Are Timers Cost Effective?

[lilacamy931]

Using timers for lights, other than keeping a regular regime of light hours and perhap not such a long time for light, are they cot effective? Im worried that they would cost more than just having the light on longer.

 

[SlyPolak]

I got my timers not for "cost effectiveness". I got them so my fish and exspecially PLANTS get the same amount of day/night EVERY DAY. I actually got 2 so my "moonlight" LED's turn on exactly as my day lights go off..... $6 each at Wally World for digital, if you want to go cheaper and a little less accurate their like $3

 

[Twinklecaz]

My Dad got 3 for £5 (he's an electrician) so I've got one of those. It's a bit noisy though. I don't have mine for any reason other than I like to have my light on in the evening when I'm at home and so for the length of time the light needs to be on it has to come on in the day when I'm not there. So it comes on at 2pm and goes off at 10pm. Though I have to confess I switch it on and leave it on until I get home from the pub/whatever at the weekend so it's prob on longer than it should be on say Fridays.

 

[justjon]

I know this probably sounds really paranoid, but i'm really worried about timers just because of all the fire-cause stories.... I'd like some otherwise for my day/night lights..

 

[nurglespuss]

I've used timers of various kinds for years, and never had a problem. They are so simple, very little can go wrong. and are one less thing to think about (plus if you are on holiday, its a life saver).

 

[fluvial]

I wouldn't be without mine - its digital and had an internal battery so if there
is a powercut it will just keep on working.
Comes on at 2pm, cuts out at 10pm - every day, 365 days a year with no problems.
A totally stress free way of arranging the lighting for your fish tank.

 

[spectrum]

I don't see how its cost effective, very nice not to have to worry about the lights on both my tanks though, I got mine for a pound.

 

[nurglespuss]

So long as its an effecient timer (or a rotary one like mine at work) then its cost effective in terms of effort, holiday and forgetfulness.

Its quite common to forget to turn out tank lights (shortening life of lights) or to forget to turn them on (damaging plant health) - or, while on holiday, for well meaning relatives/neighbours to get the timings wrong.

As timers are so cheap, its very cost effective to utilise one for lighting.

 

[PDSimon]

lol these are the cheapest things ever that allow you to leave the tank...

No question about it imo!

 

[chesterjohn]

How much power does a timer use?
I can't imagine it's more than a few Watts. Even if it was 10 Watts, at a standard electricity rate, it costs less than £12 a year. And I'd expect it to use a lot less than that!

A couple of quid for the unit, I think it's great value, saves me having to think about it, and it'd be impossible to manage with my work without one


Edit:

I just found one timer that has a standby usage of 0.6W. That puts it at less than £1 a year!

 

[cybergibbons]

I have two digital timers. One uses about 0.25W, the other about 0.1W. Cost to run is negligible.

Fire risks - avoid the cheapest of cheap switches. Some aren't very well constructed, but I've never seen one that is truly awful.

This is in contrast to the wireless power switches - I've had some of these that consume 10W each (and need to get rid of 10W of heat), but are so badly constructed, with so little regard for safety, that I would not allow them to be used in my house.

 

[lilacamy931]

Thanks for the great input peeps, really have put my mind at rest

 

[arobinson1984]

Hi lilacamy,

I bought the following timer below from ebay about a month ago, it is fully digital and has an internal backup battery incase of powercuts, its been great so far and only cost me £7


Link to digital timer


Andy

 

[JoshuaA]

How much power does a timer use?
I can't imagine it's more than a few Watts. Even if it was 10 Watts, at a standard electricity rate, it costs less than £12 a year. And I'd expect it to use a lot less than that!

A couple of quid for the unit, I think it's great value, saves me having to think about it, and it'd be impossible to manage with my work without one


Edit:

I just found one timer that has a standby usage of 0.6W. That puts it at less than £1 a year!

I would be surprised if it was even £1 lol, the only problem I have with mine is the noise it makes as it clicks around a 15 minute rotation. It's quite loud and then every hour it makes a big turn its audible from the other side of the room quite loudly.

 

[arobinson1984]

I'd certainly recommend a digital timer, that way you dont get any noise as there are no moving parts and they are more accurate being able to set it to any exact minute.


Andy