I'm using this switch in my detached garage. I originally purchased this for my outside light, but then decided it would be put to much better use turning the garage lights on and off from inside the house (my garage walkway lights are hooked up to the inside lights, not the outside one).
All the lights in my garage are florescent lights. I have four ballasts with two 40w bulbs in each one. I also have a string of three 20w compact florescent lights in my attached storage shed. I HAD two 15w compact florescent in my outside lights (read on). I have one old florescent light from the 60's also.
With no incandescent/halogen bulbs in my garage this light switch will work correctly - if the old florescent light from the 60's in unplugged. I'm assuming due to it's age, the florescent light from the 60's starts up hard. It buzzes and whines and flashes and will finally fire the bulb after a few seconds of protest. I'm sure it's also feeding back all sorts of EMI junk back into the electrical. This light switch does NOT like that at all, and cuts the power when used with the remote switch (but will work normally with the main). Now, when this troublesome light is taken out of the loop, the remote switch works correctly. Since I haven't replaced the old light yet (it's most definitely on my TO-DO list!), I removed the two 15w compact florescent bulbs in my outside walkway lights and installed two 40w incandescent bulbs. These bulbs seem to "soak up" the crap the old florescent light is spitting out while it's protesting start up, and make the light switch work normally.
To to sum this review up, as long as you have a sizable florescent load on this switch, and you're not using old florescent lights/ballasts/bulbs - you won't have any problems with it. If you don't have a heavy florescent load, all you have to do is add a 25w incandescent bulb into the loop and the switch will be happy.
This switch uses it's metal frame as a heatsink for the electronics inside and seems to get hot, not warm to the touch. I would highly advise to make sure your mounting this in a metal box to disperse the heat, and not a plastic box.
I'm only giving this a 4/5 simply because the switch is so large that I have to replace the box in my garage because it doesn't fit. Heath Zenith BL-6133-WH Basic Solutions Wireless Switch and Wall Switch
Each of the 5 available codes are pre-set at the factory, so if you want to use more than one of these switches, you need to make sure you get ones with different codes (A through E) Once installed, do work well.
I bought it to add a light switch at the top of the basement stairs. The house is a raised ranch, and when the previous owners raised it and moved the stairs, they neglected to have a switch installed. It works, however...
1) Quality of construction is poor. I would have paid double for higher quality.
2) Occasionally it does not work right away.
3) Will not work with fluorescent or compact fluorescent lights. This may render it useless after 2012, when incandescent bulbs are due to be taken off the market. However, I will but a stockpile of bulbs to ensure I don't need to replace the unit at that time.
(Make sure you read my update at the bottom, please.)
About my installation: finished attic with four R30 recessed lights plus track lights with a total of nine R20 bulbs. That's 13 bulbs total on the run. Only ONE light switch at the bottom of the attic stairs.
To make this another bedroom (which we would like to do) it would be a pain to have to trudge to the bottom of the stairs and back up again to shut off lights at bedtime. However, it would be impossible (or at least REALLY expensive and messy) to re-wire for a 3-way switch (beams, pipes, etc., all in the way between floors and ceilings.) SO, what to do?
I purchased this and HOPED it would work with compact fluorescents. Only after purchasing did I read the reviews, and I'm glad I waited, because I wouldn't have purchased it if I'd read them in advance.
Turns out this product WORKS GREAT with my CFLs. Perhaps it is because I have so many on the line, that the load is sufficient, as one other review mentions. I have no humming or any other noise at all. It is silent, even with 13 CFLs on this run. I think that says a LOT.
If you have fewer lights to control and want to use CFLs, buy it and see if it works. You may have to keep one incandescent in there to make it work, but it still will save you money in wattage, and it SURE beats the cost of rewiring!
Well worth the money!
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Update 3/21/10
Have been meaning to update this. First couple of times used, it did not flicker. Then it started to, for whatever reason (nothing changed...so, kinda odd.) So I followed the advice of another reviewer, and changed one (of the 13) lights in the line to an incandescent. No more flickering! It's still WELL worth the money!! Easiest, best, and least expensive solution out there.
I had a specific need for just this device, and the Heath Zenith wireless wall switch works pretty much exactly like you'd expect it to.
I agree with the other reviews that the quality of the switch just "feels" a little suspect. The wall and wireless switch can actually trip the power without even fully flicking it into an up or down position. Rather, just applying a little pressure is enough to activate it, which isn't really problematic, just unusual. The wireless switch also fails occasionally, so an extra "flip" is sometimes required for it to succesfully send a signal to the receiver. These are the lone reasons why the product gets 4 and not 5 stars from me.
Those are my minor gripes, but they shouldn't hide the fact that otherwise this unit fulfills just the need we wanted it to - adding a functional light switch to the opposite side of a bedroom without the need of any rewiring. It's a great, affordable solution that's incredibly easy to install and use. After doing some pretty extensive searching online, I didn't see a lot of other similar products available - many are "plug" based wireless receivers rather than wall switch receivers. So, I genuinely feel like there wasn't a better option readily available on Amazon or other sites.
Pros: Great, affordable, functional product that's simple to install and use, seems to be best of available options
Cons: Doesn't have a high quality feel to it, switch isn't 100% accurate all the time, although it still performs to satisfaction - Wireless Light Switch - Swtich - Remote Switch - Wireless Wall Switch'
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