Arguably the most important, and certainly the most active element in an LED system is the control device. Whether it’s an in-line dimmer, a wall switch, or a motion sensor, the controller is the interface that allows you to bring your LEDs to life!
When it comes to plug & play set-ups, one of our most popular control options has always been the Single-Zone Dimmer with Wireless Remote, which provides customers with versatile dimming options and the ability to adjust their lighting system from almost anywhere in their home.
However, this Single-Zone remote and receiver set requires all elements of an LED system to be wired back to the same unit. A kitchen with upper cabinet lighting, under cabinet lighting, and toe-kick lighting, for example, would need to have long leads crossing all the way back to the same receiver. And when the remote is activated, all LEDs will respond simultaneously.
This is a great solution for small areas, or for those who prefer the simplicity of controlling everything in sync! But what if a customer wants the freedom to dim their upper cabinets and toe-kick lighting, while leaving under cabinet lighting at full brightness? To accomplish this using the Single-Zone Dimmer with Wireless Remote, we would need to break up the LEDs into three separate systems, each with their own power supplies and remotes. Aside from the additional cost, this would mean keeping track of three separate remotes just for one room… yikes!
To provide our customers with a more convenient solution, Inspired LED is pleased to introduce our new Multi-Zone Remote and Dimmable Receiver units- a simple, customizable way to create the perfect remote controlled LED system!
These new remotes and receivers differ from our old Single-Zone Dimmer with Wireless Remote in a few key ways. Where the old Single-Zone remotes are sold as a single set, the new Multi-Zone remotes and receivers are sold separately to allow customers the freedom to mix and match units to suit their needs. They feature a simple design which is easy to install and easy to pair, with intuitive zone by zone and master control buttons.
The main difference between these two products, of course, is the ability to operate multiple lighting zones from a single remote. Each Multi-Zone remote can be synced with up to four separate zones, and each zone can include up to eight different receivers. That’s thirty-two strings of light controlled from a single device!
Multi-Zone receiver units can also be paired to several different remotes. Two remotes may be programmed to control separate groups of zone receivers, or they can be paired identically to the same zones for sake of convenience.
There are literally hundreds of different ways to set up your own unique lighting system using the new Multi-Zone remotes and receivers. Below are some of the most common layouts; check out the benefits of each, and get some inspiration for your next lighting project!
Use one remote with one receiver:
If you have a basic LED set-up which uses just one power supply and one set of lights, you still have the option to use our old Single-Zone Dimmer with Wireless Remote. These products are sold as a set, eliminating the need to program your system after installation- just plug and play! If however, you are starting with a single-zone system with the hope of adding new LED zones later on, you can start with just one Multi-Zone Remote and one Multi-Zone Receiver. When installing, simply program your receiver to zone 1 on your remote, and leave the other zones un-programmed. Your remote will act like a Single-Zone controller until new zones are added on!
Use one remote with four receivers, each in a different area of one room:
If you’re looking for the freedom to brighten up certain areas of a room while dimming others, this is the set-up for you! Let’s say, for example, you install LEDs underneath cabinets, along shelves, around toe kicks, and behind a television. By connecting each of these lights to their own receiver, you will be able to program each to a different zone button on the remote control. Each receiver will become its own zone to be turned on, off, or dimmed independently. When desired, you can easily turn all lights in the room on and off in sync by using the master on/off buttons at the top of your remote.
Use one remote with four receivers, each in a different room:
If you have LEDs installed in the kitchen, living room, office, and the backyard, you may be looking for a way to control lights in multiple areas from a single device. In each room, all LEDs can be tied back to a Multi-zone receiver unit. This will allow each room to become its own zone, so that the lights can be turned on and off, or dimmed independently. Then at the end of the day, rather than walking around the house flipping switches, you can simply use the master on/off buttons to turn off all LEDs at once. Talk about convenience!
Use one remote with twelve receivers, three sets per room:
If you are looking for universal control from a single remote, but you have more than four sets of lights, never fear, this product can still provide the control you need. All that’s required is to group your lights into four total zones. For this example we will look back to our four separate areas of the house- kitchen, living room, office, and yard. Within each room, LEDs may be in separate locations where they can’t tie back to a single receiver. So in each room three separate receivers can be installed, then synced together as a single zone. Three receivers in the kitchen can be programmed to zone 1, three receivers in the living room create zone 2, three receivers in the office create zone 3, and three receivers outside become zone 4. All lights in the same zone will be controlled simultaneously, or, to control all zones together, use the master switch at the top of the remote.
Use two remotes with four receivers, all in the same location:
In some circumstances, you may want the convenience of controlling multiple zones in the room with two identical remotes. Some customers prefer to keep one remote on either side of a room, similar to the way a three-way switch system might be mounted. In this case, several remotes can be programmed to control all zones in the same way. If desired, each member of a household could even have their own remote programmed to control the same, or separate rooms (light battles anyone?)!
Inspired LED’s new Multi-Zone Remotes and Receivers are now available for purchase on our website, as well as in store. Please not that Multi-Zone Remotes and Receivers are not compatible with our Single Zone Dimmer with Wireless Remote. Click here to download spec sheets for the Multi-Zone Remote and Receiver units.
For more information about this and other new products be sure to visit us at www.inspiredled.com, contact us directly via email at orders@inspiredled.com or call us at 480-941-4286.
