LOWENERGIE Photocell Timer Switch, 12V DC Solar Power – Automatic Dusk to Dawn Light Sensor Controller for Outdoor Lighting, Garden, Pathways, Security, Off-Grid & Solar Installations

Orate this

So sad. Such a huge waste of time.This looked like exactly what I wanted; a photocell switch to turn garden lights on at dusk and off again after a selected few hours. But I never did get it to work. Instead of having the usual manual Lux knob to set the light level for switch on, and turn to test, this device uses a microprocessor to ‘learn’ day and night light levels. And it takes 5 days to learn. If after that nothing happens you have to do it all over again, because there is no way to do a manual over-ride test.. I wasted many hours over many days but mine never did learn to switch. I’ve now had to waste more time on packing and returning for a refund. Who designed this madness?

Does the job, easy to fit and wire up. Used it on a 12V garden lighting setup. The plastic feels a bit brittle - not the sort to break immediately but after a year or two.

In this day and age, I wish I could have some sort of more programmable interface and also, this device is fairly large. It is in fact v frustrating to use because it is supposed to 'set itself' based upon getting used to the dusk/dawn schedule. The issue is that while 'setting itself' it also switches on my light which would be ok if it didn't completely drain the battery which was charged by my solar panel thus defeating its use because it cannot continue the cycle where it needs to set itself. This is a huge flaw. Thus, I have not actually been able to use the item. Another issue is that an indoor or even outdoor light seems to throw off the sensor. In theory a sensor is a great idea, but not at all practical given living patterns and constraints.

Be careful, I bought this to replace an existing exact same model. Swapped the heads over and it went pop. I had been sent a 10A model rather than the 16A advertised (and as seen in the picture). Either that or it was defective already. Not impressed.

As described

Way over complicated i can't get it to stay on it has a mind of it's own buy something simpler i wish i had

Looked OK but never had a chance to see it working. Returned for full refund - good service.