New Setup Questions Fibaro RGBW and Dimmer2

Can I get some help for a n00b

I’m setting up a new open plan area with 6 circuits.

  1. Living area. Dimmable LED GU10
  2. Dining area. Dimmable LED GU10
  3. Hallway. 2 way switch from both ends of the room. Dimmable or not, dont care
  4. Strip LED under kitchen units
  5. Pendant bulbs over kitchen island
    6 Kitchen LED GU10. Dimmable or not, dont care

I want all of these to be controlled via Homey and seems the best thing to use is something Fibaro

I was looking at the dimmer 2 but seems I would need one of these for each circuit
Then I came across the RGBW controller which seems to have 4 channels which can all be dimmed independently and will work with GU10 according to the fibaro website…

So, question is, can I use the RGBW to control say the 3 dimmable spot circuits and strip LEDs, then a dimmer 2 for the 2 way switch and something else for the pendants?

I’m getting so confused looking at all the options hoping someone can help!

Edit, I’d also like to know if the RGBW can work with Momentary switches as I guess that’s what I’ll need in general and would like to keep uniformity

Anyone? Electrician wants to know what I’m doing… :confused:

Looking at the manual there is an option to do so. https://manuals.fibaro.com/content/manuals/us/FGRGBWM-441/FGRGBWM-441-USA-A-v1.01.pdf

However, all wiring has to come from one location and that includes the power supply…

Secondly you indicate that you have GU10 leds, therfore I assume 220V and not 24V which is required for the RGBW dimmer.

In my opinion. 1,2,3,5 and 6 each with a dimmer 2 and a momentary switch. Add a double momentary switch to the living area to make use of the Dimmer 2 S2 and thereby start your scenes. Item 4 can be done with the RGBW controller, assuming it is 24V.

A bit higher investment, but a more solid solution.

Thanks for your answer!
You’re absolutely right - the RGBW wouldnt work for the GU10 as they will be mains powered.

1,2,3,4,6 as Dimmer 2 make sense - presumably the two way circuit can work fine with the momentary switch fine?

Kitchen LEDs with the RGBW also makes sense - sounds like i could then split control and have them in 4 differing areas too…
Can the RGBW be controlled with momentary switch too to turn all to white as default and dim or change colour by holding?

I’m not sure i understand your point about the scenes and double momentary - can you explain that a little more for me?

The dimmer has the ability to have a second switch attached to it - while it cant directly control a device. You can use it to indirectly control other zwave dimmer switches - (perhaps in another room), or even trigger a Homey flow (which controls the other devices)

Ah, thanks.
So in Homey, can I use that second dimmer input, with a momentary switch, to say that holding that momentary will cycle through colours on the RGBW? (where as the hard wired momentary to the RGBW holding will dim/brighten?)
Is that a feasible setup?

Yes this should work.

Great - thanks for the help guys!
Seems like it might be worth using a few more of the secondary inputs then too, for an “All On” / “Left On” / “Right On” type setup too…

Also, side question - anyone come across a quad momentary switch setup on a single panel (similar to the MCO Home / glass panel switches) that i could use for this? Only ones i seem to find take up a double box which is going to mean a lot of switch space on the wall!!

I assume Fibaro Walli switch would do what you need

Aeotec has the wallmote quad, battery powered, nothing too build into needed.

I actually want them to be wired in - it’s for the primary light switch…
So looking for something like this:
image

But in this configuration:
image
(could also look like this if it can wire into the dimmers and act as momentary!

To wire in the fibaro dimmer 2’s

Hi @vaderag, i’ve move your question into its own thread, as it turned into a very specific question regarding your setup. Rather then anything to do with the fibaro app.

Okay, thanks - sorry, probably makes sense…

I use Saturn Zen (Black) 1 - 6 gang. (though the most I use is actually a 3 gang). But they have a nice blue led.

But it sounds like you use a different size over there.

Wow, they’re lovely!
Do they come with various inserts?

Edit: can’t really find them for sale over here… they look slightly pricey too at initial glance!
Edit2: actually, just found somewhere in AU selling 6 gang for $90 - not too bad. What size are your back boxes over there -wonder if i could import… (https://voltronlighting.com.au/products/luxe-light-switch-6-gang)

Are these literally just 6 gang momentary switches then?

Another point to consider. To have a robust setup, that allows all your lights to still turn on and off in case the controller is down, you would have to directly connect the switch to the dimmer without a controller being required (i.e. you would have to associate the switch with the dimmer in case they are both z-wave).

In all my experimenting, I noticed a robust setup gave me the highest WAF.

Can you just talk me though that a little bit more - not quite sure i’m understanding…

Say I have the switch (i’m now thinking standard momentary as otherwise i lose the second input on the dimmer 2 which i could use for scenes, and the value of the 3-position doesnt seem to outweigh that)

I connect that switch into the dimmer 2 and the dimmer 2 is wired to the lights. My understanding is that even without connecting to homey it should be able to work as a standard switch and do the dimming - am I correct here?

Then, adding in homey i get remote/flow control, and if I put something into the second port I can use that in flows to do something else (cycle led colour for example)

But without homey/a controller then that second port switch would be dead - is that correct?

Your are in the good direction. Directly wired lights on S1 give you the following options:
dim up, dim down (press and hold), on / of (single press), max brightness (double press). The last one only when enabled.

in addition, you could associate the S2 switch of the dimmer (controlling lamp A with S1) to be directly associated with another dimmer (controlling lamp B with S1). See #9 in the manual: https://manuals.fibaro.com/content/manuals/en/FGD-212/FGD-212-EN-T-v1.2.pdf

Alternatively, you could use the S2 to makes scenes, etc. with Homey. However, it is not both. Either associate or use for a flow.!

For my setup below, I control 5 lights with 3 dimmers behind the buttons. 3 wired to S1, 2 associated on S2 (dimmer at another location not hardwired) and the 3rd S2 is my scene controller, which switches the lights with Homey based on a flow (single press enables the scene for the time of the day) and double press turns of everything in the room.

Basically, all 5 lights will still work if homey is down. Then only the scene control button would not work.

Thanks, that’s really helpful.
I don’t think the direct association will help me as my lights themselves won’t be in the Zwave network other than via the dimmers themselves, so the S2 will only work for scenes (unless I later add a lamp on a Zwave plug or something I guess)

I’m kinda fine with that.
My plan is now to have 5 switches controlling zones wired to dimmer modules, 1 to an rgbw = 6 gang individual plate

Then a triple plate all wired to s2 with “scenes” the first being all on/off and then the others being decided as we work out how we’re using the room

The final dimmer S2 will be used for 2 way wiring on one set of lights for access from outside

Think that makes sense?

Question - can the association link to multiple devices? So I could have the all on done without homey?

Section 9 - “ Associations “

With in the fibaro dimmer 2 manual will answer your question.