I just installed two pairs of VZM36/VZM31-SN’s. The fanopy modules are running 1.02 and the switches are running 3.07.
The fan modules are fed constant power skipping the switches entirely (no smart bulb mode needed), there is nothing on the load terminal of the switch.
Except for switching to trailing edge both devices are set up almost factory. The switch is bound to the fan module for both the light and fan control.
I’m having an issue when dimming the light from the paddle. The light dims but as soon as the paddle is released the light “springs” back up in brightness quite a substantial amount (but not back to the starting level).
Interestingly this does not happen when dimming via HomeAssistant.
When the dimming stops, HA reports both the switch and the fan module at the same percentage.
Here’s a quick video, it doesn’t capture it super well but you see the idea:
The bulbs are dimmable LEDs but I’ve tried a few brands including some nice Cree bulbs and they all act this way.
Has anyone seen this before? Any idea if it’s fixable?
I have two VZM36 modules installed with VZM31-SN dimmers bound to them as you described. Like yours, they are configured trailing edge with constant power not going through any of the dimmers’ loads. I have configured them for smart bulb, but that’s irrelevant since there’s no load connected.
One of the circuits is one dimmer to one canopy in a typical single pole setup. That one works exactly as it should. The other circuit is two dimmers to one canopy in a virtual 3-way via group bindings. Not that it should matter, but my bindings are setup in Zigbee2MQTT.
It is on the virtual 3-way installation that I’m seeing this issue. It’s been like that for over a year and a half. I’ve changed bulbs twice with no change in behavior. I’ve individually tested each dimmer separately by deleting all bindings and groups from the canopy and both dimmers. Then I bound one of them in exactly the same configuration as the circuit that works correctly. Same problem. Then I unbound everything again and setup the bindings for the other dimmer. Same problem.
I’ve never posted about it here because I hate paddle dimming, and I don’t ever do it. I have mine setup with Home Assistant automations where a double tap gives me my low level, triple = medium, quad = high, and hold for full on. I have all my dimmers setup this way. Until I saw this post, I almost forgot about this issue.
But now that I’ve tested again to reply to this post, I realized that when I hold for full on, it gets slightly dimmer when I release the paddle. That means that I cannot achieve 100% with the paddle unless it was at 100% at turn off, and I’m just turning it back on at the last level.
Funny thing is, my wife hates my multi-tap automations, and she always uses hold to dim. She’s never complained. I guess she figures that’s just how my “hobby switches” work! LOL
UPDATE:
I was playing around with my ramp rates and dimming speeds, and I discovered that I was incorrect about one of them working correctly! Both of my VZM36 circuits exhibit this behavior regardless of bulb type or number of dimmers bound to it.
I don’t either but these are in my kids rooms and they want to know why it doesn’t stay at the dim level they want when they let the paddle go.
I might try turning the ramp rates way up (like 10 seconds) and see if that changes how “springy” it is. The fact that it happens via the paddle but not when sent a go to level command from HA makes me think it’s something odd with how the switch is sending the dimming start/stop commands.
