I am a new user to Z-Wave and Mi Casa Verde. I have a Vera3 and for the moment a single GE/Jasco 45602 lamp dimmer. I have the Vera3 and dimmer in close proximity and am using a standard halogen bulb. The dimming behavior is as follows:
Any command issued to turn on the light takes the light directly to the requested setting. (e.g. from “Off” to 70%", the light goes directly to 70% with ramp time of 0.)
Any command issued to dim the light takes the light directly to the requested setting. (e.g. from 80% to 20%, the light goes directly to 29% with ramp time of 0.)
Issuing a request to turn off the light, the light smoothly dims from the current setting to off. (e.g. from 80% to “Off”, the light smoothly ramps down to off.)
I am desiring to have the light smoothly move from any position to another position, precisely how the ramping functions when turning the lamp off. I have tinkered with Parameters 7 and 8 of the dimmer, but no real change, other than causing the off request to being behaving light the other examples mentioned above.
If anyone has experienced this behavior and has recommendations, I would greatly appreciate a response.
I haven’t messed with those in quite some time…but refreshing my memory from the manual:
Param 7 = Number of steps (1 to 99)
Param 8 = Number of milliseconds between steps (x 10) (1 to 255)
So if you want to smooth ramp over say, approx 1 second…
Param7 = 99
Param8 = 1
That will make 99 adjustments, each adjustment every 10 milliseconds (10 * 99 = 990 milliseconds = 0.99 seconds)
Over approx 2 seconds…
Param7 = 99
Param8 = 2
That will make 99 adjustments, each adjustment every 20 milliseconds (20 * 99 = 1,980 milliseconds = 1.98 seconds)
If you want an interval of seconds, the smoothest way to use it is leave Param7 at 99 (essentially 100 then for easy math).
Then set Param8 to the number of seconds you want the ramp to be (1=1sec, 2=sec, etc).
If you want a 1/2 second ramp, or a 1.5 second ramp, that’s a bit different. You have to play with both parameters.
TimeToChange = .01 x #steps x TimePerLevel (TimeToChange = .01 x Param7 x Param8)
Example: 0.5 second ramp
0.5 = 0.01 x Param7 x Param8
Solving that gives you:
50 = Param7 x Param8
So you could use Param7 = 50, Param8 = 1(smoothest)
Or Param7=25, Param8=2 (not quite as smooth)
Example: 1.5 second ramp
1.5 = 0.01 x Param7 x Param8
Solving that gives you:
150 = Param7 x Param8
So you could use Param7 = 75, Param8 = 2(smoothest)
Or Param7=50, Param8=3 (not quite as smooth)
Thanks for your response PurdueGuy. I went through and tried various scenarios described in your post from 21-Jul-13 11:56. However, the only noticeable change was that the smooth power off transition stopped. Changing parameter 7 from the default of 1 to 99 and parameter 8 to 1 actually just made the power off behave like everything else. In fact, after many adjustments, I seemed to have lock up the dimmer. The dimmer actually stopped taking changes and I had to remove the device and re-add.
I am including a screen shot of my settings just to make sure I am properly following your advice. Would greatly appreciate continuing this dialog. Thanks in advance!
[quote=“Z-Waver, post:5, topic:176186”]Aren’t these supposed to be hex bytes?[/quote]Hex bytes and decimal bytes are the same, just represented differently.
decimal 16 = 0x10 hex
Vera just offers to let you set them in either format for ease of use.
Again, thanks everyone for the dialog. PurdueGuy, you bring up several interesting questions. As I am just starting down the Z-Wave path, I would like to be strategic in the selection not only of controller (Mi Casa Verde) but the devices that will work with my chosen controller.
Are there other manufacturers of dimmers and/or switches that are more flexible or feature rich to consider than the GE/Jasco product?
Will a GE/Jasco wall switch/dimmer have the same type of management as the 45602 lamp dimmer?
What type of switch/dimmer are you using today, why did you select those?
[quote=“djamison4, post:7, topic:176186”]Again, thanks everyone for the dialog. PurdueGuy, you bring up several interesting questions. As I am just starting down the Z-Wave path, I would like to be strategic in the selection not only of controller (Mi Casa Verde) but the devices that will work with my chosen controller.
Are there other manufacturers of dimmers and/or switches that are more flexible or feature rich to consider than the GE/Jasco product?[/quote]
GE switches don’t support things like Instant Status, nor are they Scene-Capable. Search the forums for those, and you will see why those capabilities are helpful.
[quote=“djamison4, post:7, topic:176186”]2. Will a GE/Jasco wall switch/dimmer have the same type of management as the 45602 lamp dimmer?[/quote]I would expect the to be similar, but I have never had/used a plug-in lamp dimmer.
I initially had GE switches due to price…but switched to Leviton for the items referenced in #1 above. Since then however, I have converted some to Insteon switches, and use Altsteon to m manage them. That has been going well, and I have contributed some things back to the development of Altsteon.
