UltraPro Daysmart 7-Day Digital In-Wall Timer, Presets/Countdown, Programmable Settings, Override, Sunrise/Sunset, Light Timer Switch for Indoor Lighting, Porch, Seasonal, LED, 40954

Why I reached for an in‑wall astronomical timer

I got tired of babysitting my porch and garage lights. In winter, sunset creeps up before I’m home; in summer, it lingers long after I need illumination. I wanted set‑and‑forget dusk/dawn automation without adding Wi‑Fi or ugly keypad boxes. That’s what led me to the Daysmart timer—an in‑wall digital switch that replaces a standard toggle and quietly runs a 7‑day schedule based on sunrise and sunset.

After a few weeks of use, it’s become the kind of low‑drama, high‑impact upgrade I wish I’d installed years ago.

Installation: straightforward if you have a neutral

This is a true in‑wall replacement for a single‑pole or three‑way switch and it relies on a neutral wire. If your box doesn’t have a bundled neutral (often a group of white wires tied together), you’ll need to run one or pick a different solution.

Wiring is refreshingly clean. Instead of pigtails dangling from the back, the timer uses clamp‑style screw terminals: hot, load, neutral and ground. The back‑wire design keeps everything tidy and secure, and it fits well in a standard single‑gang box. In one box of mine that was already crowded with splices, I did have to be deliberate about wire management to get the device seated; if your box is shallow or crammed, expect a little patience work.

Three‑way support is solid. The included diagram mapped to my travelers/common layout, and once I moved the line/load appropriately, the timer and companion switch worked as expected from both locations.

Aesthetically, the face is decora‑style with a hinged door that doubles as the on/off paddle. It looks like a normal modern switch once closed and blends nicely with other decora devices under a shared wallplate.

Tips:
- Confirm a neutral before you buy.
- If you have a tight box, consider a deeper retrofit box or be ready to re‑dress wires.
- Stick with a decora wallplate; a screwless plate makes for a cleaner finish.

Setup and programming: simple and sensible

The Daysmart timer avoids the “scientific calculator” programming trap. Push open the front door and you get a clear, backlit LCD with a minimal button cluster. Setup took me a few minutes:
- Set the date and time.
- Toggle auto Daylight Saving Time (I left it on).
- Pick a general region to set sunrise/sunset.

From there, you can select built‑in presets (like “Sunset ON, Midnight OFF”), run a straight 7‑day schedule, or use countdown mode for one‑off runs. The astronomical logic is region‑based rather than asking for your exact latitude/longitude. Out of the box, my turn‑on was within a few minutes of the local sunset—close enough for porch duty. If you’re particular, you can “offset” on/off relative to sunrise/sunset by up to an hour earlier or later. I ended up setting my porch to come on 15 minutes before sunset and turn off at 11:30 p.m. and it’s been spot‑on for my routines.

There’s a manual override—press the door and it behaves like a normal switch, resuming the schedule at the next programmed event.

Daily use and performance

Once programmed, it just works. My exterior LEDs come on at dusk, off at night, with smooth consistency day to day. There’s no flicker, no ghosting with low‑wattage bulbs, and switching is essentially silent—just a soft relay click you’ll only notice if you’re standing right there.

Because the astronomical time shifts every day, the schedule adapts seasonally without any maintenance. The large LCD is easy to read up close, and the blue backlight briefly illuminates when you interact with it. You can peek behind the door to confirm status, upcoming event, and mode at a glance.

I also appreciate the countdown mode. It’s handy for temporary tasks—say, running an entry light for 15 minutes after a delivery without altering the main schedule.

Power outage behavior

I flipped the breaker a few times to mimic an outage. The timer held the correct time and all programming and resumed its schedule on power return—no reprogramming required. The non‑volatile memory here is exactly what I want for an unattended device. If your application is safety‑critical, it’s still worth verifying behavior on your specific circuit, but in typical home lighting use, this inspires confidence.

Ergonomics and the little quirks

The hinged door is clever: closed, it’s your on/off paddle; open, it reveals the programming buttons. It’s neat, but there are two trade‑offs to know:

• Accidental presses: The door is thin enough that a firm press near the hinge can flex and lightly tap the inner buttons. I had this happen once and ended up in a menu unexpectedly. The fix is simple—press the door near its center like a normal rocker, or open the door when you need to interact with settings.

• On/off confirmation: With the door closed, there’s no external indicator LED to tell you if the load is on. In many placements (porch lights by the entry), you can just look outside, but if you’re controlling something out of sight, you’ll be checking the display behind the door to confirm state.

Neither is a deal‑breaker, but they’re worth noting if you value tactile certainty.

Accuracy and adjustability

Astronomical accuracy is good for a region‑based approach. My on/off times trailed local tables by a few minutes at first; the offset setting cleaned that up quickly. In real use, what matters is repeatability and drift, and the Daysmart timer has been consistent. If you live far from major metro latitudes or in areas with extreme seasonal shifts, plan to use the offset to dial it to your preference.

Compatibility and load handling

I’ve run this on LED fixtures and a mix of LED/CFL without any issues. It’s rated for LED, CFL, incandescent and halogen loads, and it behaves like a conventional switch to the downstream fixtures, so no smart‑bulb conflicts or latency. For three‑way configurations, ensure the other location is a standard mechanical switch, not an electronic or smart accessory.

What it’s not: this is not a dimmer and not a Wi‑Fi smart switch. If you want app control, voice assistants, or complex scenes, this isn’t that. The payoff for the simplicity is zero cloud dependency and no ongoing maintenance once set.

Build and aesthetics

The construction feels solid for the price bracket. The button action is crisp, terminals clamp securely, and the LCD is large enough to read without squinting. The blue backlight is a bit bright in a dark hallway when you have the door open, but it’s transient and not visible when closed. The face sits flush and looks “normal” next to other decora devices, which was one of my must‑haves—no keypad clutter, no bulky bezels.

Who it’s for

• Homeowners who want dusk‑to‑dawn or sunset‑to‑bedtime lighting with no app, hub, or cloud.
• Porches, garage sconces, landscape transformers, seasonal window candles, and other simple on/off circuits.
• Anyone needing a clean look that blends with standard decora switches.
• Installations with a neutral wire present, single‑pole or three‑way.

Who should look elsewhere:
- Houses without neutrals in the switch box (consider a battery sensor or rewiring).
- Users who demand lat/long‑precise astronomical timing without offsets.
- Loads where an external on/off indicator is critical at the switch location.

What I’d improve

• Add a small status LED on the paddle to indicate on/off state with the door closed.
• Stiffen the door plastic slightly to reduce the chance of accidental programming button presses.
• Offer a lat/long entry option in addition to region presets for those who want maximum precision.

The bottom line

The Daysmart timer does the important things right: clean installation, easy programming, reliable astronomical scheduling, and a normal‑looking face that doesn’t call attention to itself. I wanted my exterior lights to behave like they understood the seasons, without giving me another app to babysit. This checked that box and has kept my entryways well‑lit at the right times, day after day.

Recommendation: I recommend it. If you have a neutral in the box and want an unobtrusive, dependable dusk/dawn timer with simple setup and no cloud overhead, this is excellent value. Be mindful of the paddle/door quirk and the lack of an external status indicator, but for most lighting applications, it’s a rock‑solid, set‑and‑forget upgrade.