Lidl are selling a pair of remote control outdoor sockets splashproof to
IP44 with front flaps.

However these seem to be just a plug (13 amp 3 pin) on one side and a socket
(13 amp 3 pin) on the other with a flap.
Instructions skimmed - the flap is for 'child safety'.
Talk of plugging into extension leads.

As far as I can see they aren't going to add much to a non-IP44 socket (such
as an extension lead) when plugged in externally to the house.

Possibly they are suitable for plugging into an external IP44 socket to add
remote control without downgrading the socket?

I am now (as usual) slightly confused and wondering how exactly these
sockets should be deployed.

Haven't bought any, but could be persuaded if there aren't any 'gotchas'.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

on 23/06/2010, David WE Roberts supposed :
Lidl are selling a pair of remote control outdoor sockets splashproof to IP44
with front flaps.

However these seem to be just a plug (13 amp 3 pin) on one side and a socket
(13 amp 3 pin) on the other with a flap.
Instructions skimmed - the flap is for 'child safety'.
Talk of plugging into extension leads.

As far as I can see they aren't going to add much to a non-IP44 socket (such
as an extension lead) when plugged in externally to the house.

Possibly they are suitable for plugging into an external IP44 socket to add
remote control without downgrading the socket?

I am now (as usual) slightly confused and wondering how exactly these sockets
should be deployed.

Haven't bought any, but could be persuaded if there aren't any 'gotchas'.

Cheers

Dave R

I can't find them, however - Are they not intended to go straight from
an indoor socket to provide a fixed on the outside wall outdoor socket,
possibly with the cable run through a hole through the wall? Are they
combined with an RCD?

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:29:42 +0100, "David WE Roberts"
wrote:


Haven't bought any, but could be persuaded if there aren't any 'gotchas'.


I can't see them on their site either, but it sounds like they're just
an easy way to add remote control to an existing outside socket.
FWIW, I've bought Lidl indoor remote socket/adaptor a while ago and
they have been excellent. 100% reliable and less than half the price
of similar B&Q model which were rubbish.

On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:41:55 +0100, Simon C. wrote:

I've bought Lidl indoor remote socket/adaptor a while ago and they have
been excellent. 100% reliable and less than half the price of similar
B&Q model which were rubbish.

Better than Asda? £5 for three RF remote control sockets and four
channel remote. Sockets can be set up to be switched individually or
as group(s) of how ever many sockets you desire. The snag is that if
a socket loses power for more than a few tens of seconds it forgets
which channel of the remote it is supposed to work with thus a power
cut destroys any neat grouping that has been setup. When power comes
back they all enter "programming mode" and will all sync to first
"on" button that is pressed.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"Harry Bloomfield" wrote in message
. uk...
on 23/06/2010, David WE Roberts supposed :
Lidl are selling a pair of remote control outdoor sockets splashproof to
IP44 with front flaps.

However these seem to be just a plug (13 amp 3 pin) on one side and a
socket (13 amp 3 pin) on the other with a flap.
Instructions skimmed - the flap is for 'child safety'.
Talk of plugging into extension leads.

As far as I can see they aren't going to add much to a non-IP44 socket
(such as an extension lead) when plugged in externally to the house.

Possibly they are suitable for plugging into an external IP44 socket to
add remote control without downgrading the socket?

I am now (as usual) slightly confused and wondering how exactly these
sockets should be deployed.

Haven't bought any, but could be persuaded if there aren't any 'gotchas'.

Cheers

Dave R

I can't find them, however - Are they not intended to go straight from an
indoor socket to provide a fixed on the outside wall outdoor socket,
possibly with the cable run through a hole through the wall? Are they
combined with an RCD?


"However these seem to be just a plug (13 amp 3 pin) on one side and a
socket (13 amp 3 pin) on the other with a flap."

They are just a remote control 13 amp socket which plugs into an existing 13
amp socket - similar to the RCDs you can buy to plug into your indoor socket
before connecting outdoor equipment on an extensionlead.

I expected something which gave me an IP44 rated external power socket
(without having to already have an IP44 power socket to plug it into).

Hence the confusion.

I can see them at
http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/l...ndex_11617.htm

Looks as though they are 'remote control sockets suitable for outdoor use
when plugged into an outdoor socket'.
If so, the description could have been a lot clearer.

Cheers

Dave R
--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:21:26 +0100 (BST), "Dave Liquorice"
wrote:

On Wed, 23 Jun 2010 20:41:55 +0100, Simon C. wrote:

I've bought Lidl indoor remote socket/adaptor a while ago and they have
been excellent. 100% reliable and less than half the price of similar
B&Q model which were rubbish.

Better than Asda? £5 for three RF remote control sockets and four
channel remote. Sockets can be set up to be switched individually or
as group(s) of how ever many sockets you desire.

That is a good deal. The Lidl were £15 for 4 sockets, 2 on/off rated
3KW, and 2 dimmable 350W. The remote has 1 to 4, and all on/off.

The snag is that if
a socket loses power for more than a few tens of seconds it forgets
which channel

The Lidl ones keep their memory for 5 mins iirc, which doesn't help
sometimes with the OH who has a thing about turning EVERY socket off
at night. Still... they are 100% reliable as I say, which the BQ ones
definitely were not.

Simon C. wrote :
That is a good deal. The Lidl were £15 for 4 sockets, 2 on/off rated
3KW, and 2 dimmable 350W. The remote has 1 to 4, and all on/off.

I once bought some with one button per channel, which cycled it on/off
- never again! They are fine if you can see the device it controls and
tell whether you have turned it on or off, but not for something out of
site, maybe in a different room.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk