We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

--
Chris Green
·

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?


If you have wi-fi available then you could choose from a whole range of
smart plugs and control them via mobile app from anywhere, with feedback.
Argos have the tp-link ones for £20 at the moment, and I have a couple
for controlling things various and can vouch for quality.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6254269

Andy

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really is
your best bet .
By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you mean 0% chance of it
being switched by external interference ? If so I dont think any remote
switch is.
If you mean the ON and OFF positions of the switch occasionally reverse,
then I have had this happen with a 2 gang light switch very occasionally.
Its usually easy to remedy - put the switch in the required OFF
position, remove power to the remote adaptor or circuit being controlled
, switch power back on.
Another way is to remove the switch out of range and set to correct
position.

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

The other possibility is to use one of the smart slave N way sockets
with a master socket intended for TV/PC so that one off all off.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The snag with all of the ethernet smart devices is that every now and
then they get screwed up and/or fib about their status. Usually nothing
that cannot be fixed by power cycling and they are mostly fine, but
every now and then they either fail to come on when commanded or stay on
when told to switch off despite the mimic diagram showing them off.

Depending on how paranoid you are most of the stuff on IOT can be pretty
easily hacked by anyone motivated to do so. They are not 100% reliable
but they are probably around the 98% mark if you choose wisely.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

In article ,
Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

Can you put all of them on the same circuit? Via multi-way extensions,
etc? Otherwise it's going to cost you a lot in individual controllers.

I have a couple of plug in remote controlled sockets. Rated at 13 amps.
Both work from the same remote control. Used for Xmas lighting.

BTW, not a good idea to power down PCs etc by simply switching them off?

--
*Organized Crime Is Alive And Well; It's Called Auto Insurance. *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Of course one could use a relay on the lighting circuit as unless you want
to be in the dark if the switch is already there, using a relay should be
fine.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"GB" wrote in message
...
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a lot
of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

Yes the abort switch on launching a missile that failed could be very
expensive!
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Jethro_uk" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 15 May 2019 12:42:50 +0100, GB wrote:

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an on/off
switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's off) to
turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any* consumer-
grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary zappers. None has
been 100% reliable. I can see where the money goes on military kit, if
they have to be 100% reliable.

On 15/05/2019 14:31, Martin Brown wrote:

The snag with all of the ethernet smart devices is that every now and
then they get screwed up and/or fib about their status. Usually nothing
that cannot be fixed by power cycling and they are mostly fine, but
every now and then they either fail to come on when commanded or stay on
when told to switch off despite the mimic diagram showing them off.

I haven't seen that with the TP link ones.
The mimic works when you press the manual button too.
And Alex can show the states.

You can always use Sonoff stuff which you can load custom firmware on if
you want to.



Depending on how paranoid you are most of the stuff on IOT can be pretty
easily hacked by anyone motivated to do so. They are not 100% reliable
but they are probably around the 98% mark if you choose wisely.


IME well over 98%.

On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Wed, 15 May 2019 12:42:50 +0100, GB wrote:

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an on/off
switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's off) to
turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any* consumer-
grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary zappers. None has
been 100% reliable. I can see where the money goes on military kit, if
they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and be
designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off it
with no ill effects!


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

In article ,
John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Wed, 15 May 2019 12:42:50 +0100, GB wrote:

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an on/off
switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's off) to
turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any* consumer-
grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary zappers. None has
been 100% reliable. I can see where the money goes on military kit, if
they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and be
designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off it
with no ill effects!

and they are allowed to use leaded solder!

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On Wednesday, 15 May 2019 17:33:42 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Wed, 15 May 2019 12:42:50 +0100, GB wrote:

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an on/off
switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's off) to
turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any* consumer-
grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary zappers. None has
been 100% reliable. I can see where the money goes on military kit, if
they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and be
designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off it
with no ill effects!

Neither of those have any truth IME. And yes I did work with such kit.


NT

On 15/05/19 14:19, Robert wrote:
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really is
your best bet .
By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you mean 0% chance of it
being switched by external interference ? If so I dont think any remote
switch is.
If you mean the ON and OFF positions of the switch occasionally reverse,
then I have had this happen with a 2 gang light switch very occasionally.
Its usually easy to remedy - put the switch in the required OFF
position, remove power to the remote adaptor or circuit being controlled
, switch power back on.
Another way is to remove the switch out of range and set to correct
position.

