First off I would welcome any comments with these products. Whether you have used them or not. Any information is welcome.

This is one link to one particular piece. There are many others available thru all different sources.

http://www.smarthome.com/2533L.html


Secondly, this next question may sound dumb, but I know they are making numerous advances with technology and well, anything is possible.

Anyway, has anyone heard of any kind of wireless system that may not need power at the light, but maybe just at the switch. (i.e. if you wanted to add a light to a room that has no access to the ceiling between the floors of a house. I have heard something recently about transmiting electricity up to 8 feet or something recently without the use of wires. Not sure if it was just an experiment or if it's available to the general public) I know it sounds completely insane, just want some good feedback here please.


Thanks in advance guys.

Philip

'WiTricity'. Electricity transmitted with no wires. Not coming to a Home Depot near you anytime soon, very much in its infancy. I'm scared of it, I think its like standing to close to a microwave, just not a good idea.

Had one of my friends put one of these wireless 3 way switches in their main floor kitchen www.smarthome.com/2531w.html because they did not want to break holes in the stippled ceiling in their basement rec room to fish a line for a proper 3 way switch to the other entrance by the back door. The attic was not accessable to fish down from the top.

The original switch was by the dining room opening so when they came in at night using the back door they had to walk through a dark kitchen to turn on the lights.

It never did work properly, even after 3 replacement units from the big box store it would just go off and on at random when turned on by either unit, if the light was turned off it did not come on by itself. Did not matter if A or B code was selected on the units.

The wireless switches are prone to turning off and on when you dont want them to. I had a wireless switch that controlled a fan in my server room and with all the EMF in the room, it managed to turn the fan off by the next day. THe other technology, which is SLIGHTLY more dependable is X10, but I would still not recomend it. It uses PLC technology [Power Line Carrier] but I have had many issues with line interference. The best solution that I havent tried yet is 'INSTEON' technology made by smarthome, that use a wireless AND PLC transmission to make sure signal gets where it needs to be.

As far as wireless power.... the day that comes around, everyone on this forum will be looking for new jobs because the need for sparkies will cease to exist.


~Matt

Is that right?
I'm not quite sure I would believe an idea like that.

If I recall my history correctly, Nicola Tesla experimented with wireless electrical power transmission way back in AC infancy, with some impressive results. I have to agree with Trick440 though, in that the EMF and other factors give me the creeps a little bit - like I might start having three headed babies with antlers or something.

As far as putting us out of work, I just think we would have to embrace the new technology. Somebody would have to install and service such technology, and it would be even more out of reach of the DIYer and handyman. Might work out for the better.

Even since I started working with wireless systems, I was stunned at the number of wires involved.

I think that they should rename it from 'wireless' technology to 'you can't see the wires' technology.

I'd use them, if it weren't so darned easy and reliable to run a proper switch leg.

They are called uplight wall sconces. Or surface trunking. Your Pick.

That was meant more as a joke than a belief. :-) It is actually a strange idea. I wonder if you could 'steal power' from your neighbor, like my friend uses his neighbors wireless internet!
[kidding - none of my friends are theivs]

~Matt

LOL,
I thought you must have been kidding, Matt.

GA,
I've used both the RF wireless switch to control a hard-wired receiver to turn on a light (saved me from running a switchleg thru an impossible room to fish) and I've used the x-10 transmitters and receivers with success. I will caution you that the x-10s don't "play well with others" when fluorescent lights are in the same vicinity.

My experience with X10's is pretty much along the lines as HLCbuild states. More modules than I would like have also proved to be extremely short-lived. The principal benefit in my mind (other than simplicity of installation and use) is that they are relatively inexpensive.