Timing house lights when your out (1 Viewer)

[Sandancers]

Like a lot of people I've used a plug in timer to a table lamp to give impression of house being occupied when we're out.

I wanted to upgrade to having something to switch the main room light on and off. Looking at a lot of timers which fit in place of the standard wall switch it would appear that most of them won't operate if the bulb is low wattage ie energy saver or led.

But I have bought one of the below and it works a treat !! Bonus is that even non-electricians can fit it. It has many programmable functions and works on 1, 2 or 3 gang switches. Tho I have found that the switchplate needs to be a flat variety, not bowed outwards. It is easily removable for when it's not needed.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/light-switch-timer-fits-over-standard-sockets-no-wiring-required-a07qy

 

[Jaws]

What an elegant solution

 

[Gaston aires]

This is a useful blog, and whats more I like Geordies, ( my mums a Geordie). So haway to maplins and buy one hinny.
Phil

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[GJH]

I thought using house lights on Tyneside was dangerous - on the grounds that if you are rich enough to have paid your electric bill you must be worth burgling

 

[hilldweller]

Like a lot of people I've used a plug in timer to a table lamp to give impression of house being occupied when we're out.

I do something similar but the reality is that it's so easy, so common what self respecting thief would be influenced by it ?

Also if the curtains are open you are actually helping them.

 

[Ivory55]

We have a few places on our estate used as holiday home or weekend place and they stand out like a sore thumb with the hall light coming on and curtainss that do not move. They shout out nobody lives here all week.

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[hilldweller]

and curtains that do not move.

They can move, at a price.

 

[Sandancers]

I do something similar but the reality is that it's so easy, so common what self respecting thief would be influenced by it ?

Also if the curtains are open you are actually helping them.

Next on my project list is finding / making some motors that close / open the vertical blinds at specific times.

 

[mjltigger]

You can get ones that go between the light fitting and the bulb that don't go to a time but are more random.. if you do use a timer don't set it for a round time set it a bit off.. so 7 minutes past not 15 etc

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[Goshawk]

my son uses a system operated from his mobile phone, brilliant piece of kit but not cheap, it can switch a light on any time or off and even change colour, its called Phillips Hue, and requires starter kit and colour hub for router, i think thats right looking to get one myself

 

[trophychap]

Well for us we think that the motorhome not being on the drive is a bit of a giveaway, probably better to invest in an alarm with an internal noise generating siren. The scroats don't then stop long in your property, thus minimising your losses.

That's the theory anyway! We should have had one in January this year when we had visitors whilst we were in Portugal it would have minimised our losses quite considerably.