Minimote association with micro-dimmer

Devices & Integrations
1

I have a few questions that hopefully someone with an aeon labs minimote and/or an aeon labs micro-dimmer can answer. I searched the forum and I think the answer to number 1 below is yes but I would like to make sure.

  1. Can a minimote associate a micro-dimmer with ge dimming lamp module?

  2. If so, can it associate the same micro-dimmer with two lamp modules at the same time?

  3. Will I be able to dim the lights connected to the lamp modules from the wall switch connected to the micro-dimmer?

Thanks for the help.

1 Like
2

May I ask for clarification to be sure I understand?

Are you referring to a configuration in which you chain a micro-dimmer to a GE dimming module?

i.e., POWER :arrow_right: SWITCH :arrow_right: Aeon Micro Dimmer :arrow_right: Outlet :arrow_right: GE Dimming Module :arrow_right: Lamp

What is your use case / requirement for this sort of configuration, please?
(NB: The GE Dimming Modules will not function if their input power is off or even dimmed…)

Thanks!
…CP / Terry.

3

Thanks for taking a look at this. My family room has only one wall switch in the entire room and it is tied to an outlet. This outlet is nowhere near the lamps. I want the chain, as you correctly outlined above, to control these lamps from the switch. I know I can use a smartapp such as The Big Switch to accomplish this but I want the direct association for faster response times and for those times when ST isn’t playing nice.

Again, thanks.

4

I definitely understand your requirement, and, really, it’s not that unusual; particularly since we now have “smart” lightbulbs (Philips Hue, GE Link, TCP) which are frequently on a circuit that also has a hardwired wall switch:

POWER :arrow_right: wall SWITCH / smart wall switch :arrow_right: Socket :arrow_right: smart lightbulb

In the case of these smart lightbulbs…
This tends to work OK (but not ideal), because if the smart bulb fully loses power when the wall switch is turned off, the bulb has a default action to turn back on to full brightness when the wall switch is turned back on.

For the GE Dimming Module and similar, I am not sure: The default behavior may be to revive to the OFF status. (Indeed, I just tested using a similar module by Remotec – it’s default after power loss is to be OFF when power is restored).

And, of course, if the wall switch is off, SmartThings has no idea what state the switches or bulbs further down in the chain are and cannot control them (and, even if it could, they don’t have any power :flashlight: ).

So … not an ideal configuration, right?

5

I agree, which is why I wanted to use the micro-dimmer. Neither the micro-dimmer or the switch would be connected to the load. The only purpose of the switch and micro-dimmer would be to tell the ge plug to turn on or off (and maybe dim). Ideally, this would be done with a direct association if possible.

6

Oh… That’s different situation then!

I don’t know the association abilities of the microswitch. I wouldn’t be surprised if a Forum search reveals a similar scenario already, though, as that is becoming a popular module.

7

@joshua_lyon I see in another thread that you have experience with the minimotes and associations. Is what I want to do (see first post) possible?

Thanks.

8

I’m pretty sure the micro dimmer can’t send out control commands, which is what is required for that kind of direct association to work. You’ll have to replace the switch with a dimming accessory switch like the Linear WT00Z-1

(Note that you’ll need a neutral wire for the bypass to the outlet to work. You can’t run the power through the accessory switch and then to the outlet because it won’t have enough voltage. Just mentioning because I have a similar situation but the switch was single-pole to the outlet with no neutral so it didn’t work because the accessory switch would have to be wired in parallel with the outlet.)

1 Like
9

Thanks Duncan. I just happened to be looking at that switch based on information from another post. Do you know if the accessory switch can associate with two separate wall plugs (ge wall plugs) so that it could control both plugs st the same time?

10

Yes, most of them can be associated with up to at least 4 devices, I think the Linear one does 5. The manual will generally specify how many it can do. One of the spots is taken up by the SmartThings hub so it can respond to it too.

1 Like
11

That will be perfect from my intended purpose. Thank you for the information.