Best solution for home lighting

dave77

Thanks for all the advice. I have no neutral wire so I think i'm limited to what I can use. I'm still thinking LightwaveRF for simplicity (i'm no electrician) but will wait until new year to see how the Shelly Dimmer modules turn out.

Just looking at retractive switches, so will all of these offer dimming when held or would you need a specific extra function, I notices they're labelled as pulse/retractive, is pulse for the dimming?
                                                                                                                                                                                                        Pulse / Retractive Switches - RetroTouch Designer Light Switches & Plug Sockets                                                                                                        www.retrotouch.co.uk offers to you wide range of energy saving dimmers and lighting control products with Designer glass Touch and Remote light switches | Dimmer light switch | plug sockets | rocker light switches | LED Dimmer | LED Lighting products at low prices.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                www.retrotouch.co.uk

mushii

They dim when you hold them, its a function of the lighting control module not the switch itself

Puntoboy

Yes, you could also call them momentary switches. i.e. they are not closed permanently, only whilst pressed. Unlike the toggle switches we are used to in regular lighting. The act of pressing the button momentarily or holding it closed acts as a trigger to the module to perform a specific function.

mushii

Normally you have to tell the lighting module that you are using a retractive switch rather than a toggle switch. The module then sends out pulses through the switch circuit and counts the number of pulses it is held closed and uses that to calculate how much dimming is required

Puntoboy

Correct. This is what the Shelly app looks like.

dave77

I've gone with Lightwaverf, fitted a few over the weekend and they work well, and look good.

I might consider the Shelly dimmer in the future but just read it's min 10W for LED's.

Puntoboy

I'd be interested to see how you get on. At the moment I am going with Shelly but that's not set in stone.

dave77

For me, the positives of lightwave are
Easy to install (10mins), no neutral needed, 25mm back box is fine as it comes with an adapter (which looks better on than without)The switch is easy for anyone to useWorks with cheapo Sainsbury's bulbsCan change colour of led on the unit, and turn it off if requiredCan set max lighting from the appNegatives.....
Expensive!!Needs a hub (to add to the 4 others I have )Quite slow to dim when using the switch.Accompanying products not out yet, eg PIR, battery switches

Puntoboy

Yeah that's fair. Seems the biggest challenge you have is the neutral. I don't have that problem, living in a new build. I have the current Shelly switches at the moment and really like them. I'm going to try a dimmer once it comes out.

dave77

Yeah, i'd consider my house a new build, 2000, but no neutral. I've been pestering Brilliant for a couple of years to get their product over here without knowing it wouldn't work anyway. Getting the kitchen done next year so will get a neutral to the switches in there at least.

To do my hallway/landing would cost me £350 with LightwaveRF (2 doubles/1 triple), that just seem ridiculous to me, their pricing beyond the single switch is crazy.  With ShellySL and Retractive switches ~£100, my only issue is getting my head around the wiring!

I've just been reading this, they already offer retractive switches with dimming and app control so there must be a product like the Shelly Dimmer already available
                                                                                                                                                                                                        Retractive Switches | Dimming Lights | Wandsworth Electrcial                                                                                                        Retractive switches broaden the options available for the type of switch used to dim lights. It is the basic level of lighting control.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                www.wandsworthelectrical.com