Florecent lights and timers

[hillwack]

First, my situation is that I have a in-wall 24 hour timer installed now that turns my coach light on/off so that they are not left on all day wasting money. This not being the most energy efficient because I can?t use florescent bulbs because its a electronic timer, and after doing the math, the time I have my incandescent lights on uses about the same amount of power as leaving a florescent light on all day.

In my mind the simple solution would be to get a non-electronic timer to replace the one I have, but I haven?t found any that would replace a decora switch. Other then mounting a large yard light timer I have been thinking about getting a 120v relay that wouldn?t bleed power to the lights while the power is suppose to be off. All just ideas now, maybe someone has a better one, or a non-electronic timer I could replace a decora switch with that I overlooked.

 

[gar]

081111-2145 ESt

Tell me about this timer. Why won't it work with a fluorescent lamp?

Is there a maximum value of load resistance that you can use as a load to insure a minimum current to the timer because the timer is a two terminal device? If so then consider adding a shunt capacitor across your load to increase the timer minimum current. Or you could add a small incandescent as a parallel load. Maybe use a bigger fluorescent lamp.

Also consider finding a 3 terminal electronic timer. One that requires a neutral wire.

.

 

[celtic]

How about a screw in photocell and a smaller incandescent lamp [appliance lamp ~ 40W] so it doesn't stick out of the fixture;

...or

skip the incandescent and go with a PC built into the CFL:

 

[winnie]

1) I believe that I've seen electronic timers that are actually rated for all types of load, not just incandescent. Intermatic used to have a _mechanical_ timer that fit in a decora space, but it had horrible reliability. I believe that they replaced this with two different electronic timers, one only good for incandescent lamps, and one (more expensive) rated for all lamps.

2) I have seen screw in photocells that say on the packaging that they can be used with CFLs.

-Jon

 

[LarryFine]

Mr. Wack, I have used the Intermatic #ST01C electronic timer with 100% success. It's HD's SKU #271585, and is under $35. It has a battery back-up, and fits a Decora/GFCI plate opening.

It can be used for SP or 3W switching, has no problem with fluorescents, motors, or appliances (obviously relay switching), automatically adjusts for seasons and DST, and is very programmable.

Your problems may have been due to using a timer with solid-state switching and/or had no neutral connection.

 

[hillwack]

Currently i am using the intermatic EJ351, and when the lights are "off" you can still see the starter making them flicker due to a low voltage present in the line. When i get a chance this week i will get the intermatic ST01C and change it out.

As for a photocell, no, just not what i am going for. I dont want the lights on all night, just evening and morning.