Landscape timer blog: what is best for your system and your lifestyle

April 25, 2018

When it comes to installing an outdoor lighting system, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each professionally designed and installed system should take into account the homeowner’s needs, the style of the home, the landscaping and the climate. A landscape lighting system in Mendham, NJ might differ from an outdoor lighting system in Summit, NJ, the same way a lighting system might need to be different at the New Jersey shore summer home. New Jersey is a state with diverse geographic zones and residents with similarly different needs.

So what are some ways that we automate our low voltage outdoor landscape lighting systems to meet the needs of NJ residents?

For the residents that want to set it and forget it, we will provide a lighting system that is designed to utilize a digital timer that automatically sets itself for sundown every day and can be programmed to run all night or turn off at a given time. How does this differ from a photocell? Photocells can be dirtied or damaged, as they are mounted outside of the low voltage transformer. This leads to a decreased life expectancy of the timer and a greater chance for error.

Our solution is a timer that is programmed with the GPS coordinates of your home and that digitally adjusts itself for civil twilight, when the sun is projected to be 6 degrees below the horizon each day. It automatically adjusts itself for daylight savings time as well, so you never need to worry about checking your timer.

For the analog enthusiast we can install a remote digital light switch in the house or right outside the door, so that they can turn the lighting system on and off, when they want to use it, without using any digital applications. It can also be used to override the system’s normal on and off timer.

For the tech-savvy NJ outdoor lighting owner, we offer a phone application that can be used to automate your system as well as to tie into other home systems that are already automation capable. If you want to turn on your outdoor lighting system a few minutes before you arrive or if you know your expecting guests, if you want to turn it off for the winter, or just to show off to friends and family.

Whatever your needs are, we have a landscape lighting system and a means of controlling the system that will best suit you an your situation.

If you’d like to know more, call us at (908) 369-7791 or use our website’s contact form here.