Pardon if this has been asked before. I couldn’t find this in search, but it’s a pretty basic question, so it must have been covered here somewhere?
For the LZW30/31 in 3-way configuration, are accessory dumb dimmers also able to trigger scenes?
I tried this (installed with a homeseer HS-WA100), and it doesn’t seem to work in my install. I don’t NEED this functionality, but I would like to just do a quick check if I’ve misconfigured/misinstalled something.
Thanks!
Would love to know the answer as well, as I start to possibly increase my share of Inovelli switches in the household, they will inevitably start commingling with homeseer switches some of which are accessories in 3 way configurations.
The add-on switches cannot be used to trigger scenes. It’s hard to find information on this, but here’s one post where I did:
(I’m guessing this makes them useless in relay-disables scenarios as you might do with smart bulbs, so they’re probably only good if you want on/off control of a switched, multi-way load. FWIW, they can work with scenes on a HomeSeer switch, or at least HomeSeer’s can and I assume GE’s would work the same.)
I’m hoping with some firmware tweaks, it can support it down the road. @EricM_Inovelli @Eric_Inovelli hint hint I would imagine it could be programmed to recognize a certain amount of pulses within a period of time across the traveler to neutral to trigger scenes…
Would it be possible to just install another red series, power it via a neutral, Not connect a load, still connect the traveller in case you want to revert the switch to a normal accessory, and basically operate the switch as a scene controller?
I guess the drawback is you pay extra for what amounts to a 3 way accessory, but all this is being driven by the ultimate requirement to have a switch capable of bypass.
This requirement means I cant use a homeseer load switch even though that combo does allow scenes to be transmitted via the traveller and use a cheaper setup.
I haven’t tried this, but their manual definitely states that you can use a second smart switch in a remote location in a multi-way setup (or a dumb switch or aux switch, both with at least just real loads controlled). You’d need a neutral and line at the second location (or really at both if you’re not controlling a load, though that’s technically not documented…), but you could just cap off the traveler on both ends of the 3-way since it wouldn’t be doing anything. That being said, I assume that if you leave the traveler connected and both switches “on,” it would also be fine.
Again going a little “off book,” they only really appear to recommend this if you’re controlling a load and use Z-Wave association between the two switches. But if you have a system that lets you use the switches/dimmers as scene controllers (like Hubitat, or ST if you don’t mind the cloud delay), I don’t see why they couldn’t just operate independently of themselves and have it be up to you to tie them together (e.g., use them as the same “triggers” for automations–or not) on the hub side.
I’ve seen discussion on the configuration using two inovelli switches (instead of one inovelli and one acc dimmer).
Officially, it’s not supported yet because the light level indicators won’t be in sync. However, Eric has said he doesn’t see why it wouldn’t work, as long as we don’t mind the indicator problem. Eric has also stated they would look into the possibility of adding this feature in future updates.
Assuming Inovelli could push it out and prices stay stable, the cost based on US market pricing would be comparable to one homeseer HS-WD200+ and an accessory dimmer, about $70 per pair. In four and five way configuration, homeseer would have the price advantage, but with the downside of not being able to see the indicator on the child dimmers.
This is where I landed as well for using a 3-way switch with smart lights. Except when associating a z wave bulb to the LZW31–sn there would not be a situation where dimmers are useful for smart bulbs most of the time. As dimming a smart bulb not z wave associated - as almost all pot lights are zigbee not z wave - would just be using the ST hub in my case to dim the light. As there is already a delay in ST cuz cloud, I just put in mutli tap automation for 100.75,50,25 percent brightness… heck you could possibly use Hubitat to actually program it to drop 25% brightness each tap… but not in ST.
So most 3-way setups with smart lights could be on/.off NOT dimmers. And in this scenario the led should reflect the on / off state of the lights.
Hmm I haven’t tried to z wave associate the two switches as well as using scene automation with both relays bypassed… I wonder what results are possible.