I’ve decided I wanted to install this switch in my bedroom. The lights in this room are all lamps in an outlet controlled by the switch. We use smart bulbs, so we leave the dumb switch always-on and use a remote for the lights instead. However, using the Inovelli switch as a scene-controller and for the LED strip seems useful, so I’ve been giving it a try.
The switch controls two outlets. On one out let is two hue bulbs, one hue strip, a google home, an alexa, three USB devices and a vacuum charger.
When I initially installed the switch and set it up, the lights did nothing but flash. If the lights were turned off remotely, the switch would reset and turn them back on. If the switch was off, the switch was still powered.
To try to fix this, I installed an aeotec bypass across the terminals of the outlet. In Smart Bulb mode, the switch boot loops, but with home assistant I can get it to swap out of smart bulb mode. However, I cannot turn off the lights without the switch rebooting.
One question I have about the wiring diagram is what the the black and white wire represents. Generally the hot wire is black, but on the diagram that one is plugged into the load line of the switch. Maybe I just have the switch wired backwards? I’m too afraid to just switch it, since I know which line is hot.
Otherwise I could really use some help. I’ve spent several days on this and scouring the internet for assistance.
I don’t think it’ll work without a neutral. Smart bulb mode tries to turn the dimmer fully on and that results in it not having some voltage across it that it can use to power itself.
Your box only has a single romex going to it with 2 wires?
Why are you using a dimmer with an outlet? It sounds as if you have a non-neutral situation which may be why you are trying to use a dimmer because a switch won’t work with a non-neutral. Or it might just be because you want to dim the bulbs plugged into the outlets.
Unfortunately, neutral or non-neutral, you cannot use a dimmer with an outlet. The electrical code in the US and probably most other countries prohibits it, for good reason. Any number of devices which can be plugged into that outlet, like a vacuum cleaner, aren’t supported by a dimmer. You’ve probably got an unsupported device plugged in as we speak, the vacuum charger. Essentially, installing any dimmer, smart or not, with a receptacle is creating a dangerous situation.
So your best immediate action is to remove that dimmer before you cause more issues that you bargained for.
On the other hand, if you do have more than two conductors in the switch box, not counting the ground, you do have some options, so post back. Also, if there are other switch boxes in the room that do have a hot and a neutral, you might be able to mount the switch there or adjacent to it and use the dimmer as a scene controller only.
Why are you using a dimmer with an outlet? It sounds as if you have a non-neutral situation which may be why you are trying to use a dimmer because a switch won’t work with a non-neutral. Or it might just be because you want to dim the bulbs plugged into the outlets.
I read that the Black ones worked with non-neutral. The fact that it can dim is of no interest to me, correct. I want it to be on 100% all of the time. I have it set to “fade” in 0 seconds, so it acts as an on-off. I’m definitely not going to waste my time and money sending this back and buying a black on-off if I can’t get this to work.
On the other hand, if you do have more than two conductors in the switch box, not counting the ground, you do have some options, so post back. Also, if there are other switch boxes in the room that do have a hot and a neutral, you might be able to mount the switch there or adjacent to it and use the dimmer as a scene controller only.
This is an old house, built in 1964. There are no neutral wires anywhere. I have a hot and I have a return. I only want to use the switch as a scene controller. Honestly the only reason I’m doing this is for the LED strip on the light switch to use as an indicator, but if I can’t get it to work even with the bypass then I’ve wasted my time.
Well, you have a switch loop. It probably comes from the closest receptacle that is switched. The box the wire comes from will have a neutral. You could re-wire it to feed line and neutral to the switch box and not have the load switched.
Both red and black dimmers will work with a non-neutral, but that’s non-neutral with a permanently installed light fixture, not a receptacle. The electrical code just doesn’t allow that, for good reason.
I hear you. I think it depend upon how they do things in your area, or may even the electrician doing the work. My house is older, but I do have neutrals in a lot of places.
Do you have any other switch boxes in the bedroom? See if you have a hot/neutral pair in there. Inovelli is about to come out with a 5 button scene controller. If you do have a hot and neutral pair in another box, then you could swap the a switch out for the scene controller, using the native switch for it’s orginal purpose and using the other buttons for scenes.