Which switch is/switches are compatible with Dimmer 2 to dim also with the switch?

[JB-Braunschweig]

Hello and sorry for a potentially stupid newbie question, but on installation I see that a double switch is being used to operate the dimmer. That somewhat works with a switch, but I thought it should also work with a push-button? Push to switch on/off, hold to dimm up/down? Didn't find any example, so I'm now worried and thought to ask before I try?

My example would be (to try) the Gira 015500 (double push-button) vs. the 015900 "stupid" blinds-switch, which needs active switch-off to stop dimming.

Or did I misinterpret what the Dimmer 2 does? From reading after failing to get it working with the 014900, it could be, that the dimmer ain't what I'm used of by the other Shelly relays I connected to lights and blinds and stuff, that connects the light switch intelligently to the Shelly for "control" but let the light switch do it's work "as before"?

I also happen to believe from what I've read that the dimmer is not compatible with a classic "round" dim-switch. If there is any contrary information, shoot it at me. Most posts say, "put it behind a dumb single on/off-switch and leave dimming to Shelly. Okeeeh, then I don't need an on/off switch either, right? Either way being highly "wife-incompatible" I'm afraid 🫣

But I did not find any howto (support forums, Youtube, "Google") that tells which kind of switch is best to use the Shelly Dimmer 2 smartly.

Any supportive advise (incl. links to more RTFM) very much appreciated!

[Olsche]

If possible, buttons are always recommended, ideally double buttons for Dimmer2. Make sure that they are actually buttons and not tactile switches.

Examples: Shelly Wall Switch 2 https://www.shelly.com/de/products/shop/shelly-wall-switch-2-white#node-4721b6p8u00he

or your suggested Gira 015500 (double button) works wonderfully with the Dimmer2

 

[JB-Braunschweig]

Okeh... So I got the Gira double touch button and connected everything today. As usual I first connected the Shelly to power/neutral and integrated it into my network. Then set up the cabling with the new switch as space is limited. It worked like a charm (switched once on/off) until I asked it to "calibrate" (default settings and auto). "Something went wrong" or so Shelly App told me (definitely nothing any more enlightening), then the Shelly went blank, lost connection and did not recover.

So I took it out and connected it on my glas table to see if it comes back. No such luck. Now I'm worried if the Shelly "fused"? Power works, lamp works, switch works (all tested "old style" (without Shelly).

I didn't touch the switch(es) yet and the main fuse didn't complain. So I don't see what I would/could/should have done wrong?

SW1 to Gira "Up" switch, SW2 to Gira "Down" switch, L[1] to Gira L-input (marked red), L(2) to main L (incoming "phase"). L(3) not used), N to main N and N-to-lamp, O used for "L" to the lamp. We have a LED lamp on the ceiling that is dimmable with 40W. I've set up the "retest"-scenario on the table with an old 40W halogen bulb, that should also meet Shelly Dimmer 2 requirements. I have another Dimmer 2 here, but now I'm worried that if I retry, I "fuse" another Shelly Dimmer 2?

And I'd be totally at a loss, if/why a shelly switch would "fuse" without ability to recognize? No "burning" smell, no main fuse activity, nothing. Simply the Shelly Dimmer 2 gone blank.

[JB-Braunschweig]

Why didn't I go for the double Shelly button?

First, it says (only in the initially delivered German version): "Kompatibel mit Shelly 1, Shelly 1PM, Shelly Plus 1, Shelly Plus 1PM, Shelly 1L, Shelly Dimmer." What about Dimmer 2? Okay, switched to EN anyway and In the manual it says housing 3 for "Dimmer 2". Housing 3? But. So then trying to order, the single wall frame in white is not available. Oops.

Given that we have Gira 55 throughout the house, that made me decide to go for the Gira-switch. And yes, I made it fit in the old switch housing. Just when powered on... 😱

[Olsche]

I don't think there is a connection with the Gira switch. Is there any blinking or lighting from the status LED? Tried a factory reset using the button on the back?

[JB-Braunschweig]

Status LED? There's nothing visible on the "repair setup" (see photos above). But I've neither seen any "LED" when setting the Shelly up or connecting it to it's final location (or what I considered to be final).
I didn't find any clear info about how to use the "reset button" (?) on the back of the Shelly, but tried pressing that more than 10 seconds to no change (and sure, while it was connected to power). Factory Reset in the app doesn't work "naturally" as it shows "No connection with Shelly Dimmer Myroom.
Can neither find any "New devices".

[Olsche]

On the back directly on the reset button is the status LED (red), it shines through the slot on the reset button. 10 or better 15 seconds pessing should perform a reset

Can you unplug the power and open the case and take some photos of the inside?

 

[JB-Braunschweig]

Okay, it wasn't active yesterday (I am sure). When I connected the Shelly Dimmer 2 to power this morning, the red LED came along, blinking slowly, but the integrated Shelly still wasn't found. Looking for new Shelly devices it came up. So I removed the existing integration and tried to connect it. Now that opened another can of worms, just for the "logbooks" below, it might give a clue future cases?

After I started working on that this morning ... it finally works. With major delays, detours and strange behaviors, but let's hope it works in daily operation, once it's back in the final planned location...

