How Can I Wire a Z-Wave Switch w/No Actual Load

[SouthFloridaMatt]

I am trying to add a Z-Wave GE dimmer switch to a wall to act as something to fire events in HomeSeer - NOT to control an actual load. My question is, how do I wire this since the switch is designed to also be an actual light switch?

- Since it's a dimmer, the switch only has 3 wires - line, load & ground
- Available to me in the switch box are line, ground & neutral

I'm asking this question because I'm sorry to say I blew up a Z-wave dimmer tonight wiring it the way I ***thought*** it would work: Ground to ground, obviously, line to line, and load to neutral. The switch LED lit up and I was able to add it to HomeSeer. However, when I physically tried to switch it - POP! It flashed from the inside and smoked. So, apparently I wired it wrong I just want the switch to be powered so it can send Z-Wave signals to HomeSeer.

Any help would be appreciated.

[Michael McSharry]

Your load to neutral is causing power to be sourced from line directly to neutral/ground which means a short circuit through the switch. Your load should not be connected to anything since you are not trying to control anything. What I do not know is if the switch will operate without a load connected. It should, but it may be expecting some feedback to measure current flow etc.

[sdesbles]

I agree with the previous post to leave the load unconnected (block off with a wire nut). But perhaps a better approach is to use a z-wave controller which looks like a switch but is intended for the function you describe. The ZTW103 is a pretty inexpensive controller. Others exist as well.

[SouthFloridaMatt]

This came up because I bought a GE 3-way kit, and their 'slave' switch - with the low voltage 'communications' wire - is very finicky, forcing the lights about 10-20% lower than their max, and preventing the CFLs to come on from a 'cold' start.

My solution is to put a full function Z-Wave dimmer where the slave switch was going to go.

I will try what you both suggested - only hooking up the 'line' wire, and not using the 'load' wire tomorrow to see if that actually powers the switch's radio.

[kaldoon]

The Auxialary Switch is actually a voltage divider circuit. It has a few electronic components inside which divide the voltage in such a way so it will send a specific voltage range back to the master unit - your best solution is to use the ZTW103

[SouthFloridaMatt]

The ZTW103 looks interesting... I am trying to use a GE dimmer because I just got 3 of them at RadioShack for $38 a piece - same price as the ZTW103s - however they are not really designed for this

I looked at the wiring guide for the ZRW103's - they take in a 'line' and a 'neutral'... I am not sure just wiring my dimmer to a 'line' and nothing else will work - doesn't the electricity need a path to complete the circuit?

[virtualadam]

So if I want to hookup a 3-way without a proper traveller, could I then hookup a standard Z-Wave 3-Way like the GE 45606 with a ZRW103 for the other switch? Assuming then the GE controls the load, and the ZRW103 just sends signals to HomeSeer, which then relays the commands to the GE switch?

[Bill Brower]

I don't know why it would pop for no load.
What if you had 1 incandescent bulb on the circuit and the bulb went out?

[kaldoon]

Again the ZTW103 is the best solution - the Auxilary Switch is actually a voltage divider circuit. It has a few electronic components inside which divide the voltage in such a way so it will send a specific voltage range back to the master unit

[Monk]

I am trying to add a Z-Wave GE dimmer switch to a wall to act as something to fire events in HomeSeer - NOT to control an actual load. My question is, how do I wire this since the switch is designed to also be an actual light switch?

- Since it's a dimmer, the switch only has 3 wires - line, load & ground
- Available to me in the switch box are line, ground & neutral

I'm asking this question because I'm sorry to say I blew up a Z-wave dimmer tonight wiring it the way I ***thought*** it would work: Ground to ground, obviously, line to line, and load to neutral. The switch LED lit up and I was able to add it to HomeSeer. However, when I physically tried to switch it - POP! It flashed from the inside and smoked. So, apparently I wired it wrong I just want the switch to be powered so it can send Z-Wave signals to HomeSeer.

Any help would be appreciated.

Couple of ways to go - if you want to use a switch, use one that is "relay" operated - The Leviton has one that needs Line, Neutral, and "Load" - you can hook up only the line and neutral and it will actuate the relay only + the benefit of performaing an event in Homeseer.

Method 2 - if you smoked your switch (sorry) pickup one of the cheap zwave remotes that Radio Shack is selling. You can have homeseer recognize it is a "switch" to perform an event.