+1. BTDT

--

Jeff

GB wrote:
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

By 'remote' I meant no wiring between switch and controlled circuit.
Yes, obviously I could simply wire things to do what we want.


I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

They do in the main, however they are just 'toggles', click the switch
and the remote circuit will change state, there's no guarantee of 'up
= off'.

--
Chris Green
·

Andy Bennet wrote:
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?


If you have wi-fi available then you could choose from a whole range of
smart plugs and control them via mobile app from anywhere, with feedback.
Argos have the tp-link ones for £20 at the moment, and I have a couple
for controlling things various and can vouch for quality.

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/6254269

Way, way too complicated. We don't walk around with our mobiles here
because there's no coverage anyway, but compareed with 'push this
switch to turn off' any sort of mobile app is a dead loss.

--
Chris Green
·

Robert wrote:
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really is
your best bet .
By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you mean 0% chance of it
being switched by external interference ? If so I dont think any remote
switch is.
If you mean the ON and OFF positions of the switch occasionally reverse,
then I have had this happen with a 2 gang light switch very occasionally.
Its usually easy to remedy - put the switch in the required OFF
position, remove power to the remote adaptor or circuit being controlled
, switch power back on.
Another way is to remove the switch out of range and set to correct
position.

Exactly my problem with the Quinetic switches. If there's no obvious
way to tell if you've turned everything off then there's a (small)
risk that you may have turned everything on! I know it's easy to
reset them but you have to know which way they're working before you
know they need resetting.

--
Chris Green
·

On 15/05/19 21:40, Chris Green wrote:
Robert wrote:
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really is
your best bet .
By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you mean 0% chance of it
being switched by external interference ? If so I dont think any remote
switch is.
If you mean the ON and OFF positions of the switch occasionally reverse,
then I have had this happen with a 2 gang light switch very occasionally.
Its usually easy to remedy - put the switch in the required OFF
position, remove power to the remote adaptor or circuit being controlled
, switch power back on.
Another way is to remove the switch out of range and set to correct
position.

Exactly my problem with the Quinetic switches. If there's no obvious
way to tell if you've turned everything off then there's a (small)
risk that you may have turned everything on! I know it's easy to
reset them but you have to know which way they're working before you
know they need resetting.

What's the difficulty with just plugging in a light (or anything which
has a power-on light) to see if the power is on or not?

--

Jeff

Jeff Layman wrote:
On 15/05/19 21:40, Chris Green wrote:
Robert wrote:
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really is
your best bet .
By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you mean 0% chance of it
being switched by external interference ? If so I dont think any remote
switch is.
If you mean the ON and OFF positions of the switch occasionally reverse,
then I have had this happen with a 2 gang light switch very occasionally.
Its usually easy to remedy - put the switch in the required OFF
position, remove power to the remote adaptor or circuit being controlled
, switch power back on.
Another way is to remove the switch out of range and set to correct
position.

Exactly my problem with the Quinetic switches. If there's no obvious
way to tell if you've turned everything off then there's a (small)
risk that you may have turned everything on! I know it's easy to
reset them but you have to know which way they're working before you
know they need resetting.

What's the difficulty with just plugging in a light (or anything which
has a power-on light) to see if the power is on or not?

It rather spoils the simplicity of hitting a switch by the door as you
go out knowing that you've turned everything off.

--
Chris Green
·

"Robert" wrote in message
...
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really is
your best bet .
By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you mean 0% chance of it
being switched by external interference ? If so I dont think any remote
switch is.

Of course the ones with a decent level of digital security are.

You dont see the car door unlockers unlocking themselves
accidentally due to external interference.

If you mean the ON and OFF positions of the switch occasionally reverse,
then I have had this happen with a 2 gang light switch very occasionally.
Its usually easy to remedy - put the switch in the required OFF position,
remove power to the remote adaptor or circuit being controlled , switch
power back on.
Another way is to remove the switch out of range and set to correct
position.

