This product is a real game changer. Coupled with a hub and some software it changes the way you wire your house. More importantly, it changes the way you live in your house. I have been using Leviton and GE Z-Wave smart switches with the Wink Hub 2 and Wink Relays to do some exciting things.
We are remodeling our home and the term “remodeling” is used in the literally sense. Doors, windows, walls are being moved or replaced and all the infrastructure is being redesigned. We are free to do most anything, and among other things, we have chosen to make our 55-year-old house a “smart home”. Even under these circumstances there are still practical limitations. Lights and appliances still require copper wiring for power but controlling that wiring has become much more wireless. This product is the primary means for making that possible. It uses Z-Wave wireless protocol and is the fundamental component for my smart house automation plan.
The plan for this switch is to replace an old mechanical one I use to turn on and off a set of flood lights that high-light the front of the house. This Leviton switch is a direct replacement for the old one but with a few minor additional requirements. A common lead must be supplied and the line and load leads cannot be reversed. Also, it requires more space in the box so it can be a tight squeeze. For new installations, a deep box is a good idea. The switch can support multiple switching locations but with Z-Wave networking capabilities you may be able to avoid them.
In the accompanying picture of the four-gang panel it is the third switch from the right. The right most switch is a Leviton motion sensor switch controling the overhead light. The second from the right is a GE Z-Wave that controls some other outside lights. Finally, the switch on the left is a mechanical switch controlling another set of outside lights.
The next paragraph describes the remainder of the attached pictures. They are a series of screens shots of the Wink software that briefly show how the switch is integrated into the Wink network and scheduled to automatically turn on at “Sun Rise” and turn off at 4:00 AM.
The switch on its own has little value unless it is connected to some type of controler. There are several different approaches. If you are not interested in the Wink software skip the next paragraph.
All Z-Wave switches in my network are attached to the Wink hub and are a part of the Wink network. The process of connecting is directed by the Wink software in a multi screen process that varies dependent up device type, manufacture and model. After connecting the new switch to the network, the following set of photos illustrate the Wink setup procedure:
Photo 2 - assign a unique and meaningful identity to the switch – “Flood Front Face”.
Photo 3 – schedule the switch to turn on at Sun Rise
Photo 4 – schedule the switch to turn off at 4:00 AM
Photo 5 – confirm the scheduling by displaying the schedules on the schedule page
Photo 6 – verify the next day that it turned on by displaying the Activity Log
Scheduling is the simplest of all activities. Very complicated programs can be developed as your network grows and you gain experience with it.
I use both Leviton and GE Z-Wave switches. They both are great products. However, I am somewhat partial to GE switches because they are approximately eight dollars cheaper for single switch circuits, thirty-three dollars cheaper for doubles and sixty dollars for triple switch circuits. I have not found any differences in the performance or quality that would justify the price difference. You lose the LED locator light on the load end of multiple GE switch circuits. So, unless you know which end of the circuit you are looking at there is no way of knowing if the switch is on or off. Which is no different than conventional switches.
I also find the GE switches consistently easier to connect to the software. But there are a lot of variables that could play on that issue. I have always used Leviton products and have a great deal of brand loyalty. I only found GE bargain hunting. Having confidence in a brand is important if you’re going to invest in a network you need confidence it the providers and it always helps to have alternatives. The network provides many little convinces that yI am grow to depend upon. So it becomes more that a financial commitment.
At this point I cannot comment on the long-term durability of any of the network components. I have only about a year’s experience with Wink and Leviton and slightly less that that with GE. But up to this point they all have been completely stable. I am comfortable that the technology is mature enough that I am willing to buy more of these switches.
Pros: Easy Installation, Easy to Use, Nice Design, Stylish, new technology, personal convience, good support
Cons: Complicated, pricey