New to me Gralab 300 Timer just stopped

Kirth Gersen · May 31, 2022

I bought a lovely looking Gralab 300 from the US. Absolutely mint condition on the outside. I attached a basic adapter for UK mains, and it worked on initial tests, but when I tried it in anger, I noticed that it started slowing down and then after a couple of minutes just stopped, and is now not working at all.

Any ideas? I feel it must be the adapter which blew it, but am not very good with electrics.

Thanks for any help.

AgX · May 31, 2022

What kind of adapter you got? Your photo does not make one wise. (Though it looks like just adapting poles dimensions.)

Keep in mind that in the USA both, mains voltage AND frequency are different.

Older appliances, as clockworks, use the mains frequency as their time base.

Kirth Gersen · May 31, 2022

Don't know. It's the grey thing at the bottom of the photo.

AgX · May 31, 2022

You need a device that adapts the UK voltage to US standard and maybe even the frequency.

(Importing a electrical device from a country with a different mains system is no good idea by someone with limited electrical knowledge.)

Niglyn · May 31, 2022

UK uses 240 Volts at a frequency of 50 cycles per second.
USA uses 240V or 120 Volts at a frequency of 60 cycles per second.
If the works inside use a synchronous motor, then it would not work correctly as the frequencies are different.
If it is designed to work on 120V (which almost certainly it is) sticking double the voltage up it means it won't work for very long!

As this is old, I would guess it does use a synchronous motor. All is not lost, make sure it is unplugged and take the back off, so we can see the works. If it uses a synchronous motor, you may be able to find an identical one but for 240V 50 hz.

These synchronous motors were used in all sorts of things from clocks to central heating programmers to teas maids.

Nicholas Lindan · May 31, 2022

What you have there is a plug adapter. It doesn't convert your 220V power to the 120V your timer expects

The motor in the timer has probably melted down and burned out.

In addition the timer would be running slow - it would show 50 seconds when it should show 60; the timer is made for 60Hz power as opposed to the 50Hz used in the UK - the timer's motor is synchronous with the power line.
.

peoplemerge · May 31, 2022

On the sticker of a Gralab 300 of similar vintage, I see the label marked simply “120V 60hz”. The adapter you have is the kind you need for devices marked “110V-240V” roughly, such as a laptop.

I regret to inform you, you’ve killed it. If you wanted, you could pay an electronics guy to repair it, and buy a 220-240V to 110-120V transformer, but that will be at 4x what a UK timer will run you and may have other disadvantages.

Sirius Glass · May 31, 2022

You can adapt the voltage, but the clock like all North America analog clocks depends on 60 Hertz formally called cycles/second for it timing. You will need to convert the 240 volt AC @ 50 Hertz to DC and then use an inverter to change it back to 120 volts @ 60 Hertz. then hope that the clock motor was not burned out.

GregY · May 31, 2022

Chances are pretty good that you've blown the timer.

albada · May 31, 2022

My Gra-Lab timer lacks the switch and two screws on top. Was this timer modified? Or is the switch for the buzzer? As a prior posted said, it would help to remove the back and post a picture of its innards.

Don_ih · May 31, 2022

albada said:
Or is the switch for the buzzer?

It should be. I hate that buzzer.

MattKing · May 31, 2022

albada said:
My Gra-Lab timer lacks the switch and two screws on top. Was this timer modified? Or is the switch for the buzzer? As a prior posted said, it would help to remove the back and post a picture of its innards.

I've had or used or seen a bunch of different Gralab 300 timers over the years, and there are many slightly different versions.
The ones with the toggle switch on the top - like the one shown here - are the best, because you can positively turn off the incredibly loud end of cycle alarm buzzer.
The ones with an adjustable end of cycle alarm buzzer always seem to get bumped off the "alarm off" setting, resulting in a far too loud alarm when you don't expect it.
In case people don't know why the alarm is so loud, the first time I ever encountered one of these timers it wasn't in a darkroom, it was in a gymnasium, timing a basketball game. I think I have seen more of them used in that context than I've seen them used in a darkroom.
I use mine for the rotary agitator when I'm developing film - with the buzzer switch turned off.

jay moussy · May 31, 2022

Not that it helps the 220v-60ha situation, but I got a "sleepy" timer earlier this year (needing, to a bit of tweaking and lube). Before succeeding with my fix, I did find a reference to the motor, made by a third-party and commonly used in other timing devices -sorry, reference not handy at the moment. There may be 220V model?

