Reddit mentions: The best dimmer switches

Hey /u/adrojono,

Thought I could help and also offer some clarification on the patent question you had.

As /u/fastlerner mentioned, Philips Hue bulbs aren't meant to be put on a smart switch, but rather controlled from their app (or if you have their bridge paired to your HUB, you can control from your HUB -- either way, it's meant to be controlled remotely vs physically).

There are some other options for you. Philips Hue was actually one of my first smart home purchases and I love their bulbs. I use a couple of things to manually control them:

• They have a remote switch that you can use: https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Dimmer-Switch-Installation-Free-Exclusively/dp/B076MGKTGS
  
  
• Inovelli switch (Disclaimer: I'm the owner lol)
  
  The remote works fantastic and I still have them up around the house to control the dim levels of the bulbs. It pairs directly to the Hue bridge and you can dim up/down and also set favorite scenes (I believe... I just use it for dim up/down).
  
  The Inovelli switches (I have the old version bc the new one is still in testing, but it will have the same features) allow you to disable the internal relay and also send a Z-Wave Scene Command to your HUB (Please note: You have to have a HUB that supports Z-Wave for this as the Hue Bridge is ZigBee -- I'm assuming since you mentioned you have a GE 14294 switch that you do have a Z-Wave enabled HUB).
  
  How this works is that you would install the Inovelli switch, disable the internal relay (so when you tap the switch off, it does not physically cut power to the light bulb), and then set up your scenes to control the Hue bulb.
  
  To give you an example -- my daughters love their color lights and likes to go to bed with different colors each night, so the setup is as follows:
  
  
• Tap UP 1x = Turns Hue onto the last setting
  
• Tap DOWN 1x = Turns Hue off
  
• Tap UP 2x = Turns Hue PINK at 50%
  
• Tap UP 3x = Turns Hue PURPLE at 50%
  
• Tap UP 4x = Turns Hue GREEN at 50%
  
• Tap UP 5x = Turns Hue BLUE at 50%
  
• HOLD UP = Changes dim to 75%
  
• HOLD DOWN = Changes dim to 25%
  
  Now the limitation here is that you cannot dim up/down in real time, nor get to a precise level. This is because Hue speaks ZigBee and Inovelli speaks Z-Wave and it has to be interpreted at the HUB level and there is no commands that translate to dimming up/down in realtime between Z-Wave and ZigBee.
  
  Hopefully that makes sense?
  
  Ok, now onto the patent issue. I can't speak in detail about it for legal reasons, but I can say the patent was around how our switch works in a 3-Way setting.
  
  As you may know, one of the features of the switch is that it can be used in multiple 3-Way settings:
  
  
• It will work with a dumb switch at one end
  
• It will work with an aux switch at one end
  
• It will work with another smart switch at one end
  
  The first bullet point was actually patented by Zooz and they were kind enough to share this with us right as we were going to production, so we had to make a modification, which caused a delay.
  
  The good news is that we were able to find a different way of making it work, so we wouldn't violate the patent.
  
  So, to directly answer your question of cutting out features and quality:
  
  The answer is no, we did not have to cut out any features and no, we did not sacrifice quality to do so. I wish I could tell you exactly how we did it, but we are actually in the patent process ourselves around our approach to solving the 3-Way with a dumb switch issue, so I can't disclose right now :/
  
  As for switch recommendations:
  
  
• HomeSeer: I've had their WS100 since it came out and it's been my favorite switch since. I like the scene control (double tap, triple tap, etc) and the aesthetics. But their new WS200 looks awesome and has all the bells and whistles.
  
  
• Zooz: I don't personally have any of their switches, but Agnes is awesome and I really love what they're doing over there from an innovation standpoint. Their customer support is great from what I hear too. Amazing pricepoint on their switches for what you get as well.
  
  Hope this helped a bit and I'm happy to answer any other questions!
  
