Please recommend some switches

Community Playground General Discussions
1

Hi All…

I need a few more light switches for my system and I’m hoping for some suggestions.

My system currently has a Vera Lite and a bunch of Leviton dimmers, mostly model RZI10. They work well enough, but when I try to add a device to the Vera Lite nothing from Leviton is listed. I have been able to add them to the controller as generic devices, but this is a bit of a nuisance. Also, these switches are about 6 years old, and I’m wondering if there are newer ones I should consider.

For now, I just need two simple on/off switches, one an ordinary one-way and the other three or four-way. Ideally they would resemble the Leviton Decora style switches but that’s not a deal breaker. I would prefer devices that don’t need to be polled. I looked in the list of switches in the user interface, but didn’t really see much.

Thanks for your suggestions.

2

A nuisance. Really? Adding as a generic device works fine for all Z-Wave devices. I find it a bigger “nuisance” to go through long lists of manufacturers and devices just to add a simple binary switch.

In order to maintain similar aesthetics, as well as them being among the best switches available, I’d recommend that you stay with Leviton switches.

I’d recommend that you use the Leviton VRS15-1LZ Vizia RF + 15A Scene Capable Switch. I’m sure you’ll be thrilled to know that they are on the device wizard list, but generic device works great as well.

For a dimmer, I’d recommend the Leviton VRMX1-1LZ 1000W Vizia RF ZWave Universal Magnetic Low Voltage Dimmer. It effectively dims newer LED bulbs and supports Instant Status.

3

Thanks for the info.

When I say its a nuisance its because adding with generic takes 4 or 5 tries. The other day I tried adding one and it just didn’t see it. Other times the error was that it could not get manufacturer info. Eventually I got it to work, but I was thinking that if it was in the list it would work properly.

But maybe this is a different issue.

4

We install and sell the Dragon Tech brand. They use the new 500 chipset for increased distances.
They work great.

5

[quote=“Jamr, post:4, topic:191739”]We install and sell the Dragon Tech brand. They use the new 500 chipset for increased distances.
They work great.
http://www.007systems.com/lighting--fan-control.html[/quote]

I can’t find your prices on those, but they look interesting…

6

[quote=“skyjumper, post:5, topic:191739”][quote=“Jamr, post:4, topic:191739”]We install and sell the Dragon Tech brand. They use the new 500 chipset for increased distances.
They work great.
http://www.007systems.com/lighting--fan-control.html[/quote]

I can’t find your prices on those, but they look interesting…[/quote]

Click on the orange link above the description, or the image.

7

[quote=“Jamr, post:6, topic:191739”][quote=“skyjumper, post:5, topic:191739”][quote=“Jamr, post:4, topic:191739”]We install and sell the Dragon Tech brand. They use the new 500 chipset for increased distances.
They work great.
http://www.007systems.com/lighting--fan-control.html[/quote]

I can’t find your prices on those, but they look interesting…[/quote]

Click on the orange link above the description, or the image.[/quote]

But the orange link takes me to a different product. For example, if I am viewing the on/off switch, and I click the orange link, it takes me to a scene controller page.

8

The old upsell switcharoo. ;D

9

[quote=“skyjumper, post:7, topic:191739”][quote=“Jamr, post:6, topic:191739”][quote=“skyjumper, post:5, topic:191739”][quote=“Jamr, post:4, topic:191739”]We install and sell the Dragon Tech brand. They use the new 500 chipset for increased distances.
They work great.
http://www.007systems.com/lighting--fan-control.html[/quote]

I can’t find your prices on those, but they look interesting…[/quote]

Click on the orange link above the description, or the image.[/quote]

But the orange link takes me to a different product. For example, if I am viewing the on/off switch, and I click the orange link, it takes me to a scene controller page.[/quote]
I just tried and it works for me.

