Strange quinetic issue

[timhoward]

Well this is a first.... a fault with Quinetic gear.

Lighting circuit running up to loft, a box with 3 Quinetic dual receivers, and then outgoing cables to all upstairs lights.
When the main switch on the CU is turned on first thing in the morning, one particular switch/light doesn't work.
But turning on another upstairs light and then retrying the original light results in it starting to work.

It happened yesterday and I thought I'd been mistaken as everything worked perfectly all day.
But then the same thing happened this morning. I've checked all connections. The trouble is, once working it stays working making diagnostics tricky.

My plan tomorrow is
-try the switch (hoping it fails)
-check the indicator light isn't showing on the receiver when switch is pressed, proving a quinetic issue.
-try turning the light on using button on receiver.

I just thought I'd see if anyone has ever had a similar fault. I've found the stuff rock solid up until now.
I guess I'd better order a spare receiver and switch....

 

[MJPD29]

I've used them 3 times. 2 of them times was a disaster resulting in returns and long waiting periods. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

 

[timhoward]

I've used them 3 times. 2 of them times was a disaster resulting in returns and long waiting periods. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

That's a terrible track record!
I must have used them 30+ times in the last 3 years and never had an issue.
I wonder whether I've been lucky or you've been chronically unlucky!

 

[happysteve]

I've not had the issue you describe, but I'm interested in how it turns out.

The only issues I've had, with a similar amount installed as yourself over the last few years, are:

• keyfob only worked at a very short range out of the box: returned and replaced by TLC.
• exterior flood with built-in receiver got water ingress and died after just under 2 years. Replacement sent by TLC, and faulty unit returned
• old style 1G switch didn't send the signal reliably. Chucked it.

 

[MJPD29]

That's a terrible track record!
I must have used them 30+ times in the last 3 years and never had an issue.
I wonder whether I've been lucky or you've been chronically unlucky!

I'm starting to think I have just been unlucky judging by what others say, but I'm reluctant to use them again because of it.

 

[SparkySy]

I have been using Quinetic gear for 20 years and had very few failures, in fact only 2 that I can think of, one was not so long ago with a fob and switch combo that the fob would work intermittently but the switch was fine.
The other one was a 2 channel receiver as the OP has which would work fine with 1 channel but the other was temperamental. Ordered a replacement one and all was fine.

Actually thinking back I had a switch fail tail end of last year that I fitted back in 2006. Driver was still fine and a new switch worked lovely again!

I have a job coming up next month that has a load of lighting that I am going to use Quinetic switching on. So it will be interesting to see if when you swap your receiver it solves the fault.

Other than that they are or have been bulletproof.
Only other trouble I've had is with the Wi-Fi ones connecting to people's phones, but I put that down to me not being very tech smart.

Sy

 

[timhoward]

Only other trouble I've had is with the Wi-Fi ones connecting to people's phones, but I put that down to me not being very tech smart.

I tend to fit the traditional RF units.
If customers want this new-fangled complex smart stuff, they can add a QUGATE which acts as a single wifi interface to all the RF products.

A non-update - the power was left on overnight and I couldn’t reproduce today.
I tried leaving the lighting breakers off for the couple of hours I was there and I tried again before I left still behaved perfectly.
For peace of mind I’ll change the receiver anyway. Frustrating!

 

[SparkySy]

Thanks @timhoward I've not tried the QUGATE!
I will have a look at them.
Sy

 

[123]

Is Quinetic a TLC brand or are there alternative places to purchase it?

 

[SparkySy]

Is Quinetic a TLC brand or are there alternative places to purchase it?

As far as I know they are exclusively available from TLC Direct only, not sure if they are part of the same company or partners.
I have only ever got them from TLC

Other manufacturers are available but use a coin cell in the switch as far as I have seen so far.
Sy

 

[nicebutdim]

As far as I know they are exclusively available from TLC Direct only, not sure if they are part of the same company or partners.
I have only ever got them from TLC

That might explain why no one over here knows much about the brand. I'd seen Quinetic sime years back on Youtube and found their products interesting. To date I've not had occasion to use such products as I'm firmly of the (perhaps antiquated) belief that hard wiring should be the way to go, where possible.

 

[timhoward]

There's another brand called Ener-J that are functionally identical. David Savery said he used them sometimes.
EDIT I should say similar, not identical. Battery free switch, similar receiver. I believe there is less choice of switch options.

 

[SparkySy]

Quinetic do have their own website but it does say on the very bottom of the main page only available from TLC.
I have been using it for many years now and had very few failures considering how many I have installed.
They can make jobs much easier and quicker than hard wiring in some cases, especially finished jobs that don't want another chase and patching up. Now with the flexibility of wireless switching from a tablet or phone they are getting more popular.
I will have to have a look at the Ener-j range as I have not heard of them, don't even remember seeing them on DSES videos.
Sy

 

[timhoward]

I will have to have a look at the Ener-j range as I have not heard of them, don't even remember seeing them on DSES videos.
Sy

Think it was this one:

 

[mattg4321]

Never had a problem with quite a few standard receivers I’ve fitted. Probably around 20+.

Fitted only 1 dual receiver and 1 dimmable receiver. Both didn’t work properly. Won’t be trying them again. Stick to the standard receiver/hard wire/go with something like Lutron RA2

 

[SparkySy]

Just had a quick look at Ener-j website and they look almost identical to the Quinetic version, a lot less in the range as well.
I think I will be sticking with the Quinetic gear for now!
Sy

 

[Markyd]

Only ever had one prob with a Quinetic product and have been using them for about 4 years and that was a dimmable reciever

 

[pirate]

Used Quinetic for years and no call-backs at all. Only hitch, as others say, was with a dimmable setup which I swapped out for non-dimmable. As always, dimming LEDs is a matter of luck if the lamps and dimmer components don't like each other. I did query TLC on this and they told me that their LED panels didn't really like the Quinetic dimmable receivers. I'm not a fan of dimming anyway, and the customer wasn't bothered, so all good.

 

[pirate]

Just to clarify, I haven't used dual receivers, but will probably avoid those.

 

[123]

There's another brand called Ener-J that are functionally identical. David Savery said he used them sometimes.
EDIT I should say similar, not identical. Battery free switch, similar receiver. I believe there is less choice of switch options.

Those are what I've used in the past, not in any great volume but touch wood as of yet I've not had any issues with them