Quinetic switches are strange

[Jeff Layman]

I have a 2-gang Quinetic switch in the lounge. One side is for the ceiling light, the other for the wall lights.

One evening about 6 months ago - and 3 months after it was fitted - the ceiling light side wouldn't work, but the wall light side was ok. The next morning both sides worked without problem. Last night about 9 pm the ceiling light again wouldn't come on, but the wall lights were fine. This morning everything was back to normal again.

I assume there is a very intermittent interfering signal for the ceiling light side. If so, it must be very specific as it doesn't affect the wall lights side at the same time. Anyone else seen this, and does anyone know exactly what radio system Quinetic switches use?

[Andy Burns]

Hmmm, I'm just about to order a 2-gang for dad to be able to control lights in his garden and pond from the house ... until now I wasn't concerned about their reliability, just that they were a bit pricey.

433MHz, I thought they were EnOcean, but can't see anything to actually say that...

[Andy Burns]

Seems it is the MK Echo switches that use EnOcean modules, but they are silly money.

[Paul]

Communication FSK (under 1000 MHz)

[Jeff Layman]

This says Quinetic wireless grid switch uses 433MHz:

It adds "To prevent interference the handshake protocol is integrated with a precise algorithm, a 32-bit address. At every interval communication protocols are sent three times."

If that is the case for the switch I have, then it is even stranger that /something/ is interfering with the signal, especially as it so specific that it only interferes with one of the two gangs. I don't understand how the interfering signal can affect one 32-bit address and not the other, as it was obviously doing so over a several minute period while I tried both switches a few times.

By the way, both receivers are less than 5 metres from the transmuter with only plasterboard and Rockwall insulation in the way of the radio signal.

Maybe I'll email Quinetic (I emailed TLC previously) to see if they have an explanation.

[Andy Burns]

is it a dual receiver you're using, or two single receivers?

if the latter I'd look at the receiver, if the former is it possible one of the switches isn't "powering" the energy harvester properly?

[Jeff Layman]

It's two single receivers. Apart from those two occasions I mentioned, both systems have worked faultlessly for over 9 months.

I suppose one thing I could try if it happens again is to change the pairing so that the current "ceiling" transmitter is paired with the "wall" receiver, and vice-versa. If the fault changes to the wall lights, then it's the transmitter playing up, but if it stays with the ceiling light it'll be the receiver. It's just that to do that means crawling around the loft and accessing the receivers which are in an awkward place.

[Andy Burns]

I'd look at what is near(er) to the one that's been unresponsive that might interfere with it, can't see the transmitter getting different interference depending which ID it's sending.

That was sounding like a good plan, until the last sentence ..

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Yes I have one or two that are quirky as well. I'm told that if you have a local Ham radio operator, they can use near that frequency as its inside the

70cm band, supposedly protected, but who knows how good the receivers are. Normally a new battery in the hand held unit is the answer but I've got one socket adaptor that will only work at about 4 inches away. I'm thinking of going down the Amazon route as they are on the wifi. Brian

[Robert]

I use a 2 gang QUinetic switch with a dual receiver. The only issue I have is one of the switches becoming reversed occasionally when operating both switches together. Never had this problem with the single gang switches of which I have a couple.

[Jeff Layman]

Yes, that's the one thing you won't find mentioned in the Quinetic advertising/technical blurb! I found out very quickly that it's better to not turn on (or off) both at the same time in 2-gang switches. It would be almost impossible to do with well-spaced single gang switches. It's easily fixed by switching off the lighting circuit at the CU, or switching the lights off, removing the switch to 100 metres away, and putting it the way you want it.

[Theo]

There's quite a bit of stuff on 433MHz these days - car keys, garage door openers, tank monitors, remote controls for lots of things... the modulation seems quite basic and I wouldn't be surprised if it gets trampled on by some other device on the band.

Theo