I’m about to make a large purchase of in-wall light dimmers and I’d like to settle on one, two at the most, models of light dimmers throughout the house. The goal is to not confuse family and guests as to how things work. I’m constantly analyzing what’s available in the HA market, this post is basically my brain dump and request for feedback from others on their knowledge and experiences.
I’m going to stick with Z-wave dimmers because I can see no compelling reason to go with something else based on a different protocol. For example, while Insteon seems reliable from anecdotal feedback, unless you have a pre-existing investment, why bother choosing it? The dimmer has similar features to many Z-wave dimmers, but you are locked into one manufacturer (that I am aware of). And there’s no price-point advantage.
Models considered:
HomeSeer HS-WD200+
Pros:
Cons:
Cooper Aspire
Pros:
Cons:
All feedback and insights appreciated.
I’m going to stick with Z-wave dimmers because I can see no compelling reason to go with something else based on a different protocol. For example, while Insteon seems reliable from anecdotal feedback, unless you have a pre-existing investment, why bother choosing it? The dimmer has similar features to many Z-wave dimmers, but you are locked into one manufacturer (that I am aware of). And there’s no price-point advantage.
Models considered:
HomeSeer HS-WD200+
Pros:
- Close to a dozen possible scene selections though multi-taps and holds
- Using status lights on dimmer for feedback eliminates the need for a tablet display in some locations.
Cons:
- Dim levels, there is a low-end limit of 6.5%, many LED lights are still too bright at this level. Competitors go lower than this.
- No high-end dim limit function, only low-end. By limiting the high and low end ranges one can have better control locally at the switch.
Cooper Aspire
Pros:
- Can set both high and low-end dimming limits.
- Low-end limit to 4% of power.
- Separate physical dimming control, can bet set whether light is on or off.
- Instant status on both local dimming and direct-associations (need to activate a hidden parameter on older models, have no experience on newer models). No need to use software “tricks” in HA controller.
- Available in two different paddle styles.
Cons:
- Cannot activate multiple scenes.
- Cannot use status lights for system feedback.
All feedback and insights appreciated.
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