Bulbs again - which ones work with z-wave & x-10

[lhfarm]

Here's an interesting, albeit long, article on the subject.
http://sound.westhost.com/articles/incandescent.htm

We all should pay particular attention to the section on HA and dimmers in general.

and on the brighter side (no pun intended)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-6162567-7.html

After scan the articles, I guess I'm more concerned that the switch manufacturers aren't addressing this head on.

I don't think I'll buy anymore switches from anyone for now. I'm do some remodeling and may just install manual swtiches instead of z-wave.

Barry

[Rupp]

After scan the articles, I guess I'm more concerned that the switch manufacturers aren't addressing this head on.

I don't think I'll buy anymore switches from anyone for now. I'm do some remodeling and may just install manual swtiches instead of z-wave.

Barry

Home automation blasphemy. Stone this man.
On a serious note, do you guys really dim lights these days? I've not dimmed a light in years. If you need to use the CFL's then relay switches work well, otherwise good old fashion lights still work well and if you really dim them then they should save you money dimmed.

[lhfarm]

Home automation blasphemy. Stone this man.
On a serious note, do you guys really dim lights these days? I've not dimmed a light in years. If you need to use the CFL's then relay switches work well, otherwise good old fashion lights still work well and if you really dim them then they should save you money dimmed.

The only non-dimming switches I have are in the utility room, garage and for outside spots. It is a serious issue for me. If "good old fasion lights" go away - as they have at Sam's - I don't want to be changing out the considerable investment I have in switches. For me, lighting control - not just on/off - is a major part of HA and certainly where my investment has been. It is pretty hard to justify speeding $80 on a switch if all you need to do is turn it on/off.

Barry

[Rupp]

The only non-dimming switches I have are in the utility room, garage and for outside spots. It is a serious issue for me. If "good old fasion lights" go away - as they have at Sam's - I don't want to be changing out the considerable investment I have in switches. For me, lighting control - not just on/off - is a major part of HA and certainly where my investment has been. It is pretty hard to justify speeding $80 on a switch if all you need to do is turn it on/off.

Barry

Yea, when I tell other users that you can replace a $2 switch with an $80 switch and remotely turn in on, off, and maybe even dim they aren't too impressed. Most say for $80 they can get up and do that for free. So the value is in the eyes of the beholder. If dimming is that important then you probably should back off for a while as it tends to take the automation manufactures a significant amount of time to play catch up. By then who know what kind of light bulbs we will have.

[nightwalker]

I'm not using Zwave but dimming is also a major portion of my setup. I use dimming to one degree or another in virtually every scene I have setup. Either for mood lighting, or just using 100 watt spots that are set at 30% most of the time but still have the ability to be turned up if I want something more than just a "mood"

So far to solve this problem I've bought and stored cases of light bulbs. I don't care for CFL's at all but am hoping for some better performance from LED's at some point. I use a fair amount of LED's now but only for cabinet displays and some under cabinet lighting in the kitchen.

[lhfarm]

Yea, when I tell other users that you can replace a $2 switch with an $80 switch and remotely turn in on, off, and maybe even dim they aren't too impressed. Most say for $80 they can get up and do that for free. So the value is in the eyes of the beholder. If dimming is that important then you probably should back off for a while as it tends to take the automation manufactures a significant amount of time to play catch up. By then who know what kind of light bulbs we will have.

I'd be interested to know the percentage of switchs sold by type through the HS store. Until your note, I had assumed the vast majority would be dimming. If I'm correct, then I'd be concerned as a dealer that guys like me are going to stop buying.

Barry

[Rupp]

I'm not using Zwave but dimming is also a major portion of my setup. I use dimming to one degree or another in virtually every scene I have setup. Either for mood lighting, or just using 100 watt spots that are set at 30% most of the time but still have the ability to be turned up if I want something more than just a "mood"

So far to solve this problem I've bought and stored cases of light bulbs. I don't care for CFL's at all but am hoping for some better performance from LED's at some point. I use a fair amount of LED's now but only for cabinet displays and some under cabinet lighting in the kitchen.

Same here. I have over 10 dozen boxes of regular light bulbs on storage. I need to get some 75 watt bulbs. So far all I have are the 100's. At my age dimming is no longer an option.

[nightwalker]

Same here. I have over 10 dozen boxes of regular light bulbs on storage. I need to get some 75 watt bulbs. So far all I have are the 100's. At my age dimming is no longer an option.

I can't disagree with that, I do notice my dim settings are not quite as dim as they once were.

[Wadenut]

Same here. I have over 10 dozen boxes of regular light bulbs on storage. I need to get some 75 watt bulbs. So far all I have are the 100's. At my age dimming is no longer an option.

Rupp ol' buddy, you're just a kid. You don't know yet what dim is.

Actually you're right. Dimming an incan by 20% is hardly noticable and produces a substantial savings in power consumption while extending bulb life by a factor of 4x. I have a Lutron pamphlet on my desk at work which spells out the savings (mean to bring it home and post the info, but I'm getting forgetful).
I suspect the Z-wave swiches which gradually dim up (soft start) the light instead of turning on full (hard) are going to extend bulb life even more. I have a fixture in my basement which uses small vanity type bulbs. Using the old X-10 switch I was constantly replacing bulbs. Since switching to Z-Wave last fall, I haven't had a single bulb fail. That one switch might pay for itself inside two years.

[lhfarm]

Same here. I have over 10 dozen boxes of regular light bulbs on storage. I need to get some 75 watt bulbs. So far all I have are the 100's. At my age dimming is no longer an option.

Rupp, Wadenut,
I have great respect for both of you and will start my stockpile. However, it seems to me to be a poor solution to a real HA problem.

Would it be appropriate to run a poll here on the board of dimming switch users and share that with HS? Is it possible that they could at least relay the collective concerns to their suppliers?

Barry

[Wadenut]

There really is no dillemma.
The options are to either replace all of my (our) existing dimming switches with relay switches and jump on the CFL bandwagon at great expense (rewiring a good portion of the house and replacing incompatible light fixtures at the same time), or to simply prepare for the seige by buying a few cheap light bulbs now while I can.
The biggest selling point of the CFL's has been long life and savings over a long period of time. The actual longevity of these things has yet to be proven.
As my diimmers fail, in select locations, I may in future look at alternative technologies; be that CFL, LED or BLS (BioLuminescent Spheres... dimmable of course).

[lhfarm]

I was trying to count the number of cans we have in our house - there mulitples in every room. Many (the majority) of the bulbs were installed 12 years ago. I'm sure the long life is due to the dimming switches - and the fact that this has been a weekend home. Still, I can't imagine life without the ability to dim. Lighting is a key part of HA for me and to assume I'm to just change doesn't suit me.

I need to yell at someone!

Barry

[Rupp]

There really is no dillemma.

I couldn't agree more. There are still plenty of light bulbs available so no one is forcing anyone to change at least for now. The writtings on the wall though so you had better start stocking up.