💡 Smarter Lighting

Lights Don't Need to
Burn All Night.

Leaving outdoor lights on from dusk to dawn wastes energy, costs money, harms wildlife, and erases the night sky — all without making your property any safer. There's a better way.

30–50%
Energy wasted on all-night lights
< $100
Cost of a simple fix that pays for itself
~0
People who benefit from 3am lighting
See why — and what to do about it
The Problem

What All-Night Lighting Actually Does

Most people leave outdoor lights on all night out of habit or perceived safety. The research tells a different story.

💸
It's Wasted Money
A single 100W fixture burning from midnight to 6am costs over $50 a year — for light that illuminates an empty yard. Multiply that across a neighborhood and the waste is staggering.
🔒
It Doesn't Improve Safety
Studies by the Chicago and London police departments found all-night lighting has no measurable effect on crime. Burglaries peak at dusk — not at 2am. Motion sensors are proven more effective.
🦋
It Disrupts Wildlife
Artificial light at night disorients migrating birds, collapses insect populations, alters bat hunting patterns, and disrupts the reproductive cycles of fireflies and other nocturnal species.
🌌
It Erases the Night Sky
Light scattered upward from all-night fixtures is the #1 driver of sky glow over communities like Kerrville. Every unnecessary photon between midnight and dawn makes our Hill Country skies measurably worse.
All-Night Lighting
  • Runs 10–12 hours, most of it unseen
  • Wastes 30–50% of energy on empty hours
  • Contributes to sky glow all night long
  • Disrupts nocturnal wildlife continuously
  • No added security benefit after midnight
  • Higher monthly electric bills
Dusk-to-Curfew Lighting
  • Provides visibility during active evening hours
  • Turns off automatically — no action needed
  • Dramatically reduces light pollution
  • Lets wildlife function normally after curfew
  • Paired with motion sensors for real security
  • Electric bill drops noticeably month one
The Simple Solution

One Device. No Programming. Done.

The Photocell Timer ESC-124DS installs in minutes and automatically manages your outdoor lighting — on at dusk, off at whatever time you set. No app. No Wi-Fi. No hassle.

RECOMMENDED
Photocell Timer ESC-124DS
Precision Multiple Controls, Inc.

Photocell Timer ESC-124DS

Combines a photocell (senses dusk/dawn) with a programmable timer so your lights turn on automatically at sunset and shut off at your chosen curfew — midnight, 11pm, whatever works for your property.

Voltage
105–285V
Rating
1,800 VA
Model
ESC-124DS
Installation
Direct wire-in
✓ Pays for itself in energy savings
More Information 📞 1-800-775-5862

480V commercial version (ESC-480DS) also available

How It Works

Set It Once. Saves Every Night.

🌅
Senses Dusk
The built-in photocell detects when daylight fades and automatically switches your lights on — no manual trigger needed.
🕙
Lights Your Evening
Your outdoor lights stay on through the active evening hours — when people are actually outside and lighting serves a purpose.
🌙
Shuts Off at Curfew
At the time you set — 10pm, midnight, whenever — the timer switches everything off. The sky stays dark. Your bill goes down.
Up to 50%
reduction in outdoor lighting energy use — just by not running lights during the hours when no one is outside.
Based on eliminating 5–6 hours of nightly operation on an average outdoor fixture load

A Small Change. A Bigger Sky.

One photocell timer per property. That's all it takes to cut your light pollution contribution in half, save money every month, and help restore the Hill Country night sky for everyone.

More Information — ESC-124DS More Lighting Resources