Veronica and I have a rather nice low voltage lite system to set off our backyard. It was a lot of backbreaking time and endeavor to get all the wiring run, buried and connected to a timer which is in our garage. We are using a 600 watt Malibu transformer pack (ML600TW). It has a timer where pins are inserted for finish and outset events (encounter beneath).

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The timer is simple and works well. The problem is that I have the timer set to come on virtually dusk every 24-hour interval and so to go off around 11:00pm. It is also ready to come on at 4:00am and to go off near dawn. I am always moving the pins around equally dawn and dusk alter every bit nosotros become from season to season. Depending on how lazy I am or am not, the low voltage lights volition oft run far longer than they need to. I tend to fudge the on and off times for dawn and dusk so that the lights always come on before it gets dark or light out. The Brick Reservoir is in our backyard and people walking by can see the low voltage lighting so nosotros like to make certain that it is on when it is supposed to be. I take been using the timer on the Malibu transformer pack for a few years and I finally got tired of changing the pins. It may seem like a really picky thing just here's what always happens. I recollect most changing the pins just earlier the lights come up on or go off so I have to wait until the consequence happens before making the alter. I unremarkably forget to do information technology so a few days later on, I am back in the same situation once more.

Initially, I looked for a photograph cell to connect to the transformer that would sense dawn and sunset. I found this Malibu item:

ML814PR Malibu Landscape Lighting Photo Control Cell

It is the Malibu ML814PR photograph cell. Information technology is not terribly expensive (around $17 USD plus shipping). Subsequently a little enquiry, I found that I need 2 of these – one for each of the circuits on the Malibu transformer pack. I would accept to run the wires from the inside of my garage where the transformer pack is located to the outside and mount the photograph cells in a suitable location. I wasn't sure that I wanted to become through all of this work simply to make my timer situation more than user-friendly.

I googled dawn/dusk timers and establish the Intermatic DT620CL 15-amp timer on Amazon.

Intermatic DT620CL 15 Amp Indoor Astronomic Digital Timer

The timer was just under $20 USD (plus shipping – effectually $five USD) and it had everything that I was looking for. I placed my order and received the timer in less than a week. It comes with a battery backup (2-LR44 batteries – supplied with unit) that is supposed to run the timer for three months without power. It allows the setting of 28 on/off events, automatically adjusts for daylight savings times, machine adjusts to dawn and dusk changes on a daily basis and allows for setting times that vary with +- thirty minutes each day then that information technology looks similar someone is always dwelling and turning the lights (or appliances) on and off. Information technology has two timed sockets.

It took me well-nigh five minutes to programme the unit. Considering of the bombardment backup, yous tin sit in a comfy chair and do your programming then merely, plug it into an outlet and plug in your device.

If you are trying to use the timer on a Malibu transformer pack similar I did, you need to remove all the pins from the transformer pack and plow the little circular on/off post to the "ON" position.

It works similar a charm. Our low voltage lighting comes on and goes off every day at the right fourth dimension. It'southward overnice to think that I won't take to worry virtually changing those pins anymore. If you would similar to read the user manual for the timer before buying, y'all can see the pdf file on the Intermatic site by clicking hither.

I'm 63 years former and hope that retirement is somewhere in my future. Each fourth dimension that I do something like this, I convince myself that I am doing this to make my retirement years easier or maybe I am just justifying spending some more money. I don't seem to have any problems making that justification at all.

© 2010, Herb Segars. All rights reserved.