This adapter requirement is unique to the 3-wire switches, and note that it will increase the height of the light bulb in a socket, which might cause issues with some fixtures.
Dimming is also coordinated on devices that support it. I tested these features with C by GE’s older 4-wire Motion-Sensing Dimmer Switch, as well as a C by GE smart plug switch, and everything worked as expected: Turning on one of the trio would cause all three to turn on simultaneously. The best use cases might involve coordinating switches that aren’t physically in the same room-such as turning on all your outdoor and some interior lights when the sun goes down.įortunately, it’s easy to move lights from one room to another if you need to make changes. It’s an interesting concept, but in many environments it might take some getting used to. It’s automatic and can’t be disabled, so if you don’t want this kind of coordination to take place, you must move the devices to different rooms within the app (no matter where they are physically located). This behavior works whether you turn on the switch via physical control or the app. By default, if you set two C by GE devices as being in the same room within the C by GE app, any switch in that room will control all the other C by GE Wi-Fi devices in that room, whether those are other switches, plug-in outlets, or smart light bulbs. Things get more interesting when you use the switch in conjunction with other C by GE products, because all C by GE gear is designed to coordinate activity. The LED light ring on the C by GE 3-wire Smart Dimmer can be turned off in the C by GE app. I’m using this switch in a dark basement, where it works well as a nightlight. The lighted ring around the central power button is configurable in the app as always on (useful for locating the switch in the dark) or always off (if you want to limit light pollution). Once configured, an on/off toggle and a slider let you set the brightness of the lights. First, the app sets the appropriate power level by asking about the type of light bulbs you have installed (fluorescent, incandescent, LED, etc.). If you’re using this switch by itself, without other C by GE products, setup and operation are simple and straightforward within the app. Setup was simple and error-free in the C by GE app, and after a quick firmware update, the switch was ready for use. load-really streamlines the operation, and it makes getting everything back into the electrical box a snap. Having to deal with only three connections-and not worrying about line vs. I installed the dimmer with minimal fuss. They can also figure out which wire coming out of the wall is line and which is load. The new 3-wire line of C by GE smart switches don’t require a neutral wire. Also a bummer: These switches still only support 2.4GHz Wi-Fi networks, not 5GHz. Clickable paddles above and below that central button are used for dimming, there are no touch-sensitive controls here. What hasn’t changed? For starters, the design: C by GE dimmers remain some of the homeliest switches on the market, and they’re actually not that easy to use physically, with a smallish button in the center of the device that must be carefully and forcefully depressed in order to turn the light on or off.