Electronic digital mains Timer Socket Plug-in with LCD Display 12/24 Hour 7 Days

I have had a timer very similar to this one for a number of years and it is very good. I even replaced the battery in mine when the original died and the timer is still going strong. This one is very similar and functions in the same manner. Its supplied with instructions which are very easy to follow and must be followed closely if you want the timer to function properly.Following the initial 14 hour recharge the master clear button needs to be pressed to reset the unit and in some cases make the LCD display function. Don't assume that just because the display is blank, the timer is faulty, a simple reset may well be all that it needs.Once set I normally set the unit to manual on, then manual off then to Auto. I have found on my previous timer that it wont necessarily switch on reliably if I don't do this so I follow this procedure as a matter of course.Lastly, it wont necessarily work on an extension lead or with fluorescent lights. When running such lights I generally plug the timer directly into a hard wired socket and try to keep the timer as far away from the light assembly as possible.When not using the timer for actual timing functions I keep mine plugged in and set to Manual On and use it to power something like a table lamp. This keeps the battery charged up and the timer electronics functional. If you put it in a draw and let the battery go dead flat there is a strong possibility you will kill the device completely. Batteries do not like being left connected and discharged for long periods of time so don't do it if you want to use it again in the future.The timer is great value for money, very flexible and easy to set. Its a lot better than a mechanical version.

This timer was delivered promptly, well packed. I immediately put it on charge for 14 hours, as recommended in the instructions. Pressing the master/clear button with a cocktail stick cleared any current information, which could otherwise interfere with the intended operation.A wide variety of on/off timing functions is available. These include: every day of the week, Monday to Friday or Saturday and alternate days. The timer can be programmed with 10 on/off cycles of differing duration. The manual explains that there are a total of 16 combinations of days or blocks of days which are available. I would imagine virtually all possible needs are catered for, whatever your day(s) off are! The minimum period of on/off timing which can be set, is one minute, as seconds are not displayed. What can be controlled by this timer? Well the maximum load is given as 3.2 kW, so virtually any heavy load, like a heater or electric kettle, which can be connected safely to a 13A socket, can be switched by this timer. There is no reference to the power factor or type of load, but the ordinary user should encounter no difficulties.There is a random timing mode which switches on at random times for up to half an hour each, during the period 6 pm to 6 am; just right for lights to frighten off burglars without wasting much electricity!The buttons are labelled clearly, and are well-identified in the manual, which is clearly-written. I found it easy to set and change the internal clock time. This can display a 12 or 24 hour digital clock. A simple facility is included to advance this by one hour for summer time, and to revert back again to winter time. It is more difficult to set the on/off programming. I relied heavily on the manual at first, but found that with patience, it became much more intuitive.Is there any bad news? Well I found that the smallest writing on the LCD display had thin characters which were hard to read. This can be overcome by taking the timer into bright light and of course, there is absolutely no need to have the timer plugged in, nor to have the electrical appliance connected when programming - the internal battery keeps the time correct. The sloping face of the timer assists viewing somewhat. One hidden problem is the battery, which can only have a finite life, and which ideally should be kept charged if the timer is out of use. We can expect the battery to die after a number of years since they all do. Only experienced and capable electronic engineers with the right tools should attempt replacement of the battery. Although this may be seen as a criticism, it is a fact of life that all timers are likely to die after a finite time: the mechanical ones eventually tend to become noisy and fail. Incidentally, this timer is almost completely silent in operation, only a click is audible as its internal relay switches the connected appliance on or off. As with any versatile digital device requiring programming, it may not be suitable for users of reduced abilities.Am I pleased with the timer and its price? Yes. At today's prices I think its versatility represents very good value for money. Mine has worked perfectly, which I attribute to very careful reference to the manual and not rushing the job of learning the operation. If you are thinking of buying, I hope this review has been useful. If you go ahead, I do not think you will be disappointed.

I have four of these units. I purchased them because we have so many power cuts here that the ordinary mechanical timers are often not set to the correct times.The first one I received did not seem to work at all (the display seemed to be frozen) but apparently you should first press the small reset button (above the week button) if this happens when the unit is first charged up (with a pencil or pen as it is recessed) as the instructions say . After this, all the functions work properly.Having done this, set the current time and day by pressing the clock button followed by the hours and minutes buttons and set the day of the week by pressing the week button until the correct day is selected.(note you can easily change the settings for GMT or British Summer time ,see instructions).The unit has ten program settings (i.e. times that you can switch a connected device on and off). It can be set to come on daily, or in groups of days or on a specific day of the week. To setup the program times press the timer button followed by the week button to select the day or days, followed by hours and minute buttons to set the "on" and "off" times . Make sure that when you set the "on" time for a specific day or period, that you set the "off" time for the same day or period. I did not do this the first time I used the timer and as a result the unit did not switch off on the same day. Seems obvious I know, but it is an easy and frustrating mistake to make.The other thing to note is that there is a random button to make it operate at random times. I did not notice this at first and had accidently pressed it and as a result the units were not turning off when I had planned but much earlier. A small letter R is shown in the display if you press the R button. De-select it if you did not mean to use it.Make sure you leave it set to auto after you have finished setting up the program times. It can be operated manually as well as by the programs.The unit will operate modern low energy lights as well as ordinary lights (it has a relay inside which clicks the supply on and off) but it is NOT suitable for high energy loads such as emersion heaters or kettles or washing machines or any device that has a heating element inside it.