Mixing brands - scene controllers and switches, dimmers?

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
#1

Hi -

Newbie here.

I just purchased some of the ebay Intermatic dimmers and wanted to see if I could use those dimmers with another brand’s scene controller. I’d like to have a couple of 4-way scene controllers, but I don’t see any by Intermatic (just the single switch scene controller CA5100).

Would the Intermatic dimmers work with, say, the Levitron scene controller?

Thanks!

#2

I believe you should verify each combination you wish to interact with …
Vendor’s do not always play well with each other.

#3

[quote=“RichardTSchaefer, post:2, topic:175216”]I believe you should verify each combination you wish to interact with …
Vendor’s do not always play well with each other.[/quote]
How do you do that? Just buy and try?

#4

Or wait for someone to respond with Intermatic dimmers and a working solution for a Scene Controller to respond.
[hr]
What I meant to convey in my post is that this is likely to be vendor specific … and the answer to your question requires a person, experienced with the same hardware, to respond … that reduces the set of people that will be able to answer you.

#5

[quote=“RichardTSchaefer, post:4, topic:175216”]Or wait for someone to respond with Intermatic dimmers and a working solution for a Scene Controller to respond.
[hr]
What I meant to convey in my post is that this is likely to be vendor specific … and the answer to your question requires a person, experienced with the same hardware, to respond … that reduces the set of people that will be able to answer you.[/quote]

Will do! :slight_smile:

#6

No one?

#7

I think in theory that would work, as you really have Vera in the middle. Vera will receive the button presses from your scene controller, then send commands to your Intermatic dimmers (assuming the Intermatics are neither scene capable, nor instant-status capable).

It may get interesting keeping the scene controller ‘in sync’ with the state of your dimmers, if the dimmers are not instant-status capable. Therefore, if considering Leviton scene/zone controllers, I’d go with the zone controllers, as they have dedicated on/off buttons.

I don’t have the Intermatic dimmers, so I can’t tell you for sure. I do have some of the GE outdoor modules, controlled by a Leviton zone controller. I think that’s comparable.

(I think in recent Vera firmware, there is or was an issue with the 1-button Leviton scene controller (VRCS1); at least in my, and I believe @PurdueGuy’s, observation.)

#8

[quote=“oTi@, post:7, topic:175216”]I think in theory that would work, as you really have Vera in the middle. Vera will receive the button presses from your scene controller, then send commands to your Intermatic dimmers (assuming the Intermatics are neither scene capable, nor instant-status capable).

It may get interesting keeping the scene controller ‘in sync’ with the state of your dimmers, if the dimmers are not instant-status capable. Therefore, if considering Leviton scene/zone controllers, I’d go with the zone controllers, as they have dedicated on/off buttons.

I don’t have the Intermatic dimmers, so I can’t tell you for sure. I do have some of the GE outdoor modules, controlled by a Leviton zone controller. I think that’s comparable.

(I think in recent Vera firmware, there is or was an issue with the 1-button Leviton scene controller (VRCS1); at least in my, and I believe @PurdueGuy’s, observation.)[/quote]

Thank you. I’ll give it a shot.

The zone controller. That’s this one, right? http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-VRCZ4-MRX-Controller-Multi-Location-Capability/dp/B0032ZFHTY/ref=pd_cp_hi_3

#9

The VRCZ4-MRX zone controller includes a switch. Could be useful if you’re planning on putting the zone controller in a box that currently has a switch (and assign, say, the top button on the zone controller to the switch).

If you’re only interested in 4 buttons to send triggers to Vera, you could go with the VRCZ4-M0Z.

(I have the VRCZ4-MRX for the outdoor GE modules; they hardly ever get switched manually on the modules themselves, so it’s basically all under control of the VRCZ4-MRX / Vera.)

#10

[quote=“oTi@, post:9, topic:175216”]The VRCZ4-MRX zone controller includes a switch. Could be useful if you’re planning on putting the zone controller in a box that currently has a switch (and assign, say, the top button on the zone controller to the switch).

If you’re only interested in 4 buttons to send triggers to Vera, you could go with the VRCZ4-M0Z.

(I have the VRCZ4-MRX for the outdoor GE modules; they hardly ever get switched manually on the modules themselves, so it’s basically all under control of the VRCZ4-MRX / Vera.)[/quote]

This is new construction, so I imagine the electrician can do whatever I ask. In which case, what would be better? I’m using the Intermatic CA600 dimmers. I’m thinking the MRX option is better?

#11

If it is in a place that could use an On/Off, then you can use the MRX version. Remember it is JUST On/Off…no dimming.

If you’d rather spend a little bit more. and have room, you could put a switch next to the controller, and free up a set of controller buttons (since it won’t have to do the On/Off).

You have 3 choices:
VRCZ4-MRX = 1 local on/off + 3 scene button pairs (3 on/3 off)
VRCZ4-M0X + on/off switch = 4 scene button pairs (4 on/4 off) + separate on/off switch
VRCZ4-M0X + dimmer switch = 4 scene button pairs (4 on/4 off) + separate dimmer switch

Remember that with a VRCZ4, you each side of the toggle can really be a separate Vera scene (not just one, and not just off).

#12

If it is in a place that could use an On/Off, then you can use the MRX version. Remember it is JUST On/Off…no dimming.

If you’d rather spend a little bit more. and have room, you could put a switch next to the controller, and free up a set of controller buttons (since it won’t have to do the On/Off).

You have 3 choices:
VRCZ4-MRX = 1 local on/off + 3 scene button pairs (3 on/3 off)
VRCZ4-M0X + on/off switch = 4 scene button pairs (4 on/4 off) + separate on/off switch
VRCZ4-M0X + dimmer switch = 4 scene button pairs (4 on/4 off) + separate dimmer switch

Remember that with a VRCZ4, you each side of the toggle can really be a separate Vera scene (not just one, and not just off).[/quote]

Thank you!! That is super helpful.

So, if I go with the MRX, I don’t need another z-wave switch to control those lights? The Zone controller in enough? But for the M0X options, I need to have a z-wave switch plus the zone controller?