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[roger1818]

It is not that I necessarily need to use the existing wall switch. I just do not care for the quality of the XPD3 and I have already had a problem with it. I have a wife and kids and I do not want to force them to learn how to turn on/off the lights and, considering that I don't like the quality of the switch in the first place, I don't think that they would like it either.

Ya.  This is a common complaint.  If you want a better feel, go for a third party switch.

Basically, I expected higher quality. I have already posted the first problem I have had. I am seriously considering the 2384W SWITCHLINC. Has anyone had any experiences with that particular switch?

I haven't used it, but have used its ToggleLinc equivalent and find it works very well.  My only complaint is that if you tap it too quickly, it doesn't respond.  I would also look at the 2876DB ICON Dimmer.  It has most of the same features as the 2384 plus Insteon capability for $5 less.  The main disadvantage is it is only rated for 300W.

[jatracy]

I haven't used it, but have used its ToggleLinc equivalent and find it works very well.  My only complaint is that if you tap it too quickly, it doesn't respond.  I would also look at the 2876DB ICON Dimmer.  It has most of the same features as the 2384 plus Insteon capability for $5 less.  The main disadvantage is it is only rated for 300W.

Is the 2876DB ICON Dimmer an X10 compatable device? It claims to be INSTEON which according to my understanding (as limited as it is) is not X10.

[roger1818]

Is the 2876DB ICON Dimmer an X10 compatable device? It claims to be INSTEON which according to my understanding (as limited as it is) is not X10.

Yes.  INSTEON is fully forwards and backwards compatible with X10.  In other words it will both transmit and receive X10 commands in addition to INSTEON commands.

[Brian H]

The Icon versions do not do X10 Scenes, but will accept an X10 primary address. My mixture of X10; Insteon and Icon are all running in X10 mode. With X10 remotes and Transceivers.

[jatracy]

Cool, these switches support the resume dim function (meaning that they do not turn on at full brightness, then dim) right?

But, according to my very limited understanding (again), AHP does not support that functionality, right?

Thanks for all your help, I am really trying to decide if I am going to stay with X10 and AHP or jump ship to Homeseer and use whatever combination of protocols I need.

[roger1818]

Cool, these switches support the resume dim function (meaning that they do not turn on at full brightness, then dim) right?

I believe these switches support all of the following features:

Fade On/Off (although the fade rate is fixed at 0.1s which is almost instant):
- ramp up to desired brightness without going to 100%
Pre-set Dim
- command to tell the module how bright to be
Default On Level (programable)
- brightness for the module to become when it receives an on command.
Resume Dim
- return to the brightness the module was at when previously on (used instead of Default On Level).

But, according to my very limited understanding (again), AHP does not support that functionality, right?

It is the old Pre-set Dim comand that AHP doesn't support (yet?).  If you can live with the default on level, then you can define the module as an appliance module in AHP so that it will send an on command instead of bright and dim commands.  If you want, you can also define a lamp module at the same address so that you can also adjust the brightness in software using the bright and dim commands.

[jatracy]

It is the old Pre-set Dim comand that AHP doesn't support (yet?). If you can live with the default on level, then you can define the module as an appliance module in AHP so that it will send an on command instead of bright and dim commands. If you want, you can also define a lamp module at the same address so that you can also adjust the brightness in software using the bright and dim commands.

So if I send the command for one of these modules to go to 50% brightness, then they will NOT go full on first?

Also, how do you get AHP to set a module to 0% brightness? I tried to do that in a macro, but it kept going to OFF.

Thanks for all your help!

[roger1818]

So if I send the command for one of these modules to go to 50% brightness, then they will NOT go full on first?

Yes and No.  If you set the default on level to 50% and then send and "ON" command (by defining the module as an appliance module), the module will go on to 50%.  However, if you define the module as lamp module and tell it to go to 50% (absolute), AHP will tell it to go to 100% first and then back down to 50%.  With the module configured like this, you could get other brightnesses by sending an "ON" (or "OFF") command and then sending the appropriate relative "BRIGHT" or "DIM" commands to get the appropriate brightness (i.e. to get 75% send "ON" then "BRIGHT" 25%).  Not as good as using a Pre-set Dim, but better than going to 100% first.

Also, how do you get AHP to set a module to 0% brightness? I tried to do that in a macro, but it kept going to OFF.

In a macro, tell the module to dim by 99% (you will notice there are 3 buttons called absolute, dim and bright).  I wish they added a 4th button (called on/off?) which would send an on or off command without any bright or dim commands and have absolute 0% dim the module instead of turning it off.

[jatracy]

What happens if you send 2 consecutive relative dim commands that would result in a value <= 0? I.E. current brightness is 50%, send dim 25% then send another dim 25%.

[roger1818]

What happens if you send 2 consecutive relative dim commands that would result in a value <= 0? I.E. current brightness is 50%, send dim 25% then send another dim 25%.

The light would be almost off (brightness level 0).  The same thing would happen if you sent one large relative dim command.

[steven r]

What happens if you send 2 consecutive relative dim commands that would result in a value <= 0? I.E. current brightness is 50%, send dim 25% then send another dim 25%.

The light would be almost off (brightness level 0).  The same thing would happen if you sent one large relative dim command.

So it wouldn't be 25% of 25% of 50%. It's subtracting 25% of 100% from the current level of brightness not 25% of the current level of brightness. Right?

[jatracy]

So it wouldn't be 25% of 25% of 50%. It's subtracting 25% of 100% from the current level of brightness not 25% of the current level of brightness. Right?

I believe you are correct but I am planning on checking it out tonight as well as what happens when you dim past 0%. I.E. absolute dim to 50%, relative dim 60% (resulting in -10%). Hopefully I don't create a black hole in the universe, but I just can't help it, my curiosity is killing me! I am also interested in finding out the actual brightness of the lamp when the module is set to 0%. I was able to set it to 1% and the lamp was barely on at that setting.

[roger1818]

So it wouldn't be 25% of 25% of 50%. It's subtracting 25% of 100% from the current level of brightness not 25% of the current level of brightness. Right?

Correct.  It is a subtraction not a multiplication.