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 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: Good enough, need to have modest expectations
Summary: 3 Stars
As noted by some, the wired-in unit has some depth to it. I needed to add a box extension to my switch box in the garage, though it was one of the shallow ones so a standard depth box should be fine. Not a big deal, and a non-issue for many I think. The key issue for me is range -- though I'm only asking the signal to go ~12', it is through/around a corner in the house so it clips two brick walls as well as a floor. The thing I did notice is that the range works much better trying to turn on rather than turn off. Weird and annoying. Pretty unreliable signal OFF signal my desired switch location. Silly me.
Note that the directions tell you to unwind the little antenna on the wired end and dangle it down to get better range. I missed that tip upon installation, and only just did one last hunt for the manual before I smashed this thing with a baseball bat out of frustration. The antenna extension really makes a difference! Honestly, even at 10' and no obstructions, I wasn't getting reliable OFFs with the in its default position wrapped around the toggle and thought this was a 1-star item. Anyway, with that dangly antenna down, I now have good enough range that I can place the switch in a fallback location and transmit about 10' and up from the basement garage through a basic joist/hardwood floor -- not my preferred choice, but someplace that works well enough and saves me a trip down the stairs.
Customer Review: Good product, but . . . .
Summary: 4 Stars
This product works great. Very easy to install, took less than 10 minutes.
The wall socket that these switches control is in my bedroom. I put in a splitter in the plug socket and ran two white extension cords so that I can turn on all three lamps in my bedroom with these switches. The original wall switch is right by the doorway, which I replace with the wall switch in this product, so I can turn the lights on when I walk in my bedroom, and I placed the other one (the battery powered one) right by my bed so I can get in bed and turn the same lights off (and back on) right from bed.
However, when I read the other reviews about it not working with compact fluorescent bulbs (the energy efficient bulbs) I though it was baloney, but sure enough the compact fluorescent bulbs lightly flicker when you shut the switch(es) off. I tried two different brands and one flickered less, but still flickered. However, when I replaced just one bulb with a standard bulb, the other two stopped flickering. Cant explain why, but it worked.? So I have two compact fluorescent bulbs and one regular bulb being controlled by this switch system and it works great. I would prefer to have all compact fluorescent bulbs (for energy efficiency) but two out of three is not bad.
Overall, a great product. If they can fix the compact fluorescent issue, I would give this product five stars.
Customer Review: Very easy installation, does as intended! Very good.
Summary: 4 Stars
This would get 5 stars if the instructions were a little clearer.
My rental apartment did not have a light switch at the entrance. I had to walk all the way into the living room to hit the switch. I had this installed and it has made things so much more convenient. I now have a switch for the main lights on both ends of the living room.
Do not let the appearance of the bare-looking switch in the pictures alarm you. The bare-looking switch will be covered by your old switch cover and you cannot tell it was replaced.
To those of you that need to understand how this works, the bare-looking switch hooks into the place where your old switch was. This works as a regular switch albeit with remote receiving capabilities. Installing it is just a matter of hooking up two wires and screwing it back in. The second switch is the remote transmitter that you can use from a distance away.
I mounted the transmitter aka remote switch by the entrance of the living room with double sided tape. I now have a switch that is easily accessible. Works perfectly.
The only things you need that are not included are a pair of pliers, a screwdriver and a 9V battery.
Great product. Cost effective. Works exactly as described. Very easy to install.
Customer Review: A little quirky, but worthwhile.
Summary: 3 Stars
I got this set to move a light switch that was behind a dresser to a more useful place beside the door so I only use the remote, battery-operated switch.
If you move the remote switch partway it will trigger, or if you move it too quickly it sometimes triggers twice or not at all. Also, I tried to switch over to energy-saving bulbs and found that with this switch installed they could not be shut off.
The in-wall switch has a strange toggle next to the normal switch that is hard to manage. During installation it slipped to a halfway point and neither switch would function until I figured it out.
There's a few quirks with using this product but it is overall decent and does what it is intended to.
Customer Review: This switch works
Summary: 4 Stars
I was not wise enough to pay attention to the reviews of the Leviton 6696-W Anywhere Switch, RF Remote Decora Rocker 3-Way Switch, White. After installing the Leviton switch, I found that it would not turn off and it would not work with the new florescent light bulbs (the Leviton switch will burn the bulb out). I have since returned the Leviton switch and purchased the Heath Zenith switch. The Heath Zenith switch is clunkier and not as elegant, but it works. The light turns off and on with the radio control reliably.