Z Wave dimmers/fan/compatible LED candelabra lamps

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
#1

Okay, so I have GE Z Wave dimmers controlling the lights in our fan in the living room. It uses 4 candelabra base lamps.

I have tried numerous “dimmable” LED lamps. But they all react in the same manner.

They refuse to turn off. The flicker while dimmed (visibly). Their dimming curve is very steep. And on some of them, if I take the dimmer all the way down on some of them, they cycle all the way back to on. HELP!!!

#2

The topic of dimming LEDs and various Z-Wave dimmers is covered EXTENSIVELY throughout this forum.

The short version is that you need decent/good LED bulbs(I have no experience with candelabra ones) that will work with a TRIAC type dimmer and you also need a Z-Wave dimmer that utilizes a neutral wire. The GE/Jasco 45612 Dimmer Switch cannot be used as it lacks a neutral wire and feeds current through the circuit, even when “Off”.

With good bulbs, you could use the LINEAR WD500Z-1 500-Watt Wall Mount Dimmer or the identical Evolve LRM-AS. Although expensive, the Leviton VRE06-1LZ 600W Electronic Low Voltage Scene Capable Dimmer also provides excellent results.

#3

Ouch. That hurts. We have to use the GE ZWave dimmers because of our home automation system. I have tried several brands of LED lamps. I guess I will have to just keep trying.

But there are apparently some incandescent lamps that don’t work with them. I just bought 40W lamps and at around 70% or so they click off.

These have no neutral.

I had lamps that seemed to work well, but they were far too dark for my living room.

#4

What home automation unit do you have? I imagine the Vera? Any Z-Wave switch will work with the gateway - the question really is which switches will work with the LEDs.

I have the old GE 45606 switches, and so far I have installed 4, and had a problem with one on LEDs. I am still troubleshooting.

In my browsing recently, I came across this switch from Leviton, which explicitly states it will work with LEDs:

Yes, it is expensive, but may be worth looking into!

#5

We use Iris from Lowes.

We are looking for dimmers and not switches. I have read a lot about switches that work with LEDs. I just can’t find anything on dimmers.

I did find that apparently they have a 40W minimum. Which would explain LEDs but doesn’t explain the behavior of the 4 40W incandescent lamps in there now.

#6

Sorry, by switch I meant dimmer - “dimmer switch” is what I was thinking in my head.
Iris appears to be Lowes branding for Z-Wave devices. I’d imagine the Leviton would work just fine.

All the GE dimmers I have, have neutral wires - so unfortunately I can’t be help there on testing anything for you.
^correction made - thanks Z-Waver, don’t want to be sharing incorrect info. While my GE 45606 switches have been working fine with CREE LED retrofit lights, they do NOT have a neutral wire^

If it were me I’d try the Leviton - personal I don’t like the look or feel of the Leviton switches/dimmers, but as they are the only choice in certain cases, I am willing to use them. I just ordered their Z-Wave fan control to test out.

#7

There seems to be some confusion here, perhaps it’s typos. I have already stated most of this.

If you didn’t find any information about dimming LEDs then you did not really look. There are tons of posts on this forum about it.

The GE 45606 dimmer does NOT utilize a neutral wire and will have issues with LED bulbs. Don’t use this dimmer for LEDs.

To avoid problems with LED bulbs, your Z-Wave dimmer must utilize a neutral wire. These Z-Wave dimmers do work with LED bulbs.
LINEAR WD500Z-1 500-Watt Wall Mount Dimmer or the identical Evolve LRM-AS.
Leviton VRE06-1LZ 600W Electronic Low Voltage Scene Capable Dimmer.

In addition, you must use a “good” LED bulb. Many brands produce dimmable LED bulbs that do NOT work well with Z-Wave dimmers, or dimmers in general. The Cree bulbs from Home Depot do work well. There are also a few other LED bulbs that work.

