Best Smart Home Trends Complete guide for upgrading to a Smart Home
The smart home world opens up to you with the Z-wave switches. They are the gatekeeper of the smart home automation that lets you live that enviously futuristic lifestyle. You can remotely control various aspects of your home with their help.
They facilitate communication between various smart appliances and you. The network thus created can be expanded as much as required to include the upcoming smart gadgets. The accompanying mobile app removes the constraints of distance and logistics to give you that unprecedented experience.
Z-wave Light Switch Installation
There are a few important points that you need to take care of while installing Z-wave light switches.
Follow the Directions
Most of the time we conduct the installation process in an approximation. We are ticking all the boxes but we hardly come back to verify if the wiring and connections have done were accurate. The user manual might be a light suggestion in case of the regular electrical fixtures but not so much in case of the Z-wave technology.
This is why we need to pay attention to each and every point mentioned in the instruction booklet. Or, just hire a professional if we are not able to follow the directions correctly. Make sure that the electrician is familiar with the Z-wave installation.
If not, then they are most likely to take a casual approach towards Z-wave light switch installation too. And it might cause the switch to malfunction. You will be out of a perfectly useful switch while having to pay for the not-so-useful professional service.
Important Details
The professional multimeter will make sure that all your measurements of the resistance, current, and voltage are accurate. You need to invest in a quality multimeter or ask the help of an electrician with quality tools for the same.
The load and line positions might be switched in the layouts all over your home. That is why it is better to test and then proceed while installing the Z-wave switches. Refer the manual and a trusted professional to perform this identification correctly.
Make sure that each gang box has a neutral connection. Perform this activity before swapping the regular switch with a Z-wave one. Take care of it especially if it is an old house. Go through all the helpful diagrams mentioned in the manual before doing the practical.
Notice the Specifications
The minimum load requirement for the Z-wave switches in 20 Watts. They also need to be connected to the resistive load. There should not be multiple LEDs and transformers present in the circuit. Any low-end or faulty fixture connected to this circuit may cause it to short-circuit.
The Z-wave switches need a good amount of resistive load to perform. The TRIAC electronic component requires them to have a certain amount of load for proper functioning. Make sure that you are only plugging in the appliances that lie within the specified limits of Z-wave functioning.
Important Details
A number of devices actually end up consuming a lot more power than specified, mostly during the starting up process. This might cause the Z-wave switch to spark or worse if not attended to on time. Hence it is better to match the specifications of a new device with the switch in question before plugging it in for the very first time.
You might notice the signal light is blinking when you turn on the switch initially. This is a sign that it is registering the available load in the circuit and prevents any sudden explosion. You have enough time to unplug it if the desired operation is not going forward.
3-Way Method
The implementation process for the 3-way method in the case of regular electrical switches is pretty simple. But for smart switches, one assumes the role of the master switch and the other becomes the add-on switch. The master switch is connected with the Z-wave system, ground, load, line, neutral, and traveler.
All the important status change updates are sent from the add-on switch to the master switch with the help of a traveler wire. The device is connected this way to make it accessible from different corners of the hall or to have a backup controller.
Important Details
The add-on switch is only connected to the traveler, neutral, and ground. It must not be powered up while making these wiring connections. Keep all the hot wires away from this switch during the installation process otherwise it will get damaged easily.
In some devices, you don’t need to have the add-on switch. The multi-point control set-ups can make use of the available 3-way switch. The main location still needs to have a neutral wire. The dimming can only be possible from the master switch location in this case.
Addition Into Z-Wave Network
After installation, you need to initiate the addition of the new Z-wave switch into your Z-wave home network. Start with putting the switch into the wall socket and connecting the load. Read the instructions carefully in the manual so that the addition goes on smoothly.
Bring the home Z-wave controller at a 15 cm distance from the switch. Now begin the inclusion process in the controller and wait for the command to press and release the inclusion button on the switch. Upon successful inclusion, you will be notified by the controller.
Important Details
Otherwise, just reset the network settings. Perform the exclusion process. And then start the inclusion process afresh. With a bit of trial and error, you will finally be able to successfully add the switch to your home network.
Now, assign this switch to a specific scene or setting on the Z-wave network app. You can associate this switch with the available Z-wave devices in your home network too. Just start the association process on the home controller app. Finally, you will be able to control various z-wave devices with this switch directly through your app.
Removal From Z-Wave Network
The removal or exclusion process is pretty similar to the inclusion process. You need to follow almost the same procedure but with the reverse output. Start with bringing the home controller at a 15 cm distance from the Z-wave switch.
Now start the exclusion process on the controller. Wait for the command to press and release the light signal button on the switch. After a successful attempt, the light on the switch will start to blink slowly. The controller will inform you about the success of the exclusion process. Now, your switch is successfully disconnected from the Z-wave home network.
The above-mentioned steps will help you successfully install the Z-wave light switch in your very own home.
Conclusion
The smart home automation has reinvented our homes for the better. The Z-wave switches are the building blocks of this system. This smart installation guide will help you in seamlessly installing the switches in your homes without any outside help.
Do you own Z-wave light switches? How has your experience been with them until now? Did you find them difficult to install and use at first? Tell us all this and more in the comment section below. Also, forward this article to your friends and family to let them know about these simple tricks too.
