How to Set Your Outdoor Lighting Timers

It’s almost that time of the year again when the clocks change for Daylight Saving Time. While making adjustments to clocks in your home and car, you’ll also want to remember to adjust the time and settings on your outdoor lights to accommodate this fall back — including the shorter days it brings with it.

If you’re searching for guidance on how to set the timer on your outdoor lights, look no further — we’ve got a helpful breakdown below.

Adjusting the On/Off Settings On Your Landscape Lights

On most outdoor lighting systems, there is a timer inside the lighting transformer. Depending on the size of the system, it is important to remember that you may have multiple transformers to adjust. 

To adjust the settings, open up your transformer and the timer will be plugged in inside there. Depending on where the transformer is located, it may be easier to adjust the settings and time with the outdoor lighting timer unplugged.

While there are different types of light timers, the most common timers either have green and red clips or they are a push-in style of timer. 

With the push-in style, you just need to push the tabs in or pull them out to adjust the time when the lights are in operation. Just see what is pushed in to start with based on the style and make adjustments as needed. 

In the case where green and red clips are used, you’ll rely on these elements to set the time for on and off. Where the green clip is set will dictate what time the lights turn on, and the red clips will dictate the time the lights turn off. Simply slide the clips out and push them in at the times you want.

Setting the Time on Your Outdoor Lights

On both styles of timers referenced above, setting the time of the day involves the same steps. You just turn the dial until the arrow lines up with the time of day. The light timers rotate clockwise to set and also run that way. While setting the time, you’ll want to make sure you have the time or day appropriately set for AM or PM.

Once you have finished setting your on/off time and the time of day, plug the timer back into the lighting transformer. If you unplugged the transformer cord from the timer, make sure you plug that back in as well.

Once these steps are complete, you can close up the transformer and your landscape lights will come on and off at the times you’ve set.

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The Case of Digital Timers for Outdoor Lights

Digital timers for landscape lights usually come equipped with a battery backup and adjust themselves for Daylight Saving Time. 

If the digital timers are set to come on at dusk and turn off at a certain time, then you shouldn’t need to make any adjustments. However, if they are set to come on at a certain time, then you will need to adjust them to accommodate the shift in daylight.

By hitting the mode button on the timer, you can scroll through the current settings. When you get to the start time, turn the dial to adjust it to your new desired time.