clueless + frustrated need help to start

Community Playground Getting Started & Initial Setup
1

Hi,
I’ve read up a lot on vera and zwave and still couldn’t figure out what types of switches I need to start my project. I am not tech savy and DH doesn’t even want to read up on this. We have no ceiling light/ fan in the house so we are having an electrician coming in to snake in the wires/ electric boxes for ceiling fans w lights in each of the bedrooms and ceiling light in the FR.

  1. purchase veralite

  2. What is the advantage of adding separate switches fan and light over the combo? What type of zwave dimmer/ switches? Since the reviews are pretty bad on the zwave fan switches, can I use a regular fan switch + Linear dimmer switch WD500Z-1 for the ceiling fan?
    I bought the
    A. Hunter Granville[url=http://www.costco.com/Hunter-Fan-Granville-54%22-Premier-Bronze-Ceiling-Fan.product.100096891.html?catalogId=10701&keyword=hunter+granvill&langId=-1&storeId=10301&refine=]http://www.costco.com/Hunter-Fan-Granville-54"-Premier-Bronze-Ceiling-Fan.product.100096891.html?catalogId=10701&keyword=hunter+granvill&langId=-1&storeId=10301&refine=[/url] from costco. It comes with a gu24 based cfl, to be dimmable, I have to replace those with dimmable gu24 LED bulbs. If I were to purchase the adapter to convert it to E26 based, would it still be dimmable?
    B. http://www.lowes.com/pd_396786-79-55045_0__?Ntt=hunter+torrence&UserSearch=hunter+torrence&productId=4712895&rpp=32

  3. For the family room chandelier(max 1125 watt total), I would like 3 way switch, master on second floor and slave on 1st floor. The electrician said is difficult to run wires to both floors without damaging the wall. If he run the wire to the 2nd floor and install the master dimmer switch, how do I install the slave switch on the first floor since the reason I looked into HA was because we can’t run wires to first floor? What type of dimmers/ switches do I need? I saw the linear youtube, it seems that I need the Linear WD500Z-1 500-watt wall mount dimmer and the Linear WT00Z1. Do I just add the WT00Z1 to an existing switch gang box and change the face plate w and extra whole, how do I attach the wires then? or should I just go with the Lutron Caset.a[url=http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-600-Watt-150-Watt-Multi-Location-In-Wall-Dimmer-with-Pico-Remote-Control-Kit-White-P-PKG1W-WH-D/205365522]http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-600-Watt-150-Watt-Multi-Location-In-Wall-Dimmer-with-Pico-Remote-Control-Kit-White-P-PKG1W-WH-D/205365522[/url]? But it is not zwave compatible. so frustrating ???

Appreciate any suggestions/ links

2

You cannot use a dimmer to control the speed of a ceiling fan. You must use a fan speed controller. In the U.S. Z-Wave world, there is only one fan speed controller available at this time. It is the Leviton VRF01-1LZ Vizia RF + 1.5A Scene Capable Quiet Fan Speed Control. It is designed for fans with a pull chain type speed selector. You set the fan pull chain on high and then vary the speed at the VRF01-1LZ.

The VRF01-1LZ only controls the fan speed, not the light. That’s why you need a separate circuit and switch to control the light via Z-Wave. (Note that Insteon has a device called a FanLinc that incorporates both fan speed control and light dimming into a single device, but it is not a Z-Wave system.

As I said, you need a separate switch/dimmer for the lights. The Linear WD500Z-1 Z-Wave 500-watt Wall Mount Dimmer Switch can be used to dim the lights, provided that you change to dimmable bulbs. However, note that the switch paddle design does not match the previously mentioned Leviton. If appearance is important to you, then consider the Leviton VRMX1-1LZ 1000W Vizia RF ZWave Universal Magnetic Low Voltage Dimmer instead. It looks just like the VRF01-1LZ fan speed controller.