On 15/05/19 22:18, Chris Green wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote:

Exactly my problem with the Quinetic switches. If there's no obvious
way to tell if you've turned everything off then there's a (small)
risk that you may have turned everything on! I know it's easy to
reset them but you have to know which way they're working before you
know they need resetting.

What's the difficulty with just plugging in a light (or anything which
has a power-on light) to see if the power is on or not?

It rather spoils the simplicity of hitting a switch by the door as you
go out knowing that you've turned everything off.

Apologies - I wasn't clear. I meant having a low-power "Indicator" light
permanently plugged in to a spare socket to see whether or not the power
is on.

--

Jeff

Jeff Layman wrote:
On 15/05/19 22:18, Chris Green wrote:
Jeff Layman wrote:

Exactly my problem with the Quinetic switches. If there's no obvious
way to tell if you've turned everything off then there's a (small)
risk that you may have turned everything on! I know it's easy to
reset them but you have to know which way they're working before you
know they need resetting.

What's the difficulty with just plugging in a light (or anything which
has a power-on light) to see if the power is on or not?

It rather spoils the simplicity of hitting a switch by the door as you
go out knowing that you've turned everything off.

Apologies - I wasn't clear. I meant having a low-power "Indicator" light
permanently plugged in to a spare socket to see whether or not the power
is on.

Ah, yes, I suppose that would be OK[ish]. A Quinetic switch with an
indicator of some sort seems the best solution so far.

--
Chris Green
·

In article , Jeff Layman
wrote:
On 15/05/19 21:40, Chris Green wrote:
Robert wrote:
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like
lamps, PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely
by somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to
leave the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not
some sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a
normal light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really
is your best bet . By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you
mean 0% chance of it being switched by external interference ? If so I
dont think any remote switch is. If you mean the ON and OFF positions
of the switch occasionally reverse, then I have had this happen with a
2 gang light switch very occasionally. Its usually easy to remedy -
put the switch in the required OFF position, remove power to the
remote adaptor or circuit being controlled , switch power back on.
Another way is to remove the switch out of range and set to correct
position.

Exactly my problem with the Quinetic switches. If there's no obvious
way to tell if you've turned everything off then there's a (small) risk
that you may have turned everything on! I know it's easy to reset them
but you have to know which way they're working before you know they
need resetting.

What's the difficulty with just plugging in a light (or anything which
has a power-on light) to see if the power is on or not?


no good if you're away from home, You need a surveillance camera to tell
you what you've done.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

Rod Speed wrote:


"Robert" wrote in message
...
On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an
on/off switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's
off) to turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?

The Quinetic Remote Socket Adaptor with a 4/6 way plug board really is
your best bet .
By "guaranteed to maintain on/off position" do you mean 0% chance of it
being switched by external interference ? If so I dont think any remote
switch is.

Of course the ones with a decent level of digital security are.

You dont see the car door unlockers unlocking themselves
accidentally due to external interference.

.... and most have separate buttons for lock and unlock so you
*know* you've locked (or unlocked it). This is what I want in a
remote switch.

--
Chris Green
·

On Thu, 16 May 2019 16:21:35 +1000, cantankerous trolling geezer Rodent
Speed, the auto-contradicting senile sociopath, blabbered, again:


Of course the ones with a decent level of digital security are.

You don¢t see the car door unlockers unlocking themselves
accidentally due to external interference.

Oh, ****! ...and this little thread was Rodent-free, so far! tsk

--
Archibald Tarquin Blenkinsopp addressing Rot Speed:
"You really are a clueless pillock."
MID:

On 15/05/2019 17:59, wrote:
On Wednesday, 15 May 2019 17:33:42 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Wed, 15 May 2019 12:42:50 +0100, GB wrote:

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door. Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered. We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an on/off
switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's off) to
turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions. Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any* consumer-
grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary zappers. None has
been 100% reliable. I can see where the money goes on military kit, if
they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and be
designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off it
with no ill effects!

Neither of those have any truth IME. And yes I did work with such kit.

So your experience is limited, who knew?

Perhaps I need a "tongue in cheek" flag?

