Switches and Protocals, Compared

Okay, I've been trying to find a concise comparison between various dimmer switches using the various technologies.

The switches must have the following capabilities:

1) Top/on, bottom/off 2) Local dimming 3) ramp up/down 4) preset dim 5) resume dim (preferably) 6) 600w or greater load capacity

2-way isn't really necessary for me, though it'd be nice. Scene control isn't, since my computer handles that.

In ascending price (and I assume reliablity) order, it seems the options are:

Smarthome X10 Switchlinc (~$35) Smarthome Insteon Switchlinc (~$70) ZWave ($75) UPB ($75, but I figure you'd get the $80 universal base for flexibility) RadioRA ($150)

The Smarthome Switchlinc (X10) really only has a significant price advantage when you get the basic version. If you get the 2-way version with scene settings (making it a more comparable product to the rest listed) it's right up there with the others.

So.

What am I missing? Can someone fill in some details about reliability, where to buy, what to know about pros and cons of each technology? I'm having a lot of trouble finding a comparison in one place.

Thanks for your suggestions --

:Lee

Reply to
E. Lee Dickinson
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Hi Lee,

I think you have it outlined pretty well. All of the switches you mentioned are all pretty reliable. The one on your list that (in my opinion) that is least reliable is the Xwave switch. I'm sure others may disagree but in looking at we get back in returns, I'll stand by my statement. Zwave also has the shortest warranty period.

As far as what to pick, the main thing is to take a good look at what your requirements are, how you will be controlling it, and the look and feel you are trying to accomplish and your budget.

I am personally a big fan of using 2-way switches but I can understand some people not sharing that opinion due to the added expensive of the switches.

In my house I have over 80 2-way switches and am very happy with it.

A tread I have been noticing with the professional installers that buy from us is a shift towards UPB with it's added reliability and ease of set-up.

Martin Custer

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Reply to
AutomatedOutlet.com

Martin,

What reas>Hi Lee,

Reply to
Dave Houston

I would agree with Martin. The only thing I would add, is consider if you will use software or hardware down the road. if you stick with X-10 or UPB technologies you will have the highest chances of compatibility with control systems. I would only recommend Radio Ra if you need terra cotta wall plates, as they are the only switch manufacture that carry 32 different colors for their switches, everyone else has the basic 3 (White, Ivory, and Almond) plus some may carry grey and black.

I have not found many that require a two-way application. I have lived with X-10 for 5 years and I have not discovered a need for two-way communications. I know there are applications out there, but you have not mentioned them, and there are ways to program around the loss of two-way.

If you want a stay sub$40 for light switches, I would recommend the Smartlinc, or Levitons classic series switches like the 6381, or 6383 but they are 500 watts, and you can find them at a bargain price. Levitons classic series are one-way extended code, and have a red LED.

Reply to
Brett Griffin

Have you noticed the "power glitches" factory reset issue often?

Reply to
RF Dude

You might also include the Leviton 16383 (600 watts) and 6343 (1000 watts). Their codes are set via switches, and they do not lose their settings with power glitches. I have a bunch in service with no problems after 2 years.

Reply to
Jeff Volp

Personally in 5 years with I have never seen this.

I use the following soft programming switches: Leviton HCM06 (600 Watt) Simply Automated 1130W (1000 Watt)

Reply to
Brett Griffin

There have been enough reports of this type of behavior in the archives to convince me that some X-10 gear without codewheels will reset itself on occasion.

There are some areas of the US where the power blips substantially. IMHO, it's gotten worse, not better, as the national power grid grows more deeply interconnected each year. I have a whole house full of UPS's that sing all the time in the stormy summer months as the voltage sags or gets reset.

If a house has a lot of motor appliances that start back up after a brief (<

1") outage, there will be some serious perturbations in the powerline as a result. Under these circumstances, it's hard to believe an electronic switch *wouldn't* blow its mind. If the end user runs switches in the dimmed mode, the switchbox temps are likely to soar, further inducing possible mayhem, especially in the summer. In old plaster and lathe era electrical work, cramming even a stock X-10 switch requires some real work. There's virtually no airflow in those switchboxes. Worse, still, they're often in an insulated wall with a very high R-value. Resetting to A-1 is probably the *least* of the problems an end user might see. I suspect a lot of complex X-10 switches just fry themselves to death.

I'll bet that things *are* getting better, though, as controlling chips get smaller and require less power to operate.

While I can see the benefits of soft programming a unit's addresses, there's a lot of comfort in being able to pop a face place and see two dials.

-- Bobby G.

Reply to
Robert Green

I don't use the line-programmable units, so I have no personal experience with them. I did see a few problem reports several years ago. Because of that, I chose to stay with the older codewheel programmable units. Here's one I found with a quick search:

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I did have a problem with Leviton Microdim switches (not X10). They would occasionally switch on by themselves, usually in pairs. But, we have never had a problem with any of the Leviton 6343, 16383 & 16293 switches.

Reply to
Jeff Volp

I'm not sure I understand why. I would assume they are storing this data in EEPROM which usually can retain data for a matter of years (e.g. Microchip

24C64 has 200 year data retention, PIC12F683 Flash/Data EEPROM Retention: > 40 years) unless deliberately erased/rewritten.

I suspect design/programming flaws.

Reply to
Dave Houston

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