Zilla Reptile Habitat Lighting & Terrarium Heat Power Center, Analog

I know some reviewers have expressed some confusion with this device, so I am hoping I can clear that up for anyone.1- Anything you plug into the yellow sockets will be turned on during the DAY time (yellow for sunlight).2- Anything you plug into the blue sockets will be turned on during the NIGHT time (blue for darkness)3- Anything you plug into the white sockets will be turned on ALL the time.When you are setting up the timer, turn the raised arrow to the approximate time it is now. Then push DOWN each tab that represents a time slot (15 minute intervals) for the time you want the BLUE plug time electronics to function. Leave the tabs UP for the time you want the YELLOW plugs time electronics to function. The dial tabs will NOT affect any of the electronic plugged into the white plugs.~*~ If at ANY time you switch off the power strip, the power gets cut off, you unplug it, etc. make sure you move the arrow to the current time before you plug it back in.~*~ Otherwise you will see a delay in the timing of your devices.I am personally using this for my aquarium setup. I have my pump and 2 heaters plugged into the white plugs and the lights plugged into the yellow plug. I wanted to make sure there was no accidents or oops where the lights were being left on for long periods of time to not being turned on at all. Our fish on a set light/night schedule and its working out perfect.If for some reason you would like to override the dial timer, there is a switch for that as well. You can turn off the dial completely as well. There is also a master switch to turn off the whole power strip (blue, yellow, and white plugs).

So far so good! I've been using this strip now for about a month and I'm very happy with it. The instructions are a little confusing and redundant but it's not too hard to figure out. I have this running a Zoo Med ReptiSun 10.0 UVB T5 HO in a Sunblaster ballast and an ExoTerra 100W tight beam lamp during the day and a Zoo Med 60W CIHE at night when it gets cold. Initially the rotating timer mechanism seemed a bit loose and wobbly but it keeps time wonderfully and it functions reliably. Again, the instructions aren't terribly useful but it's very simple. You set your current time at the arrow at 8 o'clock on the second inner dial. Then push down the hours you want to be on the night outlets and voilá, you're set to go. As mentioned, the instructions are terribly done and the initial setup I just explained mysteriously takes up four diagrams. In any case the only other variables are the power settings controlled by the inside knob. In the middle you have the normal timer mode which switches between the outlets as usual. Then there are two full-on modes for each gang, one for the night and one for the day. Say you want to keep the lights on a little longer without changing your settings, you can switch to day mode and they'll stay on until you shut them off. It's the same for the 'night' outlets. I thought this might be a little more reliable than a digital model and so far it's been solid. Perhaps I'll come back and report again in a year. That'll be the true test.

Can't say anything about reliability. After unpacking and reading instructions which seem to make sense, I tried to use the unit. Well, the program pins are miniature, I can't set them with bare hands. It's not clear how to set the time either since inner dial has only markings for hours. Program pins has no markings either, I wasn't sure what increments of time they represent and only see approximate alignment to hours on dial.Similar digital version of the timer power strip has much simpler programming, but has different issues. I end up returning both, buying basic power strip and separate AC timer from Home Depot that do the job just fine.

I purchased this for keeping track of the lights in my saltwater aquarium. I worked around the inability to merge daylight and moonlight by getting a second timer and running the moonlights on the 24-hour side.But the dial has begun to press pins up beginning at the end of the 'day' portion of the cycle, as well as at random after I've attempted to fix the problem. Having an aquarium light up like the fourth of july at 5 in the morning is not a pleasant experience for me or for the organisms inside the tank (though I'm sure the plants didn't mind too much).Definitely replacing it.

I use this on my iguana cage lighting. Really glad I purchased this. I was sick of having to remember to turn on and off the lights, and my iguanas gave me the "stink eye" when I was just 30 minutes late to turning on their lights. My life is now simplified since I bought this timer. I love the automation.This timers keeps time pretty well, I've used it for a few months now, I think it's about 1 minute off, which isn't a big deal at all. I would recommend this to anyone that has a terrarium/aquarium that needs fluctuating light.My ONLY complaint about this item (and why it's 4 stars, not 5) is the noise level. It isn't LOUD, but definitely noticeable when going to bed. I have my terrarium in a 20x20 room, with my bed on the opposite corner of the terrarium and when going to sleep, the "ticking" noise is definitely noticeable. I would order Zilla's digital timer, but due to bad reviews, I refrained and purchased this timer instead, still glad I did!