Signage lighting

[Darkwood]

Can't the timer output simply feed the photo cell with the return powering the lit signs ? Then even if the timer was set early the lights wouldn't work until dusk and the timer could remove the supply to the photo cell/lights at 8pm.

Not the best design to energise and de-energise the dusk/dawn sensor with a timer as it will bring the lights on regardless when energised until the electronics have settled and monitored light level, you need permanent power to sensor and interupt the switch with timer.

 

[Dave OCD]

Yeah I did consider that but with an electronic PEC it would only switch on if energised in daylight for a few seconds before cutting off although I agree it's not a perfect solution.

 

[Octopus]

Just fit the Steinel Product - on at dusk, off at a constant time, no fiddling with a timer!

 

[davesparks]

Just fit the Steinel Product - on at dusk, off at a constant time, no fiddling with a timer!

The instructions aren't clear on that. Can you actually set it to switch off at a specific time?

 

[Octopus]

The instructions aren't clear on that. Can you actually set it to switch off at a specific time?

Hum.. not to an actual hour or minute but its a constant time, you just need to fine tune the adjustment! Thats the only downside to the product but never had a complaint as people like the ability for it to come one when it gets dark and they never have to adjust it!

 

[HandySparks]

The instructions aren't clear on that. Can you actually set it to switch off at a specific time?

It keeps track of the local astronomical 'midnight' by monitoring sunrise and sunset over a period of a few days. You can bias the turn off time by a few hours either side of midnight, but not with any precision. It doesn't know about summer time.

You can also tell it to come on for a while until it gets light in the early mornings when the nights are long.

You might need a second visit to tweak the timing, but once it's set, it's a pretty good controller for 'welcome home' lights where you don't want the lights turning on and off on a pir. I have one controlling a fancy wall light which backlights the house number.

 

[jase]

Adaptable box under or next to or above fuse board, time clock and contactor mounted on dinrail in said box. From time clock into A1 and A2 on contactor, lights feed in to1+3 feed out in 2+ 4 to photocell, photocell to lights, all fed from same MCB.
time clock energises contactor and energises circuit, if dark photocell turns on lights and at 8 pm time clock de-energises contactor and cuts lights off