How To Set A Defiant Outdoor Timer

Download Commodity

Download Article

A plug timer is a great fashion to control your lights, lamps, fans, vacation decorations, and more without having to worry about turning them on and off manually. Want your fans on during the day and off at night? Mayhap you want your vacation lights on the contrary schedule? Using either a mechanical or digital plug timer, you can embrace all of these bases with minimal endeavour!

1
Find the outlet closest to your device. For the best results, use your mechanical plug timer with an outlet as close as possible to the device you want to control. For example, if y'all want to control the lights, place the lite timer close to the lights. Merely make sure to plug it directly into the outlet without whatsoever intermediate devices.
- Don't employ your plug timer with an extension cord or other types of electric adapters. Y'all also can't use them outside since the weather can mess with the circuit.^[1]
2
Flip the manual switch button to "Timer On" and insert the timer into the outlet. Although the switch color and location varies past product, they are often gray and located on top of the unit. Afterward flipping the switch, double-check that your plug is dry and connect it to the outlet. For outdoor use, be sure to plug your timer to a basis-fault excursion interrupter (GFCI) outlet to foreclose shock.
- Virtually products are set to "Outlet On" by default, which is the other option aside from "Timer On."
- When using your plug timer outdoors, let the switch hang downwardly at least 5 feet (one.5 m) above the ground.
- Always store your plug timer indoors when yous're not using information technology.
Advertizement
3
Turn the dial clockwise to the current time. To set up the plug timer to the current time, locate the bold arrowhead on the forepart of the timer. Subsequently locating it, turn it clockwise until it reaches the current time and go out it in this position.
- The bold arrowhead is typically black in colour beyond all models.
- AM markings are typically in white, while PM marking are ordinarily in greyness.
- Remember that each interval—divided past small lines nether the numbers—represents 30 minutes.
4
Pull or push button the timer pins up or down effectually the dial to ready the device fourth dimension. The small gray slices on the dial are the timer pins—when they're up, the device is off, and when they're down, the device is on. Button downward the pins during the time frame you want the device to be on and pull up the pins during the time frame you desire the device to be off.
- For example, if you want your device to turn off at 5 AM and turn on at 5 PM, pull upward each pivot betwixt v AM and v PM and leave the rest of them downwards.
v
Connect your electrical device to your plug timer. Plug in your device to the timer and call back that your device's ability push must exist ready to "ON" for the plug timer to work—fifty-fifty during periods when your plug turns it off. Exist sure to never use devices that exceed the plug timer's maximum rating.
- To avoid fires, don't connect your timer to appliances like irons, heaters, and cooking appliances.
- Switch the "ON/TIMER" button to "ON" to override the timer. To turn the timer dorsum on, flip the switch back to the "TIMER" position. On some models, the 2 options are "Always On" and "Timer."
Advert

1
Press the reset button to erase the previous programming. The reset push is typically located on the right side of the plug timer's face up. Utilise a thin pointed object like a toothpick to hit it.
- Although many products come ready to exist programmed, ever hit the reset push to exist safe.
2
Set the clock with the "Clock," "Hour," "Min," and "Week" buttons. Start past pressing the "Clock" button and property information technology down. While holding it, printing the "Hour" button consecutively until you reach the current hour. Now, while over again property the "Clock" button, press the "Min" button consecutively until the minute is right. Finally, hold the "Clock" button and keep pressing the "Week" button until the timer reads the right solar day of the week.^[2]
- Take note of AM and PM hours when setting your clock.
- On some models, there is only a "Clock" button, which is used in conjunction with pointer buttons to select—using the "Set" button— the 60 minutes, min, and calendar week on the LCD display.
- If your model has an "On/Off" push button and arrows, using the former to fix the fourth dimension subsequently selecting the hour, min, and day with the latter buttons.
3
Set your timer for different events using the "Program/Prog" button. Each product has dissimilar capabilities, only can typically set up upward to 8 or then events. The default "Program" display is "one ON." As you press the "Programme" button, the brandish cycles through each event: "one ON," "1 OFF, "2 ON, "2 OFF," all the fashion until the maximum number of events. For each consequence, set the week (day of the issue), 60 minutes, and minute, followed by the start time—which is "# ON"—for the appliance every bit well as the stop time, which is "# OFF."
- Press the "Week" button to cycle through each twenty-four hour period or combination of days of the week. For example, "MoTuWeThFrSaSu" is every day of the week, while "Mo," "Tu," "Nosotros," "Th," "Fr," "Sa," and "Su" each represent private days. The other possibilities are combinations such as "SaSu" and "ThuFriSa."
- Use the "60 minutes" and "Min" push to select the specific timing for the event, taking care to note AM and PM hours.
- If your model has arrow buttons, utilise them to bike through the diverse options and select them with the "Set" button. If your model doesn't have this push, you likely have to use the "On/Off" push button.
4
Employ the "On/Off/Car" push to brand the timer automatically operate your device. Each press of the push cycles the device through "On, "Off," "Auto On," and "Auto Off" settings. Fix the plug to "On" to provide power to your device at all times and "Auto On" to provide it power until the next "Off" fourth dimension. Conversely, set the plug to "Off" to cut ability to the device at all times and "Automobile Off" to remove power until the next "On" time.^[3]
- Examination your schedule with a fan or light then that you lot can easily see the changes.
- The "On" option is the same as plugging your device directly into the outlet, and the "Off" setting is the aforementioned turning off its power point.
five
Press "Hour" and "Min" simultaneously to activate daylight savings mode. After hitting "Hour" and "Min" at the aforementioned fourth dimension, all of your settings will be delayed by one hr. Typically, this mode is shown as a clock above the blackness dot located in the lower right-hand corner of the screen.
- To remove daylight savings mode, press "Hour" and "Min" simultaneously.
6
Hold downwardly "Calendar week" and "Hour" simultaneously for random mode to power your device randomly. Later on hitting these buttons at the same time, an "O" will appear above the clock symbol that flashes when the timer is operation. Random manner ways that the plug'southward on and off timing is randomly delayed by a time that falls within a specific interval, such every bit ii to 32 minutes.
- Use random mode for lights to fool burglars into thinking y'all're home.
- Press "Week" and "60 minutes" simultaneously to remove random style.
seven
Plug the timer into an outlet, and so plug your device into the timer. Always connect your digital plug timer to the closest outlet to the device you want to control. Be sure to avoid using it with devices like extension cords and electrical adapters.
- Always use a GFCI outlet when using your plug timer outdoors.
- Let the plug timer switch hang down to the ground at least five feet (1.v k) from the outlet.
- Remember that your device needs to be plugged into the timer to work.
Advertizement

