3 Tips for Wiring an Outdoor Light Switch Timer

Installing a light switch timer for your outdoor fixtures is a perfect addition to any house and the best thing is that installing one is so easy. The convenience of a lighting system that you can set to turn on and off ahead of time will give you an added sense of security especially if you are away from your home. But unlike indoor light fixtures, installing outdoor light fixtures is completely different in that any kind of wiring has to be done underground.

Tip #1 - Basic Rules Lighting Installations

When it comes to electricity, you have to always think about the safety aspects of your installation. Because outdoor lighting installations will utilize underground wiring, you should only use UF cable. UF means that there is a fuse or a circuit breaker on the starting point of the underground wiring.  To prevent any kind of accident from happening, always check that the materials you use have an Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) approval. Another consideration when it comes to picking cables is that they contain grounding conductors. Whenever the cable is should be exposed to the ground or bent underground, always use a conduit to prevent shocks from occurring. If you want to prevent anyone from being accidentally electrocuted from your outdoor wiring circuits, you better install a ground circuit fault interrupter or GFCI along. GFCIs are able to sense if there is a peak in the delivery of current and shut off the system whenever that happens.

Tip #2 - Underground Wiring Techniques

When you’re ready to do the wiring installation, it’s imperative that you shut off the main switch box to prevent any kind of accident while you’re working. The very start of your circuit must be a circuit breaker or a fuse box. An elbow should be installed to drive your wire underground but as long as the wire is still visible on the ground then a conduit should be installed in order to protect the wire from the elements. The underground wire may be installed bare underground in most places, but other local codes may require that you still attach a conduit to the wire. A conduit is important because it will prevent your wire from being cut if you use spading tools in your yard. You can pull the wire out of the ground through an elbow and then into another conduit.

Tip #3 - Photoelectric Switches vs Time Switches

The concept of time switches is that they contain motion sensors or photoelectric eyes that will signal that the lights should be turned on in the evening and turned off in the evening. The detector can analyze the light and activate the system according to what they sense. Other switches also have a built-in timer so that you can set the system to turn on at a set time. Time switches are great because then you don’t have to worry about manually turning on and off your outdoor lighting system. This creates an added security especially if you are away for the weekend because your house will always be well-lit in the evenings.