Remotec Zwave Dry Contact Fixture Module

I have made this a 5-star "I LOVE IT" since I have been able to get the switch to actually work with my GE45600/45601 secondary remote controllers. Turned out this worked fine once I reset the secondary networks to receive a full new network settings from primary. That took a bit of doing, as we have mutliple table top secondary controllers, but once done, it works fine on the primary or secondary controllers, and within scenes: it's all good.I bought this module as an override switch on my Gas Fireplace since family sometimes leaves on the fireplace too long. With Z-Wave I can force the fireplace OFF when it's been on 90 mins; I can turn it on early in the day to kick-start housewarming; I can use it in any scenes or with other special OFF / ON events.As a low voltage (LV) switch device, these switches aren't so simple to ZXWave-ify as other switches because there is no 120V power wire involved with the switch. The Z-Wave part needs that power to work. This module has three control segments to segregate: 1) 120V Z-Wave/Switch power; 2) LV relay contact switch; 3) External switch override. It can operate totally separate from Z-Wave; totally separate from the wall switch, or any combination of the two. Nifty. That means once installed, Wall Switch can turn ON or OFF the device but so can Z-Wave. And Z-Wave gets preference. So even if Wall Switch is ON, Z-Wave can shut it off. But if Wall Switch is already in OFF position, and Z-Wave turns it ON, wall switch can still turn it OFF, by turning it ON, then OFF. Same in reverse: can override to ON, by turning it OFF, then ON.You won't be able to install this device into your existing wall switch location (unless you can easily get a 120V lead up there from another source. Wire in place now is a low voltage (LV) feed, with nothing to power and control the Z-Wave. I also decided to install my new device in a totally passive manner, so I could swap it back to original state easily later if desired. (Useful for tenants who aren't owners, or owner like me might not want Z-Wave control there later.) Anyway: seamlessly passive install without altering existing fireplace or wiring at all. Since switch to fireplace control valve is via spade lugs, I replicated M and F spade lugs to interconnect into my replacement wires.That meant going to Home Depot for five items: A) a little baggie of 6 Male Spade Lugs; B) baggie of 6 Female Spade Lugs; C) a basic plastic outlet box; D) One 3' Black extension cord to use as 120V E) one 6' white extension cord to use as LV replacement wires-- could also use LV doorbell/ heater wire etc if you have on hand.Quick Start Summary Steps:o Mount the module switch in a standard outlet box laid under fireplace in air intake areao Assumes you have an available 120V outlet adjacent to/under your fireplace unito Thread black 120V Power cord out one side of the outlet box; white LV wires out the other side of boxo Power the Z-Wave Switch-- pins 1+2; ( REMOVE jumper from pin 1 to pin 3 relay control )o 1st LV two-wire set with female spade lugs for pin 3+4 to plug onto your original fireplace switcho 2nd LV two-wire set with male spade lugs for pin 5+6 - ext switch onto your original spade lugso Plug in to power; Enroll on Z-Wave system.o Three options to control Fireplace: Module button = manual on/off; Z-Wave = on/off; Wall switch = on/offMore Detailed Steps Specific to Fireplace usex Draw a diagram of existing connections before you disconnect anything. Be sure you know which are 120V and which LV connections.x Note: Fixture module usually ships with jumper wire from pin 1 (Line) to pin 3 (Relay Load). REMOVE this jumper for low voltage (fireplace) use!x .x Prepare Extension cords:x Black Ext Cord will become our 120V Switch power cord. Cut outlets end off the Black extension cord. Leave plug intactx White Ext Cord will become two separate LV switch and load lines. Cut cord in half; then cut off both plug and outletsx We now have two sets of LV white wires; one we'll call "1st wire" (Relay Load); other we'll call "2nd wire" (External Switch)x Mark the 2nd wire in some way to easily tell the two apart on both ends. ( I suggest green stripes with Sharpee on both ends, ~ 3" (7 cm) from end of wire.)x .x Prepare Outlet Boxx Punch out plugs on both sides of outlet box, so we can feed 120V and LV wires into the box.x Feed Black cord into one side of outlet box; attach pins 1 + 2 "Line" and "Neutral" on module. L=usually white; N=usu black.x Feed LV white wires into other side of outlet box. Be sure you can tell them apart... which is relay (pins 3+4) and switch (P 5+6)x .x Prepare New Relay Modulex Attach (1st plain) wire to pins 3 + 4 Relay Load connectors on the module -- be sure jumper from (pin 1- L) to (pin 3 - Relay) is REMOVED first!x Attach (2nd wire you marked) to the pins 5 + 6,x .x Attach Spade Lugsx On the other end of the white wires, we'll attach the spade lug parts.x On 1st (plain) wire, strip wire ~3/8" (~.5 cm); crimp on (and/or solder) new female spade lugsx On 2nd (green-stripe/marked) wire, strip wire ~3/8" (~.5 cm); crimp on (and/or solder) new male spade lugsx On fireplace control switch, locate and remove the two existing spade lug connections going to switch.x Connect your new female spade lugs (1st wire - plain) to the original place you had removed from the fireplace control unit.x Re-connect the original switch-wire female spade connections to your new male spade lugs (2nd wire - marked/green stripes)x .x Close up the Outlet box and Testx Switch plate cover comes with the module. Screw switch into outlet box; screw on switchplate coverx Plug in black cord to power. You should see switch module blink on its blue lightx Go through standard Z-Wave enrollment procedure for your systemx Choose a place to place the outlet box.x All done!

This dry contact switch works Like a charm. It paired easily to my Wink2 hub, and therefore allows me to use Amazon Echo to control it. The connection points are clearly labeled, so if you understand the concepts, it is pretty easy to install.There are 3 things I consider flaws with the design, which brought it down to only 4 stars:First, as many other reviews have mentioned, it does not fit a standard face plate. This was easily remedied by filing a little off all sides of the faceplate hole to make it fit over the switch (you do have to unscrew the brackets on the top and bottom of the switch and move them back to the other set of holes on the bracket, but not a big deal).Second issue is that the blue LED flashes every 40 seconds when the switch is off. This is a bit annoying. I am not certain if this is a changeable configuration, but the Wink hub does not provide functionality to change configuration parameters so I wouldn’t be able to do anything with it anyway. Ideally this would work like my other standard z wave switches and have the LED lit when the switch was off and the LED off when the switch was on (or vice versa if desired).Lastly, and the bigger issue for me, the option to add/connect another external switch to this device seems to be a bit pointless to me. Perhaps it could be useful if you desired a manual switch at some location a bit more distant, another room or across the room like a 3-way switch commonly used in hallways at either end of the hall. This device has a button on it to operate the switch, so if the remote switch is not in another more remote location it seems pointless. The z-wave functionality gives you the ability to change the switch with app or voice command if you can’t reach the manual button, so it’s a bit redundant to use a remote external switch. And more importantly, that remote switch will not operate the Remotec dry contact switch if the dry contact has no power. It does not have the ability to passively pass-through the position of the remote switch. In my case, I connected this device to my gas fireplace. I wanted to be able to switch on the fireplace manually even if there is no power to the z wave switch. The external switch contacts on this device will not do that. Ultimately I ended up wiring an additional “dumb” switch in parallel to the dry contact leads with nothing connected to the external switch contacts.Since there was a remedy to some of these flaws it only lost 1 Star.