Remote dimmer switch?

[T i m]

Hi all,

Is there a LED compatible remote / local wall mounted dimmer switch that anyone here has personally experienced and can recommend please?

This is for someone who is ill / bedridden to be able to dim / turn off/on a std ceiling mounted (LED) lamp remotely, as well as someone to easily do the same from the switch itself?

I have seen several for sale but not all state being LED compatible and I have no idea if there any gotchas with such things ITRW?

Cheers, T i m

[Martin Brown]

My suggestion would be Wemo or similar smart lamps. Somewhat higher initial hardware cost but more flexible in what you can do with it.

They are controllable from apps on mobile phones or tablets or with a little bit of effort by voice through Alexa. Requires internet connection - they can also be programmed to come on at particular times of day to make a house look occupied even when it isn't.

Cheaper clones are available. Some people clearly struggle to get them to work judging by the reviews but I have no idea why.

[T i m]

Thanks for the feedback / info Martin but I think it (and similar) might be a bit OTT in this particular situation.

For it to be workable it really 'just' needs to be a basic dimmer switch for anyone to easily use, plus the option of some remote control via a simple dedicated device for the person in bed.

From what we have been told it may only be used for a few weeks now ... ;-(

Cheers, T i m

[Jethro_uk]

Isn't this a job for some Amazon Alexa magic ?

[Jeff Layman]

I don't have any experience of these devices, but was looking recently at the Quinetic range of remote light switches.

Would this one be of any use:

, which is used with

I see from the data sheet it states the "Max load for LED Lighting ?

150w & 300 watts for other loads. *", and it adds "*Maximum loads may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer of the load."

[T i m]

I did voice that when the thought first came up but I don't think it would work, because:

Her voice isn't very good sometimes and she's sharing the room with a 'carer' (her sister) so it's bad enough that she might need to have some light (bad for the sleeping carer) to say got to the toilet but to also have someone say in a reasonably clear voice, 'Alexa, bedroom light to 25%' ...

So, I was thinking a simple remote she could use herself to put enough light on in the room to be able to walk out safely ... and could be 'tuned' to light the room in general (watching TV, talking to people etc).

I was sure such things were the next step on from 'non remote' dimmers but maybe they have all been outmoded now?

A straight remote controlled lamp might do, if there is one that can go bright enough (online reviews suggest many can't), but I'm not sure how they work when also turned off and on at the switch (well, I know what happens when they are turned off <g>).

Cheers, T i m

[Max Demian]

Philips Hue dimmer systems come with a little hand gadget to control them. You don't have to use a smart phone.

[T i m]

<snip>

Ah, that's good to know ... I might look into that further then.

Cheers, T i m

[David]

Have you considered a touch sensitive bedside light? Very little effort and no manual dexterity required.

If it isn't the main light then the wall switch requirement may go away.

Cheers

Dave R

[John Rumm]

I have some Varilight touch dimmers that also have an IR sensor. You can train them to use any IR remote you fancy.

Although my ones predate LEDs being in common use, they seem to work OK with LEDs, but with a narrower dimming range than with an incandescent.

They do however now have an equivalent switch with proper LED driver:

[T i m]

<snip>

Thanks for that Jeff. I think they are more for remotely controlling 'a lamp' than yer std ceiling lamp in the same room, but could be wired *to* say a std lamp in that room.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

<snip>

Yes, I have David, especially since asking the other question here.

Understood.

Good point. The only issue in this case is that she doesn't really have a permanent bedside table as such and because she has one of the clever hospital beds, she's a fair way down it (because it has an electric back lift etc) and so she just has one of those tables that slides under your bed that holds some bits / meds etc not really suitable for anything wired as such.

A free standing uplighter with a touch or other dimming function may cover it though (as it could be stood close to the bed).

She's only 38 so luckily (if that word can still be used here) is fairly technical and still has good dexterity for TV remotes etc (for now anyway (recent diagnosed with terminal cancer, 'a matter of months to go' (probably less) ... ).

Cheers, T i m

[R D S]

I got a bulb in Lidl recently that had a remote for dimming (as well as all manner of other funky multicolouredness).

[RJH]

IKEA do something similar - it dims by twisting a magnetic puck in a tray sort of arrangement. Possibly too responsive/fiddly for this use, but maybe worth considering. I've got one and it works fine - but I'm not a big dimmer.

[The Natural Philosopher]

LOL!

[Jeff Layman]

Fair enough, but this is from your OP "...to be able to dim / turn off/on a std ceiling mounted (LED) lamp remotely..."

I've no doubt the idea could be adapted for a standard lamp, though. Good luck with getting it sorted out quickly under the circumstances.

[T i m]

No, agreed, I'm sure it could be done using the kit, just a bit more involvement than I'd like, especially in a rented property.

Agreed. I was sort of familiar with such devices from a previous question I posted here (to actually control an external water feature 'remotely') but had forgotten the equipment details etc.

Thanks very much. When there tonight we heard the light being switched off from the wall switch and whilst that's currently not a 'bad thing', as it gives her a bit of exercise, I'm not sure she will be able to do so soon.

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Thanks guys,

If this was in the centre / ceiling light in a bedroom, would you consider it bright enough on it's own for say hoovering or reading etc?

ATM, there is no issue with dexterity (all be it numbed with the painkillers etc).

Cheers, T i m

[T i m]

Thanks for that John, looks like it might tick all the right boxes. ;-)

JOOI, what are the touch dimmers like to use ITRW? I think I have used them at other peoples houses but am not sure what they might be like to live with?

eg, With a conventional on-off switch you get what you want pretty quickly (unless a two-way cct when you might have to push the switch the 'other way' to turn it on etc).

With a 'press on / off and rotate to dim', again, it's pretty obvious what you need to do and pretty quick to get the brightness you want because the pot relates directly to expectations (volume controls etc) and is near instantaneous. This also means you can turn it down / dim

*before* turning it on, handy if you have someone asleep in the room and only want enough light to be able to do something in there without waking or tripping over something.

With most 'touch' controls (other than straight on/off), you often have to step / cycle though the settings (thinking of Mums touch table lamps etc) when they seem to go from off to dim > med > bright > off and that's fine, as long as there is some other light in the room.

I understand with the Varilight touch dimmers you can change the direction of dimming by releasing and re-touching but you can only do that once you realise that you are making the light brighter and not dimmer (say)?

It's like I don't like touch controls in a moving car ... it's easier to manage say the radio volume with an old fashioned knob (like in our old Meriva, when the volume level can be set with the radio off and so it comes back on at that level).

So a remote dimmable light switch with old fashioned push button and knob (failing that I think it will be the touch option).

Cheers, T i m

[John Rumm]

IME fine... you touch and let go they come on, repeat and they go off. Touch and hold and they slowly ramp up and down in a repeating cycle. Takes about 4 secs to move from min to max (or vice versa). Just let go when you have the required brightness.

Oddly I ave one rotational push on/off LED dimmer, and it has a significant start up delay and ramp up - so quite often you hit it and then find yourself hitting it again because the delay fooled you into thinking you may not have pushed it hard enough the first time. Net result is you then turn it off!

With my touch dimmer if its off and you touch and hold it comes on at minimum brightness and then starts ramping up.

On mine its a smooth continuous ramp.

You can, but the ramp is reasonably quick anyway so depending on how near an "end" you are you can just wait to bounce off it and go the other way.

This is not like a touch screen in that its easy to find the control without needing to look at it. It also remembers its most recent setting.

It makes it harder, since the knob would have to become a rotary encoder to give you the analogue "feel" but still allow the external control.