. First make sure the timer is turning when it is plugged in. Second - unplug the timer and make sure it is in the auto position and turn the dial by hand, you should hear a click (and feel a little resistance) as you turn it and it engages between each on/off cycle. I opened up the one that failed for us last year and there as a small plastic part that broke and when I turned it by hand there was no clicking sound. Hope this helps - let me know if you have any other questions and whether this helped or not.
Hi Rene - we put together a quick video on how to test the Tork timer to verify it is functioning properly - you can check it out here: th-cam.com/video/MrswmhU2ciQ/w-d-xo.html
I am confused on these 15 minutes intervals am I pushing up on left side of 15 minute notch or the right? I know y'all think this is simple but it really is not
+damatrix1001 We use two different times depending on the season here in Central Florida. During the hot, humid summer nights we run 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off (so during the summer we are running 15/15 for all 24-hours), during the winter we run 15 minutes on and 30 minutes off (usually from about 10 pm until 7 am). There have been a few times during some really hot days when we will actually run the system non-stop for a few hours during the heat of the day then back to the 15/15 time. Hope this helps, let us know if you have any other questions.
Hi Bruce, the two systems that we are running on this time interval are the Tower Gardens and VGS. We have some other systems that are non-recirculating, and a new system for us an aeroponic system from General Hydroponics that we will putting together and installing this summer. With the system that we will be doing for the aquaponics we will go with the CHOP system (constant height one pump) that will run with the ebb and flow (flood/drain) technique.
Hi Bruce, we are still learning the "Florida" weather and seasons as we just relocated here from Southern California 3-years ago. (totally different grow seasons, temps, & humidity! oh and insects!) The VGS is not a typical ebb and flow system. The ebb and flow systems traditionally have the pump running continuously and use something like a bell siphon and when the siphon kicks in then the drain cycle kicks in. With the VGS the pump cycles on/off we are using the 15/15 minute cycle, the pipes never fill there is just about 1-inch of water running through the bottom with the exception of the last foot of pipe will fill to the point of the drain level (about 2-inches). We used the ebb/flow system in our old barrelponics systems, but no longer use that systems.
i want to operate the timer *(110 v)for drip irrigation, to do that i count with a solenoid valve that i took from an electric washing machine that runs on 220 v )( i will plug the timer with a transformer 220 - 110 my question is do i need to plug a (i live in a place with 220 v) trans on the outlet as well? i am hoping somebody will answer my question...thanks
my timer- with my towergarden- i watched the video regarding testing the timer. the on switch works but the timer wont do you think its because some one got it wet?
Hi Laura - sorry for the delay in responding - I have not had a problem with any of my timers getting wet from rain or over spray from the hose. I have found that I have had a timer in the past the the on/off switch would work but the dial did not move and when I opened up the unit I found one of the plastic gears broken - that could be the case with your unit. Hope that helps - let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Beast Mode - it only has to be set up once and will keep running as long as it has power (or until it gets damaged or finally dies). So you don't have to be out there adjusting everyday - just set it to how you want your cycle to go and it will do the rest.
Hello - yes you can do 1-hour on 1-hour off cycle with this timer. Each switch is 15 minutes, for 1 hour on/off place 4 switches on and the next 4 to off and you can repeat this for the full 24-hour cycle. Thanks for the question!
Hi Louise - thank you for your comment - we did not really feel the need to explain what needed to be plugged in as with hydroponic systems the only items that you would normally need to power with a timer would be a pump and/or a light system. (when using a timer with a light the 15-minute interval timer is not normally the choice as you leave lights on for longer durations). Being a timer this unit can be used to power any small appliance or electronic device that you would normally plug into a standard 15-amp receptacle.
Hello - yes you can do 1-hour on 1-hour off cycle with this timer. Each switch is 15 minutes, for 1 hour on/off place 4 switches on and the next 4 to off and you can repeat this for the full 24-hour cycle. Thanks for the question!
Thank you so much!!! Wow who knew a timer could be so tricky and yet so simple! You were the only one in the whole universe that could explain it and do it so well!
Thank you for the compliment! Glad the video was helpful to you!
Thanks for making this so simple!
After I concluded that my Tork timer was not working on my Tower Garden (thanks for the video), I developed a work-around that solved the problem in a different way that you might like.
