Programming Dimmer to only act as ON/OFF

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
#1

Since dimmer switches seem to be about the same as ON/Off relays, is there a way to program Vera to treat the switch as just an on/off? This way I could order on switch and install them on incandescent as well as cfls? I would prefer to have the dimmable option for the same price, but can’t see how to make this change in UI5. I would be buying Leviton Vizia because it seems they are the only company that offers an Ivory switch. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

Tim

#2

It’s not clear what you’re asking …

Some dimmers have programmable ramp levels: you can set the time interval between (local) steps and the (local) step size. So maybe you could set the step size to be 100%, in which case it should jump from off to on.

That doesn’t mean it will be electrical compatible with a cfl though.

#3

Hi

That’s the key difference that timholmesjr is asking. The regular JASCO on-off switch works with LED and CFL lights (as well as incandescent). The dimmer version of this switch only works with incandescent bulbs (I learned this first hand having tried to used a LED bulb with the JASCO dimmer). The switches are different electrical designs.

Don
#4

Yes, the “on-off” switches have a relay in them, the dimmers have electronic control. But, if you have a neutral-requiring dimmer, you may “get away” with controling a CFL if the output level is only ever set to off or to full.

#5
is there a way to program Vera to treat the switch as just an on/off?
This is the easy part, just use the ON/OFF commands in the scene setups and as @autotoronto stated, change the ramp and step rates at the device level.

Taking it a step further, you could replace the dimmer .xml with the binary .xml which would remove the option of using dimmers.

However, removing Vera from the mix, the problem will be at the actual switch, it will still function as a dimmer regardless.

JOD.

#6

This is what I’ve done and it removes the dimming feature at the switch but the software control will still ramp up.

I have not tried the settings that JOD & autotoronto suggested. maybe I’ll have to play with those settings and see what happens.

in the picture ignore the 3, 1 byte dec, 1 that reverses the light on the switch to be on when the light is on unless you want yours reversed as well.

#7
the problem will be at the actual switch, it will still function as a dimmer regardless.
With the dimmers I have you can set a different ramp rate & step size for local control as well as z-wave control. So if you set them both to 100% step size that should stop the local control being a dimmer too.
#8

True, but only as far as a quick tap on or off.
If the local switch is held (even by accident) after pressing the physical button, the switch will try to dim the load.

JOD.

#9
If the local switch is held (even by accident) after pressing the physical button, the switch will try to dim the load.
Not on the dimmers I have. If you set the step size to 100% then it should step directly to off or on while "dimming", because the dimmer level is changing by 100% for each "dimmer" step.

I haven’t tried it though.

#10

In every case I can think of, a dimmer “ramps” the voltage over time–whether that time is set at 0 seconds, 5 seconds, or 10 seconds. When the hardware is set to a ramp rate of 0 seconds, it doesn’t suddenly “become” a relay switch. You’ll likely find that your CFLs will suffer an early death, or even that your dimmer switch will be damaged, if you use CFLs in place of incandescents.

#11

Only slightly OT.

Where are you guys buying On/Off switches? I can see why one would want to use a dimmer as an 1/0 they are at least a little cheaper.

#12

On a side note, I once tried to use 2 dimmable leviton plug in modules programmed as On/Off only commands used for a gate open close command. I had 2x12v power supplies hooked up to 2 12v spdt relays with the vera telling them to turn on for 5 sec and then turn off. It worked fine for a few weeks, then the 12v packs cooked, come to find out the packs were never quite OFF, there was a few volts sitting there. Swapped them out for appliance modules and all was fine. BTW the evolve pm15 & sm20 work great for gates and garage doors and are inexpensive.

#13

I have the same switch (GE) and am looking for a way to force full on with the switch itself, but still retain dimming down from the switch if I so choose. I know some switches support a double tap to go full bright, but the GE does not. Can this be configured?
Also, I don’t want the light to ramp up at a max rate - it would be ideal if nothing changed except that when you turn on the light from the wall switch, it ramped up smoothly to the max brightness and did not ramp up to its last setting, that is all.

Hoping that the OP is looking for the same thing and that I didn’t just hijack.

#14

[quote=“timholmesjr, post:1, topic:170091”]Since dimmer switches seem to be about the same as ON/Off relays, is there a way to program Vera to treat the switch as just an on/off? This way I could order on switch and install them on incandescent as well as cfls? I would prefer to have the dimmable option for the same price, but can’t see how to make this change in UI5. I would be buying Leviton Vizia because it seems they are the only company that offers an Ivory switch. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,

Tim[/quote]

I am new also but after quite a bit of reading I chose the Micasaverde Vera and my light switches are all Insteon switches. They require a neutral and ground connection. They have dimmable switches as well as just non dimmable on/off switches.
When Vera turns my lights on they are on full but I have the ability to dim them if I wish to do so.

http://www.smarthome.com/2476D/SwitchLinc-Dimmer-INSTEON-Remote-Control-Dimmer-White/p.aspx