GE Z-Wave Plus Dimmer & Dimmable Remote—can you dim from the auxiliary switch?

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
1

I see a lot of info about dimmable switches, and 3-way setups but I’m not sure if that means both switch locations are dimmable, or is one just on/off.

We are building a house (framing now) and I want to have two switch locations that control recessed lights. Each location however should be able to dim/brighten but I’m not sure if you can simply use two GE Z-Wave Plus dimmable switches or if there is a dedicated dimmable remote?

From what it looks like to me, you can have a dimmable switch and a remote switch but that remote switch will only do on/off, no dimming. Am I misunderstanding this or how do you get 3 and 4-way switches in a Z-Wave setup?

Thank you in advance!

2

Wire it for a dumb 3/4/5 way setup with neutrals in each box of course. All you need is 1 master dimmer and then slaves. The slaves will send dim commands to the master. All locations will be able to dim the same light.

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3

Thanks Ron,

Are slaves and masters the same GE Z-Wave Plus dimmer switch or is there a separate switch needed?

4

There is a separate auxiliary switch. It doesn’t have any smarts in it - it’s just a momentary switch that sends pulses down the traveler. Typically it costs about $19 or $20. … which I find criminal when you open the device and find it’s mostly empty air and two momentary switches inside! Literally. That’s it. It shouldn’t cost more than $5 in my opinion.

Here is the device on Amazon. The same one works with Z-Wave, ZigBee, and Bluetooth smart switches made by Jasco and branded by GE, Honeywell, and maybe others.

5

If you prefer the toggle switch style…

6

But that momentary switch won’t dim the lights, just turn them on/off, correct? I want that location to dim as well…

7

The Slaves (Auxiliary) as posted above will work just like the Dimmer if you buy the Dimmer Master (Smart). It will work just like a Switch if you only by the Switch Master (Smart).

In other words, they are just extensions of the main Smart Device. Works with Dimmers, Switches and Fan Controllers in a 3-way, 4-way or 5-way setup.

8

Incorrect.

It sends a voltage pulse (or continuous voltage if you hold it down) to the main switch which interprets that as a command to switch on, off, dim up, or dim down. Dimming works by holding the switch down.

If the main switch is just a standard on/off z-wave switch, holding down the button on the add-on/aux/slave switch only turns the main on/off. If the main switch is a fan or dimmer switch, holding down the button on the add-on speeds up/down the fan or dims up/down the light.

Main switch does all the work. Add on is just a couple dumb buttons.

9

You can think of the add-on switch as a simple wire-or extension of the buttons on the front of the z-wave switch if that helps at all.

10

Great explanation, thank you!!! Master dimmer and a remote switch will work!