Quinetic wireless switches and receiver

[happysteve]

Eh up

Installed a set of "Quinetic" kinetic wireless switches and receiver today, in a situation where the landing light L was fed from the downstairs lighting circuit, and the N return on the upstairs lighting circuit. (Very wrong, and all too familiar).

For those unaware, the switches work on kinetic energy harvested from you pressing the switch on or off, doing so sends a code to the receiver to toggle a relay. So, no batteries, no chasing, no disturbing wallpaper etc. You can fix the switches to anything (e.g. glass) using the supplied 3M sticky pads, or screw them onto a blank wall, or fit over an existing sunk back box (using a £2 adapter plate).

Links (all from TLC):
General range
The switch I used (white 1G)
Receiver I used (QUR305)
Mounting bracket (for installing over an existing sunk-in back box)
Receiver instructions (PDF)

One of the things I was initially a bit disappointed by was that the original design of the receiver meant it would have to be enclosed, due to requiring only single insulation to make the connection, like this:

Fortunately, they have changed the design to this:

The cables with sheath are now completely enclosed, and gripped in place. The receiver itself doesn't need an earth; to maintain cpc continuity, you can just about get one of the small Wago push connectors in there too:

(I didn't have any small 2273 2-way Wagos, just 3-ways - that's why it's orange not white!)

Mounted in the attic:

(Apologies to those with OCD, I've gone for the "jaunty angle" look!)

Gotta say: all works beautifully!

- Very easy to set up: press and hold the button on the receiver for 3 seconds until a little hidden LED starts flashing, then press one of the switches. Now that one's paired. Repeat for a second switch. Now works like conventional 2-way lighting.

- Apparently you can have upto 10 switches controlling one receiver (and unlimited receivers per switch).

- Retains pairing after a power cut (not sure how long for, but >24 hours).

- Tiny, tiny delay between pressing the switch and the light toggling. Not really more noticable than the small delay you get with LEDs starting up, anyway.

- After turning off the power to the receiver and then re-energising it, the light always returns to the "off" position (think: DOL starter).

- This means that you can ensure that the switches are the right way up: after the once-only pairing, turn off the breaker, put all switches in the "off" position, then power it up.

Customer happy, and I'm happy because I really didn't fancy doing any chasing today.

 

[DPG]

It's the future!

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I have installed a set of them recently, I used the quinetic older model as it was on offer as clearance line for the new model at TLC. I put it in a wiska box on the joist above light fitting, the guy was very happy with what i installed, I like these better than the Mk echo range as the price is much more palatable to the customer. They are available in 6 and 16amp versions now too.
If you want more read the pdf below.

 

[paul291277]

I will be installing this for a mate some time before xmas. It will be for a light in his hallway.

Are the receivers small enough to push up into the ceiling above a rose?

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I will be installing this for a mate some time before xmas. It will be for a light in his hallway.

Are the receivers small enough to push up into the ceiling above a rose?

@paul291277
You might struggle to then get the plate back on ceiling with the hole thats needed, much better to install above and feed the one wire through to light fitting. If using the older model like i did then it needs a enclosure like a wiska box. also dont wrap in insulation! When i used it i had access to loft space directly above so nice and straight forward. cant vouch for the new one but the old one was 4.5cm wide and 2.7 cm deep and 6 cm long, so a bit chunky. the specs are in the pdf file i uploaded above

 

[happysteve]

Dimensions of the new style controller are (according to the paper instructions): 88.8 x 43.7 x 30.9mm.

Hole for circular back box, put receiver through hole, fit circular back box, fit ceiling rose?

Edit: not sure how comfortable I'd be about "burying" it in the ceiling. Not for any safety reasons, more to do with if it forgets the pairing code to the switches. But if it's relatively easy to get to - isolate, remove ceiling rose, remove back box, pull out receiver, power up, press button, pair switch(es), power down, isolate, poke back up into ceiling void, refit back box, refit ceiling rose - might be a go-er, I suppose.

 

[pirate]

I've used these quite a few times, and they are easy to install, especially with no batteries, chasing, wiring etc. In areas where the decor is less critical I put the receiver in the space above the ceiling and you can access it via something like these
Search results for cable outlets - Häfele U.K. Shop - https://www.hafele.co.uk/cable-outlets

Very occasionally, if the signal doesn't reach the receiver, you can end up with the switch operating the wrong way round, ie if you switch on it is actually off, but the next press of the switch transmits and switches it on. Easily re-paired, and has only happened a couple of times, so hardly a problem. I often used to leave my electric garage door open, but now I have one of these switches in there and it switches on a light in my hall when the door is open, so when I close down for the night I can see if the door is open and my tools and golf clubs are ready for the taking! For those who like tinkering, the switch is operated by having the actuator bolted on a right-angle bracket to the door so that the actuator "sweeps" the switch on and off.Heath-Robinson it is! It works though...and since it is christmas I attach a pic. Yes, that's a mini paint roller tie-wrapped to the bracket...sad, eh?

 

[leo79]

I took the plunge with these today. Finished a garden job, two lots of festoon lighting in trees and a few post lamps. Had power at a outhouse so running armoured from here was fine but the customer didn't want any cables running back to the house, even though she really wanted to be able to turn the lights on whilst in the house.
We decided on a 3G outdoor switch on the outside wall of the out house. Mentioned the Quinetic's to her and asked if she wanted to give them a go.
Anyway, been back this morning, fitted the receivers in the outhouse, fixed the 3G wireless switch at the back door and I'm amazed. They work spot on and as someone mentioned in this post, they are the future.

 

[Squid]

I installed a WiFi one at home for the Tabac sigh and its either controlled by a fob or an app on the mobile phone.