Timer and power off or leave "hot" but not active

[tvweather62]

Hi. I use the showtime director Gen 3 with 3  controller boxes. The director has a built in timer which won't play the sequences until the time you program, but the controllers have a solid green light with power to them. In your opinion,  is it fine to leave like this (stand by mode, I guess you'd call it) or just plug the controllers into power timers which feed no power until the desired time. (Showtime) I know both work,  but wonder if there is a preferred way. 

[TheDucks]

IMHO It hurts nothing and it may help keep it dryer in humid locations (Been to FL in May 🙃 )

AC controller idle at very low power, so you might cost a few cents per hour. (I use timers as My DC controllers idle at 14-16 W /PSU and daytime power is $0.45/KWHr. It is $0.56 during showtime. I have 6 of these, so I turn most of them off at Midnight. PG&E power is $$$)

[LaughsBrightly]

I leave all 8 of my controllers on for the whole season. I'm paranoid one won't come back on. (This may be related to my career in IT server support).

[TheDucks]

2 hours ago, LaughsBrightly said:

I leave all 8 of my controllers on for the whole season. I'm paranoid one won't come back on. (This may be related to my career in IT server support).

Servers have things that spin. After a major power fail, you get to find the stuff that no longer spins (at the proper speed ) 🥺 

Only my computer has fans that run (OK the controller PSU has fans, but they only come on under load, so not much dif from a power off)

[k6ccc]

I leave everything powered all season.  And the stuff used for the year round landscape lighting stays powered year round.

 

[dgrant]

I run my controllers 24/7 starting at Thanksgiving or before, till New Years.