Remote control dock lighting

[Webbsatwinni]

For the last two weeks we have arrived at the lake just after dark and thought it would be easier if we had the dock lights on a remote control so we could turn them on from the boat as we come close. I was wondering if any other island dwellers have thought the same thing and what they have done.

I am researching it on the internet and have found some really good industrial setups but they are more for large buildings and not one or two lights. If anyone has any ideas, I would love to hear them.

Thanks.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

We happen to have had the same great idea for remote lights! Unfortunately ours is still in the box, so I don't don't know how well they work just yet. Rattlesnake Guy can give you the details later.

[codeman671]

We have low voltage lights on our dock posts that do the trick and will not break the bank. The problem is that they tend to get rather beat up from boats, ropes, etc. Our flood lights are at the land-end of the dock so they are only a few steps from the boat. We also have floods facing the house from the dock area so I can illuminate the entire yard rather quickly from when I tie up.

[islandAl]

I use some of the small solar powered walkway lights to illuminate the path from the dock to the house. The stern light takes care of the dock. No light pollution to disrupt any star viewing but does the job to see where to put your feet at night. You can usually find a sale for 6-8 lights for $20. A neighbor has a couple of solar powered lights designed to attach to the dock posts. Put on inside of opposite sides of the pier and does a nice job. Out of the way of boats hitting and looked rugged enough for the minor rope hits while tying up. Next weekend, I will try to remember to check on the make.

[Skip]

I have used this Radio Shack AC wireless remote to turn on my camp lights when I near the driveway. I have left it outside in all kinds of weather for several years and it has never failed.

You can get similar models off the shelf at most Home Depots & Lowes.

For $15 you can't go wrong, and if you place it correctly with a good line of sight you will get several hundred feet of range over the water.

Check it out HERE!

[Orion]

We have low voltage lighting on the insides of the posts on the docks (bought at Home Depot). They are round with a semicircular shade that allows light to only shine down at the dock so as not to impact night vision, but light the dock nicely. The low voltage transformer (with timer disabled) is plugged into an X-10 controlled appliance module (I get from Smarthome.com but there are many sources). These are in my dock box, along with an X-10 receiver which allows me to turn them on from about 200' out with a handheld remote we keep in the glove box. The X-10 stuff can come in a starter kit for under $30 if you search. The newe Insteon stuff is more reliable than X-10 but more pricey. Best thing about it all is that we can also turn the lights on using a remote in the house and several different lights (pathway, dock, porch) can all be set to go on with the same code.

[ossipeeboater]

4 years ago when I installed a new dock I put the solar path lights in the top of the posts, now just about all my neighbors have done the same, 25 bucks for 6 and usually 2-3 survive to a second winter but no need to run power or anything.

[Rattlesnake Guy]

First, I must thank and applaud Orion for practicing the lost art of trying to light the object and not the entire lake. Thank you for doing your valuable part. I am sometimes tempted to have a thread showing the most ridiculous lake lighters but their is really no fair way to photograph the light shows in a uniform manner that conveys the true impact on your dilated pupils.

The solution that we are working on is also an X10 device. We have two X10 dimmers which we are installing on two critical docking and stair climbing helpers. The key chain remote controls both devices and allows you to control the dimmer and on off from the boat.

The benefits of being able to arrive or depart after dark with some light is part of the motivation. Being able to leave for a night ride and shut the lights off while we are gone is most of the reason. As has been stated earlier, the X10 stuff is very reasonably priced.

[Puckster]

x-10 is for the birds, go with insteon or a zwave product.

[Webbsatwinni]

Thanks for the great information, I will check out the X-10 options as they seem to be the cost effective solution with some range.

Being new to the lake from an owner point of view, we want to make the best use of the house (that means arriving at strange hours) while not being intrusive to anyone else and their lake experience. Being able to control the lights remote will allow after dark landings while not leaving them on for everyone else while we are gone.

Thanks again for the info.

[Orion]

Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy

......I am sometimes tempted to have a thread showing the most ridiculous lake lighters but their is really no fair way to photograph the light shows in a uniform manner that conveys the true impact on your dilated pupils.
.......Being able to leave for a night ride and shut the lights off while we are gone is most of the reason.

