We have 4 outdoor floodlights controlled by a single switch inside the house. I would like to add a timer if possible so these lights will turn on and off at certain times to match our other outdoor/landscape lighting at night. Is this even possible?

I have seen a little piece that screws into the socket and then the bulb screws into it and it will turn on the lights when it gets dark and then off when it gets light again ... a dawn/dusk thing ... but I really don't want the lights on all the time at night, just from say 7pm to 2am.

Is there any way to easily add a timer to this circuit or would it involve calling out an electrician to rewire a bunch of stuff? These are regular 120V lights, not the low voltage lights commonly used for landscape lighting, etc.

I did stumble across an electronic timer wall switch which seems like it would work. You just replace your standard light switch with this piece and you can program it to turn on and off at whatever time you want. But I'd rather go with something that is installed outside so I don't have to look at it on the wall in the entry of the house, etc. It's sort of unsightly for this application.

Any other ideas?

 

If you have a taste for the exotic and electronic, you might like to control your lights using X-10 Powerhouse components. I have the system in my house - controlled by my PC - and it works quite well.

Check www.smarthome.com for what's available - they have any number of ways to do what you propose.

 

I don't know if your switch is a stand alone switch or part of a multiple switch box. If it is a stand alone switch you might want to look at this link. This is a programmable switch in half hour increments along with manual on off control. Little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Paste this link in your browser.



http://www.smarthome.com/1122.html

Also this switch is rated for 1200 watts of incadescent lighting which should handle your needs for these multiple lights.