Once in a while you run into a product that seems so simple, obvious yet clever that you cannot believe that it has not been done before. In this case it also seems too good to be true and you start looking for the catch. As far as we can see - and we have installed and used it - there is none. It might seem simple but it is exceedingly clever and resolutely un-flakey in use.

Rako overcome so many of the hurdles involved in offering sophisticated lighting controls that fitting their products to your own home could become addictive!

Unlike conventional systems, the actual power source for the lights is immaterial. The light switches come in a variety of finishes and use lithium batteries (readily available, cheap and they have a three year life) to control the individual dimmer units (pictured left) via radio signal. The light switches will fit into an existing single gang box, but are supplied with a surround trim so slim that they look just as good surface mounted. Fixings are supplied with each keypad to allow a variety of installation options. If you ever need an extra light control panel, simply buy it, give it the same address as the other(s) within the room and fit it to the wall. Surface mounted, they are roughly the same depth as conventional MK light switches. A neat touch is that they are designed to allow even the standard surround to go over a conventional back box, allowing for a unified appearance. Adding light channels to an existing room set up is just as simple.

The radio controlled dimmer units can each control up to 500 watts and are available in versions to control low energy (fluorescent) lights as well as low voltage and mains halogen. They are small enough to be able to slip into the ceiling void via the aperture left by pulling out a small 60 mm down-lighter. Each dimmer is

addressable and combinations of level can be programmed into each of four scenes selected from the keypad wall switch or remote handset. Each keypad can control up to 15 channels of light. Up to 128 separate rooms can be active within range of 128 houses, so you are unlikely to run out of control options. Should a given lighting channel exceed 500 watts, more than one dimmer can be assigned to the same address and thus share a lighting channel.

With us so far?

The pricing is competitive with "conventional" smart lighting systems but, with no need to route live and neutral mains to a common point and wire the lighting channels radially in groups or even to network CAT 5 cable to various control points, the potential disruption, not to say cost, is much reduced. There is an RS232 connected programming unit which can plug directly into your PC or laptop. Setting up the room lighting scenes from this is easy, rather enjoyable and definitely "cool". Alternatively, programming can be conducted from one of the 7 button keypads (top right).

An infra red remote control interface is available and more sophisticated whole house control panels are due soon.

See the full range listed in our shop. If you are not keen on buying on-line, no problem, speak to us directly! Feel free to ask any questions too.