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How to Program a All On/Off (Kill Switch) on a Lightwave Dimmer

Learn how to program a kill switch on your Lightwave dimmer to quickly disable lighting when needed. Follow our simple step-by-step guide to set up and configure the kill switch feature.

The Kill Switch function allows you to use a spare gang on a multi-gang Lightwave dimmer as a master control for the other gangs on the same dimmer. Instead of controlling its own lighting circuit, the spare gang can switch multiple connected lights on and off simultaneously.

This is one of the most popular and practical configurations for spare gangs, especially in open-plan spaces or rooms with multiple lighting circuits.

This setup uses an IF-DO Automation within the Lightwave app.

👉 New to automations?  Introduction to Automations

What You’ll Be Setting Up

You will create two IF-DO automations:

  • 🔵 One for Turning Lights ON

  • 🔴 One for Turning Lights OFF

Once complete:

  • Pressing the Up button on the spare gang will turn all selected lights ON

  • Pressing the Down button will turn them OFF

The other gangs will continue to function normally.

Before You Start

  • Ensure your dimmer is fully set up in the app

  • Identify which gang will act as the kill switch (this should be a spare gang)

  • Decide which dimmers you want it to control

🔵 Programming the ON Command

Follow these steps to configure the spare gang to turn multiple lights ON.

1️⃣ Open the Lightwave App

Launch the Lightwave app on your smartphone or tablet.

2️⃣ Tap the Green “+” Button

Tap the green Plus (+) icon in the centre of the screen.

3️⃣ Select Automations

Tap Automations.

4️⃣ Select IF-DO

Choose IF-DO.

You will now see:

  • Triggers (IF)

  • Actions (DO)

5️⃣ Add the Trigger

  1. Tap Add Trigger

  2. Locate the spare gang in its room

  3. Select Multi-Press

  4. Tap Done

  5. Tap Done again in the top-right corner

6️⃣ Configure the Trigger

Under Triggers (IF):

  • Select Single Press

  • Choose the Up button

Your trigger should now read:

IF dimmer detects Up button single press

7️⃣ Add the Actions (DO)

Now move to the Actions section:

 

  1. Add the dimmers you want to control (locate them in their rooms)

  2. Ensure Switch is selected

  3. Confirm each device is set to ON

Your automation should now read:

IF dimmer detects Up button single press
DO turn ON selected devices

Save the automation.

🔴 Programming the OFF Command

Method 1

You can use the Copy Automation feature available in the Lightwave app. 

  1. Open the Automations tab at the bottom of the screen.

  2. Locate the ON automation you have just created.

  3. Press and hold the automation tile.

  4. In the top-right corner, tap the Copy button.

  5. This will open the Edit screen, where you can change the actions to OFF.

  6. Once all devices have been updated to OFF, tap Next.

  7. If you would like the automation to run at a specific time or on specific days, configure this on the next screen; otherwise, select Skip to proceed without a schedule.

  8. Enter a name for the automation, then tap Done to save it.


Method 2

To configure the OFF function, you will repeat the same process as above, with two small changes:

  • Use the Down button instead of the Up button

  • Set the selected devices to OFF instead of ON

1️⃣ Create a New IF-DO Automation

  • Tap the green + button

  • Select Automations

  • Choose IF-DO

  • Tap Add Trigger

  • Select the same spare gang

  • Choose Multi-Press

  • Tap Done

2️⃣ Configure the Trigger

Under Triggers (IF):

  • Select Single Press

  • Choose the Down button

Your trigger should read:

IF dimmer detects Down button single press

3️⃣ Configure the Actions

Under Actions (DO):

  1. Select the same dimmers used in the ON automation

  2. Where it says ON, tap it

  3. Change it to OFF

Your automation should now read:

IF dimmer detects Down button single press
DO turn OFF selected dimmers

Save the automation to complete setup.

✅ Final Result

Your spare gang will now operate as a master control:

  • Up button → Turns all selected lights ON

  • Down button → Turns all selected lights OFF

This does not override or disable the individual gangs — it simply provides convenient whole-room control.