Outlet timer (for lighting)

[Flyheight]

So I'm looking at all the various options for outlet timers and for the most part I'm not impressed.
However I've found something that piques my interest: A "smart" wall outlet.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FFRG9T?psc=1

My hope is that by remaining internet connected it won't gain or lose time as it will constantly be updated by official clock time as is transmitted over the internet.
I was planning on using this for my lighting in my T8 and I was curious if anyone else has any experience with this sort of product?
Even if you don't I'm curious what other people are using for their lighting timing.

Thanks much!

[Regius_049]

I have never used a "smart timer" for my cage lighting. I usually use LED strip lights connected to a timer. I have used these timers in the past an they work well. The only downside is there are only two outlet plugs per timer.

I have also used the lighting feature on Herpstats, which also works very well, but it seems like kind of a waste of a port. Neither of these options gain or lose time appreciably, but they do need to be reset for daylight savings if you want to factor that in, not that an hour makes a huge difference either way. The smart timer feature just didn't seem very worth it to me. Assuming you have an 11-12 hour light cycle running from say 8am to 7pm, losing or gaining an hour still leaves you with a reasonable time range and quartz timers nowadays lose at most, 15 seconds a month, so +/- 3 minutes a year. It didn't seem like it was that big of a deal to me.

[Craiga 01453]

BPs don't require a light cycle, so I don't use one. The light that enters the room is enough for them, and they prefer the dark anyway. So, the lights are basically for us. Mine only goes on when I'm going into the enclosure.

[Flyheight]

I have never used a "smart timer" for my cage lighting. I usually use LED strip lights connected to a timer. I have used these timers in the past an they work well. The only downside is there are only two outlet plugs per timer.

I have also used the lighting feature on Herpstats, which also works very well, but it seems like kind of a waste of a port. Neither of these options gain or lose time appreciably, but they do need to be reset for daylight savings if you want to factor that in, not that an hour makes a huge difference either way. The smart timer feature just didn't seem very worth it to me. Assuming you have an 11-12 hour light cycle running from say 8am to 7pm, losing or gaining an hour still leaves you with a reasonable time range and quartz timers nowadays lose at most, 15 seconds a month, so +/- 3 minutes a year. It didn't seem like it was that big of a deal to me.

Thanks, that brick looks like it would block about 4 ports on my power strip/surge protector so I'll pass on that particular one, but I appreciate the input and the validation of a quartz timer. My only experience with an outlet timer before now was with an old mechanical one that drifted notoriously.

BPs don't require a light cycle, so I don't use one. The light that enters the room is enough for them, and they prefer the dark anyway. So, the lights are basically for us. Mine only goes on when I'm going into the enclosure.

Hmmm. I hadn't actually heard this said before, but it makes sense. I had been randomly wondering what rack systems did for lighting and I couldn't think of a practical solution and since the snakes do like the dark I guess it wouldn't hurt.

I have a fair bit of natural light in my room where I'm going to keep the snake and I'm pretty much gone all day during the daylight hours so having the light on would serve me no purpose for that time period. It would still be nice to have a light for the cage when I do want to get into the enclosure. RBI's LED strip power supply appears to come with an easy to access inline switch.
So should I scrap the timer?
Does anyone else have any other timers they use?
I'd still like more input if that's possible. Even if it's just to say "I do what so-and-so said" it would be nice to have a consensus. No offense intended to Regius_049 or craigafrechette, just trying to get multiple opinions.

Thanks all!

[Craiga 01453]

Does anyone else have any other timers they use?
I'd still like more input if that's possible. Even if it's just to say "I do what so-and-so said" it would be nice to have a consensus. No offense intended to Regius_049 or craigafrechette, just trying to get multiple opinions.

Thanks all!

I 10000000% agree with you. I also like multiple sources.