It was purchased from Amazon. I’ve managed to modify the cover plate to make it work, and as the switch functions very well, I will keep it. My only concern about reporting it was if someone else had the same issue or maybe alert that there was a problem in production. I didn’t count on being bullied, but I guess that’s the state of things these days. Thank you for the offer. I’ll just look elsewhere for switches in the future as this has left a really bad taste in my mouth.
I do apologize and glad you can make it work. We can still do the return for you in the future if you ever feel the need - it’s OK if the purchase was through Amazon - it was still fulfilled by ZWP or possibly us here at Inovelli.
Good to know the issue is out there, even if a small percentage. I appreciate the input.
I think it’s pretty clear from the picture above that the box is out of square. I’ve done it myself if the hole isn’t cut properly, or there’s some obstruction inside the wall. I try now to buy the thicker plastic boxes that don’t flex like these thin-walled boxes can.
But it also appears that the Inovelli switch you have may have a defect. Not sure if it’s the angle the picture was taken, but it appears that the paddle switch assembly is not centered vertically in the metal housing; it looks closer to the bottom than the top. Also notice how the switch overlaps the four recessed phillips head screws on the mounting plate. The top of the paddle assembly is even or slightly below the top of the two top screws, but well below the bottom of the two bottom screws.
Have you taken the paddle assembly off and tried to realign it? Perhaps the hole was not stamped out correctly? My switches haven’t arrived yet so I don’t know what it looks like when you take the paddle assembly off.
The fact that other switches work also might be because their mounting holes are slightly wider vertically, and therefore more tolerant of out of square boxes. Regardless of whether that’s the case or not, fixing your skewed box certainly wouldn’t make the situation any worse and might very well fix it.
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I’ve got one of the blues installed in a single gang CEC box with the grounding strap and it aligns exactly where the Leviton Zigbee switch was before (I can tell because of paint build up for the Decora screwless cover.) No issues pushing the box in and the ground screw doesn’t interfere.
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I’ve checked and the ground screw 100% does hit the metal bar EXACTLY like the OP had posted.
The screws can still be installed even though the alignment is off a bit.
I have all Inovelli devices, so I can’t tell you if it pushes the device up or down like the OP posted because all the devices in my boxes would be shifted and still align.
Quit telling the OP he’s wrong when you don’t use that type of box. He’s not wrong.
cew0719 - your problem appears to be different. That is definitely a poor job installing the devices and lining them up. Rotate both devices slightly clockwise and loosen the top mounting screw on the left device or tighten the top screw on the Inovelli device so the faceplate screws can hold both devices even. Sometimes, you need to put washers on a mounting screw to hold a device in position.
If a 2-gang box isn’t level then it’s hard to install the devices level.
Agreed. I have one box that has a similar style with a big square brace where the upper screw goes in and the ground screw interferes. I was able to install it by putting it in at an angle and getting the top screw in first, but the switch is definitely under tension and pulling the box down. I can see how if it was a multi-gang box, that it wouldn’t align with the other switches.
Inovelli, should definitely revise their design at some point, especially before they start producing multiple different switches with the same physical dimensions that will all exhibit the same problem. The ground screw should be recessed and not extend past the box, like the other screws do.
I don’t think anybody was telling OP they were wrong. That was clearly an issue where the grounding screw was hitting the grounding strap. I think people were telling the other guy he was wrong because it’s very clear that the box is warped and the install of the switch is crooked yet he insists it’s a design issue with the switch.
I’ve now installed another couple of these switches in CEC boxes with the grounding strap at the top. I can’t replicate the issue. Maybe there’s other versions of these boxes besides the Nutek ones?
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/nutek-one-gang-nail-on-plastic-box/1000805329
https://www.homedepot.ca/product/nutek-two-gang-device-box-with-integrated-bracket/1000404477
In my installs the grounding strap is orientated at the top.
There’s probably 40 or 50 different brands of those boxes with the same design just minor differences in molds.
It’s not just the grounding strap. I have boxes like these that have more plastic around the screw, the grounding screw interferes. It can be forced in, but if a grounding strap was added in there is not way it would fit.
I think a lower profile screw would definitely help.