High-current, 240v, switch....with timer?

[Dan Friedrichs]

This is only related to workshops in the sense that it's electrical, but I'm sure someone at the creek can point me in the right direction.

I need a 240v, 50A switch, with an auto-off timer. This is for a sauna heater that was previously hard-wired in, and I assume was not ever shut off. I want to be able to install a switch to turn it on, but have it automatically shut off after, say, 2 hours. Anyone ever heard of such a thing? I'm thinking along the lines of those knobs that shut off a bathroom fan after a certain time...just much, much bigger :)

I know I could probably find a huge motor starter and hack something together, but I was hoping someone knew of a ready-to-go solution. Searching for some sort of replacement timer/switch specifically for a sauna heater has been fruitless.

[Mark Bolton]

I have a feeling when you look into them you will find that the timers for this amperage are going to be in the 300-500 dollar range. We had looked for one for a customer some time back and they were very expensive. The small water heater timers are more cost effective however I think 40 amps is a large one and they operate on a clock drive rather than a knob.

I think what you may find is something like at the bottom of this page:

http://superiorsaunas.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=69_114

Which is a timer that runs in conjunction with a control/relay. This way the full current isnt passing through the timer rather the timer is tripping the relay that handles the high current.

Mark

[Dan Friedrichs]

Thanks, Mark. I think I'll do just what you said - get a 120V bathroom-fan-type timer knob, and use it to drive the coil of a BIG contactor. Those two parts should be <$100.

[John Coloccia]

FWIW, you can actually buy sauna heater controls. If I remember correctly, they start around $200, and go up from there if you want to get into digital controls, etc.

[Dave Beauchesne]

Dan:

See the following link for Intermatic spring wound timers - http://www.intermatic.com/products/timers/in-wall%20timers/commercial%20spring%20wound%20timers.aspx

I have used several over the years - they seem to be an industry standard - coupled with a contactor to handle the load will be suitable.

Dave Beauchesne

[Dan Friedrichs]

That's actually exactly the one I picked up at Menards yesterday, Dave! Except this one goes up to 1 hr. I also got a contactor from factorymation.com for about $60 rated to handle the load. I think this will work well.

[Rich Aldrich]

This is exactly how my remote works with my Clearvue cyclone, only I have a remote control box, where you have a timer.