Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

"Michael Balarama" wrote in message
...
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the
existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en&o...itch &spell=1

They work fine and the time left on after motion detected on most are
variable.

LJ

Michael Balarama wrote:
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks
Hi,
Lots of choices. Timer based, motion sensor based, light based, etc.
Also florescent light use lot less energy. Now you have this in many
different light spectrum the intended use.

Michael Balarama wrote:
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

They exist. And they exist in a wide price range from low-end units
available at every big-box homecenter up to sophisticated high-end
commercial units. I have a few low-end units, one in my garage, one in
the entry hall from the garage, and one in the laundry room and have and
no problem with any of them unless you include a seeming unwillingness
to work with a CF-only load. The size is the same as a typical light
dimmer and they fit fine in a standard box but be forewarned that they
seem all to be compatible with "Decora" plates like you see with GFCI
outlets, not regular toggle switch plates. Whether they are worthwhile
depends on what your electricity costs, how often you leave the lights
on in an unoccupied room, what the lighting load is, and what you have
to pay to obtain and install the switch. I can't recall what I paid for
my switches but it seems likely that it must be $20 given how cheap I am.

--
John McGaw
[Knoxville, TN, USA]
http://johnmcgaw.com

Heat lamp timer.

--
Steve Barker


"Michael Balarama" wrote in message
...
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the
existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

Shouldn't you be able to detect a light-on event, and stitch in an
accompanying light-off event for ten minutes later using some sort of
home automation controller?


Michael Balarama wrote:
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

Sure, but I'll bet you a bag of doughnuts the OP doesn't have or want an
HA controller.
For timers, nothing quite beats an in wall Intermatic twist timer as
used.

Greg wrote:
Shouldn't you be able to detect a light-on event, and stitch in an
accompanying light-off event for ten minutes later using some sort of
home automation controller?


Michael Balarama wrote:
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

Take a photocell and connect it to a timer, and connect the timer to a
very loud alarm that can be heard for miles, such as the ones that
cities use for tornados. It works like this. The photocell senses
the light which turns on the timer. If the timer runs for lets say 10
minutes, it flips on the alarm. That alarm will deafen anyone nearby,
and not only the kids know they are about to get the worst spanking in
history, but you are alerted that you need to arm the electronic,
remote controlled spanking paddle, which of course has electronic
sensors built in, so that it delivers the most painful spanking but
without leaving any permanent scars or bruises. When all is complete
and done, consider this: The electricity saved by shutting off the
lights is used to spank the hell out of the kid that left the switch
on. This is the ultimate in justice.

I must say this. Since your parents had to yell at you for not
turning off lights, and your kids are doing it now, this proves it's
hereditary. You passed this harmful and wasteful gene onto your
children. Remember this as you spank them, and be sure you place
yourself in the spanking machine after the kids are well done or
beaten raw. You too deserve a major whalloping.

Tester

--------------

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:05:48 GMT, Michael Balarama
wrote:

Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:44:42 -0500, John McGaw
wrote:

Michael Balarama wrote:
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

They exist. And they exist in a wide price range from low-end units
available at every big-box homecenter up to sophisticated high-end
commercial units. I have a few low-end units, one in my garage, one in
the entry hall from the garage, and one in the laundry room and have and
no problem with any of them unless you include a seeming unwillingness
to work with a CF-only load.


I have a timer switch
(http://www.intermatic.com/images/ins...158ei12087.pdf) that I
got at Lowe's that works fine with a CF-only load. It does require a
neutral connection.

I wish I could find a motion-detector switch that would work here. The
ones I have are 2-wire , and don't work with the CFs.

The size is the same as a typical light
dimmer and they fit fine in a standard box but be forewarned that they
seem all to be compatible with "Decora" plates like you see with GFCI
outlets, not regular toggle switch plates. Whether they are worthwhile
depends on what your electricity costs, how often you leave the lights
on in an unoccupied room, what the lighting load is, and what you have
to pay to obtain and install the switch. I can't recall what I paid for
my switches but it seems likely that it must be $20 given how cheap I am.
--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.laughingsquid.com

"Unlike biological evolution. 'intelligent design' is
not a genuine scientific theory and, therefore, has
no place in the curriculum of our nation's public
school classes." -- Ted Kennedy

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:05:48 GMT, Michael Balarama
wrote:

Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
light switch boxes?

