Electure,
Thanks for noticing my inadvertant error with the contactors. Just goes to show you what happens when you are working on tooooo many things at once. I edited my previous post to reflect the error change. However, I still do not agree with the timer on lighting circuits. Especially outdoor lighting and parking lot lighting. Yes, the electronic timers do have a battery backup on them in case of a power failure. Lighting is taken pretty seriously up here in PA, and its our belief that when its dark the lights should be on. We frequently experience thunderstorms, cloudy days, and other weather that dims the ambient light enough to warrant the illumination of parking lots. Unfortunately timers (electronic or mechanical) do not have the ability to "see" this and turn the lights on. Much of the lighting I deal with are governed by state mandate or local jurisdiction. Our lights need to be on when its dark period. A lot of commercial, industrial, and goverment installations follow the same thinking. They dont want the hassle of dealing with a timer to control lights. It makes a control circuit look nifty and sophisticated, but is it really needed?
