I am not sure if the red series dimmer would work for dimming zigbee bulbs. Since the dimmer is likely using the hold on/off actions to dim the light it is connected to, I am not sure if is also sending scene commands.
The product page for the red dimmer only lists 11 scenes:
I imagine that would be on 1-5x, off 1-5x and config 1x.
The Red switch, on the other hand, lists 13 scene commands (15 if you also count the release event)
On 1-5x, off 1-5x, config x1, hold on, release on, hold off, release off
My theory is, if you are using a zwave bulb, the dimmer is the better option because it can be associated directly with the bulb for dimming (bypassing the controller completely). If you are using a zigbee bulb, the red switch might be the only solution that does not require a firmware update because it may be the only device to send scene commands when the buttons are held/released.
The red switch is definitely not the only option and like I said previously, is almost definitely the worse option. The way to get a zigbee bulb to dim would be using a SmartApp like “Smart Lighting” and then mirroring the switch’s dim level. People already do this with other dimmers and they go past the dimmer switch by connecting the bulb directly to the line (obviously this could lead to electrical issues e.g. not realizing the bulb is still powered after turning off the switch and getting electrocuted etc). The relay is the better option though.
The method of using the dimmer would essentially be option 8.
Now, it might also be possible to add the hub to zwave association group 4 on the dimmer (dim commands) and to have the hub then send the dim commands to the philips hue. That way, you won’t have to mirror the dim levels. Only issue I see with this method is that when the dimmer switch is at 100%, it probably won’t send dim commands any longer. Not sure though.
Good point on the Zwave direct association.
However, I’m already heavily invested in Phillips Hue bulbs.
I’m not using the Hue hub, the bulbs are paired directly to my Home Assistant (currently running on a tinker board) using a Z-Wave/Zigbee USB stick. So everything is local, and near instant.
I’m already directly controlling the bulbs with the Red series switch in one location and it works great, but I’ve got a larger area with several Inovelli Gen 1 Dimmers which also work great. The Gen 1’s however don’t report a scene when releasing the long press/brighten/dim.
So given my use case, there isn’t much of a gain unless I eventually get rid of the smart bulbs. Which is a very valid reason.
Hey, are you using the red series switch to dim the hue bulb? If you are, is this primarily done using the “release” scene? Does that imply that you tap multiple times to get it to dim?
Also, how are you using the Gen 1 dimmers to dim? Which scene is being used for that?
I was hoping that the Switch Multilevel V2 command class (which is supported per https://products.z-wavealliance.org/products/3438/classes) would still work with the relay disabled. If not, then I think you’re right, and the on/off switch is the only one that would work for smart bulbs.
That being said, I read on another thread that the hold/release scenes weren’t originally intended, but happened to make their way into the firmware (citation: Dimmer with smart bulb). Hopefully we’ll get the same with the dimmer? I would also like confirmation that the hold/release scenes will remain in place in future firmware updates.
Anyways, until one of us actually gets a dimmer, I think we’d need @EricM_Inovelli or @Eric_Inovelli to set appropriate expectations.
I am also struggling with the wait since i do not have neutral wires on any of my switches. Other companies such as Lutron have dimmers that do not require a neutral but I really like the Inovelli and want to stick with them. Updates are appreciated.
Yeah, seems like there is a little mix up in that thread. The hold/release scenes have always been planned & included in the firmware for both the switch and the dimmer, but held vs release were not handled separately in the SmartThings device handler because of latency issues with the cloud (maybe that is where the confusion was). Trying to create a dimming automation based on when the Inovelli device sends a “held” scene report and then a “released” scene report is pretty inconsistent in cloud based setups. So the marketing material is also incorrect as both Red devices have 13 scenes available (15 if you count “released”).
I should have an update (a positive one) tonight. We’ve received flight numbers for some of the dimmers, but I want to make sure they’re on the dang plane before updating you all.
YES!! Hoping this is true. Would love to see the community celebrate this delivery and get this behind you. Hope you have a nice party scheduled with the team when this gets wrapped up.
Does that mean they’ll also be available for purchase for those of us who don’t have pre-orders on the 4th? I’ve installed 4 on/off’s that I’m loving so far and have two more that I’m waiting to install into multi gang boxes with dimmers (plus a couple of fixtures that don’t have neutrals…). Can’t wait to automate some of our recessed dumb lights so I don’t trip over the dog bowls in the morning anymore.
Great question. So, the second wave will ship out to us on the 4th, which means that it will likely take a few days to arrive. Part of this order is going to HQ so that we can fulfill the remaining Pre-orders, while the remaining pieces will go to Amazon USA. It usually takes a couple extra days for products to be checked in on Amazon USA, so that means we’re likely looking at around the 10th or so before they’re live on Amazon.com.
A third batch will be shipped to us on November 12th and that’s where we’ll ship to Amazon.ca and also add more inventory to Amazon.com. I would anticipate Canada to be live around the 19th.
Hope this helps and thanks for your support! I definitely don’t want you tripping over dog bowls lol!
Glad to hear about the updated shipping! I just received an email regarding filling out a form for bypass switches for the dimmers? Can someone please explain what this is?
Yeah, happy to explain – it’s referenced earlier in the thread, but it’s likely buried.
As you may know this switch can work with or without a neutral wire. We recommend a neutral wire as that’s the cleanest way to power up the Z-Wave chip inside the switch. However, we know that some people do not have a neutral wire and if that’s the case, you may or may not need a bypass (https://www.amazon.com/Aeotec-Bypass-Resistor-switches-flickering/dp/B0716BDNFB).
In other words, you’ll need a bypass installed if you do not have a neutral wire and the load your switch is connected to is less than 25W.
If you have a neutral wire, you will not need a bypass. Similarly, if your load is above 25W and you have no neutral wire, you also won’t need one.
Since we did not know this prior to opening up pre-orders, we’re offering anyone who needs a bypass one for free (1x per switch) if they ordered before April 5, 2019 (which is when we discovered the issue).
So, if you received the email, you placed the order before April 5th and we’re simply trying to figure out how many people require a bypass.