10

[quote=“Slartibartfast, post:9, topic:191739”][quote=“skyjumper, post:7, topic:191739”][quote=“Jamr, post:6, topic:191739”][quote=“skyjumper, post:5, topic:191739”][quote=“Jamr, post:4, topic:191739”]We install and sell the Dragon Tech brand. They use the new 500 chipset for increased distances.
They work great.
http://www.007systems.com/lighting--fan-control.html[/quote]

I can’t find your prices on those, but they look interesting…[/quote]

Click on the orange link above the description, or the image.[/quote]

But the orange link takes me to a different product. For example, if I am viewing the on/off switch, and I click the orange link, it takes me to a scene controller page.[/quote]
I just tried and it works for me.[/quote]

The link posted brings me to a page with three devices listed, one of which “Installable ON/OFF Z- Wave Light Switches” and the description below that heading (which is also a link) reads:

These are our On / Off Install able light switches. These switches are installed in the place of your regular switch. They act like a regular switch and give you the additional ability to control whatever is connected to them through your home controller.

If I click on that heading / link I come to a page with a picture of a different looking product that is described as:

This installable Z-Wave light switch by Intermatic is not dimmable and can be programmed with any Z-Wave controller. It is designed to be used as a Z-Wave scene or switch controller. But does NOT control any hardwired electrical device locally.

So yeah, the link works, but it just goes to the wrong place. Either that, or the description on the initial page is wrong or confusing.

11

But despite the 007 ecommerce site issue I’m having, the switches look interesting. They look nice, seem well priced and the extra range they claim is appealing. It does not say if they notify the controller of a state change or need to be polled.

I just read some of the advantages of the 500 series chip over the older 300 or 400 series and it looks like there are lots of nice improvements. It also looks like I would need a newer controller to take advantage. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to make sure new devices use the newer chip.

I have two Leviton RF+ switches arriving today so I’ll install those tonight, but next I might just try one of these.

12

Sorry for the link problems. It seems that it was stuck on an old Intermatic switch we use to sell. Definitely not an “Upsell” I have fixed it.

Yes, you do need either the new Vera Plus or the Vera Edge to take advantage of the new 500 series chipsets.

13

[quote=“Jamr, post:12, topic:191739”]Sorry for the link problems. It seems that it was stuck on an old Intermatic switch we use to sell. Definitely not an “Upsell” I have fixed it.

Yes, you do need either the new Vera Plus or the Vera Edge to take advantage of the new 500 series chipsets.[/quote]

Thanks J, do those switches notify a controller of a state change or do they need to be polled?

14

[quote=“skyjumper, post:13, topic:191739”][quote=“Jamr, post:12, topic:191739”]Sorry for the link problems. It seems that it was stuck on an old Intermatic switch we use to sell. Definitely not an “Upsell” I have fixed it.

Yes, you do need either the new Vera Plus or the Vera Edge to take advantage of the new 500 series chipsets.[/quote]

Thanks J, do those switches notify a controller of a state change or do they need to be polled?[/quote]
The question should be ‘do they do instant status’ or is it like some where they send a message to Vera saying that a control was operated and Vera then Polls to investigate.

15

I am not sure. I have looked over thier docs and it does not say.
If someone knows how to find out, let me know and I can do some tests.

16

[quote=“Jamr, post:15, topic:191739”]I am not sure. I have looked over thier docs and it does not say.
If someone knows how to find out, let me know and I can do some tests.[/quote]

You have seen Homeseer is pushing the same switch with their name on it and it shows instant status… But it would be nice to here from someone else. These same switches are also on Amazon and don’t say anything about instant status but do say"Activate scenes or emergency alerts" which I would take it to mean something.

17

I do see that Home Seer states they “Provides instant status” in the spec sheet here.

18

Here is a nice review of the Dragon Tech switch:

http://zwaveworld.com/2016/all-z-wave-articles/revs/dragon-tech-z-wave-switch/

It says:

Unlike Leviton and Cooper switches, the Dragon Tech switch has to be polled by the system controller in order to discover its on/off state whenever the switch is operated manually. The real-time notification capability of Leviton and Cooper switches is protected by a patent, which may explain why those switches are more expensive. Update: supposedly the patent restrictions on instant notification expire in February 2016, and since the WS-100 supports over-the-air firmware updating, there is a possibility that the Dragon Tech switch can be upgraded by the end-user to enable instant notification. Ask your Dragon Tech vendor about the availability of firmware updates.

19

I love the ones I have installed so far. In fact I started ripping out the old Intermatics CA600’s in my own home to install these because they allow me to use a single LED per switch.

20

The new Dragon Tech switches look nice. Can they be programmed to turn off the blue LED?