The days are shorter since the sun sets earlier now that fall is here. If your low-voltage landscape lighting system has a manual timer, you'll want to adjust it to reflect the change in seasons. Watch our short video or follow our step-by-step instructions with how to reset your landscape lighting timer to fall back.
If you're tired of setting your timer several times throughout the year, our astronomic timer uses your location to automatically adjust itself, learn more.
Step 1: Locate Your Transformer & Timer
Most transformers are located outside of the house (usually around other utility boxes) or inside the garage. After you find it, open the door by unlatching the hook and look for the timer. If you are a client of ours and having trouble finding your transformer or timer, feel free to contact us for help. We keep detailed installation records and can look it up!
Step 2: Find the Current Time of Day
Looking at the timer, find the current "TIME OF DAY." In the photo above, we highlighted it in orange. It is usually located in the center of the timer and might vary depending on the timer.
Step 3: Turn the Dial Back One Hour or to the Current Time of Day
Turn your dial back 1-hour or to the current time of day. The light portion of the dial represents the AM hours, while the darker shaded area signifies the PM hours.
The red and green pins: No need to move these pins unless you need to adjust when your system turns on/off. The green pin indicates when your timer will turn on, while the red pin shows when it will turn off. You should have one red and one green pin unless your lights are set to come on and off more than once throughout the night. Make sure the pins are in the correct AM and PM slots; otherwise, your lights won't come on/off as intended.
Timers can lose time with age. It's good to check it periodically, once or twice a year around daylight saving time should suffice. If you find yourself needing to adjust your timer more often, you might want to get it checked.
How to Check if Your Timer is Correctly Set:
You can look outside to check your timer settings. If your landscape lights are on and shouldn’t be, it might set for the wrong time of day - go back to Step 3 and check the AM/PM hours on the dial. If that is not the case, you can always contact us with any additional questions.
It is a great time of the year to enjoy your outdoor areas. Adjusting your low-voltage landscape lights for the correct time will also give you peace of mind knowing the safety and security measures you've put into place are working as intended.
Let Our Dedicated Service Team Help:
At McKay Lighting, we recommend preventative maintenance at least once a year to ensure your system is working and performing its best, especially before the winter months. The cold weather can be harsh on your system and bulbs. We have a dedicated service team for all of your maintenance needs or see our winter maintenance tips if you like to do it yourself.
Looking to Enhance Your Property?
Our dedicated team at McKay Landscape Lighting works with you to create a custom landscape lighting design that's unique to your property. From design to installation to service, you can count on our team of experts to make sure you are happy with your lighting system for years to come.