Kinetic switches?

[Tigercubrider]

I want to add a porch (LED) light in my porch.
directions are given from inside the hall, looking at the front door.

The garage and supply is on the left, I’d like the switch on the right of the front door as it’s the opening side and near the living room side.

Are they any good?
Incould do some ugly wiring to the switch, but some kind of wireless switching would be nearer and I can supply power straight through the garage wall, which is part of the porch wall.

I see TLC come up on Google when I search for kinetic switches, Quinetic brand.

TIA

 

[Mr Sparkle]

I use them and i think that they are excellent.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I use them and i think that they are excellent.

Ditto

 

[Tigercubrider]

Thanks

 

[plugwash]

Several sparkies I watch on youtube fit the Quinetic stuff and seem happy with it. I personally fitted a receiver with a couple of switches in my brothers bedroom to allow a secondary light to be controlled from the main light switch position.

The terminals and cord grip on the receiver left a bit to be desired. The terminals were the fiddly "push button" spring type and the cord grip was just formed by the cover there was no separate cord grip. I was using small flexes with the receiver and had to wrap the smaller of the flexes in tape to make it big enough for the cord grip.

The receiver also lacks an earth terminal, though there is enough room inside the terminal cover for a peice of terminal block or maybe a wago.

Also the price of around £60+VAT for a receiver and two switches felt pretty steep to me.

On the plus side the setup was easy, and the ability to mix quinetic switches with regular mains switches on the same plate is nice.

 

[SUNRAY]

I use them and i think that they are excellent.

Try saying that in a new housing development where every single switch is kinetic.

Basically the builders had to rewire 600 new houses.

 

[Adam_151]

There of course is the old adage "Use wired where you can, use wireless where you have to"

While a lot of wireless kit is pretty good these days, i've found the above still applies to computer networking, fire alarms, and I'm sure it does to switching as well.

The original Quinetic stuff is pretty good, but expensive, but there seems to be some cheaper clones about that don't work as well, I also remember some older wirless switching stuff that had battery powered transmitters to go behind switches which I imagine was a nuisence when batteries ran down

 

[plugwash]

Try saying that in a new housing development where every single switch is kinetic.

Was it Quinetic or some other brand?

Basically the builders had to rewire 600 new houses.

Because of actual problems? or because prospective buyers refused to buy the houses with the kit fitted?

 

[SUNRAY]

I think it was quinetic but I can't be certain. There were terrible problems with random switching, not responding etc . It was being sold as a feature

 

[Adam_151]

terrible problems with random switching, not responding etc . It was being sold as a feature

I'm not sure even Apple's marketing department would be able to get away with something as egregious as that....

 

[bernardgreen]

There of course is the old adage "Use wired where you can, use wireless where you have to"

One of the old adages that should be complied with,

 

[SUNRAY]

There of course is the old adage "Use wired where you can, use wireless where you have to"

As someone who uses radio equipment for a whole range of reasons I feel I need to reply to this in a strong manner.


I have to agree with you.

 

[JohnW2]

There of course is the old adage "Use wired where you can, use wireless where you have to"

One of the old adages that should be complied with,

I agree. However, there are 'practical' considerations that often tend to over-ride "where you have to". In theory, unless there is a 'moving target' involved (e.g. car, boat, plane or someone's pocket/handbag) is is rarely, if ever, 'impossible' to use 'wired' connections, but it might often be extremely inconvenient/difficult/expensive to so do!

Kind Regards, John

 

[Tigercubrider]

Yes, I agree with the wired/wireless only if essential
I hate the assumption that radio mics are favoured by those who stand at a lectern for example.

In this case I want to avoid ugly trunking /conduit outside the front door or redecoration inside after chasing cables.

I have a “feature light” that I made using a Shell petrol pump globe and wooden base. Inside is a USB powered light source and for convenience I use one of those Energie remote sockets to power it rather than walk to the diagonal corner.

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes, I agree with the wired/wireless only if essential
I hate the assumption that radio mics are favoured by those who stand at a lectern for example.

In this case I want to avoid ugly trunking /conduit outside the front door or redecoration inside after chasing cables.

I have a “feature light” that I made using a Shell petrol pump globe and wooden base. Inside is a USB powered light source and for convenience I use one of those Energie remote sockets to power it rather than walk to the diagonal corner.

To clarify my thoughts; I'm not knocking the Quinetics system, or any radio based system for that matter. They all have their place and function, I have some garden electrics which includes Christmas circuits amongst others, I was very close to installing a radio based system when we made some landscaping alterations but one of the things that put me off was the high cost, in the end I was able to pull an ELV cable in to a disused irrigation pipe to operate relays.

The only part I knock is the speed of so many to jump straight into using wireless control when it is not the most sensible option (such as the housing development I mentioned).

I can't begin to count the number of transmitters and receivers in various forms I own.

Radio mics is one example I frequently quote, they are vulnerable to interference and to battery failure.
As examples several years ago I was providing PA at a remembrance service where there is no chance of using a cable and a brand spanking new Duracell battery went flat in ten minutes, fortunately I was able to nip over and replace the mic quite quickly.
At one of the 2012 Olympic torch events I had 3 radio mics in use for roving commentators/presenters and in waltzed the film crews who never listen on the frequencies (but of course they only require 2metre range and are less likely to suffer).
Another issue being the lack of input gain control for noisy situations, (some have better AGC for the purpose than others).

For any fixed position microphone I'll always try to use a wired mic but some people seem to think radio mics work better.