[everitt1984]

Hi

Im interested in using some rope lights but would like a bit of advice if poss. From what I understand from the TLC website they are simply plugged into the mains. Thats fine but the trouble is the socket I will use isn't the easiest to get to, so I'd like to use a switch to control them.

B&Q do a remote control plug which I could use but the remote looks a bit tacky and would rather a remote/switch I could mount.

How does everyone else control theirs?

Thanks

[J4YP34]

I'm using rope lights in my Living room, around my projector screen and in my hallway.

The ropelights are wired differently in both locations.

The photo below shows how its connected up in the living room. The light is dropped behind the plasterboard through a hole and wired (not plugged) into a 5 amp fused spur behind the white cabinets (more photos in my thread).

In place of the spur was a 5 amp lamp socket which was luckily already wired into the main light switch for the room. All I did was replace the lamp socket with the spur and I permanantly leave the spur switched on. I controlled the on/off and brightness of the ropelight via the switch on the wall. The wall switch also happens to be a varilight remote dimmer switch available from TLC and B&Q so that I can programme any IR remote control to operate the light from the sofa.

In the hallway its slightly different. Im using a 10m run of ropelight from one end to the other and have that hooked up via motion sensor. There are 4 ways to enter into the long hallway so Ive positioned a wireless motion sensor to activate when motion is detected.

The ropelight is plugged into a wireless standby socket which is then plugged into the mains. When motion is detected the wireless motion sensor sends a signal to the standby socket which activates and turnes on the ropelights (or whatever you want to connect to it).

There are various settings on these devices which allow you to control the length of time the connected device stays on for and at what level of lightness the motion sensor should operate under. Ive set mine to stay on for approximately 1 min and to only activate when it is dark (no point it turning on during the day). Ill post a couple of pics of the sensors in action tomorrow.

What were you planning on using the ropelights for? You could get this kit which has the standby socket and a wall mountable switch that you can put anywhere in the room (or another room).

[J4YP34]

Here are a few pics of the rope lights connected to the wireless plug socket. The motion sensor is on the back of the front door.

[everitt1984]

Hi

Thanks for the reply. Will be using the lights around the top of a built in wardrobe I've made, will be about 4m in length.

That green switch looks good as it won't require any wiring in. Thanks for the link!

[tonycooling]

I just cut the plug off mine and wired it into a remote controlled dimmer, the same one that controls my downlighters (different switch of course).

Go the remote and the dimmer from TLC

[DJ_Bucho]

That's brilliant, thanks very much to both 'J4YP34' and 'tonycooling'
I was going to ask a similar question, about 'hard wiring' in a couple of rope lights, but I found this thread using the search and it's answered all my questions Off I go to get the tools out.