Need info on swapping a digital timer in place of a light switch

December 29, 2018, 12:22 PM

Oz_Shadow

I tried this several years ago and the digital switch just would not work. I may have been trying it with a CFL bulb. I had to swap it for a mechanical timer switch with a dial and many flip switches.

I would like to replace some other light switches with timers now but would prefer digital. Any idea what my original problem was? Was it the cfl? Are there certain types of digital switches I need?

This is just for something simple like the switch for the outdoor side of my garage light.

December 29, 2018, 12:44 PM

Some Shot

Do you just want the switch to time out and turn the light off a predetermined amount of time after you've turned the light on? Or, do you want it programmed to turn the light on and off?

December 29, 2018, 12:46 PM

Oz_Shadow

quote:
Originally posted by Some Shot:
Do you just want the switch to time out and turn the light off a predetermined amount of time after you've turned the light on? Or, do you want it programmed to turn the light on and off?

Basically something I can set to turn the light on at dark and off in the morning that can be changed to account for seasonal differences. A manual override is of course a requirement.

I do not care for the photo sensitive type complete fixtures.

December 29, 2018, 01:03 PM

Patrick-SP2022

I have had this Intermatic timer for a few years.
There is a dawn to dusk setting and, if I recall correctly, it changes to DST automatically.

We use it for our front porch lighting.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Inter...ing-Timer/1000349833

December 29, 2018, 01:10 PM

trapper189

I have six of the Intermatic timer switches like: These at Lowes.

Two are 12 years old now and still work fine. The other four are 10 years old. I had an issue with CFL bulbs with the first two. I believe wiring a halogen bulb in the same circuit fixed the issue. The newer switches haven't had any trouble with CFL or LED bulbs.

The are supposed to compensate for changes in sunrise and sunset, but I find myself adjusting them maybe 4 times a year.

December 29, 2018, 01:14 PM

bigdeal

quote:
Originally posted by Patrick-SP2022:
I have had this Intermatic timer for a few years.
There is a dawn to dusk setting and, if I recall correctly, it changes to DST automatically.

We use it for our front porch lighting.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Inter...ing-Timer/1000349833

I have a couple similar timers installed at my home to run the lights at the front door and the carriage lights on the garage, but will be swapping them out shortly with these TP Link HS200 Smart WiFi Light Switch. Just make sure you have good WiFi in place to support them and you're good to go.

December 29, 2018, 04:30 PM

Oz_Shadow

quote:
Originally posted by bigdeal:
quote:
Originally posted by Patrick-SP2022:
I have had this Intermatic timer for a few years.
There is a dawn to dusk setting and, if I recall correctly, it changes to DST automatically.

We use it for our front porch lighting.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Inter...ing-Timer/1000349833
I have a couple similar timers installed at my home to run the lights at the front door and the carriage lights on the garage, but will be swapping them out shortly with these TP Link HS200 Smart WiFi Light Switch. Just make sure you have good WiFi in place to support them and you're good to go.

I like the idea but I'm not sure it maintains the schedule internally in case the wifi is down.

December 29, 2018, 04:32 PM

Oz_Shadow

quote:
Originally posted by trapper189:
I have six of the Intermatic timer switches like: These at Lowes.

Two are 12 years old now and still work fine. The other four are 10 years old. I had an issue with CFL bulbs with the first two. I believe wiring a halogen bulb in the same circuit fixed the issue. The newer switches haven't had any trouble with CFL or LED bulbs.

The are supposed to compensate for changes in sunrise and sunset, but I find myself adjusting them maybe 4 times a year.

I may give one of those a try using a led bulb. If the power goes out does it have to be reprogrammed?

December 29, 2018, 04:55 PM

eyrich

Been using this one since 2013
Dusk to Dawn

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Have never reprogrammed - not sure I have even had to adjust the time on it, maybe once

December 29, 2018, 11:03 PM

Skins2881

These are what I use. Only once in the last decade have I had a call back for a failed unit.

https://www.amazon.com/Interma...k%2B0OmIL&ref=plSrch

Astronomical timer so it knows sunup and sunset so it's set it and forget it. Can be overridden on/off with a simple touch of the face plate. Needs new battery every three years or so is the only drawback. It's also a positive since battery powered it does not require a neutral connection.

