Zooz switches won't support halogen bulbs?

Hardware
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1

I’m looking at adding some smart switches from either Zooz or Inovelli and just came across a mention in a Zooz FAQ that their switches should not be used with halogen bulbs:

“The problem with dimming halogen bulbs is that they can draw over 40 times more current than their listed rating. This high inrush current can damage the Zooz switches and dimmers. Therefore, it is not recommended to use Zooz switches with halogen bulbs, even if the wattage is rated at or under the switch’s maximum rating. It’s best to use Zooz switches with LED or incandescent bulbs within their maximum ratings.”

I’ve never heard of such a thing, but I presume they know what they are talkking about. Most of my in-ceiling bulbs are 90w PAR38 halogen; pretty typical bulbs that I have always considered to be functionally equivalent to incandescent.

I am a fan of the other Zooz devices I have, and they are close to half the price of Inovelli (although those look really nice), but I don;t want to fry my switches.

I have not seen such a warning from Inovelli or any other switch provider. Has anyone encountered issues using Zooz switches or any other smart switches with incandescent bulbs?

2

I guess it depends on the bulb. I searched around and, while most sources seem to treat halogens and incandescents the same with 8-12x inrush current, I did find this source which specifically calls out “extra low voltage” (12-24v) halogen bulbs with excessively high (50-75x) inrush currents. My guess is Zooz is just being overly cautious, but it wouldn’t hurt to consider replacing those Halogens with LEDs as they die.