Photoelectric Switches Leave One Less Thing to Forget

By Dave Donovan

I must admit, as I get older, my memory just isn't what it used to be. I forget to do things almost immediately after reminding myself. My wife thinks it's "convenient memory loss." Thankfully, there are products on the market that help those of us inflicted with convenient or not-so-convenient memory loss: coffee pots that automatically turn off, electric sprinkler timers to water the lawn, even cars that will e-mail you when it's time for an oil change. If those pieces of equipment didn't exist, just think of the potential damage, and the cost of that damage, that you could run into if you forgot to do those simple chores.

Another convenient piece of equipment that goes through life somewhat under-realized and under-appreciated is the photoelectric switch. Also known as a photocell or photoeye, these little nickel-sized "eyes" save us a bundle over their lifetime, and give us one less thing to have to remember. Photoelectric switches are resistor based light controls that turn your lights on when the sun goes down and turn them off in the daylight. They are perfect for exterior lights such as lampposts and wall mounted sconces.

Photelectric switches are so useful, they are being factory installed on more and more exterior light fixtures. It's difficult to walk through your local hardware superstore and not see them everywhere.

They are also very easy to add to an existing fixture. After reading this article, check out our easy to follow instructions on how to install a photoelectric switch.

Photoelectric switches provide the home owner with both safety and economy in numerous ways. Think about this: How many times have you left your home in the early afternoon and forgot to leave an outdoor light on in case you returned later than expected? It's dark, the only light to see by is your headlights, and they will go out when you turn the car off. Now you have to stumble your way to the front door and try to get the key in the lock. Don't tell me you're not trying to be quick about it. As safe as your neighborhood is, you still don't want to be out in the dark for too long, right?

Now picture that same scenario, but when you arrive home, the outside lamp is lit. The light next to the front door is lit. You have a different sense of security, all because of a little nickel-sized "eye."

Another safety benefit comes when you're away from your house for an extended period of time, like on a vacation. The lights will come on at night and turn off in the morning, just as if you were home. There's no sign for an intruder that you're not home, like no exterior lights on, or worse yet, lights that are on all day and all night.

As for economy, photoelectric switches save us plenty because when the sun goes down, the lights turn on. As soon as the morning sun's rays touch it, the lights go off. They're not left burning day and night if you forget to hit the switch. Also, because there are no real moving parts, photoelectric switches last longer than conventional single-pole switches. They are slightly more expensive to purchase, but the energy savings and the fewer replacements more than make up for it.

Photoelectric switches. They make our life safer, more economical, and just plain more convenient. How can you argue with that? Now if only I could remember what I had to do next...

Click here to purchase photoelectric controls.

Dave Donovan is a freelance copywriter living in Atco, N.J. An electrician for 15 years, an injury forced him to pursue his true passion - writing.

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