What Timer can be used with energy saving light bulbs?

Annemos

Our PCSO (Police Community Support Officer) has just kindly sent us some tips for staying safe in the Winter, now it is dark early. 

One of them is     I – Invest in some timer switchers. These will turn lamps and radios on and off for you.


I would love to have one for a Table Lamp.  

Can anyone recommend anything I can definitely safely use, if one has energy-saving light bulbs?

Or is there anything else I could do to make it look as if someone is home. (Thinking about when away for holidays, too.) I don't want to tamper with the ceiling light switches. 


For, example, one on Argos says it definitely CANNOT be used. (And I don't really trust the answers on their other one either.) 

Also, I had an incident in about 2017, when I was going out on Xmas Day. I put a mechanical Timer on with a Table Lamp (Energy-Saving bulb) and it blew out the wall socket as I tested it. (Brown scorch marks on the socket after a rather loud bang!) 


Thanks for any advice, ( I do not have a Smart Phone.)

Typhoon2000

These will work fine.
https://www.screwfix.com/p/tp-link-tapo-p110-13a-mini-smart-plug-white/809RN?tc=IC7#product_additional_details_container

fatbelly

Any timer should work with a table lamp. I've used loads of them over the years.

The only problem is that the mechanical ones do fail eventually. The electronic ones seem to last longer though they may cost more. They also usually have a random function which may be what you are looking for.

I've bought them from various places but I see Argos have them

https://www.argos.co.uk/browse/garden-and-diy/home-security-and-safety/plug-timers/c:29461/

twopenny

Can you describe the time that went 'bang' please? Make, photo or something.

It's an interesting question I hadn't thought of. I have timers like the one in the Argos link Fatbelly posted and they're from years ago. They worked fine - but hadn't thought whether they may not work with led bulbs of various types.

While I'm not going on holiday it's a nice thought to have a light on when you return with the dark days.

Annemos

I think the Tapo is a problem for me, as I switch all the Wi-fi  off when I go on hols. Also I don't have apps, as no Smartphone yet. 


Re Argos.    The "Triple pack 7 days Electronic"  .......     says it is not suitable for energy-saving bulbs. 


I found this article from 2019 which discusses the problem... and the only thing they seem to recommend is something that slots over a light switch. It mechanically operates the light switch using levers per one I found on Amazon. 

I think what he describes is perhaps what happened in my incident. The lamp perhaps blew and took the Timer fuse with it. But there was a very strong acrid smell, too, when it happened and scorch marks on the Timer.

(And if it had happened when I was away, it tripped all the circuits, freezer etc.) 

It was rather a frightening experience and I have never used one since with an Energy-Saving bulb. I have been using a supply of old light bulbs, but nearly run out of those now. 


https://mydome.co.uk/timer-switch-leds-timer-light-cfls/

fatbelly

Two of my timers are controlling table lamps with LED bulbs. I don't see why it's a problem

Annemos

twopenny, from memory, it was one where you put little silver pins in the place where you wanted it to come on and off. 

(This is going back a bit. It was from Homebase) 

Had never had a problem until I put an energy-saving bulb in. 

Annemos

Found one... it was being sold 7 years ago  on "Electrical Direct"




And here it is on E-bay. Says FILAMENT lamps!  


https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174380307192?campid=5338947458&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&toolid=10050&customid=&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&campid=5338947458&mkevt=1&mkcid=1&toolid=10050&customid=dbf3ac678f101fee5e2dcb2d9ba3753c&mkrid=710-53481-19255-0&msclkid=dbf3ac678f101fee5e2dcb2d9ba3753c

Annemos

After much searching, I think I have found ones that definitely state they are OK for 60W LED .

This company shows datasheets as well as instructions. I like that this company is British. I feel that their products will have been well tested and well-made. Just under the photos it also shows an LED symbol. 


