================================================================= Evaluation of Leviton 2-way, 600W dimmer, model HCM06-1TW copyright Bill Fernandez, 11-APR-2002, all rights reserved ================================================================= OVERALL OPINION I had high hopes for this cheapest ($57 at worthdist.com) of the high end, 2-way switches, but ultimately find it unsatisfactory: o The inability to preset a dim level without actually turning on the dimmer is unacceptable. o That the dimmer turns on to the last level it was at (the "resume dim" feature) means that you can never predict what level it will come on to, and is very confusing when the last level was imperceptibly dim (i.e. you turn it ON and nothing appears to happen). o It does not transmit enough X10 information to keep a remote controller such as XTension fully apprised of its status. Hence XTension can't keep it's display in sync with the dimmer's state. o Via X10 you can ask its status, but you can only learn whether it's on or off; not what level it's at. o There is not enough tactile feedback, so you can't be sure you actually pressed the rocker. o The way the LEDs light and unlight is confusing. o It's scene control is incompatible with the 16400-series keypad base. o It does not transmit the X10 info needed to keep the 16400-series keypad base's LEDs in sync with it. o It does not respond as expected to X10 commands in that you would think that sending a first ON command would turn it to the resume dim level and sending a second ON command would turn it full on. Instead it ignores the second ON command and forces you to follow the first ON command by a series of BRIGHT commands, and since you don't know what level it turned ON to you just have to send it a lot of BRIGHT commands to insure that it eventually ends up being full ON. o You would expect that ALL LIGHTS ON would force it to full brightness, but instead it simply turns on to its resume dim level (which could be very dim). o Via X10, there's no simple, reliable way to set it to a known level. LOOK AND FEEL () The basic construction is solid. () The rocker does not have as much lateral or rotational play as does the SwitchLinc dimmer so does not feel as mushy, however it has very little throw (hardly depresses at all) when you press on it and the sound and tactile feel (or snap) of the buttons is very weak. The net result is that there is virtually no audible or tactile feedback. () Unlike the SwitchLinc dimmer you can press any part (left, center, right) of the top or bottom rocker and get a reliable button press (the Switchlinc sometimes requires that you press the right side of the top rocker or left side of the bottom rocker for the button press to register). () There are only six LEDs along the left side of the dimmer (as opposed to the SwitchLinc's eight). I would prefer more because I could see lots of visible dimming take place between each step in the LEDs. On the other hand, the LEDs are separated by from each other (rather than being in a continuous strip of clear plastic as in the SwitchLincs) and do not suffer from light-bleed, where light from one LED will seem to be emanating from an adjacent position. INITIAL APPEARANCE (with dimmer off) () When you walk up to an installed unit you will see a typical-looking decora-style rocker surrounded by a narrow plastic rim. Set into the left edge of the rim are six green LEDs. Set into the center of the bottom edge of the rim is a single green LED. Set into the left corner of the bottom edge of the rim is a clear plastic rectangle (this is the handle of the power disconnect switch). () Assuming that the dimmer is powered but is currently off, you will see that the bottom LED is on and one of the left LEDs is also on. That the bottom LED is on means that the dimmer has power but its output is currently off. The left LED shows you the level the dimmer will go to when it is turned on. MANUALLY TURNING THE DIMMER ON () At this point pressing the bottom rocker does nothing. () But If you tap (or press and hold) the top rocker then the dimmer will go to its "resume dim" output level. When you do this the LEDs do a number of things: The bottom LED goes off until the dim-up is completed, after which it blinks once and goes out. The left LED goes out, then the left LEDs light from the bottom up in sequence until the final dim level is reached, at which point the LED that was on before you pressed the rocker is back on again. Since the dimmer dims from full off to full on in less than a second all this LED flashing happens rather quickly. () Here's the meaning of the bottom LED's flashes: As soon as the dimmer starts dimming up the bottom LED goes out because it's only on when the dimmer is off (which doesn't make sense to me, but that's how it is). Oh wait, it has a second function which is to flash whenever the dimmer is transmitting an X10 message. So when the dimmer has finished dimming up to its initial level it will transmit a "STATUS ON" message, causing the bottom LED to blink once at that point. MANUALLY DIMMING UP AND DOWN () After the dimmer has turned on to its initial "resume dim" level (and after you have released the top rocker), you can: tap the top rocker to dim to full on, hold the top rocker to dim slowly up until you release the rocker, or hold the bottom rocker to dim slowly down until you release the rocker. () Note that when you dim up and down as described above it takes about 3 seconds to go between full dim and full bright. This is a different dimming rate than when the dimmer was first turned on (less than a second from full off to full on). () Note