How do you turn on a brinks grounded 24-hour mechanical timer

It is a very basic mechanical timer. I have 3 of them.

Remove it from the wall.
Pull the tabs up for Off and Push tabs down for On.
Set the Time by turning the dial, time to arrow.
Set the slide switch to Timer On.
Plug in the appliance.
Plug the timer into the wall socket.

Manual and Advertising is here.

GE 15119 Manual - Waterheatertimer.org

http://waterheatertimer.org > pdf > GE15119-Man...

PDF GE 15119 timer manual http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-set-timers.html http://waterheatertimer.org/GE-timers-and-manuals.html#52012.

GE 15119 Indoor 24-Hour One-Outlet Plug-in Basic Timer ...

https://www.toolboxsupply.com > products > ge-15119...

GE Indoor 24-Hour Mechanical Timer is an easy-to-use basic timer. Ideal for lamps, seasonal lights and portable fans. Turns a lamp on/off at desired times daily, ...

..

http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-set-timers.html

Link above has step by step for mechanical timers

Gene

Water Heater Timers Save Money

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Reset the timer, and reprogram.
Do not exceed the 500 watt incandescent maximum
Test outlet for correct polarity and grounding using circuit analyzer.
Try timer on different outlet and different load.
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Brinks-44-1030-manual.pdf

Buy another $$12 timer from Walmart and return defective timer in new package.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/gene_9f0ef4df2f9897e7

Brinks 42-1020 is analog timer with 48 segments (pins) located around edge of dial.
Each segment (pin) represents 15 minutes in 24 hour day.
Segments on this timer push down and outward.
Open following links for instruction illustrations:
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Brinks-42-1020-manual.pdf
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-set-timers.html

I agree.
I test timers.
Brinks timers are near lowest quality of all timer brands, yet all timer manufactures sell lower end products to meet price points. Brinks are probably made by one of the bigger brands.
http://waterheatertimer.org/Woods-timers-and-manuals.html#Brinks
http://waterheatertimer.org/GE-timers-and-manuals.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/UPM-timers-and-manuals.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/Tork-consumer-timers-and-manuals.html
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-set-timers.html

Test your outlet with cheap circuit analyzer from box store to make sure that polarity of outlet is not reversed. Notice that Brinks timers, like most plug-in timers, have polarized plug.
Polarized plug has wide and narrow blades so they plug into outlet correctly.
Wide blade is for Neutral, and narrow blade is for Hot.
If outlet has polarity reversed, this will adversely affect timer motors, and other appliances.

Instructions for Brinks 42-1020
1) There are plastic segments located around outer edge of timer dial.
These segments divide each hour into 15 minute periods.
Push segments down like a piano key for all hours you want timer ON-or-OFF
2) Push switch to Auto ON -or- Timer
3) Turn lamp ON, make sure bulb is working, plug lamp into timer.
4) Plug timer into wall.
Manually rotate timer dial clockwise to observe light turning on-off.
This action will say if light is ON when segments are up or down.
5) Unplug timer, and set segments for times you want lamp to turn on-off.
6) Rotate timer dial clockwise until current time lines up with arrowhead located on inner dial
7) Plug timer back into outlet. Dial rotates as time passes, segments click a switch that turns lamp on-and-off.

Add a comment for more free help, or to further clarify this free answer.
Also take advantage of fixya phone service.
For a price, fixya expert speaks with you over phone while you work on timer or any do-it-yourself project.

Brinks 44-1040 is a 24-hour plug-in timer, with 1 on tripper and 1 off tripper.
Dial has 24 hours with each hour marked for am and pm times.

Push tripper down and rotate until tripper aligns with time you want for ON and OFF.
Rotate dial until current time lines up with arrowhead located on inner dial.

Turn lamp ON. Make sure bulb is good.
Plug lamp into timer. and plug timer into wall.

Move slide switch one direction or the other to control mode.
When switch is one direction, lamp in ON all the time.
Move switch other direction, and timer programs work.

Dial rotates as time passes, and trippers move on-off lever that turns lamp ON-and-OFF.

Add a comment for more free help.
Also take advantage of fixya phone service.
For a price, expert speaks with you over phone while you work on timer or any do-it-yourself project.
Fixya is always less expensive than a service call.

The Tork 602A mechanical outdoor timer with 2 grounded outlets.
Tork 601A and 602A manual
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Tork-601A-Manual.pdf
Manual has images of timer that will help.

Plug timer into outdoor outlet.
To set current time, rotate dial clockwise until current time lines up with arrowhead located on inner dial.
Dial is divided into light and dark sections that represent day or nighttime hours.
Reset time after power outage.

96 pins located around timer dial are used to set on-off times.
Each pin represents 15 minutes in 24 hour day
Move pins in-or-out with fingernail or ink pen to set timer on-off functions.
With Tork timers, usually when pins are out, timer is ON.
When pins are in, timer is OFF.
To double-check pin setting, manually rotate timer to watch when lights turn on-off.

Set multiple ON/OFFs each day.
Change on-off times by resetting a pin or two.
Timer repeats every 24-hours.

Manual ON/TIMER switch is located on inner dial.

Set Manual switch to TIMER for programs to operate.
To override time and turn on Load, move override to ON position.

GE 51587 has same instructions as Tork 601A single-outlet outdoor 24-hour mechanical timer.
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Tork-601A-Manual.pdf

Plug timer into outdoor outlet.
To set current time, rotate dial clockwise until current time lines up with arrowhead located on inner dial.
Dial is divided into light and dark sections that represent day or nighttime hours.
Reset time after power outage.

96 pins located around timer dial are used to set on-off times.
Each pin represents 15 minutes in 24 hour day
Move pins in-or-out with fingernail or pen to set timer on-off functions.
With GE timers, usually when pins are out, timer is ON.
When pins are in, timer is OFF.

Set multiple ON/OFFs each day.
Timer repeats every 24-hours.

Manual ON/TIMER switch located on inner dial.

Set override to timer for program to operate.
To override time and turn on Load, move override to ON position.

Tork 601A outdoor timer manual:
http://waterheatertimer.org/pdf/Tork-601A-Manual.pdf

Timer has 1 125Volt receptacle located on bottom of timer

96 captive tabs located around timer dial allow times to be set each 15 minutes.
Move pins in-or-out with fingernail or pen to set timer on-off functions.
Minimum time setting is 15 minutes.
Maximum time setting 23 ¾ hours.
Set multiple ON/OFFs each day.
Timer repeats every 24-hours.

Dial is divided into daylight and nighttime hours.
Nighttime PM hours are on dark background.
Daylight hours are on light background.

To set timer, rotate dial clockwise until current time lines up with arrowhead located on inner dial. Reset time after power outage.
Manual ON/TIMER switch located on inner dial.
To override time and turn on Load, move override to ON position. To use timer functions, move override to TIMER position