Strange quinetic issue

[timhoward]

Well this is a first.... a fault with Quinetic gear.

Lighting circuit running up to loft, a box with 3 Quinetic dual receivers, and then outgoing cables to all upstairs lights.
When the main switch on the CU is turned on first thing in the morning, one particular switch/light doesn't work.
But turning on another upstairs light and then retrying the original light results in it starting to work.

It happened yesterday and I thought I'd been mistaken as everything worked perfectly all day.
But then the same thing happened this morning. I've checked all connections. The trouble is, once working it stays working making diagnostics tricky.

My plan tomorrow is
-try the switch (hoping it fails)
-check the indicator light isn't showing on the receiver when switch is pressed, proving a quinetic issue.
-try turning the light on using button on receiver.

I just thought I'd see if anyone has ever had a similar fault. I've found the stuff rock solid up until now.
I guess I'd better order a spare receiver and switch....

 

[SparkySy]

Just had a quick look at Ener-j website and they look almost identical to the Quinetic version, a lot less in the range as well.
I think I will be sticking with the Quinetic gear for now!
Sy

 

[Markyd]

Only ever had one prob with a Quinetic product and have been using them for about 4 years and that was a dimmable reciever

 

[pirate]

Used Quinetic for years and no call-backs at all. Only hitch, as others say, was with a dimmable setup which I swapped out for non-dimmable. As always, dimming LEDs is a matter of luck if the lamps and dimmer components don't like each other. I did query TLC on this and they told me that their LED panels didn't really like the Quinetic dimmable receivers. I'm not a fan of dimming anyway, and the customer wasn't bothered, so all good.

 

[pirate]

Just to clarify, I haven't used dual receivers, but will probably avoid those.

 

[123]

There's another brand called Ener-J that are functionally identical. David Savery said he used them sometimes.
EDIT I should say similar, not identical. Battery free switch, similar receiver. I believe there is less choice of switch options.

Those are what I've used in the past, not in any great volume but touch wood as of yet I've not had any issues with them

 

[Avo Mk8]

Since following this thread I've been bothered by the notion - surely I remember the Quinetic technology first appearing under the MK brand name ages ago.
A bit of Googling indeed suggests an MK "Echo" product appeared on the market in 2008:

No wires, no batteries, no fuss as MK Electric’s Echo makes light switching ‘self-powered’

MK Electric, the UK’s leading manufacturer of wiring devices and accessories, is transforming light operation with the introduction of a range of innovative ‘self powered’ switches – called Echo – that are entirely wireless and battery-free!

www.voltimum.co.uk

Does anyone know how the product transmogrified from there to the Quinetic/TLC partnership, if indeed that's what happened?
Or maybe the German company EnOcean mentioned in the article licensed a different enterprise?

 

[timhoward]

Since following this thread I've been bothered by the notion - surely I remember the Quinetic technology first appearing under the MK brand name ages ago.
A bit of Googling indeed suggests an MK "Echo" product appeared on the market in 2008:

No wires, no batteries, no fuss as MK Electric’s Echo makes light switching ‘self-powered’

MK Electric, the UK’s leading manufacturer of wiring devices and accessories, is transforming light operation with the introduction of a range of innovative ‘self powered’ switches – called Echo – that are entirely wireless and battery-free!

www.voltimum.co.uk

Does anyone know how the product transmogrified from there to the Quinetic/TLC partnership, if indeed that's what happened?
Or maybe the German company EnOcean mentioned in the article licensed a different enterprise?

There is a "not for sale in Germany" notice on all Quinetic products on TLC website. You could be onto something!

 

[SparkySy]

Interesting article, thanks for posting it!
I was sure I had used them before 2008 but on a firm I was working for so they purchased them.
I have no idea how long they have been about for but in one guise or another they have been about since the early to mid 2000's as I started for that company in 1999 and it went under in 2005.
Could have been under EnOcean brand I suppose but it's too long ago for my grey matter to remember!
Sy

 

[Mike Johnson]

They are available in France and used extensively in renovation work with exposed internal stone walls, must have installed over 100 and never had a problem, trouble is I can't remember the brand, and can't find them now on my old wholesalers web site, but I am sure it was Quinetic.

Just remembered the first ones had a coin battery in them, this changed within a year of purchase and they became kinetically operated.