I recently had purchased a 2-outlet Kasa Smart Outdoor plug on Amazon for $29. The Kasa plug is also Alexa-friendly so I set up an Alexa routine that runs every day from 12AM to 12 PM. The routine is simple - all it does is turn on the Tower Plug, wait 15 minutes (or whatever wait period you want), and then turns off the Tower plug. I repeat this “on-off” sequence 48 times over-and-over so the routine runs all day and night (there is no “loop” capability in Alexa routines yet) which is a bit of a pain, equivalent to setting all the independent switches on the Tork time.
But once you have it setup, it works great. Less mechanical pieces to break (like on my Tork) plus you can more easily change the wait period to whatever you desire.
Hi there! Sooooo glad I found you on TH-cam. I have a new Tower Garden I bought a few years ago. Also just got a 2nd one on Craigslist for $50 recently. :0) Anyway, I ended up very ill & spent much time in hospital, along w/ several surgeries. I've hesitated to set them up. Your videos are so helpful and good quality too. You've inspired me to set them up. Thank you for making them.
Hi Rosemary - sorry to hear about your health issues - I hope you are much better now. Thank you for your comment and encouragement, glad you find what we are posting helpful. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions, we have been doing hydroponics for years using different systems and love to share what we have found that has worked and also what hasn't worked. Enjoy your adventure in hydroponic gardening!
Pocket screwdriver is what I used. If you're a mechanic (I am) the tool truck guys give them away for free (advertising). Thanks for the video!
Thanks for the tip Scott Michael ! Yes, the pocket screwdriver is a great idea for moving those little switches!
thanks brother the best explanation bar none on you tube cheers
You are welcome! We are working hard to get some more projects and videos going soon! Thanks for the positive comment we appreciate it!
New to this… very confused about the timer. Should it be off /on at night? Day?
Good thing I found your channel.I had a problem with my hydroponics growth tower.My pump overheated for running 24/7.I bought a timer yesterday.Question, will damage the pump if it’s turning on and off every 15 minutes?will it decrease pumps life span?
Hi Glen, Thanks for the comment and question. I have had some of my pumps running on the 15 on 15 off schedule for 5-years and they are only turned off for cleaning of the various systems or the pump filter. In the last 5 years I have only replaced 1 pump I have 3 towers, a home made system I call a VGS, and a General Hydroponics system all on the 15/15 schedule. I do keep at least 1 extra pump on hand just in case of a failure.
@@Project-vo2un May I know what is your pump?Thanks a lot.
My timer is 30 minute intervals. Is that ok.
Do you run the timer 24 hours?
Hey there, thanks for the tutorial. I'm just wondering if the different between the "on" and "timer" setting. Thank you
Hi Nomad! Thanks for the question. The difference between the "on" setting and "timer" is the when in the "on" position the pump will keep running and not use the timer cycle that is set on the dial. When you select "timer" then whatever is selected for on/off on your switches will determine when the pump is on and off. Hope that answers your question!
I saw a another TH-cam video that said it was better just to run your system 24 hours straight. If you turn it off and on like you say you're doing they say your pump will only get half life. Do you have a comment on that?
Hello , My timer is new only Indoor and outdoor settings . I live in a temperate area most days and nights 50-68 degrees. Have you any wisdom for the new timers ? There is no dial for the 15-45 which sounds ideal .
Y set it at 9 o'clock when you said it was 7 is ther some sort of time delay trying to set mine to the time of the moment b4 plugged in. Do I start it with a 2 hour jump?
One of those tiny switches is stuck on mine. It’s very frustrating to have one switch that doesn’t work. I’m afraid to break it if I force it. Any suggestions.
Dear sir.
I'm going to setup the small hydroponic system in our backyard garden
Pls let me know the timer details.per a day how many times (on & off , ruing time ) the pump want to work (solution water running) Dutch bucket system or nft.
Awaiting ur kind replay.
Wassalam
I can't find the Tork 602A, only the 602B, but it only has 30 minute on and off cycles not 15 minute on and off cycles. I think Tork lost a market with that change.
COOL!!! Thanks!! Just put together the tower garden and the timer(601A) had no directions.
Great! Glad it helped. All the best and hope you enjoy growing hydroponically! Let us know if you have any questions.
what powers the clock inside, that is how does the timer work? how precise is the clock/timer? thx
Thanks for your knowledge and information. I have two timers, each one runs only on the on setting not on the timer setting. Since it is working on the on position I know it is not my outlet, I have rinsed off the filter. I am dumbfounded not knowing what else to to do other than to buy another timer but I don't think that is the problem. Any ideas? Thanks for any input you may have.