Replacing the bulbs with LED-bulbs would drop the
energy consumption low enough so that whether you
turn the lights on or off would have no real effect
on your bill.

? ?????? ??? ??????
...
Take a photocell and connect it to a timer, and connect the timer to a
very loud alarm that can be heard for miles, such as the ones that
cities use for tornados. It works like this. The photocell senses
the light which turns on the timer. If the timer runs for lets say 10
minutes, it flips on the alarm. That alarm will deafen anyone nearby,
and not only the kids know they are about to get the worst spanking in
history, but you are alerted that you need to arm the electronic,
remote controlled spanking paddle, which of course has electronic
sensors built in, so that it delivers the most painful spanking but
without leaving any permanent scars or bruises. When all is complete
and done, consider this: The electricity saved by shutting off the
lights is used to spank the hell out of the kid that left the switch
on. This is the ultimate in justice.

I must say this. Since your parents had to yell at you for not
turning off lights, and your kids are doing it now, this proves it's
hereditary. You passed this harmful and wasteful gene onto your
children. Remember this as you spank them, and be sure you place
yourself in the spanking machine after the kids are well done or
beaten raw. You too deserve a major whalloping.

I have a better solution.The OP would hire me to brainwash his kids.I could
drone on and on for hours, to persuade them on the value of money, and the
singularity of electricity.I could accompany my (deliberately) boring speech
with scientific facts.Even if you include the flight cost from Greece to
USA, in the long run you'll save enough.
Come on, why not shut the lights off yourself;-)That's what I am doing,
anyway.


On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:05:48 GMT, Michael Balarama
wrote:

Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now
I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the
existing
light switch boxes?

--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering
mechanized infantry reservist
dimtzort AT otenet DOT gr

you need to arm the electronic,
remote controlled spanking paddle

Someone has been spending way too
much time watching Howard Stern. :^)

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:44:42 -0500, John McGaw wrote:
I have a few low-end units, one in my garage, one in
the entry hall from the garage, and one in the laundry room and have and
no problem with any of them unless you include a seeming unwillingness
to work with a CF-only load.

What is a CF only load?

Got Chalk writes:

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 18:44:42 -0500, John McGaw wrote:
I have a few low-end units, one in my garage, one in
the entry hall from the garage, and one in the laundry room and have and
no problem with any of them unless you include a seeming unwillingness
to work with a CF-only load.

What is a CF only load?

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs.

I have one of these deals as well and it's a bit annoying that it
won't work with bulbs that are too low a wattage (as in CF's).


--
--
Todd H.
http://toddh.net/

How about charging the kids for the wasted electricity?

Michael Balarama wrote:
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

wrote:
Take a photocell and connect it to a timer, and connect the timer to a
very loud alarm that can be heard for miles, such as the ones that
cities use for tornados. It works like this. The photocell senses
the light which turns on the timer. If the timer runs for lets say 10
minutes, it flips on the alarm. That alarm will deafen anyone nearby,
and not only the kids know they are about to get the worst spanking in
history, but you are alerted that you need to arm the electronic,
remote controlled spanking paddle, which of course has electronic
sensors built in, so that it delivers the most painful spanking but
without leaving any permanent scars or bruises. When all is complete
and done, consider this: The electricity saved by shutting off the
lights is used to spank the hell out of the kid that left the switch
on. This is the ultimate in justice.

I must say this. Since your parents had to yell at you for not
turning off lights, and your kids are doing it now, this proves it's
hereditary. You passed this harmful and wasteful gene onto your
children. Remember this as you spank them, and be sure you place
yourself in the spanking machine after the kids are well done or
beaten raw. You too deserve a major whalloping.

You know, some people want to make that spanking thing illegal. Maybe
they have a plan to control all of the juvenile delinquents that will
be created by prohibiting parents from disciplining their children
properly.

I have a question about turning lights on and off. I have been told
that leaving a light on maximizes its life and turning it on and off
frequently will shorten its life. Is this true? My background is in
transformers and it is better to leave them running than to shut them
off. Of course, we're talking about several thousand volts versus a
120V light bulb. Thanks.

Steve Lockridge
Manager
Alfa Transformer Company
http://www.alfatransformer.com

Steve Lockridge wrote:

I have a question about turning lights on and off. I have been told
that leaving a light on maximizes its life and turning it on and off
frequently will shorten its life. Is this true? My background is in
transformers and it is better to leave them running than to shut them
off. Of course, we're talking about several thousand volts versus a
120V light bulb. Thanks.

