Pros:
-Dimmer switch that looks great (doesn't have a slider, just hold in the switch up or down position to dim)
-Easy to install and use Z-Wave feature
-Works flawlessly with z-waves remote, on/off, dimming, it's great!
-a little switch on the bottom pulls out killing all power, great for replacing bulbs or doing any work on the circuit
Cons:
-the unit's mounting plate is wide making it hard to mount next to another switch
-makes a slight buzz only when dimming (can only be heard only from about 2 feet away) the last person exaggerated a little bit, or possibly had it under a higher load than it is rated for
-Blue LED is bright and might be annoying as it is always on when the units circuit is off
I haven't tried to use it in any scenes but paired with the logitech harmony 890 pro it works flawlessly, on/off and dimming is so easy and impresses everyone! It is a decent piece of equipment that will be sure to impress others. I highly recommend this product to anyone using Z-Waves in their home.
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I have about 4 of these units in my home and have been using them for about 3 weeks now.The unit is pretty sturdy and has a clean look with a large rocker switch and no separate dimmer slider. To raise or lower the light level, you just hold the top or bottom of the rocker until you get the brightness you want, as opposed to tapping the top or bottom of the rocker to turn it on and off. When turning lights on or off, the lights don't come instantly on or off. Instead, they slowly fade on/off over a period of about 2 seconds. Personally, I found this to add a touch of class to the unit and like this feature, but I can see how some people might become annoyed with it.
There's a blue LED light located below and to the right of the rocker switch that allows you to easily find the switch in a dark room, but like other reviewers, it was too bright for my taste. Another well-meaning feature that could be better executed is the air-gap tab just to the left of the blue LED. This tab can be pulled out to cut power to the light when changing a bulb, which saves you a trip to your circuit breaker panel. However, the tab is really small and nearly impossible (for me at least) to pull out with my fingers. Instead, I have to use a small flathead screwdriver for the job.
Installation of the dimmer was simple, much more so than the non-dimming Z-Wave switches from GE. There are really just two wires to connect -line and load -and you're done. There's an optional ground wire, but I just left it disconnected. Like someone else mentioned, the unit itself is pretty wide because of a metal frame around it that apparently acts as a heat sink. You can, however, remove the tabs on the sides of the frame to narrow it a bit. (I just used a pair of pliers and bent them back and forth until they snapped off.) Even so, it's still a tight fit when you have two of these units side by side in a 2 gang box.
Setting the dimmer up with a Z-Wave controller was straight forward and worked flawlessly for me. Just tap the rocker while the Z-Wave controller is in an add device mode, and the controller should discover it. I've used this dimmer with the Schlage Link and Vera systems with no problems.
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Changed this outlet out with my standards and easily paired it with my ADT Pulse system. No need for a pro installer.Honest reviews on GE 45606 Z-Wave Technology 2-Way Dimmer Switch
I have installed these and others in 4 homes so far and they are very reliable. HOWERVER, they are not very forgiving if you make a mistake while installing that a normal switch would shrug off. This fact is especially true for the 3-way switches due to the additional variables so... (besides the obvious reasons) please shut off your power. Some have mentioned that they are "too wide", to this i say read the manual and break off the side fins but only if necessary as they help dissipate heat, just stay under 300 watts. These are not passive switches and do draw current so think more computer and less toggle switch. Among the other wires they NEED a proper ground to be secured, preferably first. This can cause an issue for some older or even newer homes when it comes to the required and supplied wires within the box. I would strongly suggest downloading the PDF before you buy. Added note: Neutral is NOT a ground and visa versa. Off the top of my head I can think of 3 reasons why that is a bad idea and they mostly involve the death of sensitive electronics.In regards to LEDs... Unfortunately LEDs typically do not reach the 40 watt (3-way dimming switch kit) minimum indicated in the PDF manual. Unless your planning on using many LEDs, this will not work as a bright LED bulb is about 7~ watts. I was able to get 4 of the LEDs linked below to dim PERFECTLY when i added a single recessed 40 watt incandescent bulb to the load. You MIGHT get away with using a quartz resistor rated for more than wall current in parallel with the LED bulbs as i did with the recessed incandescent. ~500v rating to be safe (surges etc), ~1k ohm, and as low of wattage as you can get away with. You would need at least 4+ bulbs under the same switch to use NO more than a small ?15 watt resistor(as resistors turn current into HEAT). This works theoretically and is far from EnergyStar. You must remember these are NOT analog dimmers thus they do not use resistance to dim. These (as with all digital dimmers that I know of) turn the lights on and off 100+ every second to achieve dimming. Not to mention that most LED bulbs have their own circuitry to contend with and not all will respond so rapidly. but perhaps. Side note: This dimming technique is particularly detrimental to even dimmable compact florescence and will kill them fast. If you NEED LEDs and don't want to go through field testing you might want to stick to z-wave ON/OFF switches (45609,45614) and not z-wave dimmers (45606,45613).
best dimmable omni directional bright white daylight LEDs i have used:
Ledplux Dimmable 7 Watt A19 OMNI LED Light Bulb Bright White 5000K 40 Watt Incandescent Replacement Medium Base
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Pros:pretty blue color LED
good feel/action
easy installation
Cons:
Blue LED is really Bright.
Dimmer is noisy when dimming a load. With no ambient noise, the buzzing sound was noticable with only 1 75 watt incandescent bulb hooked up.
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