In-wall smart switches are one of the more economic ways to control your home’s lighting. However, many homes are incompatible with the smart hardware due to requiring a neutral wire. inovelli, a primarily Z-Wave-focused home automation company, has now unveiled its latest product which aims to end this predicament. The new Z-Wave Dimmer Switch cuts out neutral wire requirements while introducing smart notifications, support for up to 11 scenes and more.
In-wall light switches are one of the keystones of the Z-Wave smart home market. Even though the ecosystem hasn’t garnered the same mainstream appeal that other home automation products have, there are a variety of different models available. Some take a simplistic approach, which others incorporate capacitive touchpads and more into the designs. But most all have one thing in common — almost all of them require a neutral wire for installation.
The barrier to entry of needing a neutral wire leaves many in the dark for these kinds of switches. It’s not uncommon for older homes to lack the inclusion, but that’s where inovelli’s new Z-Wave Switch really shines. One of its main selling points is that it doesn’t require the bane of the home automation world, the dreaded neutral wire.
This time around, the company has taken its lighting module and upgraded it in more ways than one. It touts the latest Z-Wave Plus technology and improved range over previous models. Also included are energy monitoring and Z-Wave signal strength tracking, two measurements to help you better manage your smart home.
inovelli’s Z-Wave Switch can be configured in three different ways, with 3-way, 4-way, or 5-way installations possible. That opens the door to a broader range of applications than the standard switch, which may only support 3-way control. Lastly, it has an RGB LED bar that can be programmed to display the room’s brightness level. It also allows for smart notifications, so it can turn certain colors if the garage door has been left open and more. The Z-Wave Switch can store up to 11 different scenes and can even be set up to control other smart devices.
One of the big perks of inovelli’s latest releases is its reliance on Z-Wave Plus. Out of the box it’ll work with a wide roster of different platforms, including SmartThings, Home Assistant, Wink and many others. And even if the hub you’ll be pairing it with lacks the ability to adjust some of its preferences, the light switch itself has its own config button for setting favorite scenes and more.
The new Z-Wave Dimmer Switch is currently available for pre-order from inovelli and will run you $30. That’s $7 under the eventual launch price. It’s said to be shipping on May 15th, which isn’t too long of a wait.
The new switch solves what is arguably one of the more frustrating issues of in-wall hardware. Plus, it incorporates plenty of other features that help solidify the inovelli Z-Wave Dimmer Switch as one of the more interesting and compelling options on the market.
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