Any electrical help would be appreciated

[colhint]

I'm looking for guidance from any Sparkies. I think I'm using the wrong terminology when searching the web, so I'm not quite getting the results I wanted. So I'll ask using the basic phrases in electricity that I'm familiar with. Where I'm staying there are about 20 outside lights. They need to be on when it's dark. There are many overnight emergencies,ambulances etc. Now these lights run directly from one circuit board. The staff have far more important priorities than to worry if the outside lights are on or off. To turn them off you open the circuit board and switch the right rise  off. There is no switch other than the one in the circuit board. What I want is some sort of time so in the summer they come on about 9pm and go off about 7am. These times will vary in winter.

So is there a way to fit a timer in timer. 

Edited May 16, 2022 by colhint

[Genie]

1 hour ago, colhint said:

I'm looking for guidance from any Sparkies. I think I'm using the wrong terminology when searching the web, so I'm not quite getting the results I wanted. So I'll ask using the basic phrases in electricity that I'm familiar with. Where I'm staying there are about 20 outside lights. They need to be on when it's dark. There are many overnight emergencies,ambulances etc. Now these lights run directly from one circuit board. The staff have far more important priorities than to worry if the outside lights are on or off. To turn them off you open the circuit board and switch the right rise  off. There is no switch other than the one in the circuit board. What I want is some sort of time so in the summer they come on about 9pm and go off about 7am. These times will vary in winter.

So is there a way to fit a timer in timer. 

I’d have thought an even better way would be to install a sunlight sensor into the circuit so the lights come on when it gets to a certain darkness. 

I have a light by my front door that comes on when it gets dark, and goes off when it gets light.

[Seat68]

1 hour ago, colhint said:

I'm looking for guidance from any Sparkies. I think I'm using the wrong terminology when searching the web, so I'm not quite getting the results I wanted. So I'll ask using the basic phrases in electricity that I'm familiar with. Where I'm staying there are about 20 outside lights. They need to be on when it's dark. There are many overnight emergencies,ambulances etc. Now these lights run directly from one circuit board. The staff have far more important priorities than to worry if the outside lights are on or off. To turn them off you open the circuit board and switch the right rise  off. There is no switch other than the one in the circuit board. What I want is some sort of time so in the summer they come on about 9pm and go off about 7am. These times will vary in winter.

So is there a way to fit a timer in timer. 

Could you install PIR's? If there is movement then the lights will come on. 

[Guest av1]

1 hour ago, colhint said:

I'm looking for guidance from any Sparkies. I think I'm using the wrong terminology when searching the web, so I'm not quite getting the results I wanted. So I'll ask using the basic phrases in electricity that I'm familiar with. Where I'm staying there are about 20 outside lights. They need to be on when it's dark. There are many overnight emergencies,ambulances etc. Now these lights run directly from one circuit board. The staff have far more important priorities than to worry if the outside lights are on or off. To turn them off you open the circuit board and switch the right rise  off. There is no switch other than the one in the circuit board. What I want is some sort of time so in the summer they come on about 9pm and go off about 7am. These times will vary in winter.

So is there a way to fit a timer in timer. 

Hi mate, I’m an electrician. There are couple of simple solutions.
 

Fit a Photocell these will have adjustable lux control so you can set them up to come on when the light reduces to a certain level. 
 

As you you mentioned above, just install a timer. Digital timers are very cheap and simple to install. 

[Guest av1]

Just now, av1 said:

Hi mate, I’m an electrician. There are couple of simple solutions.
 

Fit a Photocell these will have adjustable lux control so you can set them up to come on when the light reduces to a certain level. 
 

As you you mentioned above, just install a timer. Digital timers are very cheap and simple to install. 

Just a note, you said they run from the same circuit board. Do you mean the same circuit? Or are there multiple lighting circuits fed from the same distribution board? 
 

If you are trying to switch multiple circuits you might need to run them through a contactor with the timer/photocell acting as the switch if you like. 

[colhint]

Thanks av this is where the terminology gets me flummuxed. Yeah they are all on the same circuit.

In my terms there is a box on the wall in one room, with fuses. If you turn the one marked outdoor lights off they all go off. Also the reverse. I have seen loads of timer switches, never knew about photocell  until you told me. Does the timer fit inside the box or just outside, and is it easy to do?

[Guest av1]

Both are very easy to do, though they look different and serve different functions (the photocell switches dependant on light, the timer pre determined by the user) they are both essentially just a switch. Feed in, feed out, so it’s up to you which application works better for your needs. 
 

If you went with the timer, these are generally mounted next to your board. So all you would do is remove the circuit from the MCB (breaker) connect that into the outgoing side of the timer, then take a supply from the incoming side of the timer to the MCB. Happy to talk you through it when you decide which method you want to go with. 

[colhint]

You are a bloody hero thank you so much