Regarding dimmers and CFL/LED bulbs...
I have not made the plunge into a lighting control technology yet... but looking at options...
From what I understand, UPB dimmers support dimmable CFL/LED (they use neutral and therefore do not require a minimum load), and can be configured to 'snap' also. Apparently z-wave users have no option when it comes to dimmable energy-saving bulbs. It seems that few people know that incandescent bulbs are being phased out in the US starting in just two years, and assuming people don't stock-pile bulbs and do actually switch to CFL or LED, these no-neutral z-wave dimmers will be unusable (they require a minimum load ~40 watts).
I realize that they make non-dimming switches that use neutral (and a relay) and this would work of course, but it seems that z-wave users have no CFL dimming options. I understand that many dimming CFLs are don't dimm very well anyway and sometimes buzz and have other annoyances, but I believe that the bulb dimming technology will improve, especially as more users are forced to energy-efficient lighting.
I'm planning to jump in with either z-wave or upb and while I like the vizia switches I am not sure I can afford pumping so much money into switches unless I am confident that I will get many years use from them. Maybe the safest bet is to buy the non-dimming switches and give up the dimming options.
I wish leviton made dimming switches that do use neutral and require no minimum load (I have neutrals in all my boxes), or maybe I'll use UPB, but even at the low delay setting of 300ms, I think the delay may still bug me, where-as vizia will instantly turn the load on when operated locally.
I guess I'm just thinking out-loud here and looking for comments... or corrections
Thanks.
-Shawn
I have not made the plunge into a lighting control technology yet... but looking at options...
From what I understand, UPB dimmers support dimmable CFL/LED (they use neutral and therefore do not require a minimum load), and can be configured to 'snap' also. Apparently z-wave users have no option when it comes to dimmable energy-saving bulbs. It seems that few people know that incandescent bulbs are being phased out in the US starting in just two years, and assuming people don't stock-pile bulbs and do actually switch to CFL or LED, these no-neutral z-wave dimmers will be unusable (they require a minimum load ~40 watts).
I realize that they make non-dimming switches that use neutral (and a relay) and this would work of course, but it seems that z-wave users have no CFL dimming options. I understand that many dimming CFLs are don't dimm very well anyway and sometimes buzz and have other annoyances, but I believe that the bulb dimming technology will improve, especially as more users are forced to energy-efficient lighting.
I'm planning to jump in with either z-wave or upb and while I like the vizia switches I am not sure I can afford pumping so much money into switches unless I am confident that I will get many years use from them. Maybe the safest bet is to buy the non-dimming switches and give up the dimming options.
I wish leviton made dimming switches that do use neutral and require no minimum load (I have neutrals in all my boxes), or maybe I'll use UPB, but even at the low delay setting of 300ms, I think the delay may still bug me, where-as vizia will instantly turn the load on when operated locally.
I guess I'm just thinking out-loud here and looking for comments... or corrections
Thanks.
-Shawn