Lighting timer

[JohnW2]

yes, and you can adjust its sensitivity a bit. Remember it is placed next to the glazed door so it is very aware of daylight. Round about the time you are thinking "hmm, getting a bit dark, I'll turn the lights on" it is thinking the same.

As I said, if it's near to a glazewd door or windows, there should be no problem 'that way around'.

I found it could be overwhelmed by a table lamp placed next to it, but not by the ordinary room lights.

That's the issue I was talking about. I'm a little surprised that it did not regard 'ordinary room lighting' as being 'daylight', but I can't argue with your experience!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

That's the issue I was talking about. I'm a little surprised that it did not regard 'ordinary room lighting' as being 'daylight', but I can't argue with your experience!

Daylight, even when it is approaching dusk can be much brighter than room lighting.

 

[JBR]

Schneider cost a fortune.
The Timer is not like a switch, its din rail mounted, usually in an enclosure, the 2 core goes from there to the sensor, sounds like you maybe just need a mains photocell, but you would need a Neutral at your existing switch, to fit a decent reliable sensor, connected at that switch position.
https://www.schneider-electric.com/en/product/CCT15483/acti-9-ic2000p+-(2---2000-lux)-programmable-twilight-switch/?range=843-ic&node=166308806-ic&parent-subcategory-id=1650

The astro clock dont need a light sensor its all preprogrammed, we use them instead now and there half the price., but as above its designed for an enclosure , not as a direct switch replacement
https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/san...MIpqu-q_aR4wIVQbHtCh3-0wwREAQYASABEgIVxvD_BwE

Thanks again.
Looking at that, and bearing in mind what you've said, unfortunately I don't think it's going to be suitable.

 

[JohnW2]

Daylight, even when it is approaching dusk can be much brighter than room lighting.

That's true, but another factor is that I suspect (but obviously do not know) that John's photocell is not pointing at the glazed door.

My living room (its windows) faces due East. This afternoon, we put on the 'background' room lights (about 15W of LEDs, in a very big room) around 5pm, because it was getting quite dark in the room, and that 'background lighting' was far brigther than the daylight coming into the room (through very large windows) some 4.5 hours before sunset.

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnD]

I suspect... John's photocell is not pointing at the glazed door.

no, one was beside the door, on the wall pointing across the door; and the other was in a corner, pointing out from the wall beside the french windows, but with other windows along the wall it was facing across. Being in a corner, the ceiling lights did not illuminate it brightly. Hence there was a table lamp beside it, but with the timer set to come on after dusk, by which time the outside lamp would be lit.

I don't bother with all that now, I think an external lamp with its own photocell is cheap and easy.