Customer Reviews for Defiant 5-Amp In-Wall Digital Timer with No Neutral Wire

Easy to install timer and easy to set up! Would recommend this product!

The timer was exactly as described, and worked very well. There are three recommendations I would make: 1) use a direct light source (headlamp, flashlight) when installing in a typical setting. The characters on the display are necessarily small, and consequently not very bright/distinct. 2) make a copy of the tenny-tiny instruction sheet, and expand the print size. 3) I would suggest using a multi-meter before retrofitting in an existing box to determine the "line" versus "load" leads BEFORE pulling the circuit-breaker to the box.

This product works very well. I purchased and installed 3 of them. They have all been operating for about a month controlling lights. Pros: internal battery makes the unit independent of the power line, can be programmed before installation, easy to install, automatic control at dusk and dawn without photo sensor, is easy to turn on and off manually, looks good, fits existing switch positions in the wall fixture, and doesn't require a neutral wire. cons and opportunities for improvement: back light of clock readout would be helpful, one of the 3 doors is marginally attached and falls off if not carefully opened, advertising claims random operation is possible but instructions don't explain how to do it. Suggestion: Don't loose the instructions.

This items is exactly what I expected and was fairly simple to set up.

This thing does NOT work with any compact fluorescent bulbs... which are basically most of the light bulbs today. After I installed it as a wall switch for a indoor light fixture, I noticed that the CFL bulbs continued to flash for hours after the switch was turned to the "off" position. Then I read up about it. This is the "resistive-type" switch that doesn't really switch everything off... it just puts a big resister in the middle, while a small current continues to trickle into the lamp. Ancient incandescent lamps wouldn't get powered up by that trickle. But the CFL does. This prolonged flashing in the "off" position can't be good for the light bulbs. What works for CFL, so I've read, is a timer with both resistive and INDUCTIVE switching. What a waste of money!

Product works as stated without much fanfare. The installation was very easy and programming was very simple. Buttons and LED display are very small so it might be hard for fat fingers. Overall, I would recommend. Good product for the price.

If there was a way to rate this timer a minus 5 star, that's what it should be! Okay to install but won't work don't matter what I did. Also, hidden deep in the instructions says it won't work on power saving bulbs.(florsnt). Who makes a timer that won't work on florsnt bulbs? this one! So I changed the bulbs, still won't go on or off. READ THE PREVIOUS REVIEW, ALL TRUE! Hard to program, I spent hours on a number of trys and still nothing. Evidently defective but worked a couple of times than quit. I must of reprogrammed it 25 times. Small display, time consuming to program and bad instructionsd to boot. I took it back and ordered a Honeywell for $12.00 more with good reviews. Spend the additional $12.00 and buy another brand. Unfortunately the neighborhood store only carries this brand so had to order it. BOOOO!

I purchased this model. It worked at first (I had no problem programming it) and then light flickered and no readout. I called the customer service number in the instructions and they were wonderful! Got connected quickly, rep knew the product, rep was easy to understand. She asked me what bulb I had put in there and I said an energy efficient one (uses 13W, gives you 60W) and she said this timer only used incandescent bulbs. I frankly am surprised it is still on the market. Under "caution" in the instructions it does say does not for use with CFL or fluorescent bulbs, and to uses incandescent, xenon or halogen bulbs. This info should be prominently displayed on the package. The rep recommended model 469-637 which will use all bulbs. I looked on line and this one also has a nice auto feature to turn on at dusk and turn off at sunrise. I was frightened off by the need of a neutral wire but upon looking at the instructions on line you needn't use it. Easy to read instructions. So I would avoid this timer. I am going to disinstall this 470-906 and get the 469-307 timer instead. I changed the light bulb to an old fashioned incandescent bulb and now the timer seems to be working; display back, but I am still going to return it.

Don't buy this timer if you have CFL bulbs. They just flicker all night and never fully illuminate. I should have known since the two units on the shelf had both been returned and the packages taped up. There should have been a big disclaimer on the packaging.

My exterior lights in front and back of my house are contolled by a switch in the house. I needed them to come on and go off by themselves (working late, out of town, etc.). The Digital Timers finally solved my problem! I have four and they work like a charm! Had them professionally installed since I am not a DIYer but it would be extremely easy for anyone with a bit of knowledge according to my electrician. One tip - DO NOT use CFL light bulbs (it is in the instructions) as the timers do not work with this type of bulb installed. Weird!

Easy to install in deep boxes, may have to do a bit of reorganizing wires if box is shallow or has lots of connections. Low profile, matches standard switch and plate color. Easy to program.

After an hour of troubleshooting my wiring, I phoned tech support. Product was defective. Installed new timer - still will not work properly. Reads AUTO - OFF. Cannot get it to AUTO - ON. The tiny window is very difficult to see, and the instructions are not good Initial setup instructions are ok - but they do not explain how to use the timer. I only wanted the first program P1, timer kept wanting to cycle through the other programs. There are no instructions as to whether or not you can update the program or change the time etc. No troubleshooting instructions. I am returning this timer and will simply install an outlet and plug in a regular timer.

Easy to install. Great directions. Installed and set up in 15 minutes. Eliminates me having to remember to turn outside lights on and off evening and morning. Great safety features.

