Z-wave Dimmer Switches: What's good?

[MrTinker]

What Z-wave plus wall dimmer switches (not plug-in) have people had good luck using? I'm thinking of using z-wave switches instead of Insteon for new installs. Primary factors are quality, operation and reliability (I've had very good luck in general with the Insteon switches over the years). I'd prefer they act as repeaters (not sure if all zwave plus do or not).

 

One of the brands I'm looking at is HomeSeer (their HS-WD200+ and HS-WD100+ switches), but interested to hear about others (and even what to avoid).

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Eric

[asbril]

If you want good quality, Zwave Plus and cheap(er) go for the Inoveli switches. If you want good quality,  ZWave Plus and additional gimmicks (programming of the individual sentinel lights) then go for Series 200 Homeseer switches.

[MrTinker]

12 minutes ago, asbril said:

If you want good quality, Zwave Plus and cheap(er) go for the Inoveli switches. If you want good quality,  ZWave Plus and additional gimmicks (programming of the individual sentinel lights) then go for Series 200 Homeseer switches.

Thanks asbril, I was looking at the Inovelli as well (appear to have good reviews on Amazon).

[Scottmichaelj]

Aeotec has nice stuff

[MrTinker]

4 minutes ago, Scottmichaelj said:

Aeotec has nice stuff

I have one of their Smart Switch 6's, but I looked over their current catalog and they don't have a standard in-wall switch. They have nano switches (which sit behind an existing switch) and a potentially interesting "switch" (WallSwipe) that's supposed to come out this year. The WallSwipe will require something like a Nano Dimmer as well to control the light. It looks interesting, but that will take time to arrive, see how it will be supported, etc.

[Bumbershoot]

You might read this thread on the HomeSeer 200 series dimmers.  They're very good, and completely configurable, almost too much so.  I'm using one in my office, and the sentinel LEDs are useful in reporting the status of my security system, garage doors, etc.  It has a high WAF score, but would be better if they came in more colors (white and almond are the only choices).

[lilyoyo1]

I love insteon wall switches for the look and feel of them. If I ever were to switch to zwave, I would use either Aeotec or Fibaro. Both of their product lines are simply and support Zwave fully (None of this scene controller vs non scene stuff). The Aeotec wall swipe especially has my eye. Personally, I think its worth the wait. If Im going to spend a couple of grand on light switches, I want them to look like I spent a couple of grand on them.

This isnt to knock inovelli nor homeseer. While I haven't use either to comment on quality, I've heard nothing but good reviews on them. I have had the opportunity to see and touch them and im simply not a fan of their looks (looks are subjective so this isnt as big of a deal). 

[asbril]

7 hours ago, lilyoyo1 said:

I love insteon wall switches for the look and feel of them. If I ever were to switch to zwave, I would use either Aeotec or Fibaro. Both of their product lines are simply and support Zwave fully (None of this scene controller vs non scene stuff). The Aeotec wall swipe especially has my eye. Personally, I think its worth the wait. If Im going to spend a couple of grand on light switches, I want them to look like I spent a couple of grand on them.

This isnt to knock inovelli nor homeseer. While I haven't use either to comment on quality, I've heard nothing but good reviews on them. I have had the opportunity to see and touch them and im simply not a fan of their looks (looks are subjective so this isnt as big of a deal). 

As I dropped Insteon several  years  ago in favor of Zwave all the way (and never looked back), I seached the Insteon switches online to see their looks vs  Homeseer and other Zwave switches. I fail to see the difference in 'look'.  

[kohai]

11 hours ago, lilyoyo1 said:

I love insteon wall switches for the look and feel of them. If I ever were to switch to zwave, I would use either Aeotec or Fibaro. Both of their product lines are simply and support Zwave fully (None of this scene controller vs non scene stuff). The Aeotec wall swipe especially has my eye. Personally, I think its worth the wait. If Im going to spend a couple of grand on light switches, I want them to look like I spent a couple of grand on them.

This isnt to knock inovelli nor homeseer. While I haven't use either to comment on quality, I've heard nothing but good reviews on them. I have had the opportunity to see and touch them and im simply not a fan of their looks (looks are subjective so this isnt as big of a deal). 

I think many look wonky too.  I'm not a modern design guy so many that have that look/feel don't do it for me.  

I've got a lighting system in my basement that is based on zigbee.  Zigbee has a much higher maximum # of devices than z-wave.  While I have a bunch of z-wave sensors, I often wonder if Zigbee is the better technological solution.  I noticed that Lowes Iris gen 2 has switched from Zwave to Zigbee.  Many of the z-wave controllers do both z-wave and zigbee.

