Installation Manual
DIM-ZW In-Wall Z-Wave Paddle Dimmer
The DIM-ZW is a Z-Wave 800 Series Long Range in-wall paddle dimmer that replaces a standard single-pole or 3-way wall switch and turns a hardwired lighting circuit into a dimmable, scene-capable one.
It runs on the US Z-Wave band - 908.42 / 916 MHz for classic mesh and 912 / 920 MHz for Z-Wave Long Range - and pairs with any Z-Wave certified controller. Quick start: kill the breaker, land line, load, neutral and ground in the marked terminals, restore power, then press the TOP paddle 3x quickly (or scan the SmartStart QR code) to add it to your hub. A neutral is required, and the dimmer handles up to 600 W incandescent or 300 W dimmable LED/CFL.
What you need
- Phillips and flat-blade screwdrivers, wire stripper, and a voltage tester
- A single-gang wall box with at least 2-3/4 in. depth
- 14 AWG copper conductors, including a neutral in the box
- A Z-Wave certified controller or panel, plus access to its add-device screen
Wireless
Z-Wave 800 Series with Long Range. 908.42 / 916 MHz mesh, 912 / 920 MHz LR. S2 security, SmartStart, built-in Z-Wave repeater.
Power & load
125 VAC, 60 Hz. Up to 600 W incandescent (500 W 2-gang, 400 W 3-gang) or 300 W dimmable LED/CFL.
Wiring
Single-pole or 3-way. Neutral required, 14 AWG copper only. Indoor, dry location, lighting loads. ETL Listed to UL 60730-1:2016.
LED indicator
A status LED reports what the dimmer is doing. Its normal color and behavior are set by parameter 2, so a solid blue LED is the factory default for dimmer status.
| LED state | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Solid blue | Dimmer status - normal operation (see parameter 2) |
| Blue flashing | Inclusion or exclusion in progress |
| Green solid 2 s | Inclusion or exclusion succeeded |
| Red solid 2 s | Inclusion or exclusion failed - retry |
| Green flashing 3x | Setting saved / parameter changed |
| Red flashing 3x | Parameter change failed |
| Orange flashing | Minimum / maximum brightness setting mode |
| Purple flashing | Factory reset in progress |
| Purple solid 2 s | Factory reset complete |
Identify your wires
Pull the old switch out of the box and sort the conductors before anything goes into the DIM-ZW. Line and load are not interchangeable on this device, so confirm which black wire is the incoming hot before you land it.
| Conductor | Terminal |
|---|---|
| Line (black) | LINE - incoming hot from the breaker |
| Load (black or red) | LOAD - feeds the light fixture |
| Neutral (white) | NEUTRAL - required |
| Ground (bare or green) | GROUND |
| Traveler (red, 3-way only) | TRAVELER |
If what is in your box does not match this list, stop and consult an electrician.
How to install the DIM-ZW dimmer switch
These installation instructions cover both circuit types. Follow steps 1 through 3 either way, then use the single-pole or the 3-way wiring step that matches your box.
Kill the power and open the box
Switch off the breaker for the lighting circuit. Remove the wall plate and the existing switch, and verify with a non-contact voltage tester that no conductor in the box is live before you touch it.
Strip and prepare the conductors
Strip each wire 1/2 to 5/8 in. Do not wrap conductors around the terminal screws. Copper conductors only, 14 AWG.
Land the wires in the terminals
Lift the terminal screw, press down to catch the thread, insert the straight wire, and tighten clockwise by hand. No power tools - overdriving a terminal screw damages the clamp.
Single-pole wiring
With the power still off: ground to GROUND, neutral to NEUTRAL, line to LINE, and load to LOAD. Tug-test every conductor, fold the wires back into the box, mount the dimmer, and restore power.
3-way dimmer switch wiring
In a 3-way circuit the DIM-ZW goes in the box that has the direct connection to power, and its LOAD terminal feeds the light fixture directly. The red traveler lands on TRAVELER. The companion device must be a standard mechanical 3-way switch - not a second smart switch, dimmer, or add-on module. It takes only the traveler and a neutral, with the neutral on its COMMON terminal and the traveler on a traveler screw. Run the three conductors between the boxes as one 3-conductor cable (black, red, white), and tie all grounds together and to each device's GROUND terminal.
Mount, restore power, and test
Fold the conductors into the box, screw the dimmer to the box, and fit the wall plate. Restore the breaker. Press the top paddle once for ON and the bottom paddle once for OFF, then press and hold to brighten or dim before you pair it to a hub.
