This maybe outside this forum, and I have reached out to Zooz.
However, I am curious why the Zen30 can drive 200W of incandescent bulbs on its dimmer switch part, but only 75W if it's LED.
I specifically bought this to use in a single gang box that can operate the following way:
1.) Use the dimmer to power an outside floodlight - which is only on/off - but change the settings in the driver so that it operates like an on/off
2.) Use the dry contact relay to power outside outlets that have fans plugged into them.
However, I didn't realize until now that my floodlight is a LED 100W light.
My knowledge of electricity is pretty much residential lighting and high school physics.
What am I missing and will I blow up my house if I use the Zen30 to power a 100 W floodlight?
I'd like to keep the explosions to a minimum if possible.
Lights have an "equivalence" wattage.. a LED to Incandescent conversion, if you will. It's unlikely any LED bulb we consumers could buy are 100 watt power consumption. Instead, it's telling us that it's the same light output you'd see if you used a 100 watt incandescent.
What @csteele said here .. most likely your LED is equivalent (same lumens) as a 100W light bulb.
However, we should add that if we are talking multiple LEDs on the same dimmer, then you do need to add up the actual wattage of the LED lights to ensure it doesn't exceed 75 watts. LED bulbs use MORE wattage than incandescent for the first couple of seconds when you turn them on.
Your flood light says 17680 Lumens which is WAY more than a 100w light bulb. That's more like 14 100w incandescent bulbs. That means it is out of spec for your switch due to startup surge.
That's quite a bright light to have in the backyard. Careful that planes don't start landing there.
Double check your lights, Amazon listings will sometimes combine the two devices for a single, higher value in the listing. Two 50W lights... listing shows 100W.
You could try it but it might fry the ZEN30 according to its rating.
A ZEN71 switch can handle up to 150W LED. But it can only control one load. Would you be able to get a small relay connected to the outlets in that box or another? ZEN51 relay. Then you could use doubleTap buttons on the ZEN71 for the outlets?
Another idea would be to use a ZEN52 which is a double relay, if it could fit in the box behind a switch. You could use a double throw switch to control both sides of the relay. Amazon.com
I forgot to tell you guys, but I'm actually Raiden from Mortal Kombat.
But seriously, I replaced a large halogen spotlight with this and it does a great job lighting my rather large backyard.
I think I'll be forced to just get a Zen51 and have the Zen30 dimmer portion in a virtual 3 way to drive activate the Zen51 or something. Oh well. I hate paying for shipping and I could have added those onto my order if I paid attention.
It's the dimmer element of the Zen30 that is limiting the current. Dimmers use triac's or mosfet's to do dimming. There's not enough room for the size triac/mosfet + heatsink to handle large power needs. Switches on the other hand use mechanical relays in most cases. The contact area determines current capacity and 10amps is easy for them. Thus, I'd change the choice of Zen30 to a switch.
Can't say what will happen if you overload the Zooz dimmer. However the why is:
Incandescent bulbs are pure resistors. There is no complex switching in an incandescent bulb. A very electrotonically easy load to control
The LED bulb has a circuit controlling the LED, as the LED is a DC device. This circuit makes the switching on and off more difficult for the power components in the dimmer.
How about using the dimmer part for the fans? Could you vary the speed of the fans then? I like that idea, if possible, unless you have other ways you're doing that.
Then, hook up a relay like this for the floodlight?
I did ask Zooz if changing the dimmer to an on/off switch in the driver would allow for me to run fans.
And by fans, they're waterproof rated shop fans I have plugged in. IDK if that makes a difference from say a ceiling fan, but hey, I'm also no electrician.
Changing the software won't help with a hardware specification. Read @csteele comment above about how the dimmer works .. can't do that with a fan. To "dim" a fan speed requires a fan control switch purpose built.
Although the specs don't make it clear, you probably can use the switch in the ZEN30 for the fan assuming it is a mechanical relay (does it click?). You won't be able to control the speed that way.
On the Zen30, you have one relay and one dimmer. It doesn't 'click' when you engage the dimmer.
The driver let's you essentially go to 99% brightness without 'ramping' thereby making it an on/off switch.... but it's not a true relay.
Practically it seems that it's the same thing, but not knowing the engineering of a dimmer I'm guessing the way a dimmer works (even if you force it to be an on/off switch) prevents it from running a fan in an on/off fashion without trying to control the speed.
You misunderstood the question. You can definitely not use the dimmer with a fan. I suspect you can use the switch provided it is a mechanical relay .. it clicks.
