Wireless 3-way light switches

Only thing I can find that may help would be a wireless IR remote switch from HPM (hpm.com.au, products, electronics & automation, excel range remote controlled switch)

Install in place of one switch, secure remote where you want "switch #3" to be located.

-mark

I saw a wireless light switch at Bunnings a while back, can't remember details though, worth taking a look.

Dave :)

X10 modules are cheap enough for a simple job like this:

Replace the existing switch, put in a wireless switch and a plug-in bayonet fitting receiver.

Cheers.

Ken

to have 3 way switching ( not wireless ) the intyermidate switch in the middle is conected to the other switches ( it is a special switch) The only way I can think of doing what you want is to use a product similar to hunter pacific fan controler it uses wireless remote control which can be set to only work with that controler. This would be conected to the light (receiver) and controller ( transmitter) can be placed in room say near door or carried with you. NOTE this controler also has a light output. The standard model is about $60 and the deluxe $100.

Thanks to all who replied. I used the solution from Bunnings mentioned by Dave - thanks!

This consisted of a SwitchLink 240V AC receiver ($40) and two SwitchLink 12V battery-powered transmitters ($30 each). The receiver is about the size of a deck of cards and I installed it inside the ceiling light fitting - if you had space inside your wall cavity behind the light switch you could put it there - and it was a breeze to wire it up. The transmitters are also about the size of a deck of cards and stick to the wall with double-sided tape. They use radio frequency with a range of about 50m and there are 256 channels to avoid interference. I then needed a 3-gang light switch ($10) to replace the

4-gang one, since the receiver is now always on. Came to $110 all up, plus half an hour's work.

The only thing I don't like about it is that the transmitters do not look much like a normal light switch. I looked at putting the transmitter's electronic guts into a normal light switch case, but it is not trivial because the transmitter uses two momentary switches for on and off. So now I have a SwitchLink transmitter with a normal light switch next to it for the other lights. Oh well... still much cheaper and less messy than cutting a channel into the walls and repainting.

Cheers R

Cool. You'd think they'd be able to make the transmitter smaller though, keyfob size. Definitely easier than running cable in some walls! Are the remote buttons rugged enough to last with daily use?

Dave :)

What's the standby power consumption of the receiver?

I hope you don't get too much lightning where you are, otherwise it might be worth having a spare receiver in case they stop making them by the time you need one. I have replaced several ELCBs over the years, and I expect this Rx could have the same kind of lifespan. With things like the TV you can pull the plug if a storm gets too close, but if it's wired in then it has to take whatever punishment it gets.

Chris

The electronics is small enough, I had a look inside the case. It's designed to be stuck to a wall. If you hardwired the frequency selecting dials you could shrink it quite a bit.

Much!

I think they will last, the switches are similar to what's used in a mouse button so they should outlast the other wiring in the house! I don't know what battery consumption is like, the battery is a tiny 12V cell smaller than a AAA.

Chris, I don't know what the power consumption of the receiver is like, I guess it may be written on the original packaging. Most of what is inside the case would be a ACDC transformer, it doesn't seem to get hot like a downlight transformer so I hope its not as much. (I found out too late about how much power DC downlights use... I fell for the salesperson's "240V downlights are a horrible yellow colour" pitch. Now I have about 200W of lighting in my kitchen to get the same brightness as a 60W incandescent... or a 14W Philips energy saver! :-( )

Good idea of getting a spare receiver, though I'm not really lightning prone. I could have left the original switch on the wall, but that would have been non-optimal :).

Cheers R

Rob Stirling wrote:

About the low voltage halogens, the 12V halogen bulbs themselves are actually more efficient than 240V halogen bulbs, but as you note, the transformers for the low voltage halogens are pretty inefficient in many cases. I have found however that some of the newer switched-mode "transformers" for low voltage halogens are very efficient. (You can identify the switched mode ones because they are not heavy.) I am very pleased with the Osram "mouse" style "transformers" which I think are marketed as Halotronic or something like that. I got them from a commercial electrical supplier in Canberra, I think it was Rexel but I can't remember. The TO-220 transistors inside don't get noticeably hot so it can't be wasting much power, even though it puts out 105 Watts. Of course I prefer the efficiency of compact fluorescent lamps but often other family members prefer the look of halogens and so if halogens must be used then the low voltage ones are the best, along with an efficient switched-mode "transformer". A friend of mine has recently discovered a newer variety of halogen bulbs which has an infra-red reflecting coating which (as far as I can tell) somehow reflects the infra-red back onto the filament, thereby keeping it hot without using as much power. My friend reckons that 35W infra-red reflecting halogens are as bright as 50W ordinary halogens. Here's a link I found:

You probably have to get these from a professional electrical wholesaler I guess. These places are worth visiting anyway because there are so many excellent lighting products around that you would never know about from looking in a hardware store.

Chris

But you wouldn't want the dismal ghostly light of one of those fluoros would you?