It's about time(rs)
Almost every lighting system has one… it could be a simple and affordable mechanical timer. Or it could be a somewhat more complex digital timer. Or it could be an even more complex astronomical timer. Or your system could be controlled by a wi-fi or bluetooth timing system. Or you could have no timer… your system could be controlled by a photocell. We’ll talk about the pros and cons of each of these devices.
Mechanical timers
It’s hard to beat the simplicity (and affordability) of an old-school mechanical timer, especially if you just want your outdoor lights to come on and turn off at fixed times year-round. One downside with mechanical timers is that they don’t automatically adjust for seasonal fluctuations or daylight savings time changes, but if you don’t mind manually adjusting these times a few times per year, mechanical timers might be right for your outdoor lighting system. There are several different varieties, but most mechanical timers operate in a similar manner. One common way is inserting and removing “trigger pins” which cause the lights to go and off. The pictured timer has a green pin for “on” (at 4:30 PM) and a red pin for “off.” (At 12:30 AM)
There is a downside to mechanical timers: in outdoor environments, they’re not especially durable – three years is a pretty good run for a mechanical timer when used outside. But that might not be a dealbreaker for some homeowners, as mechanical timers are quite affordable: less than $20 for the Intermatic mechanical timer that we recommend.
Digital Timers
A basic digital timer is really just a digital version of the mechanical timer, above. Basic digital timers have the downside of programming complexity, without any major upside over the mechanical timer. If you want additional features and flexibility, we suggest using an astronomical timer.
Astronomical timers
Astronomical timers self-adjust throughout the year, so you won’t have to make periodic manual adjustments to the timer’s settings. With an astronomical timer, you configure your date, time and location and the timer automatically adjusts for seasonal dawn and dusk variations in your location, as well as daylight savings changes. Astronomical timers can also turn your outdoor lights on at dusk, and then turn them off at predetermined time. For example, if you set the timer to turn your lights on at dusk, they’d come on at perhaps 5 pm in the winter, and 8 pm in the summer. You could program the timer to turn your lights off at dawn (and that exact time would adjust automatically throughout the year) or you could set it to turn your lights off at a fixed time, such as 12:15 AM.
The downside to astronomical timers – other than the added expense – is that they can be a little tricky to program. Here’s a video on that. Dazzle Lighting Co recommends the pictured Intermatic DT620K. They’re about $50 and can usually be found on Amazon.
WI-FI Timers
Wi-Fi timers connect your outdoor lighting transformer to your home’s wi-fi network, and allow you to control and program your outdoor lights from anywhere via a phone app. They’re fairly easy to set up, and they’re quite reliable. Programming is far more intuitive than the astronomical timer above. Wi-Fi timers are available from several manufacturers, but they generally have the same features and work similarly.
Wi-fi timers do, however, have a few downsides:
- They’re a little more expensive than other timers.
- You’ll need to download an app onto your phone.
- They’re dependent upon reliable wi-fi connectivity.
If those aren’t show-stoppers for you, we think they’re worth it!
Smart Outlets
Smart outlets are an excellent option for many homeowners. They’re similar to the Wi-Fi timers, above, but they’re a little more flexible and affordable, as well as more readily available.
To operate them, you’ll plug the smart outlet into an outdoor receptacle, and then you’ll plug your transformer into the smart outlet. Then you’ll download an app on your phone that controls the smart outlet.
Dazzle Lighting Co recommends the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug.
Photocells
Photocells plug into your transformer and cause them to turn your landscape lights on at dusk and off at dawn. They can also be used in conjunction with timers to turn your lights on at dusk and then off at a predetermined time.
Photocells are affordable, but they do have a few downsides: they’re unreliable – you’ll be lucky to get 3 years from a photocell – and they’re finicky: if your transformer is on a shady side of your house, your lights might come on earlier than you’d like. Or if a neighbor’s lights are near your photocell, your lights might shut off before you want them to. Also, unless you want your lights to be on from dusk to dawn, you’ll have to pair the photocell with another timer. Dazzle Lighting Co does not usually recommend photocells for most installation, but they are occasionally useful.
Integrated Transformers
Integrated or “all-in-one” transformers are landscape lighting transformers that have timing functions and photocells built in. They’re typically not installed by landscape lighting professionals, but homeowners doing a self-installation will find integrated transformers available at most home improvement stores.
Integrated transformers are fairly easy to program and easy to troubleshoot, but they don’t have replaceable components. When the photocell or timing features stop working, it’s time to buy a whole new transformer. For this reason, they’re less-than ideal… but when they’re working, integrated transformers are a decent option, especially from a simplicity standpoint.
