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Fibaro dimmer 2 with LEDs flickers on for a second but then turns off


rabh

Question

I'm new to the Fibaro system, with one dimmer 2 successfully installed and working successfully in a room (with the 3 wire neutral approach).
 
I’ve then tried using a Fibaro Dimmer 2 with 4 LED lights in our bedroom, which jas a 2 wire connection, i.e. no neutral at the switch, and when it turns on the lights flicker on for a second then remain off. The Fibaro 2 has the red light permanently on. For this state the manual says: 
 
"Calibration procedure failed. Possible reasons: lack of connected load or connected light source exceeds maximum power, which may be controlled by the Dimmer 2." 
 
Do you have any ideas what would cause that?
 
Thanks in advance.
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Try re-calibrating the dimmer. go into the advanced tab and set parameter 3 for recalibration dependant on whether  you are using a bypass or not. Press save  and the lights will go on and off a few times as it does so. 

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  • Thanks @andyp, I did try recalibrating several times before writing this post, using the button/menu option on the Fibaro dimmer 2 itself. Unfortunately always the same behaviour, with the red light remaining lit, and the switch unable to work.

     

    I was wondering if there are any configuration settings I should set manually, rather than taking the auto-calibration settings? Perhaps related to the fact that this is a setup without the neutral, i.e. 2 wire (compared to my others, which are all 3 wire and work perfectly).

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    @rabh

     

    It is a known issue that is discussed a lot on the site. Check the dimmer firmware you are using is the latest should be 3.5 and then check the setting you have for parameter 38. You will read lots about flickering if you search on here.

     

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    1 hour ago, Jamie mccrostie said:

    Led lamps can be very low wattage

    They recomend under 50 watts of load adding a fibaro dimmer bypass for correct opperation

     

    Agreed. To test if a bypass might help: replace one of your LED lamps with an incandescent lamp, 25 - 75 W. Recalibrate. If that works, you need "bypass 2".

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  • 14 hours ago, andyp said:

    @rabh

     

    It is a known issue that is discussed a lot on the site. Check the dimmer firmware you are using is the latest should be 3.5 and then check the setting you have for parameter 38. You will read lots about flickering if you search on here.

     

     

    Thanks for the replies guys. My LEDs come to 45W, so close to the limit, I guess it may need a bypass.

     

    @andyp curious about your suggestion. I'm on firmware 3.4 I believe - I can't see anything about a parameter 38 in the manual. Is it a hidden one? Also, do you know how I can upgrade the firmware. I am using a Samsung Smartthings as the hub - does it require a Fibaro Home Controller, or is there any other way?

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    @rabh the HC2 automatically tells me when there is a firmware upgrade, not sure how you would do it with smart things . Parameter 38 is new in 3.5 to try and solve the flickering issue

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    23 hours ago, petergebruers said:

    Agreed. To test if a bypass might help: replace one of your LED lamps with an incandescent lamp, 25 - 75 W. Recalibrate. If that works, you need "bypass 2".

     

    10 hours ago, rabh said:

     

    Thanks for the replies guys. My LEDs come to 45W, so close to the limit, I guess it may need a bypass.

     

    @andyp curious about your suggestion. I'm on firmware 3.4 I believe - I can't see anything about a parameter 38 in the manual. Is it a hidden one? Also, do you know how I can upgrade the firmware. I am using a Samsung Smartthings as the hub - does it require a Fibaro Home Controller, or is there any other way?

     

    10 hours ago, andyp said:

    @rabh the HC2 automatically tells me when there is a firmware upgrade, not sure how you would do it with smart things . Parameter 38 is new in 3.5 to try and solve the flickering issue

     

    If you want to avoid costs, please try what I suggested in my previous post. There are a few possible things that can cause blinking or shut down, I advise you to eliminate some first. Have you measured the total power consumption? I these are no-brand LEDs than the actual power may be only half of 45 W, so it's worth doing the test. Or try 3-wire setup, but I know most users won't be able to do that. That's why they chose 2-wire setup to begin with ;-)

     

    After that test, I can still suggest other things to experiment with, before buying a Bypass 2.

     

    I *really* doubt you can upgrade your dimmer. If the generic option is there, in your software, Fibaro would still have to give the firmware to Smart Things (Samsung). I can confirm that an Aeon MultiSensor 5 / 6 needs a program on a *PC* connected to an Aeon stick , (and exclude & include) to get the update on the device. Fibaro does not post such a program, so I don't see how you could upgrade your sensor. Z-Wave Plus devices all have "over the air upgrade capability" but at the moment it's not like have the freedom to choose your tool. Please check with [email protected] for the final answer! They're friendly and helpful people! Please know that 3.5 fixes a a very specific issue: flickering due to ripple control. So if you have ripple control (signals on your mains to control meters or street lights) AND you're experiencing flashing (aka "disco") or "flickering" lights, you may need it. You say it shuts down, that's not flickering, so it doesn't apply... In that case, 3.4 is a very good firmware.

     

    In your first post you say the dimmer reports "lack of connected load or connected light source exceeds maximum power" and I'm pretty certain that this message is correct. So, lets start from there and try to find out if it's correct?

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  • Thanks everybody, in the end it turned out to be the obvious. I'd misread the wattage on the LEDs, and in fact it was about 20 watts. I bit the bullet and bought the bypass, and that has worked perfectly.

     

    Hopefully this thread serves to help someone in the future.

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