(and the "hose off" bit on some projects is a rather grim and sad
reality - I recall one installation of several mil spec workstations in
the back of a 4 tonne army truck that would be expected to operate not
far behind a front line ans so was considered vulnerable to chemical and
biological attack. It was designed such that you could open the drain
gates, and apply a high pressure hose to the top of it. All the kit had
to be IP68 or better)

As to reliable, much depends on your definition of reliable. Yup its
physically robust, and built with high reliability components, but it
general is only slightly less likely (if at all) to have bugs than
commercial kit.

The software for it is developed, designed and documented to far higher
standards than commercial kit. And its well tested, and usually far more
maintainable. However it also suffers from a much smaller user base in
many cases, and often relies on tool chains that have a vastly smaller
user bases than more traditional desktop development tools. So it can
take longer to find and fix issues than in the commercial world.


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

On 15/05/2019 17:33, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:
On Wed, 15 May 2019 12:42:50 +0100, GB wrote:

On 15/05/2019 12:24, Chris Green wrote:
We want a set of sockets (powering mostly low power things like lamps,
PCs, phone chargers, etc.) which can be turned on/off remotely by
somrthing like a switch by the door.Â* Thus one would be able to leave
the room and 'turn off' using a swithch at the door.

It doesn't need to be long range, just across a room and I'd really
prefer something mains powered rather than battery powered.Â* We don't
want to have to select what to turn off either, it just needs an on/off
switch (with specific on and off positions, need to know it's off) to
turn off all of the sockets on the particular circuit.

The Quinetic 16A remote is the best I can find so far but it's not
quite guaranteed to maintain it's on/off positions.Â* Is there not some
sort of remote control switch that would look and feel like a normal
light switch, always 'up for off/down for on' (in the UK)?



A switched spur exactly meets your needs, but you'd need to do quite a
lot of new wiring to install it.

I'm quite surprised to hear that Qinetic switches don't work 100%.

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any* consumer-
grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary zappers. None has
been 100% reliable. I can see where the money goes on military kit, if
they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and be
designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off it
with no ill effects!



I'm surprised no-one has mentioned the small round pin 5 amp sockets
that MK still sell (and still legal I believe) that are wired
as a radial circuit through a light switch. This allows all your
standard lamps, side lamps etc to be switch off with one switch.

Don't some European countries have this installed as standard ?.

On Thursday, 16 May 2019 14:43:47 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 17:59, tabbypurr wrote:
On Wednesday, 15 May 2019 17:33:42 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any* consumer-
grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary zappers. None has
been 100% reliable. I can see where the money goes on military kit, if
they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and be
designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off it
with no ill effects!

Neither of those have any truth IME. And yes I did work with such kit.

So your experience is limited, who knew?

if by limited you mean years in the industry then yes


Perhaps I need a "tongue in cheek" flag?

(and the "hose off" bit on some projects is a rather grim and sad
reality

Sadly it can be. However I don't believe any of the equipment I worked on or with or even just saw was hoseable.


- I recall one installation of several mil spec workstations in
the back of a 4 tonne army truck that would be expected to operate not
far behind a front line ans so was considered vulnerable to chemical and
biological attack. It was designed such that you could open the drain
gates, and apply a high pressure hose to the top of it. All the kit had
to be IP68 or better)

but a lot is not

As to reliable, much depends on your definition of reliable. Yup its
physically robust, and built with high reliability components, but it
general is only slightly less likely (if at all) to have bugs than
commercial kit.

The software for it is developed, designed and documented to far higher
standards than commercial kit. And its well tested, and usually far more
maintainable. However it also suffers from a much smaller user base in
many cases, and often relies on tool chains that have a vastly smaller
user bases than more traditional desktop development tools. So it can
take longer to find and fix issues than in the commercial world.

It's certainly better than domestic retaill stuff, no doubt. But still long term reliability varies a lot. Engineering for reliability is not as easy as it looks.


NT

In article ,
wrote:
On Thursday, 16 May 2019 14:43:47 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 17:59, tabbypurr wrote:
On Wednesday, 15 May 2019 17:33:42 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any*
consumer- grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary
zappers. None has been 100% reliable. I can see where the money
goes on military kit, if they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and
be designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off
it with no ill effects!

