PCS PulseWorx T24 Timer — Timer and Software User Guide

User guide for the PCS PulseWorx T24 Timer and Software — a stand-alone, multi-channel (4-circuit) lighting timer controlled by relays and/or T24 0-10V receiving modules, configurable via its front-panel menu or the T24 Windows software.

Overview

The T24 timer controls four circuits by relays alone, or relays plus T24 0-10V Receiving Modules. It has a 2-line LCD display and a built-in menu for basic configuration, plus a USB port (and optional network board) for connecting to the T24 software for full configuration and scheduling. For wiring, consult the separate T24 Timer Wiring Guides.

Timer Front Panel

The front panel has a first row of 4 buttons for the built-in menu system, a row of 4 status LEDs, and a second row of 4 buttons to manually control output channels.

• If a channel is configured for simple ON/OFF, pressing its button toggles the output.
• If configured for level control (via a T24 0-10V receiving module), each press steps through OFF → 10% → 40% → 70% → 100% → OFF.
• The LED shows the channel state: ON when the output is ON, OFF when it's OFF. For input channels (occupancy sensor, switch, demand response), the button has no effect — the LED just reflects the input's current state.

Basic vs. Advanced Mode

Basic mode limitations: weekly scheduling only (no calendar mode); only one schedule accessible; only the first 99 schedule entries viewable/editable; all channels are output-only (no input configuration); output level table is fixed at factory defaults.

Advanced mode removes all of these limitations. If you plan to configure the timer using both the T24 software and the timer's own menu system, stay in Basic mode — the timer's menu can't display everything Advanced mode allows.

Timer Home Screen

The home screen shows date/time and cycles through channel states every few seconds (use up/down to jump between channels manually). Output channels show level (ON/OFF or %) and suspended status. Input channels show ON/OFF state, input type (OC=Occupancy, SW=Switch, DR=Demand Response), enabled/disabled (ENA/DIS), and suspended status (Susp).

If a channel is suspended, scheduled events targeting it have no effect — a way to temporarily disable schedule control without deleting entries. Both output and input channels can be suspended.

Front-Panel Menu System

Press the OK (leftmost) button to open the menu. Up/down buttons cycle choices; OK commits and advances to the next field; Exit leaves the operation. When a value is blinking, it's editable.

Menu Options

1. Set Clock — sets the timer's date/time.
2. Set Location — sets latitude, longitude, time zone, and DST rules (USA or Mexico) for accurate sunrise/sunset calculation.
3. Edit Events — edit the first 99 entries of Schedule 1.
4. Channel Mode — suspend/un-suspend a channel from schedule control.
5. Timer Options — Remote Access (allow USB/network connections), Set Levels in Events (ON/OFF only vs. percentage via T24 commands), 2 Hour Override (manually-controlled channel reverts to its scheduled level after 2 hours).
6. View Sun Times — shows calculated sunrise/sunset for the current date and location.
7. Clear Schedules — clears all entries in all schedules (confirm with "Yes" + OK).
8. Reset All — restores factory defaults (confirm with "Yes" + OK).
9. About Timer — shows firmware version.
10. Exit Menu — returns to the home screen.

Editing a Timed Event (front panel example)

Example: set Channel 1 to 70% at 30 minutes before sunset, Monday–Friday.

1. Open the menu (OK) → move to "Edit Events" → OK.
2. Select an event number (e.g. "01") → OK.
3. Change "Unused" using the down arrow to activate the entry.
4. Set the channel number (CH1 blinking) → OK.
5. Set the level ("100%" blinking) → change to 70% → OK.
6. Set the time reference ("Fixed" blinking) → change to "Sunset" → OK.
7. Set the offset ("+00" blinking) → change to -30 → OK.
8. Set the days: use up/down to toggle each day letter (shown) or excluded (shown as "-"); move through days with OK, excluding Saturday and Sunday for this example.
9. Press Exit to save the event and leave the editor.

Restarting / Clearing the Timer

• Factory reset via power-up: hold the Exit button while power-cycling the timer; release when "Set Factory Defaults / OK to continue" displays; press OK to reset or Exit to cancel.
• Simple restart: press the visible pushbutton or poke a bent paperclip through the reset hole — settings are preserved. Power cycling without pressing any buttons also just restarts it.
• Clear to factory defaults via menu: Timer Menu option #8, "Reset All."

T24 Software (Windows Application)

Runs on any post-XP Windows version. Main window sections: a ribbon of action buttons, a left pane listing defined timer connections (blue/green arrows = connected, red X = not connected — only one timer connects at a time), and a right pane showing timed events for the currently selected schedule (S1–S4), sortable/resizable by column.

Connections

A connection defines everything needed to reach a timer: name/location, USB port or network address, optional username/password, and an associated timer file. Create connections via "Edit Connections" in the left pane; all connections are stored in TimerConnections.gcat in the T24 timer documents folder (back this file up, or copy it to another computer).

• Local (USB) connection: find the virtual COM port assigned to the timer in Windows Device Manager.
• Network connection: requires the timer's IP address (or DynDNS name) and network port. The optional Network Adapter uses port 2101. Use "Find the timer IP address and port" if on the same local network.
• Remote Access must be enabled on the timer (via its front-panel menu) for the T24 software to connect at all.

Connecting & Reading Configuration

On connect, the software reads firmware version, timer options, and schedules (plus calendar if in calendar mode). If a timer file was already loaded, differences between the file and the timer's actual memory are detected and must be resolved (choose "from timer" or "from file" — not a per-entry mix). Matching entries show green; timer-only entries show yellow; file-only entries show orange.