Sirius Glass · May 31, 2022

The buzzer on mine has a volume contro.=l.

Kirth Gersen · May 31, 2022

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like I've blown the timer. Silly mistake as it is in lovely condition. I know a couple of friendly electricians (one who mends film cameras) and will see what they can do.

AgX · May 31, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
You can adapt the voltage, but the clock like all North America analog clocks depends on 60 Hertz formally called cycles/second for it timing. You will need to convert the 240 volt AC @ 50 Hertz to DC and then use an inverter to change it back to 120 volts @ 60 Hertz. then hope that the clock motor was not burned out.

When quarts-oscillators became cheap a great deal of analog clockworks got their very own timebase.

However with appliances running on the mains anyway it seemed to make no sense adding such when the mains already delivered such.

Bill Burk · May 31, 2022

On the othe hand you do have it switched “Off”, had you tried “Time” on the left, “On” on the right?

Let “us” know if your electrically inclined friend says you need a certain part. Although shipping “across the pond” might be expensive for the whole thing, a clockwork wouldn't weigh too much. I’ve got four of these and really only need one.

MattKing · May 31, 2022

Sirius Glass said:
The buzzer on mine has a volume contro.=l.

As do a couple of others I have or sometimes use.
And every one is prone to having the control knocked off the "off" position when setting the time under safelight illumination.
And when the timer finishes, and the alarm goes off without my expecting it, it scares the hell out of me!
That is why I like the toggle switch equipped ones.

AgX · May 31, 2022

A bit off-topic, but in West-Germany and the Netherlands a great variety of switching and even metering clocks for the photolab were made and I came these across, that it makes no sense for me to import such from overseas.
What I like at the Gralab clock though is its large dial. Well, I got a springdriven non-switching clock of same size, even with a pause-lever. It tends to be lazy at starting, but I am sure by lubricating its work to make it reliable working again.

Kirth Gersen · May 31, 2022

Bill Burk said:
On the othe hand you do have it switched “Off”, had you tried “Time” on the left, “On” on the right?

Let “us” know if your electrically inclined friend says you need a certain part. Although shipping “across the pond” might be expensive for the whole thing, a clockwork wouldn't weigh too much. I’ve got four of these and really only need one.

Ha! it came with an instruction manual, so I had managed to figure out how to use it before it fried. Will update on how I get on with the electricians.

Bill Burk · Jun 1, 2022

The gadgets that do what you need won’t run an enlarger but you could run a safelight… a 220 volt ac 50 hz to 12 volt dc… connected to a 12volt dc to 110 volt ac 60 hz converter

Like this. The cheapest ones could run the clockworks. But this one for example has max 20 watts which isn’t enough to run an enlarger. I use the GraLab timer to time developing, fixing and washing so I don’t use the sockets. You could also run the inverter off a car battery.

Kirth Gersen · Jun 1, 2022

Bill Burk said:
The gadgets that do what you need won’t run an enlarger but you could run a safelight… a 220 volt ac 50 hz to 12 volt dc… connected to a 12volt dc to 110 volt ac 60 hz converter

Like this. The cheapest ones could run the clockworks. But this one for example has max 20 watts which isn’t enough to run an enlarger. I use the GraLab timer to time developing, fixing and washing so I don’t use the sockets. You could also run the inverter off a car battery.

Thank you. Good intel. Likewise mine is only for developing. I already have one for the enlarger. I only got it because I can barely see the hands on my current little Smith's timer, and also because I think it looks great ;-).

RalphLambrecht · Jun 1, 2022

Kirth Gersen said:
Don't know. It's the grey thing at the bottom of the photo.

Your 'adapter looks like a mechanical converter from UK to US plug. What you need is a UK to US 220 to 110 voltage converter; otherwise you'll hit the US timer with 220V and destroy it. I'm just wondering why itdidn'tblow right away?

AgX · Jun 1, 2022

You overlooked the frequency issue.

Concerning the blowing, I guess it took its time for the motor coil to burn-up.

Bill Burk · Jun 1, 2022

AgX said:
You overlooked the frequency issue.

Concerning the blowing, I guess it took its time for the motor coil to burn-up.

The 220 ac to 12vdc then inverter to 110 60 cycles should do the trick. I’ll try it since I have one of those for my car

New to me Gralab 300 Timer just stopped

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