Neither of those have any truth IME. And yes I did work with such kit.

So your experience is limited, who knew?

if by limited you mean years in the industry then yes


Perhaps I need a "tongue in cheek" flag?

(and the "hose off" bit on some projects is a rather grim and sad
reality

Sadly it can be. However I don't believe any of the equipment I worked on
or with or even just saw was hoseable.


- I recall one installation of several mil spec workstations in the
back of a 4 tonne army truck that would be expected to operate not far
behind a front line ans so was considered vulnerable to chemical and
biological attack. It was designed such that you could open the drain
gates, and apply a high pressure hose to the top of it. All the kit had
to be IP68 or better)

but a lot is not

As to reliable, much depends on your definition of reliable. Yup its
physically robust, and built with high reliability components, but it
general is only slightly less likely (if at all) to have bugs than
commercial kit.

The software for it is developed, designed and documented to far higher
standards than commercial kit. And its well tested, and usually far
more maintainable. However it also suffers from a much smaller user
base in many cases, and often relies on tool chains that have a vastly
smaller user bases than more traditional desktop development tools. So
it can take longer to find and fix issues than in the commercial world.

It's certainly better than domestic retaill stuff, no doubt. But still
long term reliability varies a lot. Engineering for reliability is not as
easy as it looks.

Military kits is allowed to use leaded solder ;-)

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

On Friday, 2 August 2019 19:50:14 UTC+1, charles wrote:
In article ,
tabbypurr wrote:
On Thursday, 16 May 2019 14:43:47 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:

The software for it is developed, designed and documented to far higher
standards than commercial kit. And its well tested, and usually far
more maintainable. However it also suffers from a much smaller user
base in many cases, and often relies on tool chains that have a vastly
smaller user bases than more traditional desktop development tools. So
it can take longer to find and fix issues than in the commercial world.

It's certainly better than domestic retaill stuff, no doubt. But still
long term reliability varies a lot. Engineering for reliability is not as
easy as it looks.

Military kits is allowed to use leaded solder ;-)

I reckon one of the most important differences is vibration-proofing


NT

On 02/08/2019 19:49, charles wrote:
In article ,
wrote:
On Thursday, 16 May 2019 14:43:47 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 17:59, tabbypurr wrote:
On Wednesday, 15 May 2019 17:33:42 UTC+1, John Rumm wrote:
On 15/05/2019 13:47, Jethro_uk wrote:

Conversely I am totally unsurprised. I wouldn't trust *any*
consumer- grade wireless equipment. WiFi, bluetooth, proprietary
zappers. None has been 100% reliable. I can see where the money
goes on military kit, if they have to be 100% reliable.

IME military kit is not necessarily any more reliable. All you can
usually hope for is it will work at a wider temperature range, and
be designed to let you hose the remains of the previous operator off
it with no ill effects!

Neither of those have any truth IME. And yes I did work with such kit.

So your experience is limited, who knew?

if by limited you mean years in the industry then yes


Perhaps I need a "tongue in cheek" flag?

(and the "hose off" bit on some projects is a rather grim and sad
reality

Sadly it can be. However I don't believe any of the equipment I worked on
or with or even just saw was hoseable.


- I recall one installation of several mil spec workstations in the
back of a 4 tonne army truck that would be expected to operate not far
behind a front line ans so was considered vulnerable to chemical and
biological attack. It was designed such that you could open the drain
gates, and apply a high pressure hose to the top of it. All the kit had
to be IP68 or better)

but a lot is not

As to reliable, much depends on your definition of reliable. Yup its
physically robust, and built with high reliability components, but it
general is only slightly less likely (if at all) to have bugs than
commercial kit.

The software for it is developed, designed and documented to far higher
standards than commercial kit. And its well tested, and usually far
more maintainable. However it also suffers from a much smaller user
base in many cases, and often relies on tool chains that have a vastly
smaller user bases than more traditional desktop development tools. So
it can take longer to find and fix issues than in the commercial world.

It's certainly better than domestic retaill stuff, no doubt. But still
long term reliability varies a lot. Engineering for reliability is not as
easy as it looks.

Military kits is allowed to use leaded solder ;-)

Actually mandated rather than just allowed in some cases...


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/