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Review on BN-LINK 8 Outlet Surge Protector with Mechanical Timer - Enhanced Power Control for Home Electronics - White by Anthony Grover

Revainrating 4 out of 5

Ideal for many applications, especially daylight for plants, aquariums, reptile enclosures.

UPDATE: I bought my first one in May 2016; After about a year it started making a really annoying constant clicking/crunching noise. It still works perfectly, just makes a very annoying noise. In my original review, I noticed that it used to make a faint noise that most people didn't seem to hear at all; This sound is now a loud clicking sound that is clearly audible to everyone in the room. The unit is in my bedroom, so it's not a big deal, but I'll probably have to replace it; I have my computer desk there and when I'm actually working in that room the noise gets pretty annoying unless I drown it out with music or something. It was an older model and this device has since been updated; I ordered a second one in December 2016 and it has labels on the headlights so you know which side the timers are on which is a great change. I haven't had any issues with it suddenly making any noise or anything, but it doesn't work for as long and makes the same soft noise, so I'm a bit concerned that it will eventually get too loud. I think the problem is that the actual timing mechanism is manual, meaning it ticks weakly like the hands of a manually operated watch. Instead, I might look for a digitally controlled device to see if it performs a little better. Both of my units control the lights and controls for the gecko enclosures, but they are not placed where they might be exposed to moisture or anything else that might cause problems, and no more than half of the plugs on either unit are used ( I have aquariums with geckos in two different places in my house). I still like them overall, but wish they didn't have issues after just a year. ORIGINAL REVIEW: Use this for light/mist control in a gecko terrarium and love it so far. (Mr. also has his own independent built-in timer, so the power strip basically controls the lights. ) I had to read the instructions to figure out how to set the timer, but it wasn't too difficult and the included instructions are good. Here's what I particularly like about this particular model, unlike the other plug-in timers I have to control other devices for the gecko terrarium: * Has an extension cord and is wall mountable. My other is a small box that plugs directly into an outlet and is much more difficult to reach and reset, especially since it has a digital screen that you have to look at directly up close. I was able to mount this directly on the wall at a good height and because it's white on a white wall it doesn't stand out at all. (A similar designed specifically for use with reptile gear is incredibly bright green, so I like this one a lot more.) * Has both temporary and non-temporal streaks. I installed it next to the bookshelf that my two little gecko cases sit on and I can also hook up the electronics to sit next to it on my desk and a couple of lamps I installed on the bookshelf itself (for real Bookshelves): D ). So it's suitable for many different tasks, not just one or two devices that can be timed. This would be great, for example, if you're going on holiday for a while and want to hook up some of your lights to a timer so it seems like people are still coming and deterring burglars. Just set your lights and such on the timer and then when you get home, flip the switch back to the 'always on' position and control your lights manually. This also allows you to easily switch your devices to the timer side without having to reset the timer or anything, and then you can switch it back to timer mode. Really comfortable. * Seriously, the timer features are great for MANY THINGS. I wish I had had this when I had an aquarium. Set the filter to the always-on side, control the lights with a timer, etc. It would be great to control the indoor grow lights for your herb garden or anything else where you want to control the lights specifically for the diurnal cycle. Sometimes I have a weird schedule and it's been great for me to give my pet geckos a really constant day/night light cycle. Cons: * Makes a very low sound when turned on. This might not be a problem for everyone, some people I asked can't even hear it, but when it's very quiet at night it might bother me a little because it's audible. There's no way I want it to be right next to my bed or anything. However, I'm very sensitive to electronic noise, I also often hear my phone's power adapters and bedside clock making faint whine noises, which isn't great. But I don't know if the manufacturers can do anything about it, and there's a good chance you won't even hear it, so. timed and untimed because I always forget, but it's easy to fix; I just made my own with a label writer and put it in there, there's a good place for it. (Update: The company has since updated this extension a bit and now has labels that have the timer plugs on them, as you can see in the updated images now. Cool.) If you want other schedules, this won't be the case its work if some of the things you connect don't have their own timer. For me the pros REALLY outweigh the cons with this one; I love him very much and couldn't be happier with him. I received this product with a discount in exchange for my honest review, but I actually use my products,

Pros
  • ✓ LIGHT INDICATORS: Each row is equipped with a colored LED that indicates when the power is on for that row.
Cons
  • No Instructions