It’s a common request to use the single tap on the main paddle of a Z-Wave switch or dimmer as a scene controller, without having it directly control the wired load. At the same time, users still want that connected load to remain available for automation or to be controlled by other button presses on the same switch/dimmer. Consider a ZEN32 Scene Controller physically wired to a bright overhead light and the small buttons are programmed for softer lamp lighting throughout the room, which is the preferred light. Problem? Guests always press the main button, turning on the overhead light, when the desired behavior of the main button may instead be to turn on the softer lamp lights. With the right combination of scene control and smart bulb mode, you can easily accomplish this!
With smart bulb control enabled, the dimmer no longer reacts to that single tap. Instead, the hub receives the button event and activates the desired scene. If the user still wants control over the under cabinet lights, they can assign that function to a different action, such as a double tap or a hold. This way, the load is only controlled when explicitly requested.
Follow the steps below to allow the switch to function more like a programmable scene controller while still maintaining Z-Wave control over the load.
How This Works
By default, pressing the large paddle immediately turns the connected light on or off. This can make it difficult to use the switch for scene control while keeping the load separate.
Enabling scene control changes the behavior of the device. Instead of controlling the load directly, each button press—including single tap, multi-tap, and hold—sends a Central Scene notification to your hub. The hub then determines what action to take, whether activating a scene, controlling other devices, or controlling the wired load.
Enabling smart bulb control fully separates the paddle from the wired load. The physical relay or dimmer no longer responds to the paddle directly, but the load remains fully controllable via Z-Wave commands from your hub.
This combination effectively turns the switch into a fully programmable scene controller. Single tap can trigger a scene without touching the wired load, and other presses—double tap, triple tap, or hold—can be used to control the load as desired.
Configuration
By default, a switch or dimmer will turn its wired load on or off when you single tap the paddle. To change that behavior, you need to separate physical control from Z-Wave control.
This is done by first accessing the settings for your device. If you're not sure how to find the settings on your hub, you can search out Knowledge Base using your switch model number, hub, and settings. For example, entering ZEN32 Home Assistant Settings will take you to the article titled How to Access the Advanced Settings for the ZEN32 Scene Controller on Home Assistant.
Enable Scene Control: For some models, like the ZEN32 Scene Controller, scene control is enabled by default. For others, it is disabled, so you'll need to verify in the settings and ensure scene control is enabled. This allows the device to reports the multi-tap button presses to your hub.
Enable Smart Bulb Mode: This disables the physical relay or dimming output from responding to paddle presses while keeping Z-Wave control of the load intact. The load remains connected and responsive, but only through automation or direct commands from the hub.
Once both settings are enabled, you can configure your automations in the hub. For example, you can assign the single tap up action to trigger a scene that controls other devices in the room without affecting the wired load at all. If you still want local control of that load, you can assign it to a different button press, such as double tap up to turn it on and double tap down to turn it off.
Program Scene Control
When smart bulb control is enabled, the switch no longer controls the load locally. All load control must come from the hub, so a properly configured automation system is required for this setup to work as intended.
This configuration does not remove the load from the device. It simply changes how control is handled, shifting it from direct physical interaction to Z-Wave commands. As long as your hub supports Central Scene and multi tap triggers, you will have full flexibility in how each button press is used. If you're not sure how to program Central Scene, we have articles detailing this process for the most popular Z-Wave hubs:
How to Program Scene Control in Home Assistant
How to Program Scene Control in HomeSeer
How to Program Scene Control in Hubitat
How to Program Scene Control in SmartThings
How to Program Scene Control in Z-Box
Summary
By enabling scene control and disabling direct paddle control of the load, you can repurpose the switch so that a single tap triggers a scene instead of the wired load. At the same time, the load remains available for use through other button presses or automations, giving you complete control over how the device behaves within your system.
