Robert 'Crab Bait' White consents to losing his houses

[notorial dissent]

FEIT once upon a time made good CFC's, I haven't seen FEIT anything in forever.

I understand the reasoning, but I think I'd go with switches myself, easier to get to if nothing else. It doesn't sound like they did a very good job on the pairing up/syncing up if you have to go through all that.

[noblepa]

Gregg needs to automate his switches not his lightbulbs. I have replaced all my switches with smart ones. Use dumb cheap LED dimmable bulbs, and have no issues asking Alexa to turn of my lights, or even just dim them. Don't mess with bulbs, swap the switch. Bulbs are for limited uses like always on lights.

I have several rooms, including the kitchen, in which I have installed motion-sensor switches. When I walk into the room, the lights come on. Fifteen minutes after I leave the room, the lights go off.

They're even easier than calling out to Alexa to turn the lights on or off. I also don't need Alexa in each room.

[notorial dissent]

Gregg needs to automate his switches not his lightbulbs. I have replaced all my switches with smart ones. Use dumb cheap LED dimmable bulbs, and have no issues asking Alexa to turn of my lights, or even just dim them. Don't mess with bulbs, swap the switch. Bulbs are for limited uses like always on lights.

I have several rooms, including the kitchen, in which I have installed motion-sensor switches. When I walk into the room, the lights come on. Fifteen minutes after I leave the room, the lights go off.

They're even easier than calling out to Alexa to turn the lights on or off. I also don't need Alexa in each room.

I've often thought that would be very sensible for places like bathrooms, garages, storage rooms, attics.

[mufc1959]

We had motion-sensor lights in the office until the facilities people realised that you actually need motion to keep them on. So if someone went to a quiet part of the open-plan floor to work, or into a meeting room, and they were sitting quietly working, the lights would go off. It was a common sight to see people across the floor frantically waving their arms to try to make the lights come on.

[Burnaby49]

We had motion-sensor lights in the office until the facilities people realised that you actually need motion to keep them on. So if someone went to a quiet part of the open-plan floor to work, or into a meeting room, and they were sitting quietly working, the lights would go off. It was a common sight to see people across the floor frantically waving their arms to try to make the lights come on.

Happened to me while having a crap in a basement washroom in Spain. No amount of waving would fix that one.

I motion sensors in my back patio but changed them back to switched because people sitting around talking weren't enough to keep them on. So we'd be talking, then sitting in the dark, then wave arms, and repeat.

Opposite problem in the front. They were always on because every car going by set them off. If I shifted the sensors to avoid this they wouldn't go on for us stumbling up the steps in the dark.

[Eaststander]

There must be a word for that peculiar mix of disappointment and irritation one experiences when, for example, opening a discussion on Robert White, reading instead a lengthy discourse on light bulbs.

[John Uskglass]

I can see where people might be incandescent that they've been misLED.

[Footloose52]

I can see where people might be incandescent that they've been misLED.

Careful, this might flare up into a heated argument glowing with antagonistic comments.

[Gregg]

Gregg needs to automate his switches not his lightbulbs. I have replaced all my switches with smart ones. Use dumb cheap LED dimmable bulbs, and have no issues asking Alexa to turn of my lights, or even just dim them. Don't mess with bulbs, swap the switch. Bulbs are for limited uses like always on lights.

You are of course, right but... I have invested hundreds of dollars so far and most importantly, replacing switches requires me to do something much more dangerous than changing a lightbulb. I suspect I will eventually break down and hire an electrician to do it right. I want to get the fireplace to work also and that is a whole thing apparently.

[Gregg]

Gregg needs to automate his switches not his lightbulbs. I have replaced all my switches with smart ones. Use dumb cheap LED dimmable bulbs, and have no issues asking Alexa to turn of my lights, or even just dim them. Don't mess with bulbs, swap the switch. Bulbs are for limited uses like always on lights.

I have several rooms, including the kitchen, in which I have installed motion-sensor switches. When I walk into the room, the lights come on. Fifteen minutes after I leave the room, the lights go off.

They're even easier than calling out to Alexa to turn the lights on or off. I also don't need Alexa in each room.

I have that in my laundry room.
Also, I have FEIT bulbs in one place in the living room and they work fine, but its just two bulbs over the fireplace.

[Gregg]

FEIT once upon a time made good CFC's, I haven't seen FEIT anything in forever.

