Time lag/delay switch that replaces just one switch in 1 in 7 switches

[Pierre Park]

I have a stairway that has 7 switches - 5 intermediate and 2 two-way switches I am assuming. I want to save money and replace one of these switches with an electronic time-delay switch. This time-delay switch I assume works as thus - when power is going through the switch (i.e. lights are on), a countdown timer starts such that it turns off after say 10 minutes. When lights are switched off before these 10 minutes are over, no action is taken as there is no energy in the electronics. If left alone for 10 minutes however, it switches, and turns the lights off.



I have not been able to find such a product, or could not find this information on any products I did find.



Is there such a product? Or such a smart switch?

 

[JohnD]

How many tenants live in this building?

 

[Pierre Park]

None? Does it matter?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

One of these https://smile.amazon.co.uk/s?k=B07N...53P&sprefix=b07n2tdl9r,aps,122&ref=nb_sb_noss at the light end of the circuit. N is obvious. Connect the live currently feeding the light to L and to COM, connect the light to NO.

 

[JohnD]

None? Does it matter?

Time-delay lightswitches are uncommon, except in HMOs and similar. Why do you want one?

In my home, for example, the staircase and landings have timer-controlled lamps so they are always lit during hours of darkness. With modern LEDs the cost of electricity is trivial, and less than the cost of complex controls.

 

[FrodoOne]

I have a stairway that has 7 switches - 5 intermediate and 2 two-way switches I am assuming. I want to save money and replace one of these switches with an electronic time-delay switch. This time-delay switch I assume works as thus - when power is going through the switch (i.e. lights are on), a countdown timer starts such that it turns off after say 10 minutes. When lights are switched off before these 10 minutes are over, no action is taken as there is no energy in the electronics. If left alone for 10 minutes however, it switches, and turns the lights off.

I have not been able to find such a product, or could not find this information on any products I did find.
Is there such a product? Or such a smart switch?

You could replace EACH existing switch with one of these, in parallel.
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/EK400A.html
https://www.screwfix.com/p/elkay-400a-pneumatic-time-delay-switch/68088
(with the two companies selling the same thing showing an interesting price variation !)

If you search on “Staircase Light Timer Switch“, you will come across sites such as https://www.knxshoponline.co.uk/staircase/
Most of the items shown are for DIN mounting but the “ASH-01 - STAIRCASE TIMER“ comes with a “lead”.
However, if you use one of these you will need to replace ALL the existing switches with “Push Button” switches (in parallel), rated for 230 V.

 

[JohnD]

Spending pounds, to save pence worth of electricity.

 

[ericmark]

I think you can fit a smart relay. as yet not fitted, so can't check it time can be set, but it works like a two way switch with the hard wired switches which become extra low voltage.

Instructions here, if not this one likely some thing similar.

However the normal is all switches are pneumatic time switches and wired in parallel, it was common to have to press each switch on each landing to keep lights on.

At £18 per switch, plus the cost of fitting, not sure worth doing?

 

[Pierre Park]

One of these https://smile.amazon.co.uk/s?k=B07N2TDL9R&crid=28HS0G5EOR53P&sprefix=b07n2tdl9r,aps,122&ref=nb_sb_noss at the light end of the circuit. N is obvious. Connect the live currently feeding the light to L and to COM, connect the light to NO.

Hey thanks, this looks exactly like the kind of thing I'm looking for. But I was imagining an object that was like this but was also a switch - I don't understand what kind of object this is? Do I need special wiring for this?

I think this is essentially the wiring I have, if I fit this at some point in the circuit, am I correct in thinking that when it receives power it will switch on, and then switch itself off after 10 minutes? So to turn the light on, I'd have to switch the lights twice to turn it on and start the timer?

 

[Pierre Park]

I think I'm in agreement with JohnD here, that many switches is too expensive, I'm looking for a one switch replacement solution, I was really imagining some switch that when power was running through it, it would set off an electronic timer, and when that timer reached 0, it would be switched, and if the power was cut at any point the timer would stop and reset...

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Hey thanks, this looks exactly like the kind of thing I'm looking for. But I was imagining an object that was like this but was also a switch - I don't understand what kind of object this is? Do I need special wiring for this?

I think this is essentially the wiring I have, if I fit this at some point in the circuit, am I correct in thinking that when it receives power it will switch on, and then switch itself off after 10 minutes? So to turn the light on, I'd have to switch the lights twice to turn it on and start the timer?

You'd need a box to put it in. Electrically it needs to be between the final 2 way switch and the light, the card is only matchbox size so it'll fit in a standard UK 25mm deep backbox (go deeper if it's sharing that box with the lightswitch).
Yes if the light circuit is left on so the relay times out you'd have to operate any one of the existing switches twice to get the light back on.

 

[opps]

Just thinking aloud... what about ditching the switches and using PIRs?

 

[winston1]

Lots of PIRs will take lots of standby power. The OP wants to save money.

 

[opps]

Lots of PIRs will take lots of standby power. The OP wants to save money.

Fair call, I hadn't thought of that.

 

[securespark]

When I wired circuits such as this, each switch was fed by a live and a switch wire, each commoned to the others. The switches were time delay.