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Seth Gordon wrote: > ...as long as I'm using X-10 I can't switch my lights over to CFL or > LED bulbs. The times I've googled around for alternatives, it seems > that every other system is pitched to people with a lot more > disposable income than I have. A bit ironic the way power savings and home automaton are at odds, due to CFLs. Some of the lighting most suitable for automation, like outside porch lights, are harder to automate because of this. Both INSTEON and Z-Wave offer light switches that internally use relays, and thus are non dimmable and are compatible with CFLs. I believe you can get X-10 relay switches too. Despite having more licensed manufacturers, the Z-Wave components are generally more expensive, with a relay switch running $60 - $75 for a good brand, compared to about $45 for the INSTEON. You can get a Z-Wave relay switch from Intermatic for just under $40, but supposedly it doesn't send out acknowledge messages (it's speculated that this was done to avoid violating a patent), and users have complained about the quality of Intermatic components. The better quality Leviton switches run $70 to $80. Aside from the cost, the downside to any of these relay switches is that they require a neutral feed to the switch, which is often absent in the wiring in old houses where they often ran the power feed to the light fixture, and looped the hot side over to the light switch. (X-10 dimmer switches work around the absent neutral by leaking some current through the filament of the incandescent bulb when its off. Supposedly Z-Wave dimmers can work like this too[1], but not INSTEON.) Although you can hang tight until LED bulbs replace CFLs, some LED bulbs might incorporate switching power supplies and lead to the complications. And if you have a missing neutral, that will still be a problem with LEDs. 1. http://misterhouse.wikispaces.com/Insteon#insteon_x10_zwave_upb Bill Bogstad wrote: > My experience with dimmable CFLs over the last few years is that they > fail in less time then an incandescent. Interesting. I've never had much desire to dim CFLs, but have used a few dimmable bulbs to accommodate light switch circuits that use TRIACs (like a motion sensor light switch). I didn't have enough experience with them to notice any longevity differences, and eventually swapped out the switches, as the dimmable bulbs were too hard to find. (As the other poster mentioned, I think they've become more readily available now.) -Tom -- Tom Metro Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA "Enterprise solutions through open source." Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/
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