To answer the CFL portion, yes many timers were not previously compatible with CFLs, most are now. I'd encourage you not to use CFLs anyways for a number of reasons.

December 29, 2018, 11:23 PM

bigdeal

quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
quote:
Originally posted by bigdeal:
quote:
Originally posted by Patrick-SP2022:
I have had this Intermatic timer for a few years.
There is a dawn to dusk setting and, if I recall correctly, it changes to DST automatically.

We use it for our front porch lighting.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Inter...ing-Timer/1000349833
I have a couple similar timers installed at my home to run the lights at the front door and the carriage lights on the garage, but will be swapping them out shortly with these TP Link HS200 Smart WiFi Light Switch. Just make sure you have good WiFi in place to support them and you're good to go.

I like the idea but I'm not sure it maintains the schedule internally in case the wifi is down.

About the only time my WiFi is down is when the power's off at the house, so I really don't have too many worries about that issue. I might manually kill off the WiFi tomorrow and see if the switches maintain my schedule on their own.

December 30, 2018, 10:31 AM

trapper189

quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:

I may give one of those a try using a led bulb. If the power goes out does it have to be reprogrammed?

They run on batteries. An odd size, CR2 I believe, which seem to last about 4 years.

The timer switch skins linked is rated for 20 amp circuits while the one I linked is rated for 15 amp circuits, otherwise the programming and functionality is the same. The 20amp one will work fine on 15 amp circuits.

December 30, 2018, 10:56 AM

Oz_Shadow

Thanks all! I had no idea astronical timers even existed. Very cool.

I'm about 99% LED bulbs now.

December 30, 2018, 11:34 AM

houndawg

I've had two of these Honeywell timer switches since 2012. One controls the lights outside the garage, and one controls the post lanp on my front lawn. Both fixtures have LED bulbs. They don't have to be reprogrammed after an outage, but if the outage is long enough, the current time has to be reset.

https://www.amazon.com/Honeywe...-1&keywords=RPLS740B

December 30, 2018, 12:46 PM

Skins2881

quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Thanks all! I had no idea astronical timers even existed. Very cool.

I'm about 99% LED bulbs now.

Another nice thing about the one I linked is that you can set them to turn on at sunset and off at midnight or whatever time you want and not have the light on all night if you don't want it on. I have a number of customers who have me set them up like that. Also you can set them to random setting when traveling and it varies the on/off times so it's not the exact same time. This is supposed to give the house the 'lived in' look if someone is casing it. I'm guessing the other linked products do similar.

Ideal for your front porch and garage lights. Never come home in the dark. A big safety plus.

December 30, 2018, 01:30 PM

oldbill123

They have led bulds now that have motion sensor and/or photocell built in. Never tried either, but I also need to replace my timer

December 30, 2018, 01:36 PM

houndawg

quote:
Originally posted by Skins2881:
quote:
Originally posted by Oz_Shadow:
Thanks all! I had no idea astronical timers even existed. Very cool.

I'm about 99% LED bulbs now.

Another nice thing about the one I linked is that you can set them to turn on at sunset and off at midnight or whatever time you want and not have the light on all night if you don't want it on. I have a number of customers who have me set them up like that. Also you can set them to random setting when traveling and it varies the on/off times so it's not the exact same time. This is supposed to give the house the 'lived in' look if someone is casing it. I'm guessing the other linked products do similar.

Ideal for your front porch and garage lights. Never come home in the dark. A big safety plus.

The Honeywell I linked to does all of that. It automatically adjusts on and off time according to latitude/longitude, time of year, and DST.

December 30, 2018, 09:47 PM

Fundman

A have a Honeywell/Aube timer on my porch light. Turns on at sunset and off at sunrise. I first tried a light that had a photo cell built in but the front step is in the house's shadow most of the day so the light would stay on most of the day.

The one negative to the wall switch timer is that you need a load of at least 40 watts. That means LED light bulbs don't work.