Hi Rene, Sorry to hear you are having problems with your timer. We had one fail last year - here is what you can do to see if the timer is bad. First make sure the timer is turning when it is plugged in. Second - unplug the timer and make sure it is in the auto position and turn the dial by hand, you should hear a click (and feel a little resistance) as you turn it and it engages between each on/off cycle. I opened up the one that failed for us last year and there as a small plastic part that broke and when I turned it by hand there was no clicking sound. Hope this helps - let me know if you have any other questions and whether this helped or not.
Hi Rene - we put together a quick video on how to test the Tork timer to verify it is functioning properly - you can check it out here: th-cam.com/video/MrswmhU2ciQ/w-d-xo.html
I am confused on these 15 minutes intervals am I pushing up on left side of 15 minute notch or the right? I know y'all think this is simple but it really is not
What interval do you use at night?
+damatrix1001 We use two different times depending on the season here in Central Florida. During the hot, humid summer nights we run 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off (so during the summer we are running 15/15 for all 24-hours), during the winter we run 15 minutes on and 30 minutes off (usually from about 10 pm until 7 am). There have been a few times during some really hot days when we will actually run the system non-stop for a few hours during the heat of the day then back to the 15/15 time. Hope this helps, let us know if you have any other questions.
What type of system are you running on time interval ? Thanks
Hi Bruce, the two systems that we are running on this time interval are the Tower Gardens and VGS. We have some other systems that are non-recirculating, and a new system for us an aeroponic system from General Hydroponics that we will putting together and installing this summer. With the system that we will be doing for the aquaponics we will go with the CHOP system (constant height one pump) that will run with the ebb and flow (flood/drain) technique.
Thanks... another newbie question: Is the VGS system an ebb and flow? Thanks for your help. I too am in Florida trying to get a summer set-up going.
Hi Bruce, we are still learning the "Florida" weather and seasons as we just relocated here from Southern California 3-years ago. (totally different grow seasons, temps, & humidity! oh and insects!) The VGS is not a typical ebb and flow system. The ebb and flow systems traditionally have the pump running continuously and use something like a bell siphon and when the siphon kicks in then the drain cycle kicks in. With the VGS the pump cycles on/off we are using the 15/15 minute cycle, the pipes never fill there is just about 1-inch of water running through the bottom with the exception of the last foot of pipe will fill to the point of the drain level (about 2-inches). We used the ebb/flow system in our old barrelponics systems, but no longer use that systems.
Where I can find it ?
i want to operate the timer *(110 v)for drip irrigation, to do that i count with a solenoid valve that i took from an electric washing machine that runs on 220 v )( i will plug the timer with a transformer 220 - 110 my question is do i need to plug a (i live in a place with 220 v) trans on the outlet as well? i am hoping somebody will answer my question...thanks
my timer- with my towergarden- i watched the video regarding testing the timer. the on switch works but the timer wont do you think its because some one got it wet?
Hi Laura - sorry for the delay in responding - I have not had a problem with any of my timers getting wet from rain or over spray from the hose. I have found that I have had a timer in the past the the on/off switch would work but the dial did not move and when I opened up the unit I found one of the plastic gears broken - that could be the case with your unit. Hope that helps - let me know if you have any other questions.
Thank you
Do I have to set it everyday or is it automatic daily?
Hi Beast Mode - it only has to be set up once and will keep running as long as it has power (or until it gets damaged or finally dies). So you don't have to be out there adjusting everyday - just set it to how you want your cycle to go and it will do the rest.
Project128 oh, I get it now. Thank you very much.
can i do 1hr on 1hr off cycle with the timer
Hello - yes you can do 1-hour on 1-hour off cycle with this timer. Each switch is 15 minutes, for 1 hour on/off place 4 switches on and the next 4 to off and you can repeat this for the full 24-hour cycle. Thanks for the question!
RIP RadioShack
You forgot to explain why there is two spots under to lug in WHAT
Hi Louise - thank you for your comment - we did not really feel the need to explain what needed to be plugged in as with hydroponic systems the only items that you would normally need to power with a timer would be a pump and/or a light system. (when using a timer with a light the 15-minute interval timer is not normally the choice as you leave lights on for longer durations). Being a timer this unit can be used to power any small appliance or electronic device that you would normally plug into a standard 15-amp receptacle.
can i do 1hr on 1hr off cycle with the timer
Hello - yes you can do 1-hour on 1-hour off cycle with this timer. Each switch is 15 minutes, for 1 hour on/off place 4 switches on and the next 4 to off and you can repeat this for the full 24-hour cycle. Thanks for the question!