How to control Non-Dimmable Lighting and smart bulbs - Discrete Switch (On/Off)

This article aims to guide you through the best practices for non-dimmable circuits, providing advice on operating with and without a neutral and instructions on how to configure a non-dimmable setup in the application.

Controlling non-dimmable lighting directly through a Lightwave dimmer

Lightwaves latest generation of smart dimmers can be configured to operate non dimmable lighting, in order for this to work, you must ensure the following:

- A neutral wire must be connected to the dimmer

- The dimmer must be updated to the latest version of software

If no neutral wire is present, please refer to the dimmable lamp guidelines

Please also ensure you are following our maximum load guidance, this is: 

• LED Lamps and smart bulbs (Philips Hue) - 100W Per Channel 
• Incandescent Lamps - 200W Per Channel
• LED Strip - No more than 10m of strip and no more than 100W per channel

Some lamps may not function correctly using this method, these are:

• Fluorescent tubes
• 12v transformers
• CFL Bulbs
• Very low wattage circuits (below 10w)

In these instances, please use a relay and refer to the guidance below

Configuration Guidance

By default, Lightwave dimmers are designed to control dimmable lamps exclusively. To operate a non-dimmable circuit, adjustments must be made in the application. Please refer to the following steps:

1. Connect only the mains  live and neutral to the dimmer to give it power (do not connect lighting circuits)
2. Add the dimmer to the application
3. Update the dimmer to the latest firmware if one is available
4. Change the operation mode in the app for the relevant non-dimmable circuits.
   1. Press and hold on the channel that you want to be non-dimmable.
   2. Click settings > Calibration > toggle Neutral Connected as below.
      
      
   3.  Select Discrete Switch (On/Off)
5. Repeat this for all non-dimmable circuits
6. Terminate power to the dimmer and connect lighting circuits, before turning the power back on

Your dimmer should now function as an (on/off) switch

Controlling non-dimmable lighting directly through a Lightwave relay

The Image above is based on a retro wiring system where no neutral wire is available. As no neutral wire is available the Primary channel must be hard wired to a dimmable lighting circuit and channel 2 will automatically get power meaning it can be programmed to be a wireless wall switch for any other lightwave devices such as relays and sockets.  

If your bulbs do not fit the correct guidelines to be operated by a dimmer, Lightwave offers a range of relays for various situations. This section will guide you through how to use our relays to control non-dimmable lighting.

Instead of wiring the lighting source to the dimmer, wire the lighting source directly into one of our relays and then follow the standard steps to add the relay to the application. 

You can then programme a spare channel of a dimmer (using the group automation or mirror  feature), or a wire-free switch to the relay.

Configuration Guidance

1. Please ensure that both the dimmer (either the magic button or wire-free scene selector) and relay have been added to the app and name them accordingly
2. In the app, select the plus button followed by automations, then select group automation
3. In group automation, select switch, this should bring up a list of rooms with devices in
4. Select the relay and dimmer that you would like to be grouped together, click next
5. Give the automation a name, before clicking done 

Please note:

A Group switch automation can be applied to as many devices as you wish meaning you can programme a spare dimmer channel to control multiple relays/sockets simultaneously for ON and OFF functionality.  

The group automation means all devices that are linked together will always turn on and off at the same time when the relay/socket or the dimmer channel is triggered manually or from the app  

The link plus hub will always remember that certain devices have been wirelessly grouped via an automation and will still work even if the internet connection drops in your house. As long as the Lightwave link plus hub has power all automations will still run