Lathem DWA-H Replacement Options and Upgrades

If you are replacing a Lathem DWA-H Digital Work Alerter, you have several practical options — and in many cases, improvements over the original design.

The DWA-H was built as a programmable work shift timer capable of running 32 events over a 7-day schedule. It features a single adjustable horn duration setting, allowing businesses to tailor the sound length for shift changes, breaks, or end-of-day alerts.

You could program it to remain silent on Sundays, operate fully Monday through Friday, and run a limited number of alerts — such as four events — on Saturdays. That flexibility made it a dependable solution for small shops and light industrial environments.

Built-In Horn Performance

The unit includes an integrated 88-decibel horn. In facilities up to approximately 5,000 square feet — where normal conversation is still possible without shouting — the built-in horn is typically sufficient.

In louder environments such as fabrication areas, warehouses, or mechanical shops, additional volume may be required. In those cases, an external horn or bell can be added. Using the manufacturer’s schematic and proper relay wiring, this enhancement can be completed safely and effectively.

Maintenance Considerations

There are two important maintenance requirements to remember:

The 9-volt backup battery must be replaced annually. Quality alkaline batteries are recommended.
The unit must be manually reset for daylight saving time changes.

These small but recurring maintenance steps are often the reason businesses begin evaluating replacement options.

Modern Replacement Advantages

Current digital shift timers and synchronized signaling systems often provide:

Expanded event capacity
Automatic daylight saving time adjustment
Improved memory retention systems
Higher-capacity relay outputs for larger external bells
Integration with master clock or synchronized systems

If your facility has grown, become louder, or expanded into multiple zones, upgrading may provide better long-term reliability than simply replacing the same model.

If you have questions about selecting a direct replacement, wiring an external horn, or upgrading to a more advanced timer system, we can help. We also customize timers and other time signaling equipment to meet specific operational requirements.

Review available DWA-H replacement models and explore alternative shift timer upgrades to ensure your facility maintains consistent and reliable work alerts.