A tungsten filament lamp almost always expires the last time you turn it
on. (Sort of like why you always find something in the last place you
look.) The current surge in a cold filament and rapid expansion causes
the failure. The total time before this last gasp is probably about the
same even if the lamp is cycled on and off.

So if it were left burning, it's total hours would be longer than if you
had not turned it off, and then on, the last time.

Fluorescent lamps rely on a starter mechanism which degrades with use.
They may benefit from fewer on-off cycles.

As an aside, in the UK and other 240V lighting countries, an expiring
lamp will often cause a large enough "plasma arc" to take out the
circuit protection. Hence the lamps commonly include an "internal
fuse". This not needed at 120V.

--
Virg Wall, P.E.

"Steve Lockridge" wrote:

I have a question about turning lights on and off. I have been told
that leaving a light on maximizes its life and turning it on and off
frequently will shorten its life. Is this true? My background is in
transformers and it is better to leave them running than to shut them
off. Of course, we're talking about several thousand volts versus a
120V light bulb. Thanks.

Read "The Great Internet Light Bulb Book" at...

http://members.misty.com/don/bulb1.html#hdi


http://davehouston.net
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/roZetta/

In article .net,
VWWall wrote:
Steve Lockridge wrote:

I have a question about turning lights on and off. I have been told
that leaving a light on maximizes its life and turning it on and off
frequently will shorten its life. Is this true? My background is in
transformers and it is better to leave them running than to shut them
off. Of course, we're talking about several thousand volts versus a
120V light bulb. Thanks.

A tungsten filament lamp almost always expires the last time you turn it
on. (Sort of like why you always find something in the last place you
look.) The current surge in a cold filament and rapid expansion causes
the failure. The total time before this last gasp is probably about the
same even if the lamp is cycled on and off.

So if it were left burning, it's total hours would be longer than if you
had not turned it off, and then on, the last time.

Strange thing few people seem to realize about most incandescents - a
cold start does not cause much actual wear, but kills a filament that
would have survived a little longer if it was not turned off.

The usual cold start burnout is from a temperature overshoot in a thin
spot in the filament. The thin spot is a hot spot, and on a cold start
the thin spot can overshoot in temperature before the remainder of the
filament has warmed up. Resistance of the filament material varies
directly with temperature, so a thin spot overshoots in temperature
from the current surge before the remainder of the filament has full
resistance and the current drops to normal.

However, a thin spot is is hotter than the remainder of the filament
even during steady operation (but to a lesser extent than during a cold
start). The hotspot will evaporate faster and get thinner at a faster
rate, making it hotter and thinner. This downward spiral accelerates in a
manner worse than exponentially. By the time the thin spot cannot survive
a cold start, the filament's hours are numbered!

Fluorescent lamps rely on a starter mechanism which degrades with use.
They may benefit from fewer on-off cycles.

The bulbs also suffer actual wear from starting. How much life is lost
varies with the type of ballast and starting means and this has been
improved over the decades. I am under the impression that a typical
figure is 10 minutes of life lost per start.
As for how much off time is needed before the electricity saved from
turning off a fluorescent exceeds the fraction of the bulb's cost
associated with life reduction of a start - this varies with electricity
cost, bulb (lamp, tube, whatever) cost, and ballast and starting method,
but is typically a couple minutes for 4-footers, ballpark of 10-30 minutes
for lower wattages 9-22 watts, and ballpark of 30-60 minutes for wattages
8 watts or less.

As an aside, in the UK and other 240V lighting countries, an expiring
lamp will often cause a large enough "plasma arc" to take out the
circuit protection. Hence the lamps commonly include an "internal
fuse". This not needed at 120V.

My experience in the USA is that 120V gas-filled incandescent lamps often
have an internal fuse. In the USA that bright blue flash from a cold
start burnout is this "plasma arc". At 120V that arc tends to die at the
next end of a half cycle and some incandescents lacked this fuse and
usually got away with it, but sometimes things got nastier and one thing
that sometimes happened (I would guess mainly when this fuse was lacking)
was that wires between the glass bulb and the base would either fuse
explosively or vaporize adjacent glue - and the glass bulb pops from the
base!
These "burnout arcs" sometimes also blow dimmers with the large amount
of current that they sometimes draw even at 120V.

