what do do with old switches?

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
1

Sigh… mostly just moaning here.

I got into this hobby about two years ago, before LED was all the rage. Most of my GE 3-way setup were done first, and alas, don’t handle LED.

Which, sadly, I completely forgot when I decided to change out all the can lights in my kitchen from halogen to LED. Fast forward hours later when I go to turn them off and they won’t shut down completely… actually took me about an hour of thinking about it before I realized what was wrong.

So, my dilemma is to go back to older bulbs for now, or swap out the switches. IF the latter… what the heck do folks do with older switches?

2

Fist, you try to sell them on eBay and Craiglist. Then you put them in that box in the garage for 10 years. Then you try to sell them as vintage or collectible at your garage sale.

…20 years later, you do what you should have done on the first day, throw them away.

3

[quote=“Z-Waver, post:2, topic:189688”]Fist, you try to sell them on eBay and Craiglist. Then you put them in that box in the garage for 10 years. Then you try to sell them as vintage or collectible at your garage sale.

…20 years later, you do what you should have done on the first day, throw them away.[/quote]

I think there is still room in the x-10 box!

4

I have the GE switches as well. I haven’t tried it yet, but I’ve heard/read that you can eliminate the issue with LED bulbs by installing a resistor. Then you could keep the GE switches.

5

I have a bunch of X10 switches - some really nice and expensive when new - I can add to your pile :wink:

6

A safer method is typically to leave one of the lights incandescent.

7

I have found that a simpler, less dangerous method to get the older (neutral not used) GE switches to work with LED bulbs, is to ensure that you have enough load on the circuit… The GE switches require at least 30 watts on the circuit to function properly…

IE: 4 head track light…
4 x 6watt gu10 = 24 watts = doesn’t work properly
3 x 6watt gu10 + 1 x 9 watt A19 = 27 watts = doesn’t work properly
2 x 6watt gu10 + 2 x 9 watt A19 = 30 watts = works properly

8

I have found that a simpler, less dangerous method to get the older (neutral not used) GE switches to work with LED bulbs, is to ensure that you have enough load on the circuit… The GE switches require at least 30 watts on the circuit to function properly…

IE: 4 head track light…
4 x 6watt gu10 = 24 watts = doesn’t work properly
3 x 6watt gu10 + 1 x 9 watt A19 = 27 watts = doesn’t work properly
2 x 6watt gu10 + 2 x 9 watt A19 = 30 watts = works properly[/quote]

Hmmm. I had 5 x 9watt Cree bulbs… still didn’t work.

9

Swap one of the cree’s for a traditional incandescent and see if the resistive load of that stabalizes things. Might not be your preferred solution but you’ll still get kWh savings on 4 /5 locations.

10

I am keeping halogens in my older switches. I have about half older GEs and half newer ones…

11

I tested with the Philips SlimStyle LED bulbs…

It could be that the Cree bulbs are over-rated (in regards to wattage) or that the Philips are under rated, or that the Philips bulbs provide more resistive load…