cezar_oz Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 OK, I know it's a silly question, but what is a difference between dimmers, switches and keypads?What types of loads can / can't be controlled and to what extent, to what degree they can be programmed, in what scenarious you'd use them, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILoveC4 Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 A dimmer and a switch can both control a load, and a keypad cannot. A keypad can be "bound" to a dimmer or switch giving it that functionality, but a keypad by itself cannot physically turn a light on or off.Dimmers have the ability to dim the lights, as opposed to switch that is either on or off. Dimmers should be used on incandescent lights, and switches should be used on fluorescents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharmdsmith Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 switches should also be used on fans. Apparently dimmers will die due to some conflict with fan speed not being regulated correctly with dimmers. So a switch will only turn the fan on to the speed it is set on, no speed control. One bird told another bird who told me that control4 is looking into a control for fans so the speed can be adjusted correctly. Who knows if and when that will happen or if the bird even knew what he was talking about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanE Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 I don't know what birds you're talking to, but I don't think they're very well informed...RyanE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoonman56 Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 Obviously the Dodo bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pharmdsmith Posted June 23, 2009 Share Posted June 23, 2009 thats what I figured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cezar_oz Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Thanks heaps But before you go ....... what about blinds and windows shutters? I presume these will have to come with its own motors that can be connected via a relay to a C4 controller. Can you then program a dimmer to close/open the blinds and anything in between? Or will it need to be a switch (i.e. open/close are the only 2 options)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CFUG Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Blind/shade control is possible and easy with Somfy brand with the magic $400 box in between. Certainly, C4 is not in the shade business- motors come from "others". I suppose you could control with a dimmer (what is this fascination with using dimmers instead of button controllers??) but I think either a solar sensor or just plain schedule will do fine. Somfy allows a pre-set position that you can call up independent of the up/down stops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 What is the magic $400 box? Or could you use a C4 controller like a HC200 to do the job? I installed blinds that have a Somfy motor but apparently it is the "wrong" type of Somfy motor so we still are having issues getting it to work with my C4 system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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