Z-Wave network setup
The DIM-ZW joins any Z-Wave certified network with S2 encrypted inclusion. It supports SmartStart, so scanning the QR code is usually faster than pressing paddles.
Inclusion - add the device
Set your controller to add a device, following your panel or hub's own instructions. Then press the TOP paddle 3x quickly. The blue LED flashes during inclusion; a solid green LED for 2 seconds means success, and a solid red LED for 2 seconds means it failed - start the controller again and retry.
Exclusion - remove the device
Set your controller to remove a device, then press the BOTTOM paddle 3x quickly. Excluding the dimmer clears its network settings so it can join a different controller.
Factory reset
Press the BOTTOM paddle 2x quickly, then hold the third press for 10 seconds. The LED flashes purple, then goes solid purple when the reset is done. Use a factory reset only if your controller is missing or inoperable - otherwise exclude the device normally.
Association groups
- Group 1 - Lifeline (up to 5 nodes). Most controllers assign this to the primary controller automatically during inclusion.
- Group 2 - Single Press (up to 5 nodes). Sends a Basic Set ON/OFF when someone presses the paddle at the wall, so the DIM-ZW can drive associated devices directly.
Paddle functions
Everything the DIM-ZW does at the wall is a press pattern on one of the two paddles.
| Press | Result |
|---|---|
| Top 1x / Bottom 1x | ON / OFF (swap or toggle with parameter 1) |
| Press and hold | Brighten (top) or dim (bottom) |
| Top 2x / Bottom 2x | Central Scene 1 / Central Scene 2 |
| Top 3x / Bottom 3x | Inclusion / exclusion |
| Top 5x / Bottom 5x | Set maximum brightness / set minimum brightness |
| Top 8x / Bottom 8x | Cycle parameter 1 / cycle parameter 8 |
| Bottom 10x | Cycle parameter 2 (LED indicator) |
| Bottom 2x + hold 3rd press 10 s | Factory reset |
Setting minimum and maximum brightness
Trim the dimming range at the wall so a fixture that flickers at the bottom or buzzes at the top stays inside a usable band. This works without pulling the device out of the box and without a hub.
Minimum brightness (parameter 11)
Press the BOTTOM paddle 5x quickly. The orange LED flashes slowly and the light drops to the current minimum. Hold the top or bottom paddle to adjust, then press BOTTOM 5x to confirm - the LED flashes green 3x.
Maximum brightness (parameter 12)
Press the TOP paddle 5x quickly and set it the same way, confirming with TOP 5x. Either mode exits without saving after 10 seconds with no input.
Parameter settings
Set these from your hub's Z-Wave configuration screen. The LED flashes green 3x when a parameter is saved and red 3x if the change failed.
| # | Parameter | Default | Values |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Button Function | 0 | 0=Top ON / Bottom OFF (default), 1=Top OFF / Bottom ON, 2=both toggle |
| 2 | LED Indicator | 0 | 0=match dimmer (default), 1=match relay, 2=off, 3=on |
| 4 | Auto Turn-Off | 0 | 1-65535 minutes. 0=disabled. |
| 6 | Auto Turn-On | 0 | 1-65535 minutes. 0=disabled. |
| 8 | Power-Fail Restore | 2 | 0=off, 1=on, 2=last state (default) |
| 9 | Ramp Rate - On/Off | 2 | Full fade in 1-10 seconds |
| 10 | Ramp Rate - Dimming | 4 | Full fade in 1-10 seconds |
| 11 | Minimum Brightness | 10 | 0-99 |
| 12 | Maximum Brightness | 99 | 0-99 |
For a walk-through of what these settings do in practice, see Z-Wave dimmer settings you didn't know you had.
Air gap - changing a bulb
Pull the tab at the bottom of the paddle out to cut power to the dimmer before you change a bulb, then push it back in for normal operation. The DIM-ZW also has soft start and restores its previous state after a power failure at parameter 8's default setting, so an outage returns the circuit to where it was.
