Just got my first shipment of white series dimmers and got a few installed in single pole/smart bulb mode (SBM) use cases, and loving them so far! The build quality is great, and other than a few bugs with having to set scenes a few times until things take properly, it’s been pretty smooth sailing.
However, I have a large number of multi-way (3-way) switches in the home - all controlling smart bulbs as well - and have another shipment coming shortly that also includes aux switches.
I was trying to read through all the documentation online to get set for tackling those, but I can’t seem to find a full explanation of how to use an aux switch with a smart dimmer in 3-way smart bulb mode setup.
When I went to look for wiring instructions for the aux switch, I think the documentation was referring to red and blue switches, not white. Is it just that the documentation hasn’t been updated yet, and wiring the aux switches for 3-way cases with a white dimmer is the same as the red/blue documentation?
Also, is there anything I have to do differently to support a 3-way setup when the white dimmer is in smart bulb mode to control smart bulbs? Does the aux switch just automatically support that setup (with no wiring differences and no config steps) once the white dimmer is placed in smart bulb mode?
Sorry if I missed something obvious somewhere - just wasn’t sure I was finding anything much on smart bulb mode outside of the white dimmer instructions themselves. Thanks!
Right - thanks. I did follow the diagrams on that page for my single-pole installations, and I did see that there are multi-way diagrams below, but I wasn’t sure how multi-way interacts with smart-bulb mode. From your response, I’m assuming that I wire the white dimmer and aux switch the exact same way in a 3-way setup, whether I’m using smart bulb mode or not? And once I finish the wiring, I just config the white dimmer to smart bulb mode, and don’t have to do anything with the aux switch? That’s the part that I thought wasn’t clearly covered in the documentation. Thanks!
Yep, that’s about right. After you install the Aux, you’ll set the main switch to 3-way momentary, or whatever your driver calls it. There are no settings on the Aux. What happens after that in terms of how you address the bulb depends upon your hub.
Ok, think I got it. I’m using the white series with Apple Home (as many will probably be), so my understanding is that I have to set config options like smart bulb mode and multi-way from switch button press sequences, not from inside Apple Home (even though other hubs may allow in-hub configuration).
I think the white series documentation calls 3-way momentary “Multi-Way + Aux Switch Mode”. So, if I understand, I’d finish the wiring as per the mentioned diagrams and then set the following two modes on the white dimmer (with nothing needed on the aux switch):
Enable Smart Bulb Mode
Hold Up + Tap Config 4x
Solid Yellow
If the switch has successfully enabled Smart Bulb Mode, the LED Bar will flash Yellow
Enable Multi-Way + Aux Switch Mode
Hold Up + Tap Config 5x
Solid White
If the switch has successfully enabled Multi-Way + Aux Switch Mode, the LED Bar will flash White
I’m assuming the order I do the above two config steps doesn’t matter, but let me know if that’s incorrect.
That seems correct. I’m not an Apple user, so I can’t answer driver questions.
You’ll know the Aux is working properly when you see presses on it affecting the White switch.
You will know that you are in the Smart Bulb Mode when the light is on and fully illuminated, and pressing the paddle doesn’t affect the light.
The order doesn’t matter, but if you do the Aux config first, you’ll see it turning the light on and off. It might be easier if you can’t see the White switch from the Aux’s position. Once you enable SBM on the White switch, that won’t work any longer.