Timer for my mirror!

Ruski

I'd like to add a timer to my bathroom light/mirror - it already has the demister built in - which is brilliant - but not very MSE to be heating a mirror when it's not needed.

The light is on for most of the evening (not very MSE in itself, but it adds light to our dim hallway and is a comfort to our toddler)

Any electrical engineers out there who can point me to a timer component that I can manually 'press to demist' - so it'd be on for, say, 20 minutes.

I've searched CPC for 'timer' but nothing jumps out at me.

TIA

Russ

muckybutt

Search for occupancy sensor or Pneumatic Time Lag switch.

The first is basically an infra red movement detector in the form of a switch that also incorporates an adjustable timer.

The second being a switch that you push to turn on, as you push the switch it creates a vacuum inside and with the aid of a small valve in the back of the switch you can adjust how long the switch operates for

Ruski

Sorry Mucky - not a room sensor I need - it's one of those demisting wall mirrors that I want to control the heating pad of - not the room lights themselves - sorry for any confusion!

muckybutt

I was thinking along the lines of the sensor just switching the heater on as and when required ?

Other than those options above the other timed alternative would be something like an immersion heater timer either 24 hr or 7 day timer like - this
or - this ?

keithu

Are you saying that the heater element is wired into the room lighting circuit? Or the mirror has its own light and heater that you want to control separately?

Stevefromdonny

Hmm, it would depend on how the unit is wired up really - can you easily get at the wiring and alter it with an additional switch?

Another thing is that it isn't recommended that you go messing with appliances in a bathroom without in depth knowledge of what you're doing. The appliance as it stands will have some IP (Ingress Protection) rating that makes it suitable for where it is (a bathroom w/moisture). If you add a normal switch onto it and/or expose or alter wiring, this IP rating may be altered. You say you have kids, you don't want to create a dangerous situation in the wettest room in your house.

I would be more inclined to search for a night light or similar that you can plug in on the landing. You can get little LED ones now, which will cost you next to nowt to run.

Ruski

@Mucky - liking the idea - don't really want to have to chase another cable into my (now) finished bathroom tho Can you get them small enough to hide in the mirror itself maybe? Would they work behind glass?

@keith - yes - the mirror has all the internals there - I'm looking for a way to interrupt the demister pad supply and 'time' it on as and when necessary via a pullcord or some other...

@Steve - not concerned about the integrity of the IP, that's easily maintained. The light is used to light the bathroom too during the evening (we live in a bungalow and that area gets no natural light), so it lights both the bathroom and hallway for us. Nightlights just dont fit the bill

Stevefromdonny

Ruski wrote: »

The light is used to light the bathroom too during the evening (we live in a bungalow and that area gets no natural light), so it lights both the bathroom and hallway for us. Nightlights just dont fit the bill

How about, fitting the ceiling lights in the bathroom with low energy lamp(s) and using them to light the place at night? This may even work out cheaper up front than a timer or sensor for the heater. A 50w halogen can be replaced with a 4-5 watt LED. You can get good ones for about £8 each now. And you can get them for any shape light bulb imaginable too.

A pneumatic switch sounds like the best way forward though, if you still wish to alter the cabinet. A room sensor will switch the heated pad on every time someone walks in there, which you probably dont want.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/columbus-pneumatic-time-delay-switch/68088

keithu

Personally, I wouldn't want any kind of hand operated mains switch in a bathroom.

Have a look at this:
http://www.quasarelectronics.co.uk/Item/velleman-vm133-energy-saver-module

It's a timer module that allows power through for a certain time (programmable) then switches off. You would just put it into the wiring to the heating element. Unfortunately the shortest delay period is 1 hour rather than the 20 minutes you wanted so you would have to compromise a bit. With the module installed the heater would come on for 1 hour whenever you switched the light on.

Some things to think about:
Will the module fit into your light fitting?
Is the heater connection accessible?
Does the heater run off the mains or is there a low voltage transformer?

Ruski

Thanks for your input Steve, but I'm happy with the lighting I have already - I'm in need of timer switches that can be incorporated within the bathroom mirror - a time lag switch isn't appropriate unfortuantely

Russ

keithu

Here's another one that will do 20 minutes. It's a bit bigger though and there's no case (not that you would need one.)

http://www.quasarelectronics.co.uk/Item/cebek-i-19-230vac-delay-timer-triac-module-2-45-minute