Light Timer Woes (Power Leak when off) LED light

I am frustrated. I have ordered now two different light timers, an analog BN-LINK timer, and an ETEKCITY outdoor smart wifi controlled switched double outlet.

First I tried the BN-LINK analog, sure the timer works but it leaks voltage, enough for the LEDs to be extremely lowly lit..I mean we are talking a watt or so here. The fans don't kick on, on the light nor do the leds power up, they glow about as brightly as indicator lights. I assume this is because there is a slight power leak in this timer. Well I sent it back and ordered an ETEKCITY smart outdoor 2 outlet...Same problem.

Geesh maybe I am just going too cheap, but does anyone have a recommendation that I won't have to order another one again. I need to not have to do this manually every day.

For all my leds I use a simple 24hour timer from hardware store. These days they can take around 2000w, depending on your home voltage I assume.
In the hps days we use contact timers
Like this

I have not had a problem with cheap timers though since I switch to LED (like £4 jobs)

dbz said:

Geesh maybe I am just going too cheap

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Au contraire... not cheap enough. Go to any hardware store, and pick up a $12 mechanical timer (the type with push-pull pins to set the on/off times).

spek9 said:

Au contraire... not cheap enough. Go to any hardware store, and pick up a $12 mechanical timer (the type with push-pull pins to set the on/off times).

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The first one was a pin push one... a 2 pack, bad the same problem with both

dbz said:

The first one was a pin push one... a 2 pack, bad the same problem with both

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That's bizarre. I've honestly never heard of one failing. I've got two that I've used for over eight years that are still in use. Several newer ones as well.

spek9 said:

That's bizarre. I've honestly never heard of one failing. I've got two that I've used for over eight years that are still in use. Several newer ones as well.

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Yah. Maybe it’s the light. I’ve never even heard of someone having this problem

I've never heard of the problem either, I don't understand how multiple timers can let any electric come through when they are off. @Renfro seems to know a lot about electric, he might have some idea what it is.

Is it bright enough to get a picture of? I'm not familiar with those timers, and maybe I'm confused how a timer works but if they are the mechanical ones I just don't see how it could leak electric the connection should be open meaning no path for the electric to travel through.

It might sound like a stupid question but your sure it's not like a reflection or something? Just cause not sure how the circuit is completed with a mechanical timer.

The two timers you had were electronically switched. The dumb mechanical timers have contacts that open and close. The electronic ones have a SCR or TRIAC (two SCR's back to back, don't worry, not important), electronic switches. They are good for switching reasonable amount of power but they have a little leakage current when switched off. I have a dimming light switch that has the led ceiling light in the room dimly lit until I give it a push to 'really' turn it off.

The solution is a mechanical switch, either the dumb hardware store timers or run a 120V coil relay off the timer and the relay switch the load. Mind you if the electronic timer had enough of a current rating it might be enough current leakage to fire the relay also.

Some timers use a solid state relay and these can allow current leakage.

I can say after opening one up that the Nearpow dual timers on amazon have a mechanical relay inside so they won't have this issue. I have several and they are reliable.

I have ordered a nearpow dual timer. Thank you everyone. Its not the light persay because the switch on the light works...there is no way these leds glow a bit without voltage.
SWIM double checked my eyes and we are both doubly certain they are slightly glowing.

We also plugges small led strips and fairy lights into the timers and had the same effect.

Have the AC outlet checked for polarity as well. I have heard of this happening when the hot and neutral were reversed.
I have no idea why or how, but when swapped the issue stopped...never seen myself, but was told about it.

dbz said:

I have ordered a nearpow dual timer. Thank you everyone. Its not the light persay because the switch on the light works...there is no way these leds glow a bit without voltage.
SWIM double checked my eyes and we are both doubly certain they are slightly glowing.

We also plugges small led strips and fairy lights into the timers and had the same effect.

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You aren't seeing things lol it's a known issue with some timers. It's not good for some sensitive devices.

Renfro said:

You aren't seeing things lol it's a known issue with some timers. It's not good for some sensitive devices.

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I just chalk it to most appliances used with these devices likely require more power than leds. We plugged the same timer into a lamp with an incandescent and it didnt come on at all...not enough power.

Mak'er Grow said:

Have the AC outlet checked for polarity as well. I have heard of this happening when the hot and neutral were reversed.
I have no idea why or how, but when swapped the issue stopped...never seen myself, but was told about it.

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I don't see why it would make a difference, the circuit should not be connected to the ground.

printer said:

I don't see why it would make a difference, the circuit should not be connected to the ground.

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Well it should be grounded in some way for safety cert.
And the best guess I could come up with is the normally neutral line is hot (as stated above neutral and hot are reversed NOT + & -) and the filter caps are holding power due to hot line being connected with them instead of the neutral...just a guess tho...lol

A neutral does carry voltage, it's not a useless wire lol. It is normal to find a potential of 2 or even 3 volts neutral to ground on a loaded circuit. This voltage rises with more current and a longer distance to the panel (actually to the bonding screw at service entry). Perhaps this was the cause of the issue?

Renfro said:

A neutral does carry voltage, it's not a useless wire lol. It is normal to find a potential of 2 or even 3 volts neutral to ground on a loaded circuit. This voltage rises with more current and a longer distance to the panel (actually to the bonding screw at service entry). Perhaps this was the cause of the issue?

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I agree, thats the best I could figure at the time and may even depend on the driver caps/circuit for spiking protection. I never got to 'undo' it to see so like I said its just a theory/guess.
Its made me wonder for years...lol

The ground should not be connected to the circuit of the timer, or whatever device is plugged in. It is connected to the metal case, if the internal circuit accidentally touches the case or arcs onto the case the current is suppose to return to ground. The circuit does not know if the neutral is going up as compared to the hot or the hot is going down as compared to the neutral. The diodes used to create dc for the circuit to function will work just as well with the wires flipped either way. I am pretty sure it would not cause this problem but I messaged my brother on it, he designs lighting and ventilation control equipment.

Mak'er Grow said:

Have the AC outlet checked for polarity as well. I have heard of this happening when the hot and neutral were reversed.
I have no idea why or how, but when swapped the issue stopped...never seen myself, but was told about it.

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So SWIM and I wired in 2 outlets, turns out you were 100 percent right. SWIM hasnt done wiring much and I didnt check but they wanted to be involved. Reversed the polarity. That was the entire issue.