  Eric
  
  Founder | Inovelli

I have an Ecobee4 thermostat (although Alexa doesn’t work as well for me as I hoped) w/ Ecobee remote sensors mounted in every room. Not only is this great for managing the temp in the house overall, but now I can include temp changes in my automations and geo-fencing.

In addition, although I find them a bit slow to respond when using them as room entry motion sensors, the Ecobee remote sensors are great for automatically turning off the lights when a room is no longer occupied.

I also recently added some non-HomeKit “smarter” switches in my bathroom and laundry room. In the laundry room, I put a simple Lutron (not Caseta) motion sensor switch to auto turn the light on/off when someone comes/goes from the laundry room. Works fantastically, it’s simple, and not too expensive.

In my bathroom, I added three new Lutron (not Caseta) switches.

• 1 is a dimmer w/ motion sensor... I use it for the ceiling fixture to come on automatically at 50% brightness (if the room is dark enough). It also turns the light off automatically.
  
  
• 1 is a fan controller with a built-in timer. This thing is great. I set it to a 30-minute default countdown when turned on. The time can be adjusted from 5-60 minutes. Double tapping the fan switch turns it on until someone turns it off.
  
  
• 1 is a plain switch to control the vanity mirror light bar. Manual on/off... that’s it.
  
  The first two of those switches are far more programmable than I thought... reading the instructions really paid off! :)
  
  The Lutron Claro wall plates are really great as well. They are very clean, simple, and modern looking... and their 2-part design makes it really easy to adjust all your switches for a precision installation (i.e. flush and straight).
  
  In my bedroom, my bedside lamps are controlled by 1 Lutron Caseta lamp dimmer w/ remote. I use the same style Caseta lamp dimmer for a few other standalone lamps... and even used one to automate (just on/off) my outside LED holiday lights last winter (the dimmability of which was fantastic, as they are normally way too bright).
  
  In conclusion, before spending a bunch of money, my advice would be to think carefully about how you/others use certain rooms and if a motion detection switch would suffice or if a more complex automation control is needed. Also... do the math. As others have pointed out, one alternative may be way more cost effective over another when you factor in the number of bulbs and/or switches involved.
  
  One last thing... I am renting a room to a guy who's on a totally different schedule than me and as such, I never knew if he was in his room sleeping or out of the house elsewhere. So... since I had previously added him to my HomeKit household... I use a combination of geofencing with his phone, and the Ecobee motion sensor in his room, to switch on/off a particular lamp when he comes & goes. That way... it's easy for me to know if I need to be quiet, or if I can rock out with my socks out.
  
  *EDIT: Added a bunch of links and more...

Here are my thoughts:

• HomeKit is definitely the correct choice for ease of use and privacy
  
• plugs are easy to install, can be used for a variety of things, do not require any modification of the home, and doesn't introduce confusion with wall light switches. My recommendations are the Satechi Dual Smart Plug (two- smart outlets that don't block an outlet and monitoring) and the VOCOlinc SmartBar (cheaper and doesn't block an outlet, but only one smart outlet)
  
• get smart bulbs if you don't want to mess with wiring. The HUE are probably the best, and the IKEA are probably a more attractive price. Don't get too many color bulbs until you try one. The use of color in bulbs grows old after three days of "coolness". Wi-Fi bulbs will not require a bridge from the manufacturer. HOWEVER, you may want to consider something with bridge (like the HUE or IKEA). The bridge will have better performance due to how HomeKit communications work, and it might be better if you are in an apartment with congested Wi-Fi signals
  
• The Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Lamp Dimmeris plugs into your outlet for connecting lamps that you want to dim
  
• If you don't mind wiring, (its so easy to do that you could easily remove them when you move out) I highly recommend the Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Dimmer Switch. Rock solid and fast and easy to install. Its the best for lights because you don't have figure out the physical "switch" problem, and anybody can still use the lights in the apartment without having access to HomeKit.
  
• An AppleTV for your hub
  
  ​
  
  That should get you going!

