Mystery four way electronic dimmer switch

[Bankrupt]

My daughter has just moved into a new apartment.

The lounge has a strange four way electronic dimmer switch which only works for one of the banks of lights it's meant to control.

Does anyone know what make it is and where I can buy a new one on the internet ? - I've asked an electrician who told me that most likely the switch has failed and I would need to source a new one for him to fit. Apologies for the poor photo. The switch has a silver coloured plate with black buttons.

Thanks.

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• Bankrupt
• 12 Oct 2010
• 1

 

[ban-all-sheds]

In the absence of someone recognising it (they might well) - does it have a makers name or part number on it?

Are you sure it's supposed to control 4 sets of lights, and not one set with 4 preset levels available, or a number of sets with 4 pre-set scenes?

Whatever it does, it must do it via some form of automation - are you sure it's that control that's failed, and not the devices it addresses and commands to carry out functions?

 

[Bankrupt]

Thanks for your reply. There are no external marks - I haven't removed it from the wall to check if there are any clues inside.
I believe that each of the four buttons (numbered 1 to 4) control different sections of lighting. The button on the bottom turns everything off. The two buttons on right control the dimming (brightness up or down ).

Only button marked 2 turns one section of lighting on. The off switch turns that section off. The dimmer buttons work. Buttons marked 1, 3 and 4 do nothing. I'm left with lots of other sections of lighting that I can't switch on. .

 

[securespark]

And there are no other switches that turn on the lights that "don't work"?

 

[Bankrupt]

Thanks for your reply. No - Definately no other switches. The switch I've posted the picture of is the only switch in the room.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Oh well - hopefully someone here will ID it.

The problem you describe might still lie somewhere other than the control though. You might as well check the wiring to it. Swap the wire in 2 with another - see if the same or a different set of lights now work.

Does it do anything different if you press and hold any of the numbered buttons whilst pressing up/down?

 

[Bankrupt]

I think I've tried every combination already, but I'll have another play with it when I go around there after work tomorrow.

I gave up totally frustrated tonight. This is just one of several things that doesn't work in the apartment ( I've posted elsewhere regarding the underfloor heating controller...) - and the apartment was only built a year or two ago ! .

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Should still be under guarantee then.

 

[ccam108]

It's one of these: http://www.zero88.com/en/products/3/27

 

[ccam108]

The Chilli control panel will interface through a Cat5 cable to a dimmer pack somewhere else in the apartment, perhaps near the consumer unit? This dimmer can control anything from 4 to 48 channels of lighting. The control panel can access up to 4 scenes and blackout, with dimming, as you have found out. The control pad is essentially dumb and all the programming etc. is done at the dimmers IIRC.

You may find that the breakers on the dimmer have tripped, or that the whole thing was wired by an idiot, who over-specced by a long way for what should have been a basic system.

Hope that helps.

Colin C

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are you sure it's supposed to control 4 sets of lights, and not one set with 4 preset levels available, or a number of sets with 4 pre-set scenes?

5 button raise/lower

Access to 4 scenes

Blackout Button

Raise and Lower Buttons

Overview
The Chilli dimmer provides exceptional control for DMX applications,
but with the addition of our external control units, a host of new
applications and system designs become available.
Using our custom-written ChilliNet protocol, the Chilli accessories provide
simple and rapid installation tools for system monitoring, environmental
lighting control and simple preset building systems.
The ChilliNet system uses standard CAT 5 cabling to interconnect units
in the system. Units are daisy chained together up to the maximum
network limits. Panels can be set up to control one of the ten areas/zones
available on the dimmers.
The Chilli Control Panel can be employed where simple scene setting is
required. The seven buttons of the controller provide direct access to the
internal memories of dimmers on the network. Blackout and memory
selection buttons provide straightforward control. The addition of the
raise and lower buttons provide real time memory scaling, allowing
a memories outputs to be raised or lowered to the desired affect.
An infra-red receiver is fitted as standard to allow a programmable
remote control (not supplied) to be set up to control the dimmers.

Yours looks very similar, but doesn't match the physical appearance of either option from that maker.

Given the control buttons though, it's likely to work in a similar way, and if it is wired using Cat5 cable you won't even be able to replace it with a normal switch, or swap connections.

I still think it's more likely that the 1-4 buttons correspond to 4 scenes rather than 4 banks of lights, and that it's either not been programmed properly or the fault lies in the dimmers it is controlling. (You need to find those, BTW.)

Good luck....

 

[ccam108]

Yours looks very similar, but doesn't match the physical appearance of either option from that maker.

Could be an older model? Or as you say, a similar system from another manufacturer.

OP, can you post photos of the back of the unit, and (when you find them) of the dimmers? We looove photos here!

Colin C

 

[Bankrupt]

Thanks for all your replies :

Armed with all these clues I'll have another look at the situation tonight and see what I can find out.

The apartment is full of Cat 5 entertainment stuff and hdmi cables ( see photos below ) and I haven't got a clue how any of it is meant to work - I'd be happy if I could just turn all the lights in the living room on ! .

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• Bankrupt
• 13 Oct 2010
• 2

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• Bankrupt
• 13 Oct 2010
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• Bankrupt
• 13 Oct 2010
• 3

 

[benmc50]

I think it is a Rako switch used in Home Automation to control dimmers.

http://www.onidserv.com/rako/

It is probably connected with either Cat5 cable or may even be wireless.

Guys in the forum over here are experts in this stuff

http://www.automatedhome.co.uk/vbulletin/

Hope this helps

Ben

 

[electronicsuk]

It's one of these: http://www.zero88.com/en/products/3/27[/QUOTE]

It may look similar, but it's definitely not a Z88 product. It is in fact a Rako RCP07. I believe it's wireless.

EDIT: Damn. Didn't notice Ben's post there! Also, it's nice that you have plenty of connectivity in the living room, but having that many outlet plates looks completely ridiculous. The installers really should have put all that in an A/V closet.