Mechanical.....

https://www.timeguard.com/products/time/time-controllers/tg24-24-hour-compact-plug-in-segment-time-controller


Electronic...... 

https://www.timeguard.com/products/time/time-controllers/tg77-7-day-compact-electronic-timeswitch


This one 100W LED   Electronic

https://www.timeguard.com/products/time/time-controllers/etu17n-24-hour7-day-slimline-digital-plug-in-time-controller



And even this one with the Pins!  

https://www.timeguard.com/products/time/time-controllers/ts800n-24-hour-compact-plug-in-time-controller

ThisIsWeird

What an interesting thread, Annemos.
There's a few different things going on here, including, I suspect, the odd bit of manufacturer misinformation/outdatedness. And some sheer bad luck
First, we can split the timers into two camps; the ones that operate/replace wall-mounted light switches, and those that plug into 13A sockets.
There can be an 'issue' with the former, in that they can allow LED lamps to remain illuminated, or flicker, even when turned off. But this is not a fault, and also shouldn't be worrying - it won't 'blow'. It's simply that the electronics in the switch-replacing-timer requires a wee current to operate, and tries to draw this via the actual bulb. Traditional 'filament' builds ('resistive') would provide this, but newer LED and CLS (the latter thankfully now all but disappeared) weren't designed for this, and the tiny drawn current by the timer is sometimes enough to illuminate the lamp, making it glimmer or flicker. They just aren't compatible. But, that's the only issue - it doesn't work as intended, but isn't a 'risk'.
Then there's the 13A plug-in timers, which also fall into two categories, electronic (digital display) and electro-mechanical (analogue, with a motorised clock dial, with either pins or wee clips you push into place for the timings).
They use slightly different types of final 'switching' - the turning on and off of the appliance; electronic uses a 'relay', and mechanical a 'microswitch'. But both are rated at the full 13A, or else they wouldn't be permitted.
They can both, therefore, handle 'resistive' loads of up to 13A, and that includes heaters, electric blankets, and filament bulbs (tho these have they own issues!). In practice, I wouldn't want to leave either of these types handling anywhere close to 13A, tho', 'cos I don't think you should normally have devices driven 'hard'. But, it's 'permitted'.
So, why do they seemingly struggle with an LED or CLS lamp?! The answer is, they don't. At least not unless you try and illuminate the front of your house with 100s of mains Chrimbo LED or CLS lamps, all coming on at the same time, from the same timer or switch. 
Earlier LEDs seemingly had a high initial current rush in order to supply their drive circuits. I suspect - hope - that modern ones do not, at least not significantly, or perhaps have built in soft-start. CLS most likely do have a high initial rush as they fire up like fluorescent lamps requiring an effective 'starter'. Ok, I don't know the details of either, but if they do have a high initial 'start-up' current rush, then this could (and would) cause the relay/micro switch terminals to arc and burn, even tho' the running load was well within 13A. 
But, you'd have to have a serious number of such hi-start LEDs or CLS lamps for this to be a problem. And, ironically, the same would apply to filament bulbs, which definitely do have a high start-up current, hence them usually blowing when first turned on.
So, bottom line, there is no greater risk in powering similar-sized LED or CLS lamps from one of these plug-in timers, than with old filament bulbs. Seriously, you'd have to be switching every light in your house - and some - before there would be any risk, and that same (non)-risk would also apply to filament bulbs.
Phew. 
So, why did your old timer blow up, Anne? Sheer bad luck - almost certainly your CLS failed in a catastrophic manner, causing a short circuit which blew the timer before the fuse had a chance to pop. (The fuse for that lamp should have been 3A or less). It's a surprise, of course, but non the less not at all representative; you were unlucky.
So why does that Argos electronic timer say 'no energy-saving lamps'? I don't know - it's nuts. But I'm going to stick my neck out and say it's most likely a throwback to early generation CLS or LEDs which may have had excessively high start-up currents, or possibly it's even a cross-contamination of the instructions for wall-mounted light switch timers, but I'm going to state that it's almost certainly just 'wrong'. Modern LEDs, whilst they 'may' have a start-up current, will still be much lower than that if a filament bulb of equivalent rating.
As I said before, you'd have to plug in 100's of lamps, getting somewhere close to 13A limit, before the start-up power surge could damage the timer, or blow a fuse, but the exact same thing would apply to filament bulbs.
I cannot see any remotely normal circumstance where a timer will blow due to too many LEDs. Take this to the logical conclusion - plugging such excessive strings of LEDs directly into your mains socket and flicking that switch would impose a similar draw. And that would be equally unacceptable.

(Digital timers don't use thyristors, do they?)

twopenny

Thank you all for the full information!

I have both sorts of timers but if I do need them again I think it may be wise to buy new. I've had my moneysworth over the years.

Curious when it says 'fillament' as we now have LED fillament bulbs. So which era this refers to I'm not sure.