I understand the reasoning, but I think I'd go with switches myself, easier to get to if nothing else. It doesn't sound like they did a very good job on the pairing up/syncing up if you have to go through all that.

They didn't, and by they I mean me.

[Gregg]

I can see where people might be incandescent that they've been misLED.

Careful, this might flare up into a heated argument glowing with antagonistic comments.

I'm allowed to thread hijack here, unlike Fogbow, because I'm kind of a Big Deal here, instead of just being a peasant plebe like I am there.

I allow considerable departure from the rules, especially in the UK forum, deal with it.

Let's face it, too, my lightbulbs are both more interesting and more intelligent than Crab Bait White, even when they don't work.

[NYGman]

You are of course, right but... I have invested hundreds of dollars so far and most importantly, replacing switches requires me to do something much more dangerous than changing a lightbulb. I suspect I will eventually break down and hire an electrician to do it right. I want to get the fireplace to work also and that is a whole thing apparently.

I just bit the bullet, went around counted switches, took into account any paired switch (1 light 2+ switches been 1 base 1+ remote switch) bought replacements for all, hired an electrician and a few hours later, I was done. Issue I do have is that my home is 100+ years old and has 2 wire switches. Modern homes use 3 wire. It is far easier to find 3 wire switches than 2. When you do they cost more and 2 wire switches seem to be more picky in lightbulbs. Unless I have at least 4 LED bulbs on a switch, I must have 1 incandescent bulb or they act funny and don't quite turn off. There is probably something I can get put in line with the light bulb, that would add the necessary draw to prevent this from happening. This wasn't a problem in my old house with the three wire switch.

As an aside, can anybody recommend something that I can screw an LED light bulb into and then screw it into my light socket that will create the extra draw I need in order to use all LEDs I would appreciate it. There must be such a thing. I know they have them for car brake lights when they switch the bulbs from regular bulbs to LED bulbs in order to not throw an error lights that a bulb is out. It's the same concept here.

[longdog]

Unless I have at least 4 LED bulbs on a switch, I must have 1 incandescent bulb or they act funny and don't quite turn off. There is probably something I can get put in line with the light bulb, that would add the necessary draw to prevent this from happening. This wasn't a problem in my old house with the three wire switch.

Three possible causes for glowing LED bulbs when they should be off.

1) Cheap bulbs

2) Faulty wiring.

3) Cheap bulbs and faulty wiring.

[JamesVincent]

Unless I have at least 4 LED bulbs on a switch, I must have 1 incandescent bulb or they act funny and don't quite turn off. There is probably something I can get put in line with the light bulb, that would add the necessary draw to prevent this from happening. This wasn't a problem in my old house with the three wire switch.

Three possible causes for glowing LED bulbs when they should be off.

1) Cheap bulbs

2) Faulty wiring.

3) Cheap bulbs and faulty wiring.

Worn out switch and contacts are never quite shutting off.

[Gregg]

We're just merrily getting farther and farther away from Robert 'Crab bait" White's housing problems and I'm not doing a damn thing about it!

Carry on, room illumination enthusiasts!

[AnOwlCalledSage]

We're just merrily getting farther and farther away from Robert 'Crab bait" White's housing problems and I'm not doing a damn thing about it!

As a public service, I'll get this thread back on track.

How many Crabbie's does it take to change a light bulb?

None, because his leccy has been cut off.

[John Uskglass]

And why doesn't his toilet work?

Because he smashed the cistern.

[exiledscouser]

And why doesn't his toilet work?

Because he smashed the cistern.

That’s truly terrible.

I see Craig David is at the Olympics coaching the Team GB archery squad.

He’s the bow selecta.

[NYGman]

It's not the wiring per se. The wiring in the house dates to the early days of AC and only has positive and negative wires on the switch. Modern switches are all three wire. There is something about the 2 wire system and the smart switches when using LEDs. It has to do with the load, not the LED, it may be because these are dimming LEDs not non dim. I can switch them off from the switch and back on (in the off position) and they will work, but won't go out fully if dimmed to zero without enough bulbs or an Incandescent light in the mix. Again, it is the same issue cars have sometimes when switching to LED turn signals. They will blink fast like a bulb is out, or on some cars show a bulb out indicator. I think it has something to do with current draw. On cars there is something you can put between the LED and car that fixes it. Am incandescent bulb does the same thing for me here.