Astronomical Time Relay

Control Outdoor Lighting with an Astronomical Time Relay

NetRelay goes beyond conventional fixed timers by allowing lighting systems to operate automatically according to sunrise and sunset times. Municipal, residential, park, garden and outdoor lighting schedules can adapt to seasonal daylight changes without continuous manual reprogramming.

Turn Lighting On 20 Minutes After Sunset

Lighting does not always need to activate at the exact moment of sunset. Configurable astronomical offsets can delay activation while sufficient natural light remains available.

For example, municipal or residential outdoor lighting can automatically switch on 20 minutes after sunset, reducing unnecessary operating time.

Turn Lighting Off 30 Minutes Before Sunrise

Outdoor lighting can also be switched off before the official sunrise time when natural daylight is already increasing.

The system can be configured to deactivate lighting 30 minutes before sunrise, reducing daily runtime and helping lower energy costs.

Example Astronomical Schedule

ON condition: Sunset + 20 minutes.

Action: Activate outdoor lighting relays.

OFF condition: Sunrise - 30 minutes.

Action: Automatically deactivate lighting relays.

The schedule automatically adapts throughout the year as daylight duration changes.

Advantages Over Fixed Timers

A conventional timer may activate lighting at the same clock time every day. However, sunset and sunrise change continuously throughout the year. Astronomical scheduling follows actual solar times instead of relying only on fixed clock settings.

Municipal Lighting

Parks, public squares, walkways and municipal outdoor lighting can be centrally controlled using astronomical scheduling to reduce unnecessary operation while maintaining appropriate nighttime illumination.

Residential and Gated Communities

Landscape, pedestrian, parking and security lighting can use independent schedules and offsets according to each area's requirements.

Independent Offsets for Lighting Zones

• Landscape lighting: Sunset +20 minutes
• Parking lighting: Sunset
• Security lighting: Sunset -10 minutes
• Decorative lighting: Sunset +30 minutes
• Morning shutdown: Sunrise -30 minutes

Reduce Lighting Later at Night

Astronomical schedules can be combined with fixed-time rules. Decorative lighting can turn off at midnight while parking and security lighting remains active until morning.

Reduce Energy Costs

Across large installations, even a small reduction in daily operating time can accumulate into significant annual runtime savings. A schedule that turns lights on 20 minutes after sunset and off 30 minutes before sunrise can theoretically reduce operation by approximately 50 minutes per day compared with a full sunset-to-sunrise schedule.

Actual energy savings depend on fixture power, number of circuits, operating days and configured offsets.

Lighting Runtime Reports

• Daily lighting runtime
• Monthly operating hours
• Runtime by lighting zone
• Sunrise and sunset trigger history
• Manual override records
• Nighttime operating analysis
• Seasonal runtime comparisons
• Estimated energy consumption
• Before-and-after optimization comparisons

Centralized Management

Multiple NetRelay devices can be installed across parks, residential complexes and facilities and connected to a central management platform for monitoring and control.

Automatic Operation with Manual Override

Authorized users can override astronomical schedules when special events, maintenance or operational requirements require lighting to remain active outside normal schedules.

No Seasonal Timer Adjustment

Unlike conventional timers that require seasonal reprogramming, astronomical scheduling automatically follows changing sunrise and sunset times throughout the year.

Extend with Smart Conditions

Astronomical schedules can be combined with ambient light sensors, custom timing rules, occupancy information and additional automation conditions.

More Than an Astronomical Timer

NetRelay combines astronomical scheduling with relay control, sensor inputs, event management and software integration on the same platform.

Turn lights on 20 minutes after sunset and off 30 minutes before sunrise. Let the system follow seasonal daylight changes automatically while reducing unnecessary runtime and energy costs.