also that when you hold the bottom rocker to dim down, the dimmer will dim to its minimum dim level but will not dim to full off. HOWEVER, if you hold the bottom rocker too long, the dimmer will turn off! This can be disconcerting if the minimum dim level is set (see instructions later) at a not-so-dim level and you hold the bottom rocker hoping it will go a bit lower: what you get is the dimmer dims down, stops dimming, then "snaps" off. MANUALLY TURNING THE DIMMER OFF () To turn the dimmer full off, tap (do not hold) the bottom rocker. The dimmer will dim down at the rate of 3 seconds from full on to full off. () Or you can HOLD the bottom rocker down, then when it gets to it's minimum dim level KEEP HOLDING it down and about a second later the dimmer will "snap" off. RESUME DIM () Whenever you turn the dimmer off (either manually or via an X10 command) it will remember its output level at the time the OFF command is received. The next time you turn the dimmer on it will dim from zero to its remembered dim level. Thus whenever you turn the dimmer on it will "resume" the last dim level it was at before being turned off. () There appears to be no way to make it NOT turn on to this "resume dim" level. () There does not appear to be a way to program it to always turn on to a given level. () There does not appear to be a way to set the "resume dim" level without actually turning on the dimmer. RESPONSE TO X10 COMMANDS SENT TO DIMMER (using XTension 3.8.2) () Starting with dimmer off, the only way to turn the dimmer on is to send an ON or an ALL LIGHTS ON command, whereupon the dimmer will turn on and dim up to its "resume dim" level. () Once the dimmer is on, the only way to change its output level is to send BRIGHT and DIM commands. In particular, ON commands will NOT force it to go to full brightness! () Once the dimmer is on, the only way to turn it off is to send an OFF or ALL UNITS OFF command. () Subject to the above, the dimmer responds to normal X10 ON, OFF, DIM and BRIGHT commands, including those sent from Leviton 16450-series keypads (mounted on a 16400 base). However it does NOT respond to scene commands from the 164500-SW scene control keypad (mounted on a 16400 base). () The dimmer's instruction sheet says that it DOES respond to scene commands from the HCC-series controllers, so maybe there are extended commands that can be sent to force it to go immediately to a desired level... () Sending a status request results in it transmitting TWO "status ON" responses. () I played around a little with dimming up/down using the Control Panel, got some expected results and some bizarre results but didn't pursue it. X10 TRANSMISSIONS STIMULATED BY MANUAL CONTROL OF DIMMER () These tests where performed with the dimmer set to address "A2". Where it says "the dimmer transmits..." it shows the bytes (in hex) that the Mac serial port recieved from the CM11A ("Serial of Champions" v1.1 was used to capture the raw serial port data). () Starting with the dimmer off: o Tap the top rocker and the dimmer dims up to the resume dim level and transmits "5A 03 02 6E 6D" which XTension logs as "A Status On command was received on housecode "A"" (So a remote controller can know that it's ON, but not at what level?!). o Tap again and the dimmer dims up to full ON but does not transmit its new level (so how can a remote controller keep track of its new level?). o Tap the top rocker several times and the dimmer stays at full and transmits nothing (which is what you'd expect). o But HOLD the top rocker down (for say 1/2 second or more) and upon release the dimmer transmits "5A 05 01 67 0E BF 38" which XTension logs as "Received extended code from A2 level = 191". ("191" seems to the the full ON level.) o Hold the bottom rocker down (for say 1/2 second) and as you hold the dimmer dims down. Upon release the dimmer transmits something like "5A 05 01 67 0E A2 38" which XTension logs as "Received extended code from A2 level = 162". o Holding down the top or bottom rocker will cause the dimmer to dim up or down respectivey. Upon release it will transmit its dim level which varies between 191 max and 127 min (as reported by XTension). o Hold the bottom rocker down until it reaches its minimum dim level, and upon release it transmits something like "5A 05 01 67 0E B0 38" which XTension logs as "Received extended code from A2 level = 127". "127" is the lowest dim level the dimmer supports. However the actual level you get depends upon the minimum dim level that has been set for the dimmer. o Starting from a high dim level, if you hold the bottom rocker down the dimmer dims down until it reaches the minimum dim level that has been set for it. If you release at this point the dimmer will transmit its current dim level. Howver if, once you reach minimum dim, you continue holding for abot one second the dimmer will "snap" OFF and transmit "5A 03 02 6E 6E" which XTension logs as "A Status Off command was received on housecode "A"". o From any dim level, if you simply tap the bottom rocker the dimmer turns OFF and transmits "5A 03 02 6E 6E" which XTension logs as "A Status Off command was received on housecode "A"". o Once the dimmer is off, holding or repeatedly tapping the bottom rocker has no effect. () Notice that, while all of the above is happening, if you have a series 16400-series keypad base at the same address it does not update it's ON/OFF LEDs to show the status of the dimmer. So even though you can turn the dimmer ON/OFF from a 16400-series keypad base, you can't use the base to keep track of the dimmers' on/off STATUS. () Notice that, if you set a second HCM06-1TW dimmer to the