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Updated June 25, 2007 9:00 PDST
I'm an electrical contractor working on a complex consisting
of a main house, two cabins, pilot's lounge, and hangar.
The owner is interested in central control of various lighting
systems. What's the best approach?
There are many Z-Wave enabled products that you can use
to provide lighting solutions for this job. The key challenge
will be in how far apart the various buildings are. Z-Wave
is a low power technology so its range is limited to around
100 feet. You can use RS232 or Ethernet to tie the various
buildings together and then use bridges to individual Z-Wave
networks in each building if they are farther than 100 feet
apart.
I'm trying to set up a Logitech 890 to control some
Vizia Z-Wave switches and lamp module. But I've had no luck.
Any suggestions?
This configuration is not a new one and is working for many
others. Without having more information I can't suggest
a solution. I would contact technical support at Leviton
or Logitech
to get specific help for your problem.
Is Z-Wave a continuous sending system or only sending
on demand?
Z-Wave is a communications technology. Most applications
that use Z-Wave only send and receive when asked to or when
an event such as a motion detector is set off or a door
is opened. Some applications perform regular polls or requests
to the Z-Wave network to determine the state of the devices
in the network. Even polling is considered sending on demand.
Are Z-Wave products compatible with CFL bulbs?
Yes, there are many Z-Wave enabled switches that are compatible
with CFL bulbs. Unlike some power-line carrier technologies,
CFL bulbs do not interfere with Z-Wave communications.
I am trying to control a Leviton Vizia-RF system with
a Harmony 890/890Pro. The wall dimmers and plug in dimmers
work well, however, Leviton's four-button scene controller
cannot be programmed via the 890 or 895. How can I get the
system address on the Leviton remote to be the same as the
Logitech?
At this time you can't accomplish this. The products are
interoperable in that they support Basic commands such as
On, Off, Bright, Dim, Set, and Get. Unfortunately the Leviton
scene controller must be set up via the Leviton remote and
the Logitech 890 will not accept node assignments from the
Leviton remote. The Z-Wave Alliance is working with Leviton
and Logitech to encourage them to support this advanced
functionality. Stay tuned. We hope there will be a solution
and firmware upgrade, for this in the near future.
I am interested in a system that, among other things,
can control the outdoor security light in my backyard from
my kitchen. This light is currently controlled by switches
in either/both my family room and my bedroom. What type
of switch is necessary in my family room and bedroom? (The
controller would be in the kitchen.)
You would replace the existing switches in the family room
and bedroom with a three-way Z-Wave switch and its companion
hard-wired remote. These products are available in the U.S.
market from ACT, Cooper, GE, Intermatic, Leviton, and Monster
Cable. This will give you Z-Wave control of this lighting
circuit while taking advantage of the existing three-way
(two location) wiring. Once this is in place you can control
the outdoor light from anywhere in the house using a Z-Wave
controller. This controller could be a handheld remote or
key fob or an in or on-wall controller. For information
on how to purchase these products, go to ZWave
Products.
Who makes a range of products for Europe, Portugal in
particular?
Advanced Control Technology (ACT), Danfoss, Logitech, Merten,
and Monster Cable all make products that will operate in
Portugal. For more information on these companies and their
products please visit the Z-Wave
Alliance web site.