The biggest offenders are those that leave lake-facing floodlights on (sometimes quartz lights) most of the night. I have a neighbor who has strung rope light from his house to his dock and has it on a timer that stays on from sunset to midnight. It definitely impacts night sky viewing, but the spotlights make it difficult to navigate at times and definitely blinding coming into narrow areas of navigation. ....not to mention the increased difficulty in picking out lighted markers from a well-lit shoreline.

[KonaChick]

We're so fortunate that we do not need much lighting in our yard because our neighbor's outdoor lighting is so large and widespread it pretty much covers our entire property. Most nights it's on from sunset to sun up. How fortunate are we that we get the advantage of all that light without having to pay a single dollar for the utility bill!!!

[loony]

I use x-10 to remotely control lights. About 7 years ago I got a computer programmable controller starter kit for $50 which included a wireles key remote, wireless receiver, the controller and 1 or 2 plug-in receivers. I added a wireless motion detector and a couple of x-10 controllable wall switches, for an additional ~$50.

I can turn on/off lights from my car in the driveway. The outdoor motion detector turns on outside lights and triggers a sequence of lighting patterns within the house to make it appear someone is home.

My next purchase will be the robo-dog which is a barking dog synthesizer that I plan to have come on some time after motion detector is triggered.

The programmable controller communicates to the receivers via the power line and is not 100% robust. Electrically noisy appliances can disrupt the signal, so you may have to move things around. Most houses are wired with 2 120v circuits that are out of phase (mirrored) to produce 240 volts for, say a dryer or stove. Half of the 120v outlets are wired to one phase and other half to the other. Sometimes the x-10 signal has trouble communicating across the 2 phases. You can purchase hardware to fix this.

Some places to purchase this stuff is x-10.com, smarthome.com, automated outlet, radio shack $$, even some home depots $$, and several others. Prices are all over the map, so shop around.

[mcdude]

Originally Posted by Webbsatwinni

.... while not being intrusive to anyone else and their lake experience.....

a refreshing but rare attitude. We need more lake neighbors like you. Many (most) people could give a damn how their actions may affect others and their enjoyment of the lake.

[Webbsatwinni]

McDude, thanks for that, we bought at the lake to relax and we assume everyone else wants the same. It does appear that not everyone thinks that way, but the more people that do, the better it will be.

Thanks everyone for the input, I hope to have this completed soon and based on this thread and my research, I will be going down the X-10 road.

[gillis10]

x-10 is a good choice. this site here has alot of it.

http://www.smarthome.com/_/index.aspx

[Orion]

...Insteon is better. I've been using X-10 at home and at the lake for at least 15, maybe 20 years now and over that time have encountered all the quirks that can sometimes come with it. Insteon is supposed to provide a much more robust interface because it's two-way and uses a different protocol. It costs more, but may be worth it though I haven't tried it yes since I'm so invested in X-10. If you go with X-10, it's good to stick with the Leviton-branded components since they seem to be more reliable.

[Merrymeeting]

I have x-10 throughout my house, and have migrated to Insteon for some devices over the past year (most from Smarthome). I would agree it is more robust. The good news is also that the controlers are compatable with x-10 so I can keep my x10 investments while upgrading as needed to Insteon.

[Boston Fireguy]

You could try a Sears single button garage door remote transmitter with a Sears remote light control module. Plug in and hard wired units are available. I've used one on my 300 watt floodlight at my home for years. Relatively inexpensive compared to commercial units. Here's a tip: holding the transmitter under your chin while pushing the transmitter button will increase the range of the transmitter. Works for car alarm/starter remotes also. Try it.

[Orion]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

I have x-10 throughout my house, and have migrated to Insteon for some devices over the past year (most from Smarthome). I would agree it is more robust. The good news is also that the controlers are compatable with x-10 so I can keep my x10 investments while upgrading as needed to Insteon.

That's true. I'll probably slowly migrate. Have you used any remote controls and tested for any increase in range?

[Boston Fireguy]

At one time I installed car alarms and remote starters. When the transmitter batteries would get tired I'd suggest to my customers the trick under the chin. It does work! The body acts as an antenna, increasing the transmitter's range.

[Rattler]

I have my dock lights on an X-10 switch and also have installed a X-10 wireless outdoor receiver (it's basically an X-10 receiver in a metal box with an antenna) under my cottage. I keep an X-10 transmitter in my boat and can activate the dock lights from about 200' out. It works great.

I set this up a couple of years ago, buying the components from Smarthome.

I, too, would like to move to Insteon but, unfortunately, have a lot of time and money already invested in X-10.