Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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Has anyone seen those new light switches yet? I installed a few at work today. They have no wires going to them and have no batteries. Literally just screw them where you want, set the bit switches and off you go!
Modern technology eh. We also just trialed some LED tubes, to replace flourescent tubes. Link out the ballast and put the tube in as normal, they are brighter and less than half the power of a tube with no inrush current either.
My news of the day anyway 
P.S. This isnt a house day item, I don't work in houses.....ever - house bashing sucks.
[Edited on 12-11-2009 by Tiger]
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Cosmo
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: Im the real one!
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How do the switches work then? Just wireless tech linked to the light and switches it on/off?
I bet they've had this sort of advanced tech in Australia for years, shitty UK.
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Rich H
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Registered: 26th Oct 05
Location: West Sussex Drives: E46 M3
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That sounds quite cool! LED replacements for fluorescent tubes are well overdue imo too.
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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http://www.gizmag.com/go/3941/
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stubs
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Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
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I've installed Rako stuff which is similar but they take batteries. It's quite pricey stuff though if your place is already wired up.
Lutron / Crestron is the way forward though... we did some very tasty installs with that equipment 
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
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Wireless switches have been around for a while, you know who they were made by? Were they x10 switches?
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stubs
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Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
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quote:
Originally posted by Rich H
That sounds quite cool! LED replacements for fluorescent tubes are well overdue imo too.
Instantly makes me think of Sankeys!! 
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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so where do you put the reciever?
also, how much do LED replacements for flourescents cost?
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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quote:
Originally posted by C2RL R
so where do you put the reciever?
also, how much do LED replacements for flourescents cost?
I dont know about the cost of LED tubes - as far as I know they arent commercially available yet, I could be wrong though - we had trials from a UK company that is developing them as well as other LED products like Low Bay Lights that have equal output but 50% input current.
The actual light fitting is the reciever - is has the unit inside, much like a standard ballast but a wireless reciever.
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oceansoul
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Registered: 19th Jun 06
Location: Sunbury, Surrey
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There must be batteries in the switch surely? It would need some kind of power for its control/RF circuitry.
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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the only way i could see these light switches being popular is if it would allow non-part P people to fit them but i doubt it would if they would have to change the fitting. i agree that the technology is amazing but i just can't see them being worth it.
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stubs
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Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
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quote:
Originally posted by oceansoul
There must be batteries in the switch surely? It would need some kind of power for its control/RF circuitry.
I'm guessing it's some sort of piezo-electric (sp?) device.. Transfers the physical energy from the motion of pressing the button into a small amount of electric energy.
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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quote:
Originally posted by oceansoul
There must be batteries in the switch surely? It would need some kind of power for its control/RF circuitry.
it converts the kinetic energy generated when you operate the switch.
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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quote:
Originally posted by stubs
quote:
Originally posted by oceansoul
There must be batteries in the switch surely? It would need some kind of power for its control/RF circuitry.
I'm guessing it's some sort of piezo-electric (sp?) device.. Transfers the physical energy from the motion of pressing the button into a small amount of electric energy.
Yeah they are piezo I think.
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Tiger
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Registered: 12th Jun 01
Location: Leicestershire Drives:Astra VXR
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quote:
Originally posted by C2RL R
the only way i could see these light switches being popular is if it would allow non-part P people to fit them but i doubt it would if they would have to change the fitting. i agree that the technology is amazing but i just can't see them being worth it.
Well, in a 1st fix, you wouldnt have to install wires in walls, apart from sockets obviously.
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oceansoul
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Registered: 19th Jun 06
Location: Sunbury, Surrey
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quote:
Originally posted by Tiger
quote:
Originally posted by stubs
quote:
Originally posted by oceansoul
There must be batteries in the switch surely? It would need some kind of power for its control/RF circuitry.
I'm guessing it's some sort of piezo-electric (sp?) device.. Transfers the physical energy from the motion of pressing the button into a small amount of electric energy.
Yeah they are piezo I think.
Aye, i just read the link. A current must be induced when the switch is pressed in. Sounds pretty awesome tbh. Especially for 2 (or more) switches operating 1 light.
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Deadude
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Registered: 30th Jun 07
Location: Spondon, Derby
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the LED tubes are very expensive imo overall worth it cant remember the exact costs but i remember it takes around 5 years to replenish the savings in electric cause of how expensive they are but i think they have a lifespan over 20 years?
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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Soon they'll be able to do more stuff like that, but it will harness energy from things like TV masts, wireless routers, mobile phone signals e.t.c...
Imagine a phone that could partially/fully charge itself just by being in an area with good reception
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ed
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Registered: 10th Sep 03
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quote:
Originally posted by Deadude
the LED tubes are very expensive imo overall worth it cant remember the exact costs but i remember it takes around 5 years to replenish the savings in electric cause of how expensive they are but i think they have a lifespan over 20 years?
They're solid state so they should last forever (on paper). But they always fail eventually.
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C2RL R
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Registered: 28th Mar 02
Location: Redcliffe, QLD
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the fitting won't last that long though.
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stubs
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Registered: 30th Jun 02
Location: Bolton
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quote:
Originally posted by Deadude
the LED tubes are very expensive imo overall worth it cant remember the exact costs but i remember it takes around 5 years to replenish the savings in electric cause of how expensive they are but i think they have a lifespan over 20 years?
It's early days though.. I'd imagine the cost will come down in a similar way that the energy saving bulbs did
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