Z-wave/x-10 light switch, change which switch controls which lights

[nkushman]

I have current have two light switches in a room, one by the door, and one across the room. Right now the one by the door controls an ugly set of lights and the one across the room controls a nice set of lights. I'd like to change these around so that the one by the door controls the nice set of lights. I thought this would be easy with either z-wave or x-10, but I can't seem to figure out how to do it.

All the switches that I've bought seem to be hardwired such that the physical switch is hardwired to always control the local wiring. One way to do it is to put in a multi-switch by the door, but my wife doesn't like the multi-switches and won't put up with them (finds it too hard to hit the right switch).

So what I'd really like is that I can wire in a switch that acts as two separate devices. The plastic paddle the person presses will send a wireless signal to z-wave/x-10, and then my central controller can then determine which set of lights (which would not include the local light for that switch) would go on. And then the 2nd half of the switch would listen to the centrall controller, and only turn the lights on (i.e. connect the wires) if the central controller told it to (ignoring the state of the local paddle).

Are there x-10/z-wave switches that work this way? Can anyone recommend one? Can you tell me what this feature is called so I can look for it in the specifications of the switches?

Thanks much.

-Nate

 

[electron]

hi Nate, welcome to CT!

I am not too familiar with Z-Wave switches, but can you configure the Z-Wave switch to activate a scene scene instead of controlling the local load? UPB switches let you do something similar, but they call scenes 'links'.

 

[Rupp]

Z-Wave has Scene switches. Here's a few:
http://store.homeseer.com/store/Controllers-C70.aspx

 

[electron]

But will those scene switches still control the local load remotely?

 

[pbeaulieu]

I can think of 2 ways to handle the switches but it depends on what you (or more correctly your wife) likes.

My first idea would be to use a 2 button Leviton (z-wave)(VRCS2-MRX) switch by the door. The top button can control the ugly lights. The bottom buttom would be programmed as a scene contoller and talk to a Leviton (z-wave)(VRS15-1lX) switch across the room. The VRS15-1LX would control the load of the nice lights.

Alternatively, you could expand the switch box by the front door (if there is room) and have 2 switches by the front door. One switch by the front door could be a Leviton VRCS1-1LX one button scene controller. You would still have the VRS15-1LX across the room controlling the load to the nice lights.

I believe you would need a z-wave controller to configure the switches but I'm not sure.

Also, you would need to determine if the wiring in the boxes can be configured to work with these switches.

I make no guaranties.

 

[nkushman]

That's what I was assuming I would have to do. So unfortunately, it sounds like I am I correct then it determining that there's no way to do this with just a single button switch at each of the two locations?

Thanks much for your help guys.

-Nate

 

[oberkc]

I am mostly familiar with insteon, but perhaps the other formats have similar devices. With insteon, there is a device called an Inlinelinc (like a switch but controlled only via powerline signals from other insteon devices). One could be installed near each fixture and would control the load directly. In each switch location, you could install a switch that directly controls no load . The switch could then be "linked" to the appropriate inlinelinc.

Simple, but requires four devices to accomplish what you want and requires access to your wiring near your fixture and enough space to install the inlinelinc. If you really want to stay with X-10 for some reason, you can use the insteon devices because they include X-10 capability. If you are not committed to any particular protocol, I suggest that insteon would probably work very well for you here (better than X-10) if you cannot find an equivalent Z-wave device. The only issue you could potentially have with insteon or X-10 is whether your two switches are on separate circuits or electrical legs. If not, you should be good. If so, you may need some way to bridge the electrical phases. (Dual band insteon devices would work here.)

 

[BLH]

Dual Band Insteons do not resend the X10 signal by RF only power line. So bridging could still be a problem if the X10 address added is used.
There is an X10Pro fixture module similar to the InLineLinc, but like most X10 relay devices they CLUNK quite loudly when switching.