Mains power timer on external drive enclosure?

[1justin]

Would it be safe long term (for the drive and for data) to put a mains power timer (energy savings re. standby) on the power supply for an external 3.5" hard drive enclosure? (Drive would be used only for timed backups at specific times - say once a day). It would then be powered down most of the time when not being used.

In principle (because I would use timed backups), there would be no access during the power-down times, which makes the events only equivalent to a mains power failure.

Safe idea..bad idea?

 

[S.T.A.R.S.]

It is completely safe to turn off the HDD when you are not performing the data backup process.
Because there is no point in keeping them running if they are not being used.
I would...however...plug all that in the UPS (uninterruptable power supply) with the BACKUP BATTERY and the SURGE PROTECTION just in case if during the data backup process the power in your flat or house or where ever goes off for a few seconds (battery backup needed here) or if it's a bad weather with a lot of lightning outside what can cause power overload in the entire building and burn all the electronics (surge protection needed here).
These cases with bad weather outside burning a lot of electronics in the appartment are very rare,but it happens.

Anyway...that is at least what I did.