Can you dim a group of GE Link light bulbs?

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
41

As usual, nifty that we can implement creative features using SmartApps … though, also “as usual”, there are limitations to what SmartApps due to weak or hidden links in the ecosystem.

The lack of “dim group” functionality is pretty obvious, however, and I’m optimistic that it is on the Developer’s radar.

In general, the Shortcut feature is, no offense intended, half-baked: Even single light shortcut icons on the “Lights & Switches” page do not allow access to the settings drilldown (gear-button), and thus cannot be dimmed or brightened.

The more general feature request I have is that ANY “Thing” should be representable by an unlimited number of shortcuts which can be grouped arbitrarily (by sets of lights, by rooms, by function (e.g., security), etc.), such that a shortcut can appear on more than one screen (e.g, a light belongs to a room, but could also belong to the Security Group if this light is triggered by an outside motion detector…). Furthermore, for multi-function devices such as the SmartSense Multi, the default view of the icon should be individually selectable for each shortcut. A single Multi demands the ability to have at least 4 shortcuts for the 4 possible depictions: 1.(open/closed), 2.(active/inactive), 3.(three axis xyz), and 4.(temperature).

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42

Good stuff Todd.

I noticed that the virtual dimmer doesn’t respond to endpoints. For instance the endpoint example and the HADashboard. Any ideas why?

43

Thanks Gilbert.

I figured out issue with using the dashboards. I was overriding the on/off methods. It’ now fixed. I tested with TCP/GE Link bulbs as well as GE wall dimmers. Download from my github at:

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44

I have tried to cut and paste the code for the Virtual Dimmer and keep getting this error. I pulled it from Github:

No signature of method: script1414104417011864205761.metadata() is applicable for argument types: (script1414104417011864205761$_run_closure1) values: [script1414104417011864205761$_run_closure1@20d076be] Possible solutions: getMetadata(), getState(), setState(java.lang.Object), metaClass(groovy.lang.Closure)

Any thoughts?

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Cut and paste from the “raw” screen on git hub. It’s clean code that way.

46

I have added an Agenda Request to this week’s Developer Office Hours conference call to ask / discuss if SmartApps can fork off parallel processed threads (i.e., concurrent / simultaneous sections of code).

If you convolute your code, or set up SmartApps that are triggered by the same Event(), then it is evident the SmartCloud does process distinct app instances concurrently.

But we would like to have the ability to do this within an otherwise single linear App, of course, right?

…CP.

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Awesome… It would be great to dim them as a group.

48

I have a similar scenario I’m trying to get working:

I have two table lamps with GE Link bulbs and a floor lamp with a Leviton dimmer module.

I have a Linear Z-Wave 3-Way Wall Dimmer Switch - WT00Z1 (auxiliary switch, no load) that I’d like to use to control the dimmer level of the three lamps.

I was able to set up the switch with the Dim With Me smart app and it works for on/off, but dimming does not work. If I try to use the switch as a dimmer, it doesn’t change the dimmer level in the master dimmer switch device in the app. Even if I use the app to change the level directly, it doesn’t change the lamps.

Is what I am trying to do possible? I’m completely new to Z-Wave and SmartThings, btw so if I missed some documentation or tutorials, feel free to just point them out.

Thanks

49

Do these operate normally from their perspective device tiles, On/Off/Dimming?

Does this device have the anticipated changes show up in it “activity” screen within the device’s detail tiles? Do you see it going on/off and the dimming levels change? Also:

  1. Go into “https://graph.api.smartthings.com/”
  2. Choose “Manage you hubs”
  3. Choose the hub
  4. Scroll down in the (devices) section and select the “Linear Zwave Dimmer”.
  5. Under “Current States” you should see a "switch (on or off) and a “level (some number)” state.

If either one of the states aren’t showing the linear is not reporting correctly.

I’m not understanding your statement above. Which “app” are you talking about?

What you’re trying to do is possible, but it sounds like the states of the Linear Dimmer are not getting published as what the “Dim with Me” app expects.

See if you can answer my questions above and we can go from there.

EDIT: After thinking about this some more, this might be coming from the patent issue where Linear might not have licensed the “instant update” for dimming values. On/Off will work, but not dimming. I think if you wait, it will eventually report correctly and the slaves will change. Not acceptable :frowning:

@urman or @duncan , Is Linear one of the devices that don’t dimmer update good?

50

Thanks for the response

Yes

I see both state and level

Sorry, I mean from the dimmer device tile. I can change the dimmer level of the linear switch from the tile, but it doesn’t affect the lamps.

When I try to use the Linear switch to change the level, the slider in the device tile doesn’t change. Not even delayed.

Thanks again.