Specifications
| Input voltage | 125 VAC, 60 Hz |
| Protocol | Z-Wave 800 Series with Long Range, S2 security, SmartStart |
| Frequency | 908.42 / 916 MHz mesh, 912 / 920 MHz Long Range (US) |
| Range | Up to 1,300 ft direct-to-controller line of sight (Z-Wave Long Range) |
| Incandescent load | 600 W max - ganged: 500 W (2-gang), 400 W (3-gang) |
| Dimmable LED / CFL load | 300 W max |
| Wiring | Single-pole or 3-way; neutral required; 14 AWG copper only |
| Wall box | Single-gang, 2-3/4 in. minimum depth |
| Scene control | Central Scene - 2-tap top or bottom paddle |
| Repeater | Built-in Z-Wave repeater |
| Operating temperature | 32 to 104 °F (0 to 40 °C) |
| Use | Indoor, dry location; lighting loads only |
| Device IDs | Manufacturer 0x0464, Product Type 0xEE00, Product ID 0xEE02 |
| Icons | Installer Icon 0x0700, User Icon 0x0604 |
| Firmware | V1.0 (SDK 7.24.1, Z-Wave version 8.2) |
| Listing | ETL Listed to UL 60730-1:2016 |
| FCC ID | 2AD9XDIM-ZW (FCC Part 15 Class B) |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Compatible controllers and panels
The DIM-ZW is an in-wall Z-Wave dimmer that works with any Z-Wave certified network, and every non-battery node on a Z-Wave network acts as a repeater regardless of vendor. Versa officially lists 2GIG EDGE, Qolsys IQ, SmartThings, Hubitat, and Home Assistant (with an 800 Series controller) as compatible, and the dimmer is backward compatible with Z-Wave 500, 700, and Plus networks. It supports Lifeline on group 1, which most controllers configure automatically during inclusion. To use Z-Wave Long Range, include it by SmartStart on an 800 Series Long Range controller - see Z-Wave 800 Long Range explained and Z-Wave 800 vs 700 Series for what changes at the controller. Certification details are published by the Z-Wave Alliance. Browse the rest of the line in the Versa Z-Wave collection.
Z-Wave 800 Long Range in-wall paddle dimmer - single-pole or 3-way, 600 W.
Download the printable manual
The full DIM-ZW installation manual is available as a printable PDF with the specifications, LED table, wiring diagrams for single-pole and 3-way circuits, Z-Wave network setup, and the complete parameter reference.
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the DIM-ZW Z-Wave dimmer switch?
Turn off the breaker and verify the wires are dead, remove the old switch, then strip each conductor 1/2 to 5/8 in. and land line on LINE, load on LOAD, neutral on NEUTRAL, and ground on GROUND. Lift each terminal screw, insert the straight wire, and tighten clockwise by hand - no power tools. Fold the wires in, mount the dimmer, restore power, then press the TOP paddle 3x quickly to add it to your Z-Wave controller.
Does the DIM-ZW work in a 3-way circuit?
Yes. For 3-way dimmer switch wiring, install the DIM-ZW in the box with the direct connection to power, run its LOAD terminal to the light fixture, and land the red traveler on TRAVELER. The companion device must be a standard mechanical 3-way switch - not a second smart dimmer or add-on module - and it takes only the traveler and a neutral, with the neutral on its COMMON terminal.
Does the DIM-ZW need a neutral wire?
Yes. A neutral is required, and it lands on the NEUTRAL terminal. The DIM-ZW takes 14 AWG copper conductors only and needs a single-gang wall box with at least 2-3/4 in. of depth.
How do I add the DIM-ZW to my Z-Wave controller?
Set the controller to add a device and press the TOP paddle 3x quickly - the LED flashes blue, then goes solid green for 2 seconds on success or solid red for 2 seconds on failure. Or scan the Z-Wave QR code on the front of the device with a SmartStart-capable controller and it is added automatically within 10 minutes once powered and in range.
What load can the DIM-ZW control?
Up to 600 W incandescent, derated to 500 W in a 2-gang box and 400 W in a 3-gang box, and up to 300 W dimmable LED or CFL. Input is 125 VAC, 60 Hz, for indoor, dry-location hardwired lighting loads.
How do I set minimum and maximum brightness on the DIM-ZW?
Press the BOTTOM paddle 5x quickly for minimum brightness - the orange LED flashes and the light drops to the current minimum - hold either paddle to adjust, then press BOTTOM 5x to confirm. Press the TOP paddle 5x for maximum and confirm the same way. Both are also settable from a hub as parameters 11 and 12.
How do I factory reset the DIM-ZW?
Press the BOTTOM paddle 2x quickly, then hold the third press for 10 seconds. The LED flashes purple and goes solid purple when the reset completes. Use a factory reset only if your controller is missing or inoperable; otherwise exclude the dimmer normally from the controller.
FCC ID: 2AD9XDIM-ZW. This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment. This equipment has been tested and complies with Part 15 Class B limits, providing reasonable protection against interference in residential installations. This equipment complies with FCC radiation exposure limits set forth for an uncontrolled environment; install and operate with a minimum distance of 20 cm between the radiator and any person. ETL Listed to UL 60730-1:2016. Z-Wave Plus certified. Doc V0000784. © 2026 Versa Wireless Inc. versawireless.com