- Don Klipstein )

"Michael Balarama" wrote in message
...
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the
existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

Get a timer motion dectector hat fixs in a 1 gang box and i found one for 44
bucks at home depot...

Sure, my neighborhood bar has them in the restrooms-men's at least.

"Michael Balarama" wrote in message
...
Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the
existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

Ted Rubberford - The Man In The Taught Rubberoid Suit!
wrote in message
...
Take a photocell and connect it to a timer, and connect the timer to a
very loud alarm that can be heard for miles, such as the ones that
cities use for tornados. It works like this. The photocell senses
the light which turns on the timer. If the timer runs for lets say 10
minutes, it flips on the alarm. That alarm will deafen anyone nearby,
and not only the kids know they are about to get the worst spanking in
history, but you are alerted that you need to arm the electronic,
remote controlled spanking paddle, which of course has electronic
sensors built in, so that it delivers the most painful spanking but
without leaving any permanent scars or bruises. When all is complete
and done, consider this: The electricity saved by shutting off the
lights is used to spank the hell out of the kid that left the switch
on. This is the ultimate in justice.

I must say this. Since your parents had to yell at you for not
turning off lights, and your kids are doing it now, this proves it's
hereditary. You passed this harmful and wasteful gene onto your
children. Remember this as you spank them, and be sure you place
yourself in the spanking machine after the kids are well done or
beaten raw. You too deserve a major whalloping.

Tester

--------------

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:05:48 GMT, Michael Balarama
wrote:

Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now I
find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I know
it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

Better yet, do reasonably priced light switches exist that automatically
turn the lights on and off as you walk by? Do they also fit in the
existing
light switch boxes?

Please advise.
Thanks

Teddy Rubberford wrote:

On Sun, 21 Jan 2007 23:05:48 GMT, Michael Balarama
wrote:

Does an automatic shutoff energy saver light switch exist?

My parents always yelled at us to shut off our lights constantly and now
I find myself constantly yelling at the kids to shut the lights off. I
know it's a losing cause.

Maybe there is a better way?

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

I've seen motion detector light switches at Lowes. I don't remember the
price, though. You set them for a certain delay, and after so much
non-movement, they shut off. What I'm looking for now is a humidity
activated switch that automatically turns on the bathroom fan when it gets
too steamy in there.

j

"kzin" wrote in message
...

On 17-Jan-2008, Joshua Kugler wrote:

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

The building I used to work in had light switches that could detect people
entering and exiting a room. When the person count reached 0 it started a
timer and switched the lights off when that timer expired. Someone
entering
would cancel that timer.

The system was good but not foolproof. No one entering or exiting the
room
for a long time would fool it for some reason and the lights would turn
off
and you'd have to get up and turn them back on. That could of been by
design as a sort of failsafe in case it's count did get confused, I don't
know.

Nevertheless they did a good job at addressing the problem you've got. I
don't have any info on the particular model but knowing they exist is 80%
of
the battle.

good luck
ml

Home Depot and most electrical suppliers have a sensor-driven switch that
detects when there is movement in a room, will turn on the lights when it
senses movement, and turn off the lights after a certain period in which no
movement is sensed. The sensor replaces the normal switch, fits into a
normal box, and looks like a wall plate with a tiny bay window. I tried
using one in a family room, and discovered that if you were sitting and
watching TV or eating brunch there wasn't enough motion to keep the sensor
active. OTOH, an office in which I work uses sensor switches in all rooms,
with the lights coming on when you enter and turning off about 15 minutes
after the last person leaves. We replaced one sensor switch that had failed
last week -- the replacement is ~$90.00.

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?

Not a light switch, but I use this -
http://www.shophometrends.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_109034
It's made by First Alert. The downside is that it only stays on a
certain period of time, and continued motion within the room doesn't
seem to keep the light on. It works well in the hallway where I don't
need the light to stay on and if I need to turn it back on, a wave of
the arm handles it. OTOH, the manual is available at the First Alert
site, and says the light goes off 4 minutes after movement stops, so
maybe mine has a problem, but I find the timing sufficient for what I
need. What might be a bigger problem for many people is that you can't
put a cover on the bulb; it needs to be a bare bulb.

Do they have automatic-shut-off light switches I can simply remove and
replace my existing standard light switches is? Are they inexpensive
enough
to be practical?


You must have kids living at home !

Ours didn't realize that switches had an "OFF" position
until they moved out and started paying their own electric bill.


rj