[asbril]

3 minutes ago, kohai said:

I've got a lighting system in my basement that is based on zigbee.  Zigbee has a much higher maximum # of devices than z-wave.  While I have a bunch of z-wave sensors, I often wonder if Zigbee is the better technological solution.  I noticed that Lowes Iris gen 2 has switched from Zwave to Zigbee.  Many of the z-wave controllers do both z-wave and zigbee.

That is an interesting observation.  I know that many in this forum disagree, but personally I have my doubts about the future of Insteon. Do you believe that Zigbee has a better future than Zwave ?

Of course at one point in time Insteon, Zwave and Zigbee may all be obsolete, but IF I am right about Insteon, should I consider Zigbee ?????

[kohai]

Z-wave has a max of 232 devices.  Zigbee can handle 65,000.  Z-wave has a better range.  A limit of 232 is surprisingly low.  I think this is why Samsung and other controllers support both.

[asbril]

2 hours ago, kohai said:

Z-wave has a max of 232 devices.  Zigbee can handle 65,000.  Z-wave has a better range.  A limit of 232 is surprisingly low.  I think this is why Samsung and other controllers support both.

In my home all lights, fans and curtains are on Zwave with about 60 devices.  Even if I double the nr of devices by adding more detectors etc, I'd still be at 120..... so no worries for me until the next technology surfaces.

[lilyoyo1]

3 hours ago, kohai said:

Z-wave has a max of 232 devices.  Zigbee can handle 65,000.  Z-wave has a better range.  A limit of 232 is surprisingly low.  I think this is why Samsung and other controllers support both.

Zwaves max devices doesnt bother me as much as their max assoications per device. 95% of my outlets are smart outlets (only the ones actually used are in the system). If I took every device I have, Id still be below the 232 threshold. 

zigbees range and convoluted system (getting better) is why I have never been interested in it. With their latest revs, they've done away with the fractured mess it had become though some companies still insist on forking their firmware to make it harder to place nice with others. If you're going to do a whole home right away, zigbee can be a great protocol from the start. However to build it up, I think it can cause more headaches early on which can prevent the non techie from backing it enough.

[lilyoyo1]

4 hours ago, asbril said:

That is an interesting observation.  I know that many in this forum disagree, but personally I have my doubts about the future of Insteon. Do you believe that Zigbee has a better future than Zwave ?

Of course at one point in time Insteon, Zwave and Zigbee may all be obsolete, but IF I am right about Insteon, should I consider Zigbee ?????

Insteons death have been thrown around for years as was x10's demise (which technically did happen). While zwave may be around longer, homeseer, aeotec, fibaro, and others may go out of business as well. I've seen more individual zwave companies go out of business than I've seen of Insteon (and they are the only company). In the end, a person is still in the same boat (unless they are ok with their switches looking tacky by using different mfg.

I look at my automation system (just like any other electronic device) as a 5-10 year plan. Electronics will die, bigger and better versions will come out. Even if Insteon shut down today, all of my devices would still work for the next few years. I have backups just in case any of them go out. I could also get replacements for at least another year or 2 (if not more). 5-10 years from now, i'd probably rip them all out for what I think is better than what I have now anyway. 

[asbril]

5 minutes ago, lilyoyo1 said:

I look at my automation system (just like any other electronic device) as a 5-10 year plan. Electronics will die, bigger and better versions will come out. Even if Insteon shut down today, all of my devices would still work for the next few years. I have backups just in case any of them go out. I could also get replacements for at least another year or 2 (if not more). 5-10 years from now, i'd probably rip them all out for what I think is better than what I have now anyway. 

True

[MrTinker]

Reading the other thread on the HS-WD200+ and having found two old Insteon dimmers that still function, I'm going to use those and hope I don't have any more failures for awhile to let more products come to market and for existing products to improve.

 

Primary goal is to replace some existing FanLincs (have NOT had good luck with them) with Leviton Z-Wave (non-Plus) quiet fan control switches along with an Insteon switch to control the fan light.

 

Looks like Homeseer's fan + light switch still hasn't materialized?

[rccoleman]

I think it's also worth pointing out that the ISY only supports energy monitoring using Zigbee, so you'd have to find yourself another controller, too.

[asbril]

2 hours ago, MrTinker said:

Looks like Homeseer's fan + light switch still hasn't materialized?

I believe that Inoveli is also planning a Fan/Light switch, though they seem to be running late with their supposed multi-button switches....

[kohai]

25 minutes ago, asbril said:

I believe that Inoveli is also planning a Fan/Light switch, though they seem to be running late with their supposed multi-button switches....

If they created a Fan/light controller for z-wave to replace the Casablanca Inteli-touch wall control, I'd give them a pile of money.  There are probably a gazillion of these fans out there and the controls are not standard so you can't really automate them without tearing the fan itself apart and putting in a new control system.  My fan on a 20 ft ceiling -- I'm not messing with it.