Kenetic Energy Light Switch - No Batteries or wires

[Buck Parrish]

Any body heard of these switches? Or has any body used these? They use Kenetic energy when the switch is pushed. You would think it needs some sort of internal battery to store the energy. I'm not sure how they work , I'm thinking of trying them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/RunLessWire-3-Way-Wireless-Light-Switch-Kit-with-1-Controller-and-2-Light-Switches-White/5001999557

 

[ggunn]

Any body heard of these switches? Or has any body used these? They use Kenetic energy when the switch is pushed. You would think it needs some sort of internal battery to store the energy. I'm not sure how they work , I'm thinking of trying them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/RunLessWire-3-Way-Wireless-Light-Switch-Kit-with-1-Controller-and-2-Light-Switches-White/5001999557

I would assume that pushing the switch runs some sort of micro generator that powers an RF transmitter.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I would assume that pushing the switch runs some sort of micro generator that powers an RF transmitter.

Yep, good ideal. Wish I had thought of that. Every time I think of a good invention. Somebody has already thought of it.
Although I do have one now that I have not seen any one have yet.

 

[wwhitney]

If you like the youtubes, for a teardown of such a kinetic switch (for the UK market), see

Cheers, Wayne

 

[GoldDigger]

I would assume that pushing the switch runs some sort of micro generator that powers an RF transmitter.

I think that the most common mechanism would be a piezo-electric generator. But moving magnet and coil is also a possiblity.
I would love to get an authoritative answer on how they do it!
Piezo would work very well with a spark-gap RF transmitter.

 

[LarryFine]

I think that the most common mechanism would be a piezo-electric generator. But moving magnet and coil is also a possiblity.
I would love to get an authoritative answer on how they do it!
Piezo would work very well with a spark-gap RF transmitter.

Watch the above video. The reversing magnetic polarity creates a stronger pulse than simple generation would.

 

[texie]

I saw these at the supply has back around 2008 or so. I seem to remember they were Leviton.

 

[ptonsparky]

If you like the youtubes, for a teardown of such a kinetic switch (for the UK market), see

Cheers, Wayne

Nothing like a short video to remind a person of how little they know and how much they have forgotten since that electronics class 40+ years ago.
He gives a good presentation.

(Closer to 50 years ago)

 

[Buck Parrish]

Yep good video.
Do you think the reciever woud be okay under a car port. It gets very cold but not wet.

 

[Fred B]

Think of the sparker on a outdoor grill, pushing button and it will generate enough to create a spark that will light the gas grill. Suppose similar effect can be had that by pushing a button of some sort and depending on the current being demanded to activate a switch contactor relay.

 

[Jraef]

I love Big Clive’s videos. I can listen to him and grasp his explanations really well.

 

[winnie]

Different tech, but does anyone remember the TV remote controls that worked by pressing a button which mechanically struck a metal bar, playing an ultrasonic note which the TV detected?

The surprising origins of the TV remote

The remote control as we know it came about for one simple reason – one man’s desire to mute the ads he felt were ruining his TV watching.

www.bbc.com

Jon

 

[kwired]

Think of the sparker on a outdoor grill, pushing button and it will generate enough to create a spark that will light the gas grill. Suppose similar effect can be had that by pushing a button of some sort and depending on the current being demanded to activate a switch contactor relay.

In this case it should be generating an RF signal for some master control to process

 

[Knuckle Dragger]

Any body heard of these switches? Or has any body used these? They use Kenetic energy when the switch is pushed. You would think it needs some sort of internal battery to store the energy. I'm not sure how they work , I'm thinking of trying them.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/RunLessWire-3-Way-Wireless-Light-Switch-Kit-with-1-Controller-and-2-Light-Switches-White/5001999557

Kind of cool!
I wonder what the maximum functional distance
is from switch to relay?

 

[Buck Parrish]

In this case it should be generating an RF signal for some master control to process

Yes, it has a module that hooks to 120v

 

[Buck Parrish]

Kind of cool!
I wonder what the maximum functional distance
is from switch to relay?

I'll let you know. I'm going to try for about 150 feet. That's why I was asking about installing the 120v module under the car port.

 

[ggunn]

Different tech, but does anyone remember the TV remote controls that worked by pressing a button which mechanically struck a metal bar, playing an ultrasonic note which the TV detected?

The surprising origins of the TV remote

The remote control as we know it came about for one simple reason – one man’s desire to mute the ads he felt were ruining his TV watching.

www.bbc.com

Jon

Yes, my great aunt had a TV with one of those remotes when I was a kid. Obviously, they could not control many parameters.

 

[GeorgeB]

Different tech, but does anyone remember the TV remote controls that worked by pressing a button which mechanically struck a metal bar, playing an ultrasonic note which the TV detected?

Our Zenith in about 1964?

 

[Buck Parrish]

Yes, my great aunt had a TV with one of those remotes when I was a kid. Obviously, they could not control many parameters.

I never heard of those. We had to get up to change the channel. Then we had a piece of wood clamped to the antennae. A string attached to each end and ran into the house. Pull it one way for CBS another way for ABC and so on...

 

[ggunn]

I never heard of those. We had to get up to change the channel. Then we had a piece of wood clamped to the antennae. A string attached to each end and ran into the house. Pull it one way for CBS another way for ABC and so on...

I still occasionally hear someone refer to a TV remote control as a "clicker".

When I was growing up we had an NBC affiliate in town but ABC and CBS stations were ~60 miles away. I used to think that NBC was the "best" network because their images were so much clearer than the others.