B. http://www.lowes.com/pd_396786-79-55045_0__?Ntt=hunter+torrence&UserSearch=hunter+torrence&productId=4712895&rpp=32
It is important to note that with this particular fan, the speed and dimming is controlled by a wireless hand held remote, not by the wall switch. This type of fan does not lend itself to wall switch based speed control or dimming, Z-Wave or otherwise. It is intended to always have power applied and you use the remote to turn it on and off.
3. For the family room chandelier(max 1125 watt total)...
This exceeds the maximum load of all available Z-Wave dimmers. Even the one I linked to above maxes out at 1000 watts. You can however use a relay/swicth for On/Off control of this chandelier. The On/Off relays have a maximum load of 15 amps(1800 watts).
... I would like 3 way switch, master on second floor and slave on 1st floor. The electrician said is difficult to run wires to both floors without damaging the wall. If he run the wire to the 2nd floor and install the master dimmer switch, how do I install the slave switch on the first floor since the reason I looked into HA was because we can't run wires to first floor? What type of dimmers/ switches do I need? I saw the linear youtube, it seems that I need the Linear WD500Z-1 500-watt wall mount dimmer and the Linear WT00Z1. Do I just add the WT00Z1 to an existing switch gang box and change the face plate w and extra whole, how do I attach the wires then?
You can use a "wireless" auxiliary switch to control the master, which must be installed at the existing light switch. The master is wired to the chandelier. The wireless remote switch could go almost anywhere, but it needs 120VAC power, it does not need wires going to the chandelier or the master switch. The Linear WT00Z-1 is such a "wireless auxiliary switch for 3-way installations of Linear On/Off or dimmer switches. It can also be used to control Z-Wave switches from other brands.

With Leviton On/Off switches I would recommend the LevitonVRCS1-1LX Vizia RF + 1-Button Scene Controller/Virtual Switch Remote. Leviton does not make a wireless dimmer remote. But, your load is too high for a dimmer anyway.

or should I just go with the Lutron Caset.a[url=http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-600-Watt-150-Watt-Multi-Location-In-Wall-Dimmer-with-Pico-Remote-Control-Kit-White-P-PKG1W-WH-D/205365522]http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-600-Watt-150-Watt-Multi-Location-In-Wall-Dimmer-with-Pico-Remote-Control-Kit-White-P-PKG1W-WH-D/205365522[/url]?
I can't speak to this dimmer beyond pointing out that it is, like so many others, a 600 watt dimmer. You cannot use it on your 1125watt chandelier.

I hope that I have not muddied the waters further.

3

Thanks zwaver. That was really good explanation.

  1. The actual wattage of the chandelier is 10.5 watt led x15=157.5 watt. Do I use the WD500z-1 or WD 1000 for the chandelier? For the Auxcillary WT00z-1, any suggestions how to install that? There’s no existing switch to replace.Does the electrician need to add another wire/ box cuz he’s only able to run 1 line for the chandelier.
  2. All my ceiling fans came w a remote. Based on your suggestions, I will just use a regular on/ off switch for fan and add a WD500z-1 dimmer for each ceiling fan light? I bought Dimmable LED bulb and GU24 to E26 adapter.
    Thx
4

Earlier, you said the wattage was 1125. If the total wattage is 157 watts, then either dimmer will be fine.

For the Auxcillary WT00z-1, any suggestions how to install that? There's no existing switch to replace.Does the electrician need to add another wire/ box cuz he's only able to run 1 line for the chandelier.
That master switch(WD500Z-1) will require a line providing power and a line to the chandelier. ON a separate circuit, the WT00Z-1 auxiliary switch will require a line to provide it power. I can't really tell you what you will need without seeing it or getting a better description. Attached is a diagram that I am sure your electrician can understand.
2. All my ceiling fans came w a remote. Based on your suggestions, I will just use a regular on/ off switch for fan and add a WD500z-1 dimmer for each ceiling fan light? I bought Dimmable LED bulb and GU24 to E26 adapter.
Perhaps your electrician can look at this as well. As I stated previously, the wall switches are used to control "older" standard fans with pull chain type controls. The newer fans with electronic remotes for fan speed and lights don't need wall switches.