Dimming lights

Posted by Scott A. Avery [IP: 207.172.35.96] on January 01, 1999 at 18:30:46:

In Reply to: Dimming lights posted by Alan L. Maier [SysOp] December 29, 1998 at 22:22:14

Also check out X10s site. I have purchased lighting control items through X10.com and smarthome.com as well as from Radio Shack and Costco locally.

My whole apartment is wired with X10 controls and I can use my computer to enter macros and timer settings. My lights turn on in the morning when I should be waking up (instead of snoozing the alarm). And, just as you are looking to do, I can push a button on my remote (same remote for my whole home theater system) and trigger a macro that turns off all the lights in my apartment and sets the lights in my theater to 20%.

If you don't have a computer or don't want to bother with the whole setup you can just get a transceiver with remote and a wallswitch. You could get these things at Radio Shack for about $38 (25 for transeiver with keyring remote and about 13 for the switch). The cheap solution will not dim to a preset level. You could get a more expensive wall switch that does remember its last brightness level. Check at http://www.smarthome.com for these kinds of modules. I think the switches run around $40.

The good things about ordering from x10 directly is that they are always giving away free stuff with each order. They have been giving away free remote controls all last month andmay still be doing so today. If you order RC6500 for $25 and get a free remote then you'd just need to pick the wall switch you want, either a cheapie for $13 that requires the remote for dimming or an advanced one that can dim at the wall and remember its previous dim level.

I think x10 is the way to go, rather than a one room solution. With x10 you can add to the system and control up to 256 devices. X10 compatible systems are available from other vendors like RCA, IBM, and Leviton. If you have an RCA TV or VCR yopu might prefer to get the RCA system with its RCA remote control. Smarthome has this one for sale, I think.

Good luck, and have fun with it.

Scott

: Mike,

: Why not stop in at the Leviton web site and take a look. They offer systems for pre and post construction installations. The only other option I know of (and welcome suggestion) is a X-10 based system which includes a wireless remote and 2 modules - one of which is a wall light switch. Locally it is cheap (around $40 for the package) but I am sure it is limited in what it can do.

: Best regards,

: Alan

: : Is there a simple remote control lighting dimmer solution which I can buy which will replace my room light switch and simply put the lights to a predetermined level when prompted??

• X10 Home Automation

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