Lightwave switches/sockets

[leep82]

Anybody with any experience of this range of accessory care to shed any light ( no pun intended ) on it for me. Basically i have just completed a large 1st fix extension, and my customer has now told me thet intend on using the lightwave range. Ive had a quick look whilst i was on site as my first concerns were that i would maybe have to alter some wiring but it seems as though they are compatible with conventional wiring. Is there anything i need to consider or should no before i start to 2nd fix this stuff? I have an intermediate switch at the top of a staircase and i cant see that they have one within there range. Any help much appreciated.

 

[123]

Yes but I do take the time to ring manufacturers and seek advice directly from them ..... lightwave fell well short when I last spoke to them

Problem is that far too many people think a forum knows more about a product than a manufacturer ...... what a forum will do is tell you more about a products reliability and their support than anything else

Horses for courses - I'd far rather hear & get feedback about a product from my peers rather than from a manufacturer. Every manufacturer will insist their product is the best in the world, the most reliable and the easiest fitted.

If folk don't ask questions then the forum has little need to exist. RIP Forum, we phoned the manufacturer instead.

 

[Deuce]

Imo asking the manufacturers what they think of their own products isn't as revealing as asking people that have actually used/fitted them.

Anyway, I had some of their kit a few years ago in an previous house. Its very simple to use and really places no extra workload or planning on the installer. I did have some bits die prematurely though, but I must have bought the kit 8 years ago so it was fairly early on in the smart home market, I'm sure they have made improvements. Certainly at least 2 switched sockets stopped switching after less than a year.

Also do fit 35mm backboxes as some plates are quite deep. As they're are electronics buried in there it's going to be kinder to give them as much breathing space as possible.

It's a fairly slim learning curve and once done, you can use the experience to promote the idea to future customers with confidence. This stuff is only going to get more popular, as it's a genuinely useful technology.

 

[Deuce]

Imo asking the manufacturers what they think of their own products isn't as revealing as asking people that have actually used/fitted them.

Anyway, I had some of their kit a few years ago in an previous house. Its very simple to use and really places no extra workload or planning on the installer. I did have some bits die prematurely though, but I must have bought the kit 8 years ago so it was fairly early on in the smart home market, I'm sure they have made improvements. Certainly at least 2 switched sockets stopped switching after less than a year.

Also do fit 35mm backboxes as some plates are quite deep. As there are electronics buried in there it's going to be kinder to give them as much breathing space as possible, even though im sure I managed to get most in slimmer back boxes.

It's a fairly slim learning curve and once done, you can use the experience to promote the idea to future customers with confidence. This stuff is only going to get more popular, as it's a genuinely useful technology.

 

[Toneyz]

I've used them some years ago and liked the concept ,but I did have some issues with them. For example they had compatibility problems with many dimmable LEDs, and would flicker when switching on or off.
I believe this has been sorted with newer generations, but I'd still check which brands they recommend as compatible.

When we had to use them for a large house we had nothing but problems with the dimmers and LED GU10 this was in part to by then boss trying to bodge it.

 

[Deuce]

When we had to use them for a large house we had nothing but problems with the dimmers and LED GU10 this was in part to by then boss trying to bodge it.

The big difference is, that unlike a traditional install you're basically deploying electronics around the house. And all the good practice in the world won't stop your work being at the mercy of the electronics inside. For example, traditionally a trusty spark would fit a switch of a quality they trusted, and make sure the terminals are down tight so that it can enjoy probably decades of reliable operation. On the other hand, a bodger would rock up and fit a cheap switch and give up tightening the terminals when theit equally cheap screwdriver tip shears off. My point being that the professional used to have more or less complete control over the quality of the install from start to finish.

But now... How do we know how well a certain brand of smart switch/dimmers internal circuitry handles fluctuations in resistance, flyback voltage, high frequency signals sent from other new tech over the power lines? I'm certain that some combinations of dimmer/lamp could work perfectly but I find it easy to believe there are also theoretically compatible combinations which won't get on at all. I think it will improve as new standards are developed. Until then, all anyone can do is research, read threads from others and check long term reviews of the kit.

I work in automation and I would say that smart homes are the future, and it should be embraced. But my work tells me that people should think about how much more room for conflict there is when you move away from simple mechanical control and into the realm of miniature circuits controlling mains power switching.

 

[leep82]

Yes but I do take the time to ring manufacturers and seek advice directly from them ..... lightwave fell well short when I last spoke to them

Problem is that far too many people think a forum knows more about a product than a manufacturer ...... what a forum will do is tell you more about a products reliability and their support than anything else

So you personally have had issues with them in the past? Although initially you didnt want to say! That is exactly why i started the thread.

 

[Octopus]

So you personally have had issues with them in the past? Although initially you didnt want to say! That is exactly why i started the thread.

This was back in 2014 ............. not exactly upto date feedback

 

[Deuce]

This was back in 2014 ............. not exactly upto date feedback

I'm certain that if you call Lightwave today they will be happy to confirm that their products are better than ever, that they are the ideal choice and that their customer support is top notch.

There really is no need to ask ones contemporaries for real world experience when the people selling the kit will be very happy to tell you whatever you want to hear.

 

[egg67]

Got the lightwave in my living/dining room for the last 2 years no problems with it, easy to fit just like a normal 13amp socket just need 35 mm backbox, no Neutrals needed at light switches so nice and easy for retro fitting, also used it to sort out a shared neutral on a 2 way switch for a customer that had had a board change ( by someone else not me )
Just think since they teamed up with Apple the price has go up

 

[Resu]

Fitted 1st generation recently (as per spec). Not the worst, agree on the 35mm boxes. The switches work on a master-slave system for 2-way so your intermediate setup would consist of a master & 2 slaves. Bit of working out to do beforehand to make sure you've got everything the right way round. They don't do every configuration of master/slave on the 3 & 4-gangs so this can catch you out too.

LEDs can be difficult depending on your client's lighting choices.

Can't speak for newer generations.