Discount Woods 13660 Outdoor Photoelectric Dusk to Dawn 24-Hour Digital

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I wanted a photoelectric eye timer that would work with my interior lights for an upcoming trip. Purchasing another brand (GE), the first unit was defective right out of the box. I happened across this unit at a local merchandise retailer in southeast Michigan. The description appeared to be just what I wanted. Programming appeared to be simple.

This timer is rated for 1000 watts -more than enough for multiple household lights. Unlike the GE unit, there was NO warning about using this product for more than 90 days in a row, which I found quite strange for an outdoor photoelectric timer controlling outdoor devices. There is only one output plug on the bottom. The power cord is a short 6" in length if it must be longer, then this unit must be connected to an extension cord.

There are multiple programmable settings that must be reprogrammed each time the unit is unplugged from the wall. Programming is cycling through the menu with the push of the green function button on the face, with an LED number readout displaying the following settings:

* F No Power (default start position upon being plugged into the wall)

* O Continuous On

* 1-9 Power on (in hours) at Dusk and then turn off

* d Turn on at Dusk and off at Dawn

* 1-9 Power on immediately and timer set (in hours) to turn off power

Do it a couple times and it will become second nature.

Also, whatever you program you select, this same program repeats daily. There is no provision for multiple programs at different times. This is a one program only timer.

How well does this timer work? In a dark room, I plugged it in with a test lamp connected and programmed the unit to turn on at dusk and turn off in 1 hour. It worked. I reprogrammed it to turn off in 2 hours. It also worked. The true test came at night -on at dusk (inside the house) and off in 5 hours. The light changes inside a house is less dramatic than outside, since other lamps and televisions can effect how well the photo eye actually performs. Mounted near a window, on a cloudy day, this unit sensed the decreased light inside the house and turned on an hour and a half before sundown. A table top lamp and television on inside didn't turn the unit off. Five hours later, the light turned off.

Overall, I'm pleased with this timer, even though the package states "For outdoor use only" it does work indoors as well, so long as enough light hits the photoelectric sensor and keeps the unit off. With a little repositioning, it works for me.

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Have had several outdoor 'weatherproof' timers and some either didn't work at all or conked out in a rain or in most cases were too complicated to set for simple on and off operation. This one just plain works. Has a photocell to automatically turn lights on at dusk and you just program the number of hours you want it to stay on. Have had it running for two months and it is great. Set it and forget it. Inexpensive too.

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Update: 11/04/2012

I bought two more of these units in late Nov. 2011. Same great product; provided same reliable service. In an era where everything new seems to work more poorly than older versions, this is still a good, useful product. I continue to recommend it highly.

Original review: 11/20/2011

I bought one of these units about 12 years ago at a local hardware store (now out of business, fie on Lowe's). I use it outdoors, for Christmas lighting.

Each year I plug it in on Thanksgiving, and turn it off in mid-January. Here in Upstate New York there is so much snow, wind and cold temps by January, so I leave the switch outdoors until late March.

The switch is exposed to rain, snow, nighttime temps below -20 F, direct sun in the daytime, etc., etc. In short, it has tough duty outdoors in the worst 4 months every year.

It has never failed me. Comes on every evening at sunset, and stays on for exactly how long I set it. Nothing random or unreliable. Having a three-wire system is an extra plus for safety. I use a ground-fault receptacle to help protect against shorts, but in 12 years there has never been a ground fault short.

I particularly appreciate that the directions are embossed on the cover of the unit. Since I hook it up once a year, I never need to scratch around to find the programming directions. They are right there in my hand. It takes about 30 seconds to read the directions and program it. Very easy by any standard.

Today I'm buying two more of these little gems from Amazon, so if the first one ever goes out I'll have a lifetime more of them.

Very highly recommended.

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I have one last yera and has last 1 year, is a perfect buy for xmas and year round, you dont have to worry about lights

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I bought several of these for my outdoor Christmas lighting. I specically picked them because the product description stated "...125-Volt, 15 Amps, 1875-Watt resistive 125-Volt,...".

The timers arrived and are clearly marked "8.3 amps, 1000W". They are the same manufacturer's model as listed by Amazon.

I understand that most of these type of timers are max'd at 8.3 amps but, still, an item should match it's description.

I'll update this review later after I see how they work.