Timer + cfl = problem! please read.

My wife like to keep the front house lights on at night. I'm tired of turning them off, so I bought some 7 day programmable timers that replace my light switches. The bulbs outside are cfl, which is apparently a problem.....because the timers say Incan only.

I read up on it a bit, apparently they need the closed circuit of the filament so they can steal a little power to operate (no neutral).

I saw some CFL bulbs that have a halogen bulb inside too....some strange hybrid. I think they were GE bulbs.

Does anyone know if the halogen part of the bulb is direct drive, so my timer will work? I don't want to install the timers if this won't solve the issue, I'll just return them (unused).

The halogen bulb in the GE "Bright from the Start" lamps runs off a timer circuit in the base which shuts it off after about 30 seconds; it's sole purpose to provide a minimally adequate amount light while the fluorescent spiral warms up to full brightness.

Someone I knew from church had a similar issue with the LED bulbs he installed in his porch lights. We ended up using a mechanical 24-hour timer from Home Depot.

A better solution is a photo control that switches the load through a relay. The 3 wire kind usually don't rely on a small current through the bulbs. The big advantage is that you don't have to keep reprogramming the timer several times a year as the daylight length changes.

They have timers which take a cr2 battery to power its own timebase. No adjustment necessary for dusk & dawn. Works with any kind of bulb.
Internal clock is within 30 seconds a month.

Thank you for the detailed info on those lights, yuandrew. I might go the battery powered route suggested by Michael, but I'll have to see if there is a unit that is aesthetically pleasing to my wife.....I'm imagining a unit that is larger, where these look right in the switch plate.

John, in, your solution might be one that would require me to hire an electrician

kingofwylietx said:

Thank you for the detailed info on those lights, yuandrew. I might go the battery powered route suggested by Michael, but I'll have to see if there is a unit that is aesthetically pleasing to my wife.....I'm imagining a unit that is larger, where these look right in the switch plate.

Click to expand...

No problem.

This is the timer we used if I recall. It fits on a "Decora" type wall plate and I remembered the box was a 2-gang with another switch for the entry next to the porch light switch.

http://www.jascoproducts.com/produc...all-Mechanical-Timer-80p1303.htm#.UuyKLfv-Y08

You can browse the site for the digital versions. Anything you find that says CFL/LED ready or could control a motor or ballast load would work. Don't get the "no neutral wire required" or "incandescent only" ones such as model 15313.

BTW, make sure there is a neutral wire present in your light switch box.

If you don't have a neutral wire the electronic timers that run off cr2 batteries will work. Intermatic ei600 series and st01 both run off cr2, don't require neutrals and are cfl/led compatible.

Thank you to everyone!

i returned the 'Incan only' timer and purchased a couple of the ones that are good for Incan, cfl, and led.

I opened up up my switch box and found that I did have the neutral wire in there. I installed the timers and they are working perfectly. As a matter of fact, they will turn off the front lights in 36 minutes.....love it!

we were so happy with these timers, I bought a couple of the occupancy sensor switches today. One will go in the garage, so we can have the main overhead lights come on when we go to get in our cars and it will turn off after we leave. Up to now, I've been using the garage door opener lights, since they will turn off after we leave. However, they are not nearly as bright as the main lights. During the winter, we prefer to get everyone snuggled into the cars before opening the garage door, to be more comfortable.

Im really digging these automated products.