Tap Style?

[mdesmarais]

What does Tap Style mean in realtion to Decora type dimming switches?

Thanks

Markd

 

[electron]

Some rocker switches aren't true rockers, you just tap the top to turn them on, and off to turn them off, but they always return to the 'center position'. The more expensive switches are usually better, as they simulate the rocker feeling (by making it feel/sound like a rocker), while the cheaper ones (such as the ones made by X10) don't make any sound at all, and don't feel great at all. I assume that this is what they are talking about.

 

[mdesmarais]

Ok. . . so pretty much all the x10 dimmer switches (the ones under $50 anyways ;-) are going to be tap style- with the cheap ones feeling worse than the more expensive ones? I haven't seen any that say they are true rockers yet.

Thanks

Markd

 

[jlehnert]

Some rocker switches aren't true rockers, you just tap the top to turn them on, and off to turn them off, but they always return to the 'center position'

Huh? I think you've been spending a little to much time in front of the keyboard E. Better come up for some air.

I'm not aware of ANY automation switch that doesn't come back to the center (nuetral) position. They all do this, as do all the fancy non-remote dimmers. The "true rocker" action refers to a switch were you touch the top for "On", and the bottom for "Off". About the only switches that don't have this now is the junk sold by X10, and the Leviton 63xx series (which is actually made by X10). The more expensive Leviton 16xxx and HCxxxx series are true rocker. The $50 rule mentioned is not accurate, as there are several true rocker switches in the $40 range.

The "best" look and feel of the switches is very subjective. I've had customers who prefer switches that sound/feel more like the older manual switches, ie there is a noticable "click" when you press it. Off the top of my head, the Switchlinc, Lightolier, and PCS switches are in this catagory. Other people absolutely hate any noise, and prefer switches that are quieter with a softer feel. In this group is the higher quality Levitons and Lutron switches. IIRC the Simply Automated switches were somewhere in the middle.

The "tap" functionality varies between manufacturers, but for Leviton it means "tap once" for ramp on to the current preset level, tap twice for full on.

 

[electron]

He never said it was an automation switch in the sense we know, could be that he was looking at some stand alone dimmer switch such as the ones Home Depot sells, which is the only reason I mentioned it since I am not familiar with every single non x-10/z-wave/UPB dimmer switch out there..