Tip: If there are many differences and you don't want to lose either version, accept the timer's version, then immediately "Save As" to a new file — giving you two files to compare and reconcile manually.

Working Offline & Saving

You can fully configure a timer file offline (before connecting) and program the physical timer later. Pressing the ribbon Save button writes to a timer file (type .T24) always, and also programs the physical timer if a connection is open.

Main Timer Options

Scheduling Mode: Weekly vs. Calendar

The timer supports 4 schedules (up to 250 events each).

• Weekly scheduling: each event applies to one or more weekdays, repeating the same every week. Only one schedule is "active" at a time, changed manually.
• Calendar scheduling: events have no day-of-week; instead, every day of the year (a 20-year calendar) is assigned to one of the 4 schedules, and the active schedule switches automatically at midnight based on that assignment. Useful for holidays or seasonal closures.

Important: changing scheduling mode clears existing timed events. Calendar scheduling can only be edited from the T24 software, not the timer's own front-panel menu — so if you want both editing options available, stick with weekly mode.

On-Off or Level Mode

Choose whether the timer controls loads via simple relay on/off or via T24 commands (received by a T24 0-10V module) for dimming.

Naming & Hiding Schedules

Assign a name to each of the 4 schedules (Setup → Options tab) and optionally hide unused schedules from the ribbon.

Timed Events

Each event has: a day specification (weekly mode: Everyday / Mon-Fri / Sat-Sun / custom weekday selection — omitted in calendar mode), a time (a fixed clock time, or Sunrise/Sunset ± up to 90 minutes in 15-minute increments), and an action (a channel plus ON/OFF or a percentage in level mode).

Use the ribbon Add/Edit/Delete buttons to manage events; cut/copy/paste events between schedules via the clipboard; use Undo to reverse mistaken changes.

Calendar Scheduling Workflow

Open the Calendar tab to see each day of the year color-coded by assigned schedule (holidays shown in red text). Click days to select them (highlighted red), then press an "Assign schedule" button to associate them with a schedule — the calendar updates to that schedule's color. A holiday definition file (holidays.csv, in the software's Program sub-folder) ships with US Federal holiday dates and can be edited. Use "Calendar Quick Setup" to bulk-assign each weekday to a schedule in one step, then fine-tune specific days manually.

Timer Setup Dialog (Advanced Options)

General Options

• Target: marks the intended timer model for the file, to confirm compatible features.
• Enable levels: choose relay on/off vs. T24-command dimming.
• Enable 2-hour override: manually-controlled channels revert to their scheduled set point after 2 hours.

Channel Configuration (Advanced mode)

Any channel can be set as an output or as one of three input types: Occupancy Sensor, Switch, or Demand Response. An input going ON sets its controlled channel to 100%; going OFF restores the channel to its scheduled set point. Refer to the electrical connection diagram in the Wiring Guide for input wiring.

Timer Level Table

Four adjustable dimming percentages are defined here (0%/OFF is always available, not configurable). Events reference an index into this table, not a raw percentage — changing a level in the table retroactively changes what existing events labeled with that index will do (e.g. changing the "40%" slot to 50% updates all events referencing it).

Viewing & Controlling Channels Live

The Channels dialog (ribbon button) shows live state and color for all 4 channels while connected; press Refresh to re-query. Output channels can be manually suspended/resumed from schedule control. Input channels can additionally be enabled/disabled — a disabled input has no effect even if its physical state changes (useful for scheduling, e.g., an occupancy sensor disabled during "normal" hours and enabled after-hours to auto-control lighting). If the 2-hour override option is on, the dialog shows a countdown to when a manually-controlled channel reverts to its scheduled set point.

Firmware Update

Ships with the latest firmware; a new version prompts on connect if available. Update via "Timer Firmware Update" in the application menu — mostly hands-free. Disconnect/reconnect afterward to verify.

Network Connection (Optional T24-NA Network Adapter)

• Find Network Adapter: locates the adapter and its port automatically if on the same local network.
• Configure Network Adapter: choose static IP or DHCP. The adapter ships configured for DHCP; changes take effect only after a full power cycle of the timer.
  • If no DHCP server is found, the adapter defaults to 192.168.1.120.
  • For networks with no DHCP server at all: configure the adapter elsewhere on a DHCP network first, or connect via crossover cable directly to a computer on the 192.168.1.x subnet.
• Authorized Users: up to 4 network users (username/password, up to 16 characters each, case-sensitive, no commas). At least one user must have "User table R/W" checked to manage the user list and network settings. Usernames can be stored in a saved connection; storing the password too is optional (omit it to be prompted each time, for better security).
• Password Reset: if locked out, a factory-assigned reset password (on a sticker on the timer, unique per unit) clears all users/passwords — re-add users immediately afterward.
• Remote access outside the firewall: requires (1) a way to resolve the changing public IP — a dynamic DNS service like DynDNS.org is recommended — and (2) port forwarding on the router/modem to direct the network adapter's port (default 2101) to its internal LAN IP.

Full details on VPN setup, DynDNS configuration, and router-specific port forwarding are outside the scope of this manual — see www.DynDNS.org and www.portforward.com for further reference.

Manufacturer: PCS, 19201 Parthenia Street, Suite J, Northridge, CA 91234. Phone 818.701.9831, Fax 818.701.1506, pcssales@pcslighting.com, www.pcslighting.com. Document version 1.1, 31-May-2016.