Two of the pros of Insteon are device cost and location…SmartLabs/SmartHome is located about 20 miles from my home.
I’d also point you to the Evolve LRM-AS Dimmer Switch. It is similar in price, appearance and functionality to the GE/Jasco and it does also lack the Instant Status feature. However, it does require a neutral wire, which the GE/Jasco lacks, so it works much better when using dimmable LED bulbs.
Here’s the Leviton Dimmer that @PerdueGuy was referring to. It has all the bells and whistles, but the price is high if you don’t require those features.
Did you ever get a resolution to this? I am having the same problem. For the life of me I can’t get the dimmer to ramp up when it’s sent a command from the vera. It will ramp up nicely when I manually hit the switch, and it ramps down when I send it the command from the vera, but it won’t smoothly go up.
I have switched to the scene capable Leviton Vizia RF+ VRP03-1LW. It has very nice fade up and fade down functions with Vera3 and has a similar ramp time 0.5 sec with other Leviton’s wall dimmer switches. Makes for nice scene transition. The down side is the load control that the Jasco offers, but for me that is a non issue.
[quote=“PurdueGuy, post:8, topic:176186”][quote=“djamison4, post:7, topic:176186”]Again, thanks everyone for the dialog. PurdueGuy, you bring up several interesting questions. As I am just starting down the Z-Wave path, I would like to be strategic in the selection not only of controller (Mi Casa Verde) but the devices that will work with my chosen controller.
Are there other manufacturers of dimmers and/or switches that are more flexible or feature rich to consider than the GE/Jasco product?[/quote]
GE switches don’t support things like Instant Status, nor are they Scene-Capable. Search the forums for those, and you will see why those capabilities are helpful.
[quote=“djamison4, post:7, topic:176186”]2. Will a GE/Jasco wall switch/dimmer have the same type of management as the 45602 lamp dimmer?[/quote]I would expect the to be similar, but I have never had/used a plug-in lamp dimmer.
I initially had GE switches due to price…but switched to Leviton for the items referenced in #1 above. Since then however, I have converted some to Insteon switches, and use Altsteon to m manage them. That has been going well, and I have contributed some things back to the development of Altsteon.
Two of the pros of Insteon are device cost and location…SmartLabs/SmartHome is located about 20 miles from my home.[/quote]
i really do not understand why you said that GE switches are not scene capable. i apologize but i have scenes that turns on/off/dim my GE switches. maybe i am missing something. if you don’t mind, can you please elaborate so that i may decide not to buy these switches in the future. thanks.
A scene capable controller (such as a Leviton VRCS4) can directly control scene capable devices (such as Leviton VRI06) to set them to certain dim levels, etc. this allows the controller to set some number of lights to different dim levels/states immediately…all light instantly “jump” to the desired level.
With a Vera scene, Vera goes through each device one-by-one and sets it to the desired level. That is sequential and not simultaneously.
MCV should not have called their scenes as “scenes” but instead something like “macro” or “program.” Unfortunately it’s too late now and the terminology had been set for years.
[quote=“PurdueGuy, post:13, topic:176186”]A zwave scene is not the same as a Vera scene.
A scene capable controller (such as a Leviton VRCS4) can directly control scene capable devices (such as Leviton VRI06) to set them to certain dim levels, etc. this allows the controller to set some number of lights to different dim levels/states immediately…all light instantly “jump” to the desired level.
With a Vera scene, Vera goes through each device one-by-one and sets it to the desired level. That is sequential and not simultaneously.
MCV should not have called their scenes as “scenes” but instead something like “macro” or “program.” Unfortunately it’s too late now and the terminology had been set for years.[/quote]
ok, i got it and thanks for your patience for user like me. i checked those leviton you mentioned and they are expensive compare to GE switches
[quote=“waltzer11, post:14, topic:176186”]ok, i got it and thanks for your patience for user like me. i checked those leviton you mentioned and they are expensive compare to GE switches[/quote]True, they are. However, they support more with more features, and I believe have a better warranty.
Pardon me for having too many questions. you mentioned earlier that you have converted to Insteon and Alsteon. is alsteon a controller? i know insteons are devices. are they easily recognized by vera? they are much cheaper than Leviton products; their scene controllers are about $80 compared to Leviton’s $130 something. i think i will buy these items rather than the Leviton’s. i will just wait for your comments. thanks again.
First. Sorry, I’m new to vera and Z-wave world.
Second. English is not my primary language.
Therd. Do someone have a solution to this ramp up/down problems with GE/Jasco switch? I have bought 15 of this and do not really want to rebuy again.
I’m having this exact same problem. I can set the ramp down with variables 7 & 8 to take around 20 seconds and it only works when I set it to go to 0% on the dimmer. Any word on how to fix this?
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