same address, it cannot be used as a remote control to control the first dimmer and it's display is not updated to reflect the first dimmer's status; so it can't be used as an N-way remote (or slave) for the first dimmer. SCENES () The instructions for this dimmer claim that it can do scenes when using series HCCxx controllers. () This dimmer does not work with the 16400 base and 16500 scene controller keypads. BASIC INSTALLATION () This is a big, bulky, rectangular solid. It takes up a lot of depth and has no space to speak of alongside. So use the deepest junction box you can find because all the wires in the box are going to have to be jammed into whatever space is left behind the dimmer. () Connect the green wire to ground, white wire to neutral, black wire to supply line, and blue wire to the driven load. There is no traveller wire to connect to n-way slave units. GANGED INSTALLATION () The aluminum mounting flange is wider than normal at the top and bottom to provide extra heat dissapation. These wider sections are scored so that they can be broken off if necessary. They stick out so far that one dimmer cannot be mounted ("ganged") immediately adjacent to another dimmer or to a large device such as a GFCI module or a Leviton 16400 base and 16450-series keypad. Thus in multi-gang installations you will have to break off the tabs on one or both sides of the dimmer and derate it from 600W with all its tabs in a single-gang installation, to 500W for 2-gang, to 400W for 3-gang or more. N-WAY INSTALLATIONS () The dimmer does not have a traveller wire for hard-wired connection to slave units. Instead it's designed to use "logical" (rather than physical) connections through X10 messages transmitted by Leviton HCC-series transmitters that you have set to the same address as the dimmer. () These remote transmitters to not have LEDs to show the current output level of the dimmer. Thus if, from the remote control's location, you cannot actually see the lights being controlled by the dimmer, there's no way to know if the lights are currently on or off, what level they are at, or if you actuate a remote control there's no way to see how far you've dimmed the lights up or down. () Here are the three HCC-series transmitters specifically mentioned in the dimmer's instruction sheet: o The HCC10-1SW looks like a decora rocker switch, but its only function is to transmit X10 ON/OFF commands to a programmed X10 address. o The HCC1A-SW looks like a decora rocker switch, but its only function is to transmit X10 ALL LIGHTS ON and ALL LIGHTS OFF commands to a given housecode. Note that with the dimmer being discussed here this is of questionable value, since the dimmer will only turn on to its "resume level" which could be very dim whereas ALL LIGHTS ON is usually used for panic situations where you want all lights to come on full. o The HCC1D-1LW looks like a decora rocker switch with the addition of a smaller rocker with up/down arrows in the center of the full-size rocker. I believe that the big rocker sends X10 ON/OFF commands, and the small rocker sends X10 DIM/BRIGHT commands. In all cases the unit transmits only to a single, programmed X10 address. () I gather that the HCC-series scene controller (model HCCS7-10W?) is supposed to work with this dimmer, but it's not mentioned specifically in the instruction sheet. SETTINGS THAT CANNOT BE CONFIGURED o Cannot set the dim-up rate at turn-on. o Cannot set the dim-down rate at turn-off. o Cannot set the dim rate when dimming up/down. o Cannot preset an initial dim level (at turn-on dimmer will always "resume" its previous dim level). TO SET THE X10 ADDRESS () Remove the trim plate (revealing the aluminum frame of the dimmer). Look about a third of the way down from the top-right corner of the white plastic rim surrounding the rocker. Find the small, flat, white button set behind a hole in the aluminum chassis. () With a pointed object, hold down this "Programming" button until the bottom LED starts flashing (about 5 seconds) then release it. () With an X10 controller, transmit the address you want the dimmer to have. () Tap the top rocker. TO SET THE MINIMUM DIM LEVEL () If you DIM the lights all the way down until they APPEAR to be completely off, then TURN OFF the dimmer, then the next time you turn the dimmer ON the lights will "resume dim" to this invisibly-on level which makes it look like nothing happened. Being able to set a minimum level below which the dimmer will not dim allows you to insure that even at it's lowest level you can see at least a little glow from the controlled light. () With a pointed object, hold down the Programming button (described above) WHILE dimming the dimmer up and down using the the rockers. () When the dimmer is at the output level you desire, release the rocker(s), then release the Programming button. POWER DISCONNECT SWITCH () The rocker is bordered by a thin plastic ring. Set into the left corner of the bottom edge of this rim is a rectangular piece of clear plastic. This is the top of a power-disconnect switch. Slip a sharp tool around the edge of the switch and pull it out about 1/8 inch to mechanically disconnect power from the internal circuitry. () The instruction sheet says to disconnect power from the dimmer before servicing the load connected to it. FACEPLATE COLOR () The rocker, and the plastic rim around it, are both part of an assembly that snaps on/off, leaving the flat front of the aluminum chassis exposed. Thus the color of the dimmer can be changed by unsnapping the assembly and replacing it with one of a different color. ================== end of report =================