51

@rjbutler,

I’ve updated the Dim with Me app. You can try updating it with the new code, but I doubt it will help. I don’t think the Linear switch is posting it’s level setting.

Let me know if you try it.

52

@wackware

I tried the new code and you’re right, it doesn’t work with the Linear switch.

Interesting, though, if I set the master to be the Leviton Dimmer module, that doesn’t work either (adjusting the level using the tile doesn’t affect the GE Link bulbs). But if I set the master to one of the GE link bulbs it DOES control all three lamps. I tried with both the standard GELink device and your version.

I also tried to install your Better Virtual Dimmer, but it always shows as Inactive. Not sure what I’m doing wrong, but I’ll experiment a little more.

53

@wackware

Can you recommend some brands that do post the level setting correctly?

Thanks

54

My first time using my smartapps and have followed Todd’s instructions to Zack’s question from the start. Good job guys!, thanks it worked for this newbie.
I don’t see that this question from John was ever answered…or I can’t find it. I need to get the virtual dimmer control into the switches section or my wife will never find them. Is it possible?

55

I’ve combed through this thread several times trying to make sure I’ve followed all the steps correctly (it’s a bit scattered). I can turn on/off a group of GE Link bulbs, but no dimming, only the master dims. Here’s what I did:

  1. create smart app “dim with me” from github code, save and publish
  2. create new device type “Wackware GE Link Bulb” from github, change two GE Link bulbs to new type
  3. install “dim with me” smart app, set one bulb as master, 2nd bulb as slave for both on/off and dimmer

On/Off works, but the dimmer works only for master bulb, not slave. Can anyone tell me what I missed? It seems like I’ve done everything that others on this thread have done, but without dimming. I believe I have the latest code because I went to github to get it. Could there be something newer?

56

I’m beginning to lose faith in these bulbs, at least for my application.

I currently have three GE Link bulbs in one overhead fixture. I’ve tried various setups ranging from the suggestions listed here to having three separate motion triggers (one for each bulb). With every setup, eventually, only two of the bulbs will light up. What makes it painful is that it’s always random which bulb doesn’t light up. If it was consistently one bulb, I’d simply swap that out. Is controlling three bulbs too much for the hub to handle? My ST hub is only one room away in a modest 1350 sq ft home (with an open doorway between the two rooms.)

Here is my current configuration:

  • Latest “Dim with Me” installed with the “Better Virtual Dimmer” set as the Master and the three GE Link bulbs set as the slaves.
  • The “Better Virtual Dimmer” and the three bulbs all have the latest “Wackware GE Link Bulb” assigned as Device Type.
  • An Ecolink motion sensor triggers the Better Virtual Dimmer on motion and is set to turn off when no motion is detected.

Having the bulbs turn on at various dim levels does seem to work. However, as mentioned above, eventually, only two of the three bulbs will turn on. Viewing the bulbs in the “Connected Things” window shows that ST thinks that all four lights (1 virtual, 3 GE Link) are on. I thought these things were able to report there status back to the hub… maybe a SmartApp could check the status and correct it?

Additionally, there seems to be a reset issue with one of the Smart Apps. If I walk back into the room immediately after the lights turn off (after not detecting motion for 4 minutes), no amount of motion will turn them back on. However, according to “Connected Things”, the motion detector is seeing the motion and the hub thinks all lights are lit. This issue isn’t quite as pressing though…

I’m considering either returning these bulbs or assigning them to various locations where they won’t need to be used together. My current house wiring prevents me from using a dimming Z-Wave switch for this 3 light fixture. I may have to install a simple on/off switch that doesn’t require a neutral wire…

57

@DITPL I believe that GE make a dimmer that don’t use a neutral wire. Here a link.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_339578-1353-45639_0__?productId=3707738&Ntt=ge+zwave+dimmer&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dge%2Bzwave%2Bdimmer&facetInfo=

58

@llcanada Thank you! I’ve noticed that this switch doesn’t work with LED or CFL bulbs, but I wonder if it’ll work in my situation because it’ll be running three bulbs (3 x ~12 watts)… Thanks, I’ll give it a try.

59

@theamzngq try using the Better Virtual Dimmer as a virtual switch to be the master and put both GE Links as slaves.

@DITPL and @theamzngq you may want to check out the device type in this thread for the GE Links. It built on the Wackware version to add additional status updating. You can use them with Pollster to get frequent status updates. Also adds transition time into dim level and on/off.

It won’t solve the issue of one bulb being missed. I still haven’t found a good solution for that.

60

Thanks for the tip, @Sticks18. I have tried using the Better Virtual Dimmer and it didn’t seem to work as expected, but I’ll try it again (you know how your brain gets fried trying a thousand varations of something?) And thanks for pointing out the newer device type for the GE bulbs, I’ll definitely try that as well.