Category: Pool Pump Timer

A pool pump timer controls when the pump runs — and a failed, mis-set, or unprogrammed timer is one of the most common reasons a pump appears to not be working. Before diagnosing the pump itself, verify the timer is actually sending power to the pump at the current time of day. A timer issue looks exactly like a pump failure from the outside.

The two main timer types are mechanical (the Intermatic T100 and T104 series with physical trippers on a rotating dial) and digital (programmable timers with LCD displays and programmable schedules). Each has different failure modes: mechanical timers lose trippers, develop worn cam mechanisms, and have internal contacts that arc over time; digital timers lose programming after power outages and can have display or programming failures. This section covers timer troubleshooting, setting procedures for the most common timer models, timer replacement selection, and how to manually override a timer to confirm it’s the source of the problem.