 

So, this morning the LED showed.

The integration into the local WiFi did not work. No, not this time, nor several other trials either. It ended with getting the current settings, then failed. So I connected to its AP directly, accessed it through 192.168.33.1, went into Internet & Security WLAN Client and tried to connect it to the local WiFi here. "The device will try to connect...". The Shelly AP disabled. And the Shelly did not show up on my local WiFi. It did not either register on the router I'm afraid. So I tried to get back into Shelly. Nothing. No new Shelly on the WiFi, no Shelly AP, again gone "dark" - but yes, now the red LED keeps blinking slowly at me. Kind of befooling me? 🫣

Okay okay. So I've reset it again with pressing the reset button for well over 10 seconds (more likely 15). Nothing. LED comes back on, blinks slowly, fooling me. No AP, no device showing in my local WiFi. Hmmm. So I've reset the power for 15 seconds - enough? Obviously not enough to do the trick.
Okay, old IT trick. I switched the power off, pressed the reset button and switched on. Held it for more than 10 seconds. The LED starts blinking slowly. No Shelly (not this one) on the network anywhere. So now the LED keeps fooling me... Well.I will now let it run for minimum 30 minutes, then retry. Then switch power off for one hour, as there was something happening when it was powered off last night, as the LED came back up this morning. But this is utterly strange (and frustrating).

Whoops... So now I suddenly got a connect again via the web-interface using the Shelly AP. Shelly Dimmer 2 being connected on my network...
Settings shows a red reload, so I looked. Power on default mode is off.
Button Type I've now set to dual button mode.
Button Debounce set to 80 (default,didn't change)
Transition Time: 1000 (default)
Fade Rate: 3x (default)
Minimum Brightness 0 (default)
Anti Flickering Debounce 100 (default)
Warm-Up enabled (default)
Time Zone autodetect (Berlin, default)
Device Name. Changed to Bedroom Dimmer
Channel name: empty (default)
LED Light Control Disable Wi-Fi status light (default)
Firmware update (had it updated before that mess started): Current 20210226-142519... New version 20230913-11444008/v1.144.0-gcb84623
- I updated the firmware (worried)

That firmware update removed the red "reload" icon.
So now I searched for the device in the Shelly App: No discovered devices found. Entered the IP and it says "Not a recognized Shelly device." Oops? Say what?
Okay... Back to the browser based controls. Next logical step to me: Start Calibration.... First check in settings to make sure the firmware update is finidshed, yes, "You have the latest version on your device!"
Calibration worked, all works as expected. But. "Not a recognized Shelly device." inside the app on discovery by IP.

It shows to red icons on top in the web-interface: Cloud red, WiFi green, lock red (open). So back into Internet & Security. WiFi Clinet IP Roaming is set to "Enable AP Roaming" (but the Shelly AP is not visible on the network. Ah, no, when I try to disable, a checkmark appears, so I unintentionally enabled it. Disabled now.
WiFi Mode - Access Point - seems disabled.
Restrict Login - seems disabled
SNTP server enabled time.google.com
Advanced Developer Settings: Enable ColoT is enabled
ColoT peer: mcast (not enabled.
Cloud: disabled. I assume that is for access from outside the LAN, as Home Assistant manages everything I don't need the cloud access?

I disabled/enabled device discoverable and retried Discovery in the app: Not a recognized Shelly device.

Okay. Now comes the other weird situation. I start Home Assistant and do find a "new device found". The Shelly Dimmer 2... And integrated it (as a Shelly). Works like a charm in fact (with the lights card). Still Shelly App insists it's not a recognized Shelly device?

AND AN HOUR LATER, I had switched off the setup, come back, switch on, and ... oops, retrying to add the device via IP it comes up as Shelly Dimmer 2. And after integrating that and getting "No connection", after three or four minutes, it suddenly comes up. And works. And no more red icons for cloud and locked.

So for now, it seems all came back, what remains I admit is a sharp setback in my appreciation of Shelly products, the dimmer sure is a "Gen. 1"? Now it works it's good. But to get it work, was neither as intuitive nor as painfree as I got used to understand Shellys to be...

My strong recommendation is: Add patience. And improve the firmware to identify if there's a single or a double switch. And add a (bold) note to the setup with double switch with a step-by-step issue. I do not know, if the initial default setting with single switch may have caused the havoc, though even then it shouldn't need hours to reset a Shelly after such a situation. If it needs an hour to "reset", so be it, but from those nice installation videos I saw on the web, I can't confirm "their" experience. This was almost two days working on it to get it working 🫣
And yes, I checked all cables meanwhile and the setup was proper.

[JB-Braunschweig]

Just FYI: I added another Dimmer 2 and had also problems setting it in the Shelly App, I've ended up setting everything in the Web application. That also allowed me to add advanced Internet & Security for ColoT unicast that causes an error in Home Assistant (bug?). Couldn't find it in the Shelly App.

Another "setback" was that it takes 10-30 seconds for Shelly devices to show "online" in the Shelly App once "Cloud" is switched off. So yes, I shall become more patient changing things in Shelly and Gen. 1 is definitely slower than Gen. 2 🫣