Imperium Single Outlet Feed Duration Timer - Precise Feed Cycle Control
Best for: growers running a dripper or drip-fed system who need feed cycles shorter or more precise than a standard 15-minute mains timer can manage.
Our thoughts
Most basic mains timers only switch in 15-minute blocks, which is far too crude for feeding young plants or fine-tuning a dripper cycle. The Imperium fixes that by controlling exactly how long a feed cycle runs, from a single second up to 15 minutes, paired with a separate timer that decides when it runs. Two products working together, but each doing its own job properly.
The Imperium Single Outlet Feed Duration Timer gives you precise control over how long each feed cycle lasts, rather than when it starts. It offers 28 duration settings ranging from 1 second up to 15 minutes, letting you match feed duration to the plant's actual life stage instead of being locked into a fixed interval.
It comes pre-wired with a standard 3-pin plug, so it can control a pump or valve directly, and includes a simple push-to-switch knob that toggles between minute and second settings, with an LED indicator showing which mode is active. You pair it with a separate on/off timer (which decides when the feed cycle starts) while the Imperium controls exactly how long that cycle runs for.
How it compares
Feed duration timers are a step up from the basic segment timers most systems ship with.
- Versus a standard 24-hour segment timer: those typically only switch in 15-minute blocks, which is too coarse for short feed pulses, especially early in a plant's life; the Imperium can run a feed for as little as 1 second.
- Versus Autopot-style passive systems: Autopot doesn't need a feed duration timer at all since it works on gravity and substrate suction, so this product is specifically for pump-driven dripper systems, not passive ones.
- Versus the IWS Imperium Plus (double outlet): the Plus version controls two outlets independently for systems needing different feed durations on separate zones; this Single Outlet version covers one feed line.
Overkill for a passive gravity system, but close to essential if you're running a pump-fed dripper system and want proper control over feed length rather than accepting whatever interval your basic timer allows.
Usage guidance
Set once for your current stage, then adjust as the plant develops.
Setting duration
Push the knob to switch between minutes and seconds mode, indicated by the LED, then dial in the exact duration from the 28 available settings.
Life stage matching
Use shorter feed durations for young plants with smaller root systems, and longer durations as the plant matures and can take on more solution per cycle.
Pairing
Connect a separate on/off mains timer upstream to control when feed cycles start, with the Imperium controlling how long each one lasts.
Technical specifications
- Duration settings: 28 options, 1 second to 15 minutes
- Outlets: Single outlet
- Connection: Pre-wired 3-pin plug
- Mode switching: Push-knob toggle between minutes/seconds with LED indicator
- Use case: Controls feed duration only; requires a separate timer for start time
- Compatible with: Most pump-driven dripper and drip-fed systems
- Manufacturer: Imperium
Who this is for
- Growers running IWS or similar pump-fed dripper systems
- Anyone feeding young plants who needs shorter feed pulses than a basic timer allows
- Growers wanting to fine-tune feed duration as plants move through life stages
- Not needed for passive, gravity-fed systems with no pump
Our take
A specialist accessory rather than a general-purpose timer, but for pump-fed dripper systems it fills a real gap that basic mains timers simply can't cover.
Does exactly what it should, day in, day out, for growers who need that level of feed control.
