Customer Reviews

Woods 59202 7-Day Vacation Security Lamp and Appliance Timer with 3-Prong Outlet

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The product shown in the photo (square model) is not the current version being shipping. The newer version is round and does not have an overide switch on the side of the unit but rather an ON/OFF switch.

The instructions for the newer unit state "You may overide operation of the timer by sliding the manual overide ON/AUTO switch located on the top of the timer, to the ON position...." First there is only a ON/OFF wheel no AUTO selection. Second, if you select either on or off on the switch, as soon as the mechanical timer rotates enough to activate a preprogrammed selections the "manual overide wheel switch" is tripped. In other words there is no way to overide the timer when you are home from vacation or for any duration of time more than a few hours unless you physically unplug it from the wall. The older version had a slide switch on the side (you can see the slide switch on the older model in the picture Amazon shows) which allowed you to leave the set up intact and plugged in but the slide switch would bypass the timer altogether and allow you to turn the lamp on and off by the lamp switch not the timer.

I called Woods and they admit this is an overlooked flaw in the new design and that their owners manual for the new model is wrong.

Instead of this redisigned POS purchase a Woods model # 59201 which is a 7 day mechanical timer which allows you to set on and off times (in sets of every 2 hours only) on your own and also has an overide feature while leaving the wiring set up intact.

This timer does turn on my lamp at random times. But it turns it on during daylight hours as well as during the dark of night. Why? I am using it, because it is better than nothing when I am away. But I'd much rather it used its energy going on and off only at night when someone outside the house could be fooled into thinking I was at home.

I bought this, and ended up returning it to amazon. The product description makes it seem as if this timer can be programmed; "When you are home, set the timer to conveniently turn radios, fans, and lights ON and Off for you." It won't actually do this... it only turns on and off at random times... very strange, but I suppose perfect if you just need a random timer for a random reason.

Well made but be careful to understand that it only has one time cycle per day and limited adjustability. I wanted and thought I was getting a device that I could set for multiple on and off cycles.