Help needed! RC5000 & remote lighting

[Noel]

Hello all.

I could really do with some help from someone wise out there. While I was in B&Q today I noticed "remote control dimmer" adaptors for standard bayonet light fittings. I have been toying with the idea of X-10 for a while, and I even have a "lights" icon on my RC5000. Seeing a cost saving (only £24 for 2 converters), I bought the dimmers and installed them in some uplighters I have in the HC room. Everything worked fine, until I tried to teach the RC5000 the codes from the supplied remote. No joy at all!

I have a horrible feeling that the system works on RF. Does that mean I'm stuffed? Are there any upgrades to the RC5000 or boxes that convert IR to RF or vice versa?

Any help available would be gratefully received as I've got the RC5000 working everything else, and the supplied remote is PIG ugly.

Thanks in advance,

Noel.

[Noel]

Should've also said that the converters are made by AEI security, part no BFD-1x2-418, if that means anything......

[slingshot]

Hi Noel not 100% sure about your dimmers, but I bought some similar mains switches and they were ultra-sonic controlled and not IR, so my remote wouldn't learn them. I took them back without any problem.

Let's automate do wall dimmer switches for about 25 quid each, and have a pronto download so you don't even have to buy the remote. the site is www.letsautomate.com (http://www.letsautomate.com)

Hope this helped

[Reiner]

So how would you teach your learning remote the codes if not via IR?

I mean if the (new) remote is IR or not should be easy to find out, either RTFM or look at the front for any 'window' where the IR light could be emitted.

To "convert" / upgrade your RC from IR to RF is IMHO pretty much impossible, this are totally different technologies and the RF part would require special hardware in the RC (namely a RF transmitter).

[Noel]

Thanks for the replies, sadly there is no manual! Having now looked up the DTI reference on the back of the remote, it seems the system is RF. A shame, but I guess I can live with it. I can't use a wall switch because the switch is outside the room and I think IR would struggle, thus the fixtures themselves are my only real option.

Not to worry, at least it was cheap!

Thanks again,

Noel :p