Kinetic Wireless Dimmer Switches

[peterhyper]

I have used the kinetic wireless on/off switches and I've been pleased with the results. A customer requires a kinetic dimmer switch, and I'm unsure how a dimmer switch would work being there is no power going to it. I get the principle of the standard on/off switch, but I can't work out how the dimmer switch would work without moving it up and down to get the power adjustment sent to the receiver.

Also I'm guessing it won't be an issue having one dimmer switch and one on/off switch programmed to the same receiver?

 

[pirate]

I have installed dimmers by quinetic, but with limited success. I agree, it seems odd that they can work, but in fact they are rocker-type switches, so you hold down and the lamp switches on and progressively brightens, and you hold the switch up and the lamp progressively dims. However, as i have mentioned before, they don't work with every lamp. I used them with 600 x 600 LED ceiling panels and they were very erratic, sometimes working ok, sometimes changing light level randomly or getting "stuck" at a certain level. I queried this with TLC from whom i got the switches and the LED panels, and they came back to me after checking with the panel manufacturers and said that they weren't 100% compatible. They immediately replaced the switches with non-dimmable ones and all was fine. Therefore i suggest you check compatibility if you are using LED lighting. i believe they are fine with other types. As it happens, I was fitting18 panels and only wanted 2 to be dimmable, and in the end it didn't matter anyway, it was just an "extra". FYI these are the panels:

Super Slim LED Panel Light 50w - Daylight White | LEDlite (LTSP50DL)

www.tlc-direct.co.uk

which are quite expensive as you need a driver, and a frame for ceiling mount, but they are fantastically bright, easy to fit, and you can plug in an emergency light module as well, if needed. They come in warm and daylight and cool white etc.
The blurb says they are available as dimmable versions too, but that wasn't the case when i fitted them, so maybe they have overcome this problem. Anyway, I'd check first.

 

[peterhyper]

Pirate, Many thanks for the detailed info. The customer requires 10 led Downlights (gu10s) so the wireless dimmer and on/off switch will be controlling them. In view of your info, I think I should double check with TLC that they will work, and even if they say they will work I will still double check them at home first or I will otherwise be causing myself lots of grief.

Thanks again

 

[pirate]

Peterhyper, I'd like to know how you get on with the GU10s, so please let us all know.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

I finished a job before christmas, installing a quinetic dimmable wifi receiver with dimmer switch with 10 Aurora GU10 spikes. Used LAP warm white GU10s. the kinetic switch doesnt dim that well, however when we downloaded the smart app and linked the receiver to the amazon echo (alexa) the GU10s dim really well from barely on to full illumination.
I would have used Aurora(enlite) Gu10s but were out of stock locally. If you call aurora they will give you full tech info on any of the lamps they supply.

 

[peterhyper]

I called TLC today and they said that not all gu10 led bulbs will work as well with their wireless dimmers, but the ledlite ones they sell do work fine, but the ones I wanted are £12 each which is way above what I've already quoted the customer (they need 13). The chap at TLC said to test the GU10s first, which I planned to do anyway.

I wasn't going to buy a wifi dimmer receiver, but for the £12 extra I bought one instead of the standard dimmer receiver just in case the app works better (and to keep the customer happy). I haven't used their app, but hopefully they work okay (as opposed to using.

Thanks for the further info, and I will try the wireless dimmer with some gu10 leds and update you.

 

[pirate]

Thanks for that update. I think the dimmer switches will only work with the dimmer receivers anyway, but it's clear from many posts on this forum that LED technology varies considerably amongst manufacturers, so it is that we currently have little standardisation, thus experimentation is necessary until one finds a "formula" that works.
I am a fan of LED technology and the energy savings it allows, but it seems we are a long way from the simple "plug n play" we had with tungsten and halogen, especially where dimming is concerned.
I had a fair number of dimmers in my last house, and as they failed I replaced them with "look-alike" modules that were simply on-off...didn't really miss the dimming function at all.

 

[peterhyper]

Peterhyper, I'd like to know how you get on with the GU10s, so please let us all know.

Update: I tried the quinetic with intergral gu10s and they didn't dim very low at all, so I called TLC who said to use their gu10s that they work fine with, so despite already buying gu10s I ordered loads more at double the price and less power. Unfortunately they were no better than the cheaper ones. I had to be upfront with the customer and even had to send her videos and pictures of them dimming which she wasn't impressed with, but is fortunately still going ahead with them.

I also couldn't get the wifi dimmer receiver to work, so I'm putting a standard non wifi dimmer in.

So I won't be recommending or using their dimmer switches again until they are able to properly dim. I definitely recommend their standard switches and receivers which I've had no issues with.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

If you use the app they will likely dim the full range. I have found the issue is the dimmers themselves

 

[peterhyper]

If you use the app they will likely dim the full range. I have found the issue is the dimmers themselves

I bought the wifi receiver but despite following the instructions time and time again and resetting everything numerous times I gave up because the receiver just wouldn't pair with the app.

The other issue is that not everyone wants to use an app to dim their lights.

I have the quinetic wireless floodlights and switches in my own house and I'm very pleased with them and a piece of cake to pair the standard non wifi ones.

 

[pirate]

Thanks for that update, appreciated!
I am a huge fan of the normal quinetic range, but I think the dimming option still has some way to go.