The Leviton dimmer posted by @ams143 will work. However it is a 1,000 watt dimmer, which is completely unnecessary for most LED installations. The 600 watt Leviton that I posted above is a better choice.

#8

Thanks. I got that. But like I said that doesn’t do me any good since neither are compatible with our home automation system.

I also wonder why I am having problems with incandescent lamps. That seems to make no sense.

#9

These have worked well for me too, even with an older dimmer switch that was not designed for CFLs/LEDs.

#10

Yeah, they didn’t work at all in mine. Of course it has no neutral.

#11

Thanks Z-Waver! I have corrected my post.

I also picked up 4 Linear dimmers you suggested to play around with - I am installing new recessed lighting in all the bedrooms using CREE retrofit LED fixtures and plan to use the GE 45606 as I have many at home, but in case I have issues, I’ll have the Linear units to use now.

While I was at it I also picked up Aeon Multi-Sensors, thinking I can put them in the bathrooms, garage, and basement to automate lights turning on, exhaust fans, etc. Been meaning to get a few, and found a decent price, so figured I’d rack up an insane credit card bill this month! haha

#12

These have worked well for me too, even with an older dimmer switch that was not designed for CFLs/LEDs.[/quote]

I have 2 of these (60w versions) that are controlled by a leviton VRI06 dimmer (2 wire), so some LEDs will work if the LED drivers were made to work with old style dimmers. I don’t even have the 40w minimum (it’s about 13w) and they work perfectly fine. Obviously this is a case of the right dimmer and the right bulb, so YMMV. I’m curious as to why any z-wave system wouldn’t use any z-wave switch/light. I understand that the proprietary stuff may not work, but you’re just talking about a dimmer here (pretty common device).

That being said, I haven’t used Iris, so maybe they are somehow locking down what devices work with their system. @Esoteric, have you tried dimmers from alternate companies?

#13

I haven’t. Didn’t want to waste the money until I was sure it was compatible. Six hours of reading and I still have no idea.

#14

Have you tried contacting the Iris support folks? That’s why you pay them monthly, right? This is a Vera forum, there aren’t going to be many/any Iris users here.

#15

Yup they couldn’t tell me.

I never saw where this was labeled as a forum for any one type of controller.

I apologize.

#16

The name at the top of the forum is the company that produces the Vera home controller.

  • Garrett
#17

Gotcha. I just thought this was a forum for green (env friendly) houses (mi casa verde).

I apologize.

#18

[quote=“Esoteric, post:17, topic:181351”]Gotcha. I just thought this was a forum for green (env friendly) houses (mi casa verde).

I apologize.[/quote]

We have been waiting for you to say you were throwing that Iris out the window and switching to Vera. Ahahahah

Just joking, but if you were… Now would be a great time to do that and save yourself from paying a monthly fee any longer. ;D

#19

Looks like I can pay a year of fees for the price of the Vera buy in. :wink: But if I can’t get this issue resolved by the Iris folks I might look into it (assuming all my devices are compatible).

#20

Yes, actually Verlite costs atleast 160.00 so more then a year if you throw you Iris out the window instead of trying to get anything for it.

From a start up cost if you didn’t own Iris they very close to the same.

Good news is after first year you are home free. But the reality is the devices cost way more then the controller. Many of us myself included have multiple locks, a/c thermostats, tons of switches, few relays and many other things.

Some of these devices (locks) costing more then or same as the controller its self.

So I consider the controller cheap since I have 200.00 in it where as several thousand in devices.

Hangout around here and you’ll get addicted, seeing all the neat ideas. There is many Phone, or tablet apps to choose from and a ton of different devices that are not even z-wave that have plugins which are supported. Existing (non z-wave) Home alarms for example can be plugged into VERA and you now have a bunch of door and window sensors that your able to view from your mobile device as if it were a Z-wave device. There are many more of these sort of things that you able to control threw Ethernet, usb or serial cables even if the device is not Z-wave. Vera Is very open to options and devices and has a great support community.