Does anyone still make these? I want something that replaces a conventional light switch and incorporates a timer to switch lights on and off. The only one I can find is a "Greenbrook T40S-C" at £16.83 from Amazon.
Don't seem to be many others, there's this abomination which clips over the existing switch and manipulates the rocker(s) with motors and cams
The problem is always going to be, a neutral is required to drive the motor /other device. So you are unlikely to find one. A rewire is required to achieve what you want.
Historically this was circumvented by drawing a very small current through the lamp to power the switch. The difficulty with that approach was that it only works well with filament lamps, and may either simply not work, or more likely, cause problems with flashing or dimly lit low energy lamps these days.
Or a switch which includes a battery.
but that requires access to a neutral.
Another approach to consider would be a remote control lamp with home automation - so you can leave the switch on, and then automate the lamp instead.
No it isn't.
For example
The Timeguard ZV700B will also work with >11W low energy lighting. (Or use the adapter).
The ZV900 Automatic Switch Load Controller will also allow LED/CFL lamps to he used.
Yeah, came across loads of these (or at least, many ads for the same thing). "Hmmph'd" sceptically & moved on.
Not at all a bad idea. Thank you. Give me something to do in my retirement.
hah!
Its basically one of these:
with a 100R resistor in series.
You would probably get away with using a normal mains input suppressor, like:
(which if it works, would be slightly cheaper to run as well!)
I have an integral timer/light switch from B&Q - at least 10 years ago. When I converted the light from incandescent to fluorescent, I got a ballast resistor *specifically* designed to go in parallel with the light to draw enough current to charge the switch.
Age being what it is, it was either Farnell, or RS - although I can't for the life of me remember what it was called.
Still works though.
Yup TLC have them, or you can roll your own, see elsewhere in this thread.
I'm surprised anyone could be bothered with that last idea. Surely for a more random way, a simple bi metal strip type is best, unless you want precise timing of course. Brian
as is the way of usenet, I saw that immediately after posting :)
or/other device.
pneumatic timer switch
NT
Difficult to get it to go on and off at scheduled times though!
Isn't it much simpler to use a cheap standalone plug-in timer and connect it to a table lamp?
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