Electrical box in bar-what does it control?

[RJM]

I recently pulled the icemaker from the bar for an overhaul. I am trying to sort out some electrical additions made post-factory. The (replacement) icemaker was wired into the bus bar of this box located under the bar sink. There is a heater strip for the water line as well as an outlet and track lights over the bar. The box has what looks like a timer with a wheel that trips a solenoid. Anyone have any ideas as to what it controls?

 

[oscarvan]

Looks like a timer from here...... Based on the non S-head screw it's an afterthought.

 

[SeaEric]

Looks like a volume control rheostat for speakers. This is the back. What's on the other side of it?

 

[MadHatter53]

I’d say it’s a timer, maybe for the heater. From what I can see spots 1&2 have wiring so see where they go. Spots 3&4 and the white and red striped look wired to the relay/timer the other wires I assume are a 110ac feed in and one ac out.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

DC current

 

[Pascal]

It s a 70s boat... that was a timer for the disco ball!!

 

[SKYCHENEY]

How about a defrost timer for the ice maker?

 

[RJM]

DC current

Upon further examination I've discovered this:

The grey wire (black and red leads) coming in is 110 AC. The ice maker wires (not shown) were connected to the black and red wire terminals along with the added outlet black and red wires. All ganged on terminals 5, 6 so whatever the timer function, these wires remained hot. As it turns out, the solenoid controls a multilayer reed switch that, when the button compresses it, closes several contacts which correspond to the grey, orange and white/red stripe wires in 3,4,5. The two black wires in 1,2 disappear back into the wall. The grey and orange wires seem to dead end at the terminals. The white/red stripe wire appears to just supply power to the reed switches.

In the past 12 hours after hooking everything back up, the timer hasn't moved at all.

I am beginning to think that whatever the function was, it is no longer active. I'll have to trace the black wires to see where they go, but beyond then, the only function that I can see for this thing is as a junction box.

On a brighter note, the ice maker is now working perfectly after replacing the dead mechanism.