Use a Minoston Z-wave scene button as a dimmer

Devices & Integrations Connected Things
1

I just added a Minoston Z-Wave 800 Series Scene Remote Control 4 Buttons (MR40Z). I was able to get it connected after some hassle (the manual gives an erroneous name for the required Edge driver).

I was hoping I could use it as a dimmer, but it seems limited in that regard. For example, I can use the Held action to trigger routines for the light I want to control, but then the available routines are:
Turn on or off
Turn on
Turn off
Brighten gradually
Dim gradually

I thought the latter two might be the ticket, but they have a minimum fade time of 5 minutes, and a fixed brightness range. So you’d have to wait around a good while for it to change, and it’s not like it’s changing brightness relative to its current setting; it just ranges from one fixed endpoint to the other.

There is also a Dimmer setting, but there too it just lets you fade to a single fixed endpoint.

What I really want is something like: On hold, brighten from current setting until release. Lutron Pico remotes handle this simple action elegantly.

Am I missing something obvious? Please splain like I’m an absolute n00b.

2

Relative brightness control like making a light brighter or dimmer is one of those basic features surprisingly missing from SmartThings: Feature Request: Relative Brightness control / Step Dimming for Lights and Groups

For just a step brighter / dimmer there are workarounds like the virtual dimmer I linked in the feature request or custom drivers for the lights if available.

Brightening while on hold until release is a different beast though. With proprietary systems like those remotes for Lutron, WiZ, Nanoleaf, etc. where everything is the same brand they can optimize things so the experience is seamless and elegant.

I would use the virtual dimmer and just change the brightness step by step for better control, even if that means pressing a button twice instead of holding and release.

4 Likes