I'm looking for options to replace my existing GE Enbrighten Z-Wave dimmers. I am using them in "3-way" mode with the GE Enbrighten generic Add-On switch.
The dimmers work great, and I have had no issues with them.
My biggest challenge with them is that "untrained" people will not just "tap" the dimmer switch to turn them off or on...they will hold the button...messing up the "default" dimming level. When they turn them on, they will go to 100% (which is too bright for the kitchen), or give up trying to turn them off and leave them at 1% or 5%.
I am looking for something that has an LED indicator representing what the dimming level is.
I've done some Google-Fu, but have not been able to find something that works in the 3-way environment as well as the GE Enbrigthen.
I have three of these switches installed for probably around six months now and love them.
I do not have any in a 3-way setup but they can use a regular dumb switch as a secondary or an add-on switch from another company. They do not have their own add-on.
What I can not tell you is if you can use two of the red dimmers in a three way circuit.
I found the Inovelli support page. You can use two of these in a 3-way (i.e. both switches have the dimmer bars), but the "dumb" switch controls the primary by z-wave association rules. Additionally, the LED bars will not be in synch with each other...so defeats the purpose of using two of them.
I think I can get away with the "slave" switch not having LED bars...this would be preferable to the bars not being in synch.
As we are automation nerds why not consider going to the next level?
I have the most unused 3-way mates removed and a cover plate in place.
There are motion detectors in these areas so there is no need to touch a switch.
My rules turn the lights on/off and to prescribed levels depending on mode and Lux.
If you use the paddles to set the dimmer to a different level it will only stay there until the motion ceases; next motion event things go back to "normal"
May sound like a lot of work but once you get one room acting appropriatly you can just clone what you did thoughout the house.
Electrical code in the area requires the 3-way switch. I don't want to have to bring the house "up to code" to sell it.
Has to pass the "wife test". What you describe...she will just look at me with "the look". She is happy with "Alexa, turn the kitchen on" (or off).
I like the Inovelli dimmers as you can change the LED color. Hopefully, I can get the same "blue" as the GE switches I am using for "normal" mode. The use case is that I will change the LEDs to RED when the security system is armed, and back to BLUE when the system is not armed. I would flash the RED LED when there is an alarm condition (along with turning on all of the other lights in the house).
My previous system was an ADT Pulse / SmartThings combo. I was able to add the SmartThings in as a secondary controller to the ADT Pulse system. ADT Pulse was for Z-Wave, SmartThings was Zigbee and everything else. My initial letdown with Hubitat Z-Wave is that I could not use it as a secondary Z-Wave controller...I bit the bullet and brought all the Z-Wave over to the Hubitat...and the Zigbee...very happy...also happy I could use Webcore for automations.
My "Hack" to connect the ADT Pulse system (which interfaces nice with the security system) and Hubitat was to install the Zooz ZEN16 relay modules in pairs. The ADT Pulse system activates a relay on one ZEN16 that is wired into the input on a second ZEN16 that is connected to Hubitat.
When an entry door opens or an external motion sensor is activated, the ADT Pulse throws the relay and Hubitat sees is on the second module. There is an approximate half second delay, but I am happy with it. I have these mapped to 2 pairs of ZEN16 devices:
Burgler ALARM
Fire ALARM
Armed Stay
Armed Away
Entry Door Open
Exterior Motion Detector
The Hubitat cannot arm or disarm the system (I am OK with that, as I still have the ADT Pulse app to arm/disarm remotely). I setup a Webcore rule that will not "accept" the AWAY or SLEEP mode when you change the Hubitat mode.
Drives me nuts!! No matter how many times a plead/yell/cry/lol with these guilty people in my house they just want to hold the damn button down. I use Inovelli red dimmers they still want to hold. I just ended up having to make the automation rules better. Now it's a plead to not touch the damn switch at all
Argh! Yeah in our upstairs bathroom I have it so that when someone turns on the shower lights the fan goes on and stays on until 5 mins after the light is turned off. Caught my daughter flipping on the lights and off the fan.. she says she doesn't like the noise so she always does this...
Not only do they have an indicator on the primary (load) device, they also have an indicator on the secondary devices. You can't tell the difference between the primary and secondaries unless you pull the air gap (which only works on the primary (load) device.
AFAIK, only Lutron and Leviton offer multi-ways with this...