Making Hue lights usable by the rest of the family is definitely a concern. You have a couple of easy options:

• Get Hue dimmer switches ($23 each)
  
  
• Get Hue motion sensors ($33 each)
  
  
• Use Alexa on the Echo Dots
  
  Depending on your specific needs you'll probably want to use a combination of these things.
  
  The dimmer switches work well, you can press the On button repeatedly to pick between 4 scenes, and then change the brightness of a scene once it is set.
  
  I just started playing with the motion sensor and it's definitely nice to have the lights respond without having to explicitly turn them on and off, but not everything will make sense to be triggered by motion.
  
  I also find myself frequently using Alexa to control the lights. The main consideration here is that you will need to group your lights into rooms and make sure everyone in the family knows what the names of the rooms/lights are. Alexa has the ability to set light brightness, set a specific color, or change to a Hue scene. It's fairly flexible.
  
  Eventually you'll want to get fancy and set up a home automation hub like SmartThings or HomeAssistant to let you bring in devices from multiple ecosystems (Hue, Arlo, etc) and create automation rules to run everything, but for now it sounds like you'd be happy with a few of the Hue accessories to make the lights easier to control. Good news is that Hue is designed to be user-friendly and all of the options I listed will let you do basic control pretty easily. When you outgrow that, you have more advanced options available to you.
  
  Hope it helps, and let us know if you have any specific questions about how to set stuff up.
  
  
  
  

I have the Wink hub and like it. I don't know how it compares to Smart Things. Some people, myself included, have had an issue where communication breaks down between HA and Wink, and HA stops displaying the current state of items, but I think that will be fixed in the next release.
The only reason I did that instead of a USB stick is that I started my home automation with Wink, and only tried Home Assistant when I saw how much more robust of a platform it was. That said, I do find it easier to add things to Wink than to HA, so that's a bonus. I also use these little remotes a few places: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-LZL-4B-WH-L01-Connected-Bulb-Remote/dp/B014STZASK/ And I don't know if they can be connected directly to HA yet.
Basically I use HA for most of my automations, but I use Wink for manual control of my items, whether I'm home or away.
However, it gets a little messy when I start adding things directly to HA because they're not Wink-compatible. Currently I have a Wifi plug that's not controllable by Wink and a Xioami hub with a couple of items hooked up to it, so I can no longer rely exclusively on the Wink hub for manual control.
Still, I like the hub, and I like the app, and since HA is doing all the automation from a Raspberry Pi, I never had to root it.

My guess is that you could do almost all of the same things using a HA installation with the right USB stick, but I still like Wink because I can get stuff added and working more quickly.

Smart switches are the best replacement because it leaves everything the way every other house is built, but adds smart functionality. If you install smart bulbs, they are controlled from two different sources - the light switch, and your phone. Want to turn the light on but someone flipped the switch? You must get up to manually flip the switch, then control the light bulb.

Smart bulbs are only good if you live in an apartment complex, need RGB bulbs, or want to change color temperature. Overall, the smart switch is the best thing to use because it only adds functionality, not take any away. I personally use a technology called Z-Wave which creates a strong mesh network in your house. Z-Wave doesn't rely on internet, which means if your internet goes down they continue to function. A large portion of WiFi devices require you to have internet as well, which is a huge downfall of home automation relying on WiFi.

I have a couple of these, a Vision Relay that i've installed to keep my original switches, and a few other z-wave outlets around.

• LIFX are brighter, have bolder colors, and for a single light will cost less.
  
• People occasionally talk about having connectivity issues with LIFX, and I can't imagine having dozens of extra WiFi devices won't lead to some issues.
  
• Hue has a bigger ecosystem. It's been very popular for a long time. There are lots of third party integrations that can provide all sorts of stuff. I've never tried it but the Hue app has built in support for automations based on your location or time of day. LIFX might have these in the app, but without a hub I imagine they would need to be activated from your phone, which sometimes works well, but sometimes doesn't.
  
• Hue has a motion sensor and a couple of choices for wall switches that can be used just with the Hue hub. The very popular dimmer switch is only $25 USD, and currently on sale.
  