Add New Question

Question

How practise outlet timers piece of work?

Ricardo Mitchell
Electrician & Construction Professional, CN Coterie

Ricardo Mitchell is the CEO of CN Coterie, a fully licensed and insured Atomic number 82 EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Certified construction company located in Manhattan, New York. CN Coterie specializes in full home renovation, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, cabinetry, furniture restoration, Adjuration/ECB (Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings/Environmental Control Lath) violations removal, and DOB (Department of Buildings) violations removal. Ricardo has over 10 years of electrical and structure experience and his partners have over 30 years of relevant feel.

Electrician & Construction Professional, CN Coterie

Expert Answer

They accept a built-in machinery that lets you set the outlet to work for a predetermined period of time. They're a keen style to save on utility bills and cut back on the corporeality of power y'all're using.
Question

Are plug timers safe?

Ricardo Mitchell
Electrician & Construction Professional, CN Coterie

Ricardo Mitchell is the CEO of CN Coterie, a fully licensed and insured Atomic number 82 EPA (Environmental Protection Bureau) Certified construction company located in Manhattan, New York. CN Coterie specializes in total dwelling house renovation, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, cabinetry, article of furniture restoration, Oath/ECB (Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings/Ecology Control Lath) violations removal, and DOB (Department of Buildings) violations removal. Ricardo has over 10 years of electric and construction experience and his partners have over thirty years of relevant experience.

Electrician & Structure Professional, CN Coterie

Expert Answer

The safest way to set a plug timer up is to give information technology a dedicated excursion. Mechanical timers are likewise going to be much safer than those outlet timers also. You also take to brand sure that yous don't use plug timers outside, since the weather and temperature shifts can mess with the wiring.
Question

What are better, the built-in timers or the outlet timers?

Ricardo Mitchell
Electrician & Construction Professional, CN Coterie

Ricardo Mitchell is the CEO of CN Coterie, a fully licensed and insured Lead EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Certified construction company located in Manhattan, New York. CN Coterie specializes in full home renovation, electrical, plumbing, carpentry, cabinetry, article of furniture restoration, Adjuration/ECB (Part of Administrative Trials and Hearings/Environmental Control Board) violations removal, and DOB (Section of Buildings) violations removal. Ricardo has over ten years of electric and construction experience and his partners have over 30 years of relevant experience.

Electrician & Construction Professional, CN Coterie

Good Reply

The mechanical timers with an individual circuit are hands-down the best options when it comes to condom and efficiently.
Question

Can y'all use a timer on a lamp that has a three-way seedling?

Aye, you tin can. Yet, the timer won't exist able to change the seedling's brightness, so you volition take to use the knob on the light fixture in club to change the bulb'southward brightness.
Question

When you set up the timer then plug the lamp in do you plough the lamp on or off?

The timer cannot command the switch on the lamp, so yous demand to turn information technology on.
Question

Can I use my timer for turning on my coffee maker?

Possibly. Some java makers beginning making java as soon as they receive power. In this case, a timer will piece of work. Also, you can buy coffee makers that have built-in timers that you can use.

Inquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to go a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Ever follow manufacturer's directions, as product instructions and blueprint varies.

Alarm

Never clean your plug timer when it'south connected.

Nigh This Article

Article Summary X

Using a plug timer is a swell way to have your lights or appliances proceed and off at specific times of the twenty-four hour period. Kickoff, plug your plug timer into the wall, plough it on, and plug your apparatus into it. If the plug timer's mechanical, turn the dial so the pointer lines up with the current time. Then, push the pins downwards for the times you want your apparatus to be on. If your plug timer's digital, use the buttons to set the current time. Then, fix a program for the times and days you want your apparatus to be on. Many digital plug timers permit you to set multiple programs for different appliances or different needs. For more tips, including how to reset former programs on a digital plug timer, read on!

Did this summary help y'all?

Thanks to all authors for creating a folio that has been read 210,684 times.

Did this article aid y'all?