How To: Manually Program Your Dimmer Switch (Red & Black Series)

How To: Manually Program Your Dimmer Switch (Red & Black Series)

Overview

This knowledge-base article will show you how to program your dimmer switch (both Red & Black Series) when you install it outside of a single-pole, neutral setup (ie: 3-Way, 4-Way, non-neutral, etc). This will have to be manually done as there was not enough room to write the auto-detection script that's on our On/Off switches.

We'll cover the following scenarios:
  1. Single-Pole, Neutral Installation
  2. Single-Pole, Non-Neutral Installation
  3. Multi-Switch, Neutral Installation with existing/dumb switch
  4. Multi-Switch, Neutral Installation with auxiliary switch (made by GE, HomeSeer, etc)
  5. Multi-Switch, Non-Neutral Installation with auxiliary switch (made by GE, HomeSeer, etc)
Wiring schematics can be found here: Gen 2 - Dimmer Wiring Diagrams

Background / Logic

Below is the background and logic into how the switches are created. This will help you understand how to program them. There are two portions to programming the switch: AC Power Type (Neutral, Non-Neutral) and Switch Type (Single-Pole, 3-Way Toggle, 3-Way Momentary).

The best place to start is with the wiring diagrams to determine what wiring you have (please see link above in the overview section) from a neutral or non-neutral standpoint. Once this is determined, you can decide whether or not you want to use an existing/dumb switch (ie: $2 switch you can buy at Lowes) or a special auxiliary switch made by GE or HomeSeer (this will allow you to dim at both ends).

Here are your options for Switch Type:
  1. Single Pole
  2. 3-Way (Multi-Switch) Toggle (ie: dumb/existing switch)
  3. 3-Way (Multi-Switch) Momentary (ie: special add-on switch made by GE/HomeSeer)
Here are your options for AC Power Type:
  1. Neutral
  2. Non-Neutral
Now that you've determined your setup, please find the correct link below to go to setup instructions:  

Single-Pole Installations

Single-pole installations are when you have one switch controlling one light/load and there are a couple of options here: neutral and non-neutral. 

Single-Pole - Neutral Installation (Default Setting)

The good news is that you will not have to do anything to the switch as this is how the switch is programmed initially. However, if you are trying to get back to the default setting, please follow the instructions below:

Setting AC Power Type to Neutral

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 11x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 1x short to indicate it is on the 11th config parameter (AC Power Type)
  3. Tap up on the paddle 1x -- the LED bar should blink purple 1x to indicate you're changing the parameter to the Neutral setting
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan

Setting Switch Type to Single-Pole

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 12x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 2x short to indicate it is on the 12th config parameter (Switch Type)
  3. Tap down on the paddle 1x -- nothing should happen (this is ok)
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan
Your switch should now be in the neutral, single-pole setting.

Single-Pole - Non-Neutral Installation (Default Setting)

In this example, if this is the first time installing the switch, you will only have to change the AC Power Type to Non-Neutral. However, we'll show you how to also set it to single-pole, just in case the switch got out of sync and/or was inadvertently set to multi-switch:

Setting AC Power Type to Non-Neutral

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 11x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 1x short to indicate it is on the 11th config parameter (AC Power Type)
  3. Tap down on the paddle 1x -- nothing should happen (this is ok)
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan

Setting Switch Type to Single-Pole

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 12x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 2x short to indicate it is on the 12th config parameter (Switch Type)
  3. Tap down on the paddle 1x -- nothing should happen (this is ok)
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan
Your switch should now be in the non-neutral, single-pole setting.

Multi-Switch (ie: 3-Way, 4-Way) Installations

Multi-Switch installations are when you have two or more switches controlling one light/load and there are a couple of options here: neutral and non-neutral, dumb or auxiliary. NOTE: This switch is not capable of being programmed in a non-neutral, dumb/existing multi-switch setup -- you must use an auxiliary switch.

Multi-Switch - Neutral Installation w/a Dumb/Existing Switch

In this example, if this is the first time installing the switch, you will only have to change the Switch Type to 3-Way Toggle. However, we'll show you how to also set it to Neutral, just in case the switch got out of sync and/or was inadvertently set to Non-Neutral:

Setting AC Power Type to Neutral

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 11x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 1x short to indicate it is on the 11th config parameter (AC Power Type)
  3. Tap up on the paddle 1x -- the LED bar should blink purple 1x to indicate you're changing the parameter to the Neutral setting
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan

Setting Switch Type to Multi-Switch - Toggle (Dumb/Existing Switch)

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 12x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 2x short to indicate it is on the 12th config parameter (Switch Type)
  3. Tap up on the paddle 1x -- the LED bar should blink purple 1x to indicate you're changing the parameter to 3-Way Toggle (Multi-Switch) - dumb/existing switch
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan
Your switch should now be in the neutral, Multi-Switch (w/a dumb/existing switch) setting.

Multi-Switch - Neutral Installation w/an Auxiliary Switch

In this example, if this is the first time installing the switch, you will only have to change the Switch Type to 3-Way Momentary (aux). However, we'll show you how to also set it to Neutral, just in case the switch got out of sync and/or was inadvertently set to Non-Neutral:

Setting AC Power Type to Neutral

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 11x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 1x short to indicate it is on the 11th config parameter (AC Power Type)
  3. Tap up on the paddle 1x -- the LED bar should blink purple 1x to indicate you're changing the parameter to the Neutral setting
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan

Setting Switch Type to Multi-Switch - Momentary (Auxiliary Switch)

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 12x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 2x short to indicate it is on the 12th config parameter (Switch Type)
  3. Tap up on the paddle 2x -- the LED bar should blink purple 2x to indicate you're changing the parameter to 3-Way Momentary (Multi-Switch) - auxiliary (add-on) switch
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan
Your switch should now be in the Neutral, Multi-Switch - Momentary (auxiliary switch) setting.

Single-Pole - Non-Neutral Installation (Default Setting)

In this example, if this is the first time installing the switch, you will only have to change the AC Power Type to Non-Neutral. However, we'll show you how to also set it to single-pole, just in case the switch got out of sync and/or was inadvertently set to multi-switch:

Setting AC Power Type to Non-Neutral

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 11x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 1x short to indicate it is on the 11th config parameter (AC Power Type)
  3. Tap down on the paddle 1x -- nothing should happen (this is ok)
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan

Setting Switch Type to Multi-Switch - Momentary (Auxiliary Switch)

  1. Hold down the config button for 10 seconds to enter configuration mode (LED bar will turn solid yellow and then flash 1x)
  2. Tap the config button 12x quickly -- the LED bar should blink yellow 1x long and 2x short to indicate it is on the 12th config parameter (Switch Type)
  3. Tap up on the paddle 2x -- the LED bar should blink purple 2x to indicate you're changing the parameter to 3-Way Momentary (Multi-Switch) - auxiliary (add-on) switch
  4. Hold down on the config button for 10 seconds again (LED bar should turn yellow) and let go -- if successful, the LED bar should blink cyan
Your switch should now be in the Non-Neutral, multi-switch (momentary) setting.