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Each year we haul out the Christmas lights and inevitably end up with extra transmitters with no remotes, or remotes with no transmitters. It must be the Grinch. Anyway it seems most we get from Menards are Master Electrician. I'm able to find used transmitters and remote control switches on eBay but no where else. I really don't want to discard these parts if I don't have to and buy all new ones. Have any of you come up with a solution? I suspect we're not the only one Mr. Grinch visits.
I would buy one of those small plastic tubs and make sure that all the remotes get placed in that tub at the end of the season for storage.
Or, attach an apple air tag to each remote so it can be located if it wanders off.
Our house has a dedicated "holiday" switched outlet in the soffit near the front door with the switch inside. I installed a smart switch so I can control our yard lights including Christmas lights without any transmitters or remotes to put away and lose. The outlet is programmed to come on at dusk and off at dawn and since it is a smart switch it adjusts for sunrise and sunset times.
Zip Lock bags, one for each remote and control. A few years back, I controlled the air cleaner with a remote. Every time I turned air cleaner on, outside lights at house came on. But turning lights on or off in house didn't affect air cleaner. Changed frequencies on remote in shop - problem solved.
We have all standard lights but smart outlets that are programmed on a schedule. 1 for the tree and village, 1 for outside lights, and 5 for wreathes in the front rooms. I had used timers previously but getting the times perfect as possible the lights all came on at different times. This all pop on together for outside and a different schedule for interior. Every year for the past 4 I just plug them in and the schedule works from last year.
Now is the time to buy those remotes and use them to run a contactor for the dust collector.
It is also the time for my annual; buy some clear lights and string them up in the attic and crawl space.
I grew up the Christmas lights were keep together in a dynamite box all in one place.
Bill D
My remotes get wire-tied to the receiving device prior to storage. Not help now but may help in the future.
No remotes; timers instead. I have several:
3’ or longer extension cords -> Simple mechanical outlet timer -> multi-outlet strip/3-outlet tap-> lights
Not all components are weatherproof so each setup is on a raised box, then covered with an upside-down decorated kitchen trash can (which I use to store the lights in when not used).
My wife really likes to do Christmas lights inside, too, for the grandkids. Those are also on mechanical timers.
All the outside front lights, book box and Christmas decorations are on a single photocell controlled circuit.
All the main floor Christmas lights, tree and Christmas village houses up on the plate rail are on a single dimmer switch.
It’s the KISS method.
My parents put their exterior lights on a timer. I believe they just turn off the Christmas tree, and any interior lights when they go to bed. My previous house I had custom built so the exterior outlets were switched specifically for Christmas lights.