Jump to content

Welcome to Smart Home Forum by FIBARO

Dear Guest,

 

as you can notice parts of Smart Home Forum by FIBARO is not available for you. You have to register in order to view all content and post in our community. Don't worry! Registration is a simple free process that requires minimal information for you to sign up. Become a part of of Smart Home Forum by FIBARO by creating an account.

 

As a member you can:

  •     Start new topics and reply to others
  •     Follow topics and users to get email updates
  •     Get your own profile page and make new friends
  •     Send personal messages
  •     ... and learn a lot about our system!

 

Regards,

Smart Home Forum by FIBARO Team


  • 0

Locating RGBW remotely


knuth

Question

I'm in the planning stages, and would like your comment on these plans:

1. I intend to use one  RGBW controller to control two dual-white LED strips, each having two inputs (warm and cold white). One strip will be connected to R&G, the other to B&W. Control of color temperature will be through scripts/scenes. The RGBW controller will be located in the ceiling panel, near the transformer for the LED strip, on the low voltage side.

 

2. In some rooms I will have a regular LED lamp as well, controlled by a Fibaro dimmer. I plan to connect this lamp (220 V side) directly to the dimmer switch S1, while addressing the RGBW by S2 using an association to input channel I1 and I2  (or I3 and I4). On the RGBW controller there will be no physical connection to the input channels, as they will be controlled through Z-Wave. On/off and dimming will be achieved by switch S2, which activates both LED strip colors. 

 

3. In other rooms, the LED strip will be the only light source. In this case, I would still like to hide the RGBW in the ceiling with no direct connection to the wall switch. Behind the wall switch, I would have liked to have a simple Z-wave controller, without a 220 V relay, which through association could address the RGBW remotely. As this does not seem to exist, do I need to install a regular Fibaro switch without a load on S1 instead? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 answers to this question

Recommended Posts

  • 0

Hi! 

I am in a very similar situation. I've also located the RGBW controller close to the 24V LED transformer, but far from the regular switch. I have a dimmer with an unused S2 input, so I plan to associate the S2 to the RGBW module. 

 

Now, my problem is that it doesn't work! If I associate to another dimmer it works fine, but if I associate to the RGBW module nothing happens. I've tried to check if the problem has to do with multi-channel associations, but the RGBW manual does not list its multichannels... 

 

I'm not trying to control other units from the RGBW, but to control each channel of the RGBW from other units' S2 through associations. 

 

Any ideas anyone? 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

i have not tried direct association, but I have associated zwave switches with no load as 2 or 3-way systems. Works ok.

Of course if the HC2 is down the nondirect association would not work. Its also slower.

 

Also, there _are_ zwave switches. But they tend to look ugly, and expensive. A simple single or dual switch would work. Stay away from the cheap ones though, they either dislike being without a load or would not report status.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
On 2/18/2018 at 11:44 AM, olekenneth said:

Hi! 

I am in a very similar situation. I've also located the RGBW controller close to the 24V LED transformer, but far from the regular switch. I have a dimmer with an unused S2 input, so I plan to associate the S2 to the RGBW module. 

 

Now, my problem is that it doesn't work! If I associate to another dimmer it works fine, but if I associate to the RGBW module nothing happens. I've tried to check if the problem has to do with multi-channel associations, but the RGBW manual does not list its multichannels... 

 

I'm not trying to control other units from the RGBW, but to control each channel of the RGBW from other units' S2 through associations. 

 

Any ideas anyone? 

 

 

Evidently this does work, I've had the same problem and have asked our local importer /distributor for a solution.

He advised me today that he had it working and was going to send me the details.

When I receive this I'll  add the solution to this post.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
  • Inquirer
  • I have now tested the following set-up:

    Fibaro Dimmer 2 connected to a dual switch, with direct control of a 220 V downlight on S1.

    A 4 channel (third party) 24 V dimmer connected to a single monochrome LED strip on one of the output channels (I have dropped the idea of "dual white" strips)

    Association established between the Fibaro dimmer second switch (S2) and the appropriate 24 V dimmer channel

    This seems to work :). S2 switches the LED strip on and off, and dims it through push and hold. 

     

    I would like to repeat this using the Fibaro RGBW, as shown in the diagram below. For clarity, only 3 strips are shown, using three of the RGBW channels. There will be a separate S2 switch (on a Fibaro Dimmer 2) associated to each of the channels, but these are not shown. No switch is connected to the four input channels on the RGBW. Control will be manually through the associated S2, or remotely through HC2, apps, or through scenes.

     

    Some questions remain: How should I configure the RGBW unit to control/dim each strip independently? I would think RGBW mode is my best option, as long as I think of "G" as the name of my first strip, not a color. What parameter settings are appropriate? I assume parameter 14=normal is correct.  What about parameters 71 and 72? Any other precautions or tricks? Will the control window look confusing?

     

    PS:

    My recommendation to Fibaro would be to make a version of the RGBW which is simply a 4-channel 24 V dimmer. This will require only minimal firmware changes and re-labeling of outputs ("1-4", not "RGBW"). Presto - a new product!

    Please login or register to see this attachment.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    • 0
  • Inquirer
  • UPDATE: The query above was written before I had actually purchased and tested a Fibaro RGBW dimmer. Having done such a test, I now realize that:

    - The Fibaro RGBW template does allow for the setup I suggested. Using the "in/out" mode, each of the four channels may be configured to act like a dimmer (or a sensor), precisely as I wanted. My concerns in the previous post were unwarranted. The new version I called for is already built in!

    - The four input channels I1 - I4 allow for independent control of each dimmer

    - I have not tested connecting two "dual white" LED strips, as initially suggested (I have since abandoned this idea). It should in principle be straight forward. Controlling the two whites in sync, to achieve an effect similar to "dim-to-warm" for downlights, will require a LUA script. 

     

    The one thing remaining for me is to associate each of the four slave devices with the S2 switch of another dimmer. As indicated in my previous post, I have succeeded doing this with a third-party (single channel) dimmer. Olekenneth explains in his post above, however, that he has not succeeded in doing this with his Fibaro unit. Has anybody else tried this combination (Fibaro RGBW dimmer in in/out mode associated with the S2 of a Fibaro dimmer 2)?

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Answer this question...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

    ×
    ×
    • Create New...