the softtouch has a small fan that runs the moment you turn it on..it's your basic small computer type fan you can replace at radio shack if it ever goes. there is a slot above it and that i assume is for venting any heat. it never seems to get hot at all. i've got it in a pool shed and even in 32 degree weather never a problem and it gets pretty hot in there (2 plastic vents mounted on the wall for air intake for my heater, manual whirly bird on the roof. your timer rig sounds virtually the same as mine and the same concept. i don't know a lot of electrical wiring but i know that it works very slick. neat to see the timer switch click off and shut down my heater and pool pilot, and the pump going on for 12 minutes i also have separate switches on the wall of my shed for each of the pump, heater and pool pilot so then i can shut down the pool pilot manually when i want to backwash my pool. not that i think it's necessary to do so..all i get is a flashing no flow red light until i switch it back to filter. the best thing about the check valve and no flow switch is if there is debris in the system anywhere clogging things up (i.e. when i was vacuuming spring crap this past weekend and the basket was full and my pump lost most but not all flow, it was trickling enough that the no flow light came on and basically, the autopilot shuts down the cell operation until the flow is restored. i also suspect the check valve works in keeping heavy chlorinized water from going back into the heater on shut down which is a tad of a concern apparently probably one of the best things , to be honest? the customer support from poolsean. he is incredibly helpful and patient..here and if you need to communicate with him privately. i've caught him on his laptop in a hotel room after his workday is done and if he's around, he'll help..he's just the best. i bet i emailed him about 15 times last year and he always seems to be able to help, whether about the unit itself, plumbing or electrical. great degree of knowledge and availability and that my friend, is priceless