A conventional relay such as the one pictured in Figure 1 may be converted into a time delay relay using a timer module. In this example, a 24 VDC Finder 60.12.9.024.0040 installed in a 90.02 socket is converted to a time delay relay by the addition of a 86.30.0.024.0000 timer module. The resulting system provides adjustable delays from 0.05 seconds to 100 hours.
This article is part of the DigiKey Field Guide for Industrial Automation
Location: Understand It → Relay Logic
Difficulty: 
Student — difficulty levels explained
Author: Aaron Dahlen | MSEE | Senior Applications Engineer, DigiKey
Last update: 09 Mar 2026
Figure 1: This Finder 60 series DPDT relay may be converted into a time delay relay by the addition of the timer module. This timer module with its blue time adjustment screw is installed into the relay socket in the position normally reserved for the flyback diode.
Tech Tip: Manufacturer-provided catalogs remain an integral part of component selection. This is especially true when selecting green field components. Here the term green field refers to new installations unburdened by existing supply constraints. As a general rule, using components such as the timer module featured in this article allows a reduction in the total number of required components.
Focus on Component Families
Family relationships are one of the most important logistics considerations for industrial control components. Nearly all devices, from switches, relays, and even Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) are offered as members of a greater family. We often find interchangeable components to facilitate customization for a given application. As an example, consider the relay components shown in Figure 2. Here we see members of the Finder 60 and 46 series. The timer plug-in module is designed to operate in either system.
Figure 2: Image of the Finder 60 series (left) and Finder 46 series (right). Both family members are compatible with the timer module (lower center).
Tech Tip: Don’t forget to include the relay locking mechanism. The octal socket on the left includes a wire retainer while the socket on the right includes a plastic locking mechanism that doubles as a relay ejection mechanism. This is another example supporting the need to review the manufacturers’ catalog.
Operation of the Time Delay Module
The featured time delay module is simple to operate. There are two controls including the four dip switches to set the mode and coarse timing and a blue adjustment screw for fine time adjustments. For example, the mode may be set to time-delay-on and the coarse adjustment may be set for the 0.5 to 10 second mode. The screw visible in Figure 1 is then used to set the desired time interval within the 0.5 to 10 second window.
Parting Thoughts
The time delay module is a simple device that can enhance the functionality of your control panel. It offers the advantage of consistency as a single family of relays may be used for both control and timing. Be sure to consult the device catalog to locate other family components such as jumpers, snubbers, and marker tags.
Please leave your comments and questions in the space below.
Best wishes,
APDahlen
Continue Exploring Industrial Control Systems
If this discussion was helpful, you may also want to explore:
DigiKey Navigation
- Full Catalog: Industrial Control & Automation
Related Foundational Articles
- Have you seen the DigiKey tech forum article on troubleshooting industrial equipment? This may be a good time to review the material. As you read the document, consider how the relay indicator LED may be used for symptom recognition. Hint: The timing module’s indicator LED is on while relay is active, not while the timer is counting.
About This Author
Aaron Dahlen, LCDR USCG (Ret.), is a Senior Applications Engineer at DigiKey in Thief River Falls. His background in electronics and industrial automation was shaped by a 27-year military career as both technician and engineer, followed by over a decade of teaching.
Dahlen holds an MSEE from Minnesota State University, Mankato. He has taught in an ABET-accredited electrical engineering program, served as coordinator of an electronic engineering technology program, and instructed military technicians in component-level repair.
Today, he has returned to his home in northern Minnesota, completing a decades-long journey that began with a search for capacitors. Read his story here.