Switch to switch ( Big Switch for Dimmers?)

If this has been explored lots of times I am sorry I am just not finding the answer. I have two GE zwave switches in my living room. The one that connects to the actual light is in a very inconvenient place we’ll call switch A . So I have added another wall switch ( switch B) that I have connected to switch A using big switch. I would have to cutt a whole in my ceiling to get a connecting wire between the 2 switches and I would prefer not to do that My issues are.

  1. I can’t use the dimmer from switch B to dim thevlights ( it has only given me on/off control)
  2. There is a 3-5 second delay from the time I touch switch B until the lights come on

Is there a smart app solution that would allow me to connect directly switch to switch so i can control faster and do dimming. Are there switches compatible with smart hub i can change that would connect to each other and do dimming. Any help would be much appreciated

Take a look in this thread as I believe it may have the answers you’re looking for.

There are several different ways to do this, but it is going to depend on the exact model numbers of the switches that you have, because different switches have different features. So the first thing is we need to know the model numbers if you want to take full advantage of the features in the switch. . :sunglasses:

(For example, older models of the GE switches do not support association, which is the method in the thread that @ogiewon just linked to.)

Meanwhile, if you just want to jump immediately to a smartapp approach which should work with any dimmer switch that can be controlled by SmartThings, there are several smart apps which will tie two dimmers together. I think the most popular right now is “trendsetter” but there are others including “dim and dimmer” and “dim with me.” Each had slightly different features.

You can find all of these by checking the quick browse lists in the community – created wiki in the smart app section and looking on the “lighting” list.

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=How_to_Quick_Browse_the_Community-Created_SmartApps_Forum_Section

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I have the older 12724 switches and to be clear switch B has no lights on it , it is being used purely to control switch A

OK, that model does not support Association, so you can skip the thread that @ogiewon suggested, it won’t apply.

https://products.z-wavealliance.org/products/1197

Instead, I suggest you just try trendsetter instead of the big switch. If you have any questions about it, ask in the author’s thread:

Or you could also do this by going directly to web core

Either way, there will be lots of people to help you if you have any problems getting it set up.

I know it’s seems like there should be a much easier way to do this. :disappointed_relieved: If someone knows of one, please.

Thank you for the help had some problems with trendsetter the lights would not turn on so I will try again later.
Can anyone tell me of another switch brand i should choose if i want to go the assocaition route. I think that is my preferred route at this point anyway

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Nortek makes a popular model which is sold under a number of different brand names, including Linear and GoControl. These can use association. And you can get one of the master for the switch which is controlling the circuit and the auxiliary for the other location.

Shop around, particularly at Home Depot, because the price on the auxiliary at Amazon looks High to me today.

Another option would be to get a Lutron Caseta dimmer and use its associated pico, which is a battery operated device, for the second position. However, in order to get the integration with SmartThings, you also need to get their smartbridge. (One SmartBridge can handle up to 40 Lutron devices).

Both are good choices and will allow for dimming from the auxiliary position. :sunglasses:

Don’t want another hub but if i am understanding two of the above would work one as the main switch that goes to the light, the second to the auxiliary which only has power and would associate directly with the one connected to the lights

Sorry shoulda read better thank you so much for the advice, I think this is the way I want to go

So reading closely, Will the Linear ones work with LED bulbs. It is connected to a can light system with 6 bulbs. The GE Switch works fine so I would think this one would as well thoughts?

No, you don’t get two of the WD500, you get one WD500 and one WT00Z.

Put the WD 500 in the master position. This is the one that can control the current to the light fixture.

Put the WT00Z in the auxiliary position. It will essentially function as a wireless remote for the WD 500. The WT00Z is not a battery powered device. It will be wired into the wall, but it doesn’t have to be on the same circuit as the WD 500.

https://www.nortekcontrol.com/pdf/manuals/WT00Z1_manual.pdf

By setting these up for direct association, you will get the fastest possible interaction between them. But the master switch, the WD 500, doesn’t support association, so if you have 2 WD 500s you can’t do that. That’s why you want one auxiliary and one master. It’s the control of the master from the auxiliary that you need association for.

Walmart has a better price on it today