When you put up Christmas lights, it can be a tedious process turning them on and off at the proper times. You may remember to turn them on at night, but could forget to turn them off before you go to bed or in the morning.
It would be advantageous to invest in a timer to turn the lights on and off at the times you want them to. This is a minimal investment, but one that can help you save hundreds of dollars on your utility bill by simply purchasing and hooking up this very small device.
Here is an overview of why investing in a Christmas light timer might be one of the best decisions you can make this holiday season.
How Do These Work?
These timers are designed in a similar way to any other timer. If it is a manual timer, you will wind it up to set it to go off at a specified time.
Most of the ones made today are electronic. You can program them to turn on at a specific time, and turn off at a specific time, which works perfectly when they are hooked up to your Christmas lights.
Although those with analog or manual timers will be much more affordable, the ones0 with digital timers are the best. You also have to choose between indoor and outdoor timers. Those that are designed for outdoors will also be waterproof.
Where To Hook Up Your Timer?
In general, timers should be connected to an outlet that is not exposed to the elements. If the timers are submerged, like any other electronic item, they will short and will no longer work and can even become a dangerous shocking hazard.
Indoor timers can be placed almost anywhere. The main concern is connecting too many lights to one timer on one outlet. You could overload and trip your circuit breakers.0 Be sure to invest in more than one timer for both your indoor and outdoor Christmas lights.
Astronomic Christmas Light Timers
These timers are very unique in the way they are built and programmed. They are programmed to know when the sun will rise and set in your specific area. These are also constructed as mechanical or digital devices.
Those that are digital can often handle multiple events which can produce outstanding demonstrations with your Christmas lights. Keep in mind that most indoor timers will have only two outlets.
On the other hand, outdoor timers will have as many as eight outlets per device. This means you will likely purchase more indoor timers than outdoor timers and if you are only purchasing digital units, this can cost a substantial amount of money when you initially make your investment.
Be Sure To Get Digital Timers With A Backup Battery
During the Christmas season, it is inevitable that the power will go out. If it does, it could reset all of your timers. This means that your hard work in programming them to turn on and off at certain times will be gone. However, if you spend the extra money on a digital timer with the battery, this problem can be averted.
Choosing to invest in Christmas light timers is a wise decision. It will save you time and ensure that all of your Christmas light displays will be shown on schedule.
Be sure to look for digital timers that are equipped with a backup battery. By doing so, once you have programmed all of your timers, you will not have to worry about your programming being erased.
You can get good deals on these timers if you search online. However, you may have a local store that is currently offering them for a special discount. Just make sure that you get enough timers to safely connect all of your lights.
By planning in advance, you can make this Christmas season one of the best by using these timers for your indoor and outdoor lights.