wrote in message
...

[snip]

I assumed that the switch timer would draw some small current
but I did not expect it would be big enough to make the bulb
flicker. I tried an incandescent bulb and it does not flicker.

Does anybody know of a switch timer that would use a standard
battery (min 6 months without replacement) and would operate
the patio light as a standard 2-way wall switch without drawing
any current??

I replaced two bulbs in a ceiling fixture with CFLs. The light is
controlled by an X10 switch, and yes, the bulbs DO flicker slightly when the
power is turned off. But a VM shows no voltage at the sockets when the
switch is off. According to a knowledgable contact at a local lighting
showroom, the flickering is not uncommon with CFLs, and he suspects that it
is caused by EMI affecting the bulbs themself, outside of the normal
electrical circuitry. It may not be the timer that is causing your
effect --