Need lighting control ideas - HELP!

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
1

One week in to my install, and I’m bamboozled by what is the best way to do something, since there really doesn’t seem to be a wall switch available, other than a Leviton that kinda does what i want. So please give me some ideas of how you all do this in your homes!!! Here’s what i figure is a VERY common scenario you all have.

Most rooms have some type of built in overhead light attached to a wall switch in a single box. We also usually add additional lighting to rooms in the form of lamps that plug into wall receptacles. One easy way to control them using z-wave is to use a zwave switch for the overhead light, and either zwave receptacles or plug-in modules for the lamps.

my question is… to turn on the overhead light… use the switch. the lamps… what? I get using your phone/PC to do it, but what if i want to walk in that room and turn ONLY the lamps on using a switch on the wall???

The wall box is taken up by the switch for the overhead… so what do i do? Insteon makes switches that are scene controllers that also have a single pole connection for the overhead… but then i have to mix my system, just because i want a particular switch. Leviton makes a z-wave version that i’m trying, but it gives me no dimming control of the overhead.

So, what are you all doing in your rooms with overheads AND lamps to control them from the wall?

Thanks for any/all ideas. I feel like I’m totally missing something easy here.

2

My system is mixed, both zwave and insteon. I use the insteon keypad lincs for the very reason you are asking. They are also much more affordable than leviton scene / zone controllers.

  • Garrett
3

If I were keeping it Z-Wave only, here’s how I would solve your question in order of preference.

  1. Expand the existing switch to a multi-gang box and use more than one switch. One dimming switch for the overhead light and a Z-Wave controller like the Evolve LTM-5 associated with the lamp modules.

  2. Replace the existing switch with a multi-button scene controller like the VRCS4-MRZ. Leaves two available scene buttons unused.

  3. Leave the existing switch and use a handheld remote such as minimote for lamp modules.

4

[quote=“garrettwp, post:2, topic:177791”]My system is mixed, both zwave and insteon. I use the insteon keypad lincs for the very reason you are asking. They are also much more affordable than leviton scene / zone controllers.

  • Garrett[/quote]

Thanks to you both… at least i know i’m not crazy!

Garrett… i wanted to go that way, as i found the Leviton lacking a bit (cost and non-dimming). I installed a PLM yesterday, and got it to see my Keypad Linc as 3 devices.

_Dimmer + Scene Controller
_Scene Controller
the on/off switch (for overhead).

But i’m not sure what to do next.

The switch, if it works at all from within U15 is very delayed. I’m wondering if this is because i only have one Insteon device in my house (the Keypad)?

the Dimmer+ Scene Controller doesn’t seem to allow me to configure really anything. I’m guessing that this is just the way Vera sees it as an integrated device, but you don’t do anything with it? true? should i hide it?

The Scene Controller does have a ‘scenes’ tab, but i have no idea how to associate it to an actual scene, as this is all that it displays, but no choices after each:

[i]Automatically turn on/off the scene indicator lights
Activate the following scenes when the buttons are turned on:

Activate the following scenes when the buttons are turned off: [/i]

In the Leviton i played with, this tab had drop down boxes for each button that allowed me to attach it to a scene i had created.

I’m sure i’m doing something wrong here… and know it’s a lot of questions. so i really appreciate all the help.

BTW… are you using Altsteon? i was hoping that my simple (switch) need would keep me from going down that road if possible.

Thanks again…

5

Whoa! I did not suggest that you were not crazy. :wink:

6

Whoa! I did not suggest that you were not crazy. ;)[/quote]

Touche’
I’ve been wanting to do this (HA) for about 5 years… and am now remembering why i kept putting it off!

7

[quote=“tomgru, post:1, topic:177791”]my question is… to turn on the overhead light… use the switch. the lamps… what? I get using your phone/PC to do it, but what if i want to walk in that room and turn ONLY the lamps on using a switch on the wall???

So, what are you all doing in your rooms with overheads AND lamps to control them from the wall?[/quote]

There is another possible solution. You could use plug-in lamp controllers with load sensing on the lamps. Then if you turn on the lamp directly it will turn on the lamp controller and the lamp would turn on. If you want to control them from the wall as well then you could extend the wall box and put in an inexpensive single scene controller like the one’s from Evolve (I think it’s Evolve; I would have to go down the basement to look up the one I’m using) and that switch could activate scenes to turn on or off the lamps. This give you the best of both worlds. You can control the lamps via the wall mounted scene controller, the lamp switches themselves, or both.