It was working okay but had my light turned on when I came home this afternoon. The LED screen is impossible for me to read. Shining a light on it only makes it harder because you then can see all of the characters in the screen.

I would recommend buying the next higher priced model to get the backlit LED screen. I couldn't believe I had to use a flashlight to see the numbers. Also you don't find out until you open the box that it is not compatible with CFL bulbs. My old toggle switch controlled two lights, one incandescent the other CFL - and this switch works in that configuration.

I am extremely happy with the timer I purchased from Home Depot. It was easy to install and set-up. Unlike my older model, I love how you can program multiple settings in the course of one day.

Not for CFL, LED or any other type of light bulb from this decade. The unit is also very low current (5 Amp) one so you cannot install this if you have more than 1 incandescent light bulb. It is a mystery why something like this is in the market in 2014.

After wiring it in, my CFL it initially worked, but then turned off. I realized that it burned off my lights bulb and I had to replace the light bulbs. The switch is not compatible with CFL and LED's. I can't believe that the box does not warn you of this. Showing that it is incandescent compatible does not warn you that it won' t work with CFL and LED lights. I hope the manufacturer realized the incandescent bulbs are not popular any more.

This timer doesn't require a neutral connection, but it does require a ground. No ground, and it won't work. I found that it works fine with Cree's LED 60W-equivalent LED bulbs available at the time of my writing, late March 2014. I found the display to be readable, but it needs direct lighting for good visibility. Programming works as the instructions describe. There is a lot of button-pushing to set all four of the available programs, but it's not hard to do. The timer's RANDOM function works as described in the instructions. This is a solution for use in boxes that lack a neutral wire, which isn't uncommon in light switch installations. I haven't tried to use a dimmable CFL bulb with this product- perhaps that would work. The packaging of the unit that I bought did not have information about lack of CFL compatibility.

This timer is the most over complicated piece of junk. I have attempted to set this twice...It comes on in the day and turns off at night exactly the opposite of how I set it. I wish I had my old manual timer back.

This timer makes my life so much easier! It works perfectly for the outdoor lights in front of my house. Now I don't have to remember to turn them on every night and shut them off every morning. The switch is indoors and I was able to install this pretty easily, even with no experience with electrical work whatsoever. The instructions are meant for someone who knows what "line", "load", and "ground" wires are... I had no idea so I just Googled it and was able to figure it out. The instructions also clearly say to use this with incandescent bulbs, which I've been using. I might try the other reviewer's suggestion about using Cree LED bulbs, though, to save money. Programming the timer was pretty self-explanatory, I didn't need the instructions. I'm happy that this worked and will be installing 2 more for the other outdoor lights at my house.

This works great and was easy to install. The price was just rite and looks great to.

Easy to install and program. Good value. I highly recommend this item for timing outside lighting.

Installed easily on the first attempt. Programming was straight forward.

If you're limited to working with a single-pole light switch that only has access to the positive current, this digital timer is a great repacement switch that is extremely easy to install. It indicates CLEARLY on the packaging that this switch is for incandescent bulbs only (contrary to the claims of many negative reviewers here), HOWEVER, after experimenting with several different dimmable LED bulbs I found that Cree LEDs WORK PERFECTLY with the switch. But to drive the point home so there are no surprises, this switch is not compatible with most other LED and CFL bulbs.

Hadn't wired "digital" timers before; bad mistake. Digital timers that are powered by the circuit (as opposed to battery or they have their own connection to the neutral circuit) rely on passing a small amount of current thru the (incandescent) bulb even when the bulb is off. These DON'T work with Fluorescent, CFLs, and LED bulbs. Didn't read this on the package until I got it home and read the operating instructions after installing it. So in this day and age this switch is pretty worthless. It's also overpriced at HD.

The documentation states that it does not work with fluorescent or CFL bulbs and indicates it works with incandescent and halogen. It seems to have no opinion on LEDs. I installed this to govern a set of 3 fixtures on the outside of my house populated with a total of 7 Philips AmbientLED bulbs (3, 3, 1). It seems to work fine: the lights turn off and on when they're supposed to and there's no flashing or flickering or anything like that. Programming it is kind of ugly and there seems to be no documentation as to what the 4 available "programs" actually do (P1, P2, P3, P4). Do they run all at the same time? Is there some way to set an "active" program that runs and have 3 "alternate" programs? Who knows. I only use P1.

This digital timer works well, and is easy to install. Regrettably, it seems all digital timers have one common problem....the readout is tiny and there is no backlight to help when the timer is installed in a dark area (as it was at the back of my garage)....This means holding an LED flashlight in one's mouth during the programming process.... As I noted, this is a common problem with every digital timer I have used....someone should consider the value of a modification to include backlighting the digital readout... But overall...good quality, easy installation, operates as anticipated...

IT IS CLEARLY NOTED IN THE INSTRUCTIONS THAT IT WILL WORK ONLY WITH INCANDESENT OR HALOGEN. THERE IS A WHOLE SECTIONS OF THE NEW HALOGENS THAT ARE REPLACING THE INCANDESENTS. EASY TO WIRE

I had to replace the previous one I purchased because the on-off button feature didn't work. Otherwise the other features are okay.