Alternative to Quinetic switches?

[jweaver]

I have a room where the switch is on the wrong side of the door... Moving the switch would be a nightmare, so I have been thinking of a Wireless solution where I could have another switch on the correct side of the door.

Most of the switches i have found require Live and Neutral and are not suitable, but I stumbled upon the Quinetic switches which look perfect.. But for the Receiver and Switch it would cost £60 which is way more than I wanted to spend for this application where the light only gets switched occasionally.

Does anyone know of something similar and cheaper, which could replace and existing switch (With switched live) and give a reasonably nice looking 'slave switch' (Rather than a remote fob).. I don't even mind if the switch is battery powered..

Thanks in advance

Jon

 

[markyd1]

So £60 is too much.......Chase in a new switch, fit back box, cable, junction box, new switch plate, make good walls and decorate.......is it still too much?

 

[jweaver]

So £60 is too much.......Chase in a new switch, fit back box, cable, junction box, new switch plate, make good walls and decorate.......is it still too much?

Another option is live with it? Its not that important.. And certainly not worth £60 OR the cost of moving it.. I just wondered if there was a cheap option to do this..

If it was a room I use regularly, £60 would be worth it.. But this is a very low usage case and its a "nice to do" rather than "need too"..

 

[ericmark]

I used a relay and voice commands, in the lamp rather than switch, so there was a neutral. But in the main it is down to what you already have.

This is the cheap option, bulb and remote cost I think £9, my wife uses a remote from Lidi it has key hole bits in back so can be wall mounted, but it needs the zigbee hub and zigbee bulbs.

Each option has plus and minus points, I use Energenie lights switches, had 5, now down to 2, and the remote has no handy way to mount.

The remotes can also be a problem the Energenie one will not work with the energy monitor, and the Lidi one would not work with relay only bulbs.

 

[markyd1]

360° Surface Ceiling Occupancy PIR - Surface | Timeguard (SLW360N)

 

[jweaver]

Thanks... There are a few options from China which take L+N in and this could be retrofitted into the rose, rather than using the switch.. But would prefer to keep the original light switch location in situe and replace it with some kind of "receiver" (Like the Quinetic).. Even if the transmitter was a keyfob, I could easily 3D print something to mount it..

Voice activation is not possible, so I am thinking that perhaps the Quinetic is the way to go... I just a shame to pay so much for a switch I will almost never use... And to be honest, I could just live with the switch on the wrong side, its just a minor inconvenience.. I jsut hoped that there might be a cheaper alternative to this kind of device.

But if I end up using the room more than I planned, atleast I have the Quinetic option in my back pocket incase I need it.

Jon

 

[jweaver]

360° Surface Ceiling Occupancy PIR - Surface | Timeguard (SLW360N)

I did think about a PIR.. But they are really annoying when they time out and you are still in the room and you have to wave your arms around to activate it again... That said, I havnt' looked if there is a type which stays active for as long as you are moving and only shuts down when you have left it is an option..

 

[JohnW2]

I did think about a PIR.. But they are really annoying when they time out and you are still in the room and you have to wave your arms around to activate it again...

Indeed so.

That said, I havnt' looked if there is a type which stays active for as long as you are moving and only shuts down when you have left it is an option..

You seem to be describe how the standard ones do work - the light will remain on so long as one is moving, but (per your comment above) will go off if one remains still for a certain period of time, even if one is still in the room.

I would think that a sensor which detected the presence, rather than movement, of a person would be difficult to implement, and I'm not sure you'll find one of those (although there may be millions out ther which I haven't nopticed - I'm sure someone will tell us if that's the case!)>

Kind Regards, John

 

[jweaver]

Indeed so.

You seem to be describe how the standard ones do work - the light will remain on so long as one is moving, but (per your comment above) will go off if one remains still for a certain period of time, even if one is still in the room.

I would think that a sensor which detected the presence, rather than movement, of a person would be difficult to implement, and I'm not sure you'll find one of those (although there may be millions out ther which I haven't nopticed - I'm sure someone will tell us if that's the case!)>

Kind Regards, John

Exactly why I didn't consider a PIR.. I am not aware of a "presence" sensor either, but I suspect they would be possible to make (I can think of a few ways of how I would go about it) and certainly not cheap if they did...

 

[markyd1]

10 Amp 1 Way Ceiling Pull Cord Switch | Knightsbridge (SN8290)

 

[bernardgreen]

This may be a simple low cost solution

Remove the existing ( red ) switch and drill a hole through the wall where the switch was.
Fit 2 way switch ( green ) over the hole in the wall directly behind the existing switch,
Replace the red switch with a 2 way switch,
Using triple and earth cable through the hole connect the two switches as a 2 way switching circuit.

 

[JohnW2]

Exactly why I didn't consider a PIR.. I am not aware of a "presence" sensor either, but I suspect they would be possible to make (I can think of a few ways of how I would go about it) and certainly not cheap if they did...

Indeed so. I, too, can think of a few ways in which one might try to produce a 'presence' (i.e. true 'occupancy') detector (as you say, 'at a price'), but I'm not sure how reliable/'foolproof' they would be.

Mind you, it is so common to hear people moaning about 'the problem' with PIURs, that I would have thought there could be a large market, which might help to moderate the price.

Kind Regards, John

 

[jweaver]

This may be a simple low cost solution

View attachment 291855

Remove the existing ( red ) switch and drill a hole through the wall where the switch was.
Fit 2 way switch ( green ) over the hole in the wall directly behind the existing switch,
Replace the red switch with a 2 way switch,
Using triple and earth cable through the hole connect the two switches as a 2 way switching circuit.

Not that "the other side of the door".. The current switch is on the hinge side so behind the door when I open it.. I want it on the other side so its easier to get to.

This is a room above my garage which is in absolute darkness as there is no light of any kind.. So I want a way to switch the light on a bit easier by making the switch more accessible.

That said, you have got me thinking now, the green switch in your drawing could be on the outside so could be switched without going into the room.. But it would have to be weatherproof and it would open a can of worms regarding protecting the circuit from the environment....

 

[jweaver]

Indeed so. I, too, can think of a few ways in which one might try to produce a 'presence' (i.e. true 'occupancy') detector (as you say, 'at a price'), but I'm not sure how reliable/'foolproof' they would be.

Mind you, it is so common to hear people moaning about 'the problem' with PIURs, that I would have thought there could be a large market, which might help to moderate the price.

Kind Regards, John

After you wrote this I had a look at Youtube and there are actually a few "presence" sensors.. One using 24ghz Radar to detect movement which apparantly works

But this isn't the way I want to go as I would prefer a normal switch.

 

[bernardgreen]

I want it on the other side so its easier to get to.

Why can't you turn it on before you go into the room and off after you come out of the room.