Dimmer switch + compass connect=SUCCESS (finally)

[DarnDave]

Our Solitude 390 RKR came with ceiling lighting that is either off, or brain surgery approved very bright on. I feel that GD blew it by not including a dimmer function, especially at this price point. Starting with our kitchen, which has 6 ceiling (4.5 inch and 4 watts, screw mount) and two under cabinet (3 inch and mousetrap mount, 3.3 watts) I located the first light in the chain (which was not where I expected it to be--off door side over snack bar, far from wall switch). I cut the wires, and verified polarity. I first tried installing the eco-led dimmer. I liked this design because the dimmer module itself is tiny, and the remote control is the same shape as the existing wall switch. I was going to mount the remote adjacent to the existing switch, and use the existing switch for on/off function, and the remote only for the dimming function (it remembers last dim setting). That dimmer only worked for a few cycles of dim/bright, however. I called the company who sent out a free, updated replacement. That one allowed me to pair the remote to it, and nothing else. When I installed the second one, I added insulated disconnects to the wiring in such a way as to respect the polarity. Apparently a little too much made in china involved with that one. I then set out to find a sturdier product.

On Amazon, I found the INHDBOX (brand) #FC1132 dimmer for $22.99. It is sturdy, built in a metal case, and is rather large. The remote is (unfortunately) huge. The dimmer module I wired at the first light as above. It fit easily through the hole for the light in the ceiling, but would likely not fit the smaller bulb hole. This has screw lugs, so I made small harnesses with crimp on fork terminals to connect it. It stays cool to the touch; I have 6 of the eight ceiling lights connected. IT WORKS!!! I use the existing wall switch for power, and keep the remote in a drawer for dimming. It does the dimming in 10% increments, from 100 down to about 10%. This is apparently a low side dimmer. Peter Dianne this may work for you. I had previously disconnected the two under cabinet lights from this circuit, and added a different dimmer to those two. I accessed power from an adjacent switch which operates the accent lighting above and below the kitchen sink. But the grounds are apparently shared between those two circuits, because dimming the ceiling lights further dim the under cab lights. Operating that dimmer has no effect on increased brightness, only decreased. It operated fine before I added the ceiling dimmer.

If anyone knows if the lighting circuits, both compass connected and not, share the same grounding please chime in. Also, are the lighting circuits not controlled by compass connect--like the bathroom lights and accent lighting--still getting their power thru the compass connect module?

[Dennis66]

Question with compass connect, if I do put dimmers on main interior lights and my awning lights does that mean just those two lighting circuits wont work with my app?, or does that screw all the lighting up? I really want to put two separate switches in for both awnings with dimmers. New trailer this year and the awning lights never use because way to bright.

[Peter Dianne]

Our Solitude 390 RKR came with ceiling lighting that is either off, or brain surgery approved very bright on. I feel that GD blew it by not including a dimmer function, especially at this price point. Starting with our kitchen, which has 6 ceiling (4.5 inch and 4 watts, screw mount) and two under cabinet (3 inch and mousetrap mount, 3.3 watts) I located the first light in the chain (which was not where I expected it to be--off door side over snack bar, far from wall switch). I cut the wires, and verified polarity. I first tried installing the eco-led dimmer. I liked this design because the dimmer module itself is tiny, and the remote control is the same shape as the existing wall switch. I was going to mount the remote adjacent to the existing switch, and use the existing switch for on/off function, and the remote only for the dimming function (it remembers last dim setting). That dimmer only worked for a few cycles of dim/bright, however. I called the company who sent out a free, updated replacement. That one allowed me to pair the remote to it, and nothing else. When I installed the second one, I added insulated disconnects to the wiring in such a way as to respect the polarity. Apparently a little too much made in china involved with that one. I then set out to find a sturdier product.

On Amazon, I found the INHDBOX (brand) #FC1132 dimmer for $22.99. It is sturdy, built in a metal case, and is rather large. The remote is (unfortunately) huge. The dimmer module I wired at the first light as above. It fit easily through the hole for the light in the ceiling, but would likely not fit the smaller bulb hole. This has screw lugs, so I made small harnesses with crimp on fork terminals to connect it. It stays cool to the touch; I have 6 of the eight ceiling lights connected. IT WORKS!!! I use the existing wall switch for power, and keep the remote in a drawer for dimming. It does the dimming in 10% increments, from 100 down to about 10%. This is apparently a low side dimmer. Peter Dianne this may work for you. I had previously disconnected the two under cabinet lights from this circuit, and added a different dimmer to those two. I accessed power from an adjacent switch which operates the accent lighting above and below the kitchen sink. But the grounds are apparently shared between those two circuits, because dimming the ceiling lights further dim the under cab lights. Operating that dimmer has no effect on increased brightness, only decreased. It operated fine before I added the ceiling dimmer.

If anyone knows if the lighting circuits, both compass connected and not, share the same grounding please chime in. Also, are the lighting circuits not controlled by compass connect--like the bathroom lights and accent lighting--still getting their power thru the compass connect module?

Tried to upload pictures one at a time and getting a message that they exceed the file size.

Thanks Dave and Darren, looking forward to any photos of the wiring to see how you did it.

[DarnDave]

Dennis66 the dimmers won't have any effect on the app as far as using your phone, but your phone won't have access to the dimmer. It will power on/off just as it does now. The dimmer will "remember" the last setting you had it at. The important thing is how the dimmer is wired in. You can not merely swap out an existing switch. The dimmer must be wired into the circuit after the compass connect control board, either at the board or just before the first light in the circuit. Not sure how you would do that to the awning, except at (after but near) your control board. Or on the interior wall up high right behind where the awning wiring comes thru the exterior wall. This would involve a hole in your interior wall, and if it didn't work, you'd have either a non functional dimmer, or a hole.

[DarnDave]

Peter Dianne I figured out how to add the photos

dave

[Shiny side up]

Thank you DarnDave,

We too found the ceiling lights on the brain surgery side of brightness. I followed your directions, bought the dimmer you listed and bingo bango bongo I too have dimmable ceiling lights.

I bought the parts last summer and did not take the time to install it until today while I was de-winterizing. Fast and easy thanks to your post.

Carry on. Out.