Heath Zenith BL-6133-WH Basic Solutions Wireless Switch and Wall Switch
by Heath Zenith Basic Solutions
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List Price: Our Price: $17.60 You Save: $7.35 (29%) Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $12.95 (click here) Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Heath Zenith BL-6133-WH Basic Solutions Wireless Switch and Wall Switch
Customer Review: Works fairly well, but discovered a glitch that could cost money
Summary: 3 Stars
I'd been looking for some time for a product like this. We needed a second switch to control some floodlights. But we didn't want the hassle or expense of running the wiring for it. This seemed like a good, cost effective solution.
Installation is pretty straightforward. If you know how to replace a standard wall switch, you can install this.
The hookup wires are stranded aluminum and very light gauge. That concerned me, but it says it's rated to 500 watts. We're using most all of that on our floodlight circuit. When I installed the switch I made sure to use a "De-Ox" compound in the wire nuts to minimize the problems that result over time when aluminum and copper wire are directly connected.
Since it takes up the same amount of room as a standard switch, the master switch will fit in a multiple switch box. There may be a little less room to fold excess wires, but otherwise it will fit.
The remote switch (which takes a 9-volt battery, not included) works well and has a decent range -- about 50 feet, through walls -- but only with the little pigtail antenna in the wall switch extended. For now I just have it dangling out of bottom of the switch cover. That may be a bit disconcerting -- to see a black wire hanging out of an electrical switch like that. Later I'll cut a shallow groove in the drywall with a utility knife, and bed the antenna wire in it with spackling compound. Then I'll sand and paint over it to hide the thing.
That is, if I decide to leave it installed. I discovered a glitch that could cost some money. The floodlights were off one night when we had a very brief power failure -- just a bump -- and when the power came back on, so did the floodlights.
That could run up the electricity bill if we're out of town and it happens. Thinking about that possibility, and about the possibility of a nearly 500-watt draw running through those light gauge wires for hours and hours, unattended, would probably result in my pulling the switch first.
Customer Review: Great concept, BUT...
Summary: 3 Stars
This is a great concept - unfortunately, it did not work for me, for 2 reasons:
(1) The replacement switch only has 2 wires - black and red, and nowhere to put a ground (the bare copper wire that you may see attached to your existing switch).
I highly recommend removing your wall plate and checking to see how many wires go into your switch BEFORE you make this purchase. If you only have 2 wires (most likely a red and a black) and no ground, then you'll probably be ok.
I tried all possible combinations, but without a place to put the ground, the fuse blew.
(2) I already have 2 switches (on opposite sides of the room) that operate the same overhead light, but I wanted a remote one as well. However, my existing switches are wired to one another so that they read from one another (if you turn #1 on, #2 knows it's on & vice versa). The replacement switch does not have a place to plug in that "communication" wire.
Maybe if I knew more about wiring, I'd be able to figure it out. The manual even says, "If there are more than two wires attached to the switch, consult with an electrician about installation," and gives you no further advice.
Other gripes:
- The switch that goes into the wall looks cheap. I was going to put it in a 2 switch plate (one for the light, one for the fan) but it would've looked cheesy. The new one is bright white, skinny and has no substance to it.
- The new wall switch has an antenna that you're supposed to unwind and "fully extend so that it hangs down inside the wall." My switches are located in a fully enclosed metal box with drywall around it.... not going to happen unless I drill a hole somewhere.
- The remote switch requires a 9V battery, not included, fyi.
I would've loved to use this, but I'm afraid I'll have to send it back. (Darn my existing modern electric conveniences and safety features!)
Customer Review: If you have CFLs, it WILL work, but read...
Summary: 5 Stars
(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!
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.
Customer Review: Seemingly the best product of its type
Summary: 4 Stars
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
Customer Review: About what I expected.
Summary: 4 Stars
Although it isn't perfect, this switch provides a cost-effective and convenient solution to adding a switch without having to wire.
Our kitchen is between our main hallway/living area and our dining room. The kitchen light is on a switch in the dining room, which requires walking through the kitchen to get to the switch. We wanted to add a working switch to the hallway side of the kitchen without having to wire a new switch and without losing the existing switch. This wireless switch meets those requirements.
Keeping in line with what other reviewers have said, this switch is easy to install, although I needed help from someone with knowledge of electrical systems because my existing switch had 3 wires instead of the two I expected to find. The wireless switch is sensitive, often activating the switch without having to flip the ON/OFF even halfway, yet also does not work every single time the switch is flipped. Our transmitter and receiver are located about 8 feet apart, though there are two walls and some cabinets in between them.
It was noted that the switch comes with a factory-set channel (A-E), and that when ordering more than one switch, the desired channel should be specified. Yet I saw no way to indicate that different (or same) channels were desired. Not really and issue for me, because I only ordered one switch, but heads-up for those who consider ordering more than one.