Glossary
Time switch (interruptor horario, programmable timer)
A programmable clock, usually DIN rail mounted inside the consumer unit, that switches a circuit on and off at the times you set. It is used for water heaters, outdoor lighting, irrigation, signs or loads worth moving to the off-peak period.
What an interruptor horario is
An interruptor horario is a time switch (timer switch in the US): a clock with an internal contact that opens and closes according to the programme you set. It sits in the consumer unit next to the circuit breakers, or in a separate box, and controls one specific circuit.
Types
- Analogue: a dial with segments you push in to mark the on periods. Simple and cheap.
- Digital: a display, daily and weekly programmes and battery backup so it keeps the time during a power cut.
- Astronomical: calculates sunrise and sunset from the date and location, with no photocell. Ideal for outdoor lighting.
- Connected: programmed from your phone.
Uses at home
- Electric water heater (termo): heating water in the off-peak (valle) period of the 2.0TD tariff, when the kWh is cheapest.
- Garden, façade or pool lights.
- Pool pump and irrigation.
- Storage heaters.
In buildings and businesses
Time switches turn on entrance hall and garage lighting, shop signs, ventilation or a shop’s equipment. For large loads the clock does not feed the load directly: it drives a contactor, which carries the power.
Time switch or photocell
The time switch acts on the clock; a light-sensitive switch (interruptor crepuscular) acts on daylight. They are often combined: the photocell switches on at dusk and the timer switches off at midnight. See electric water heaters in Seville, Spain.
Related services
Motion sensors and dimmers
Motion sensor and dimmer installation in Seville, Spain, together with dusk-to-dawn switches and timers, means lights come on only when they are needed and at just the right level. You save in stairwells, entrance halls, garages, hallways and gardens, and gain comfort at home.
Electric water heaters
For an electric water heater installation in Seville, Spain we leave the heater (the termo, as it is called in Spain) on its own circuit with the 4 mm² cable and 20 A breaker the regulation requires, an earthed connection and the appliance working. We replace old heaters, fix the termo that trips the RCD or will not heat, and check the socket that runs hot.
Outdoor lighting
We design and carry out outdoor lighting installation in Seville, Spain for your garden, terrace and porch: path bollards, uplighters for trees and façades, weatherproof wall lights and pool lighting, with protected circuits, the correct IP rating and automatic switching by timer or at dusk.
Need an electrician in Seville, Spain?
Call us or send a WhatsApp message with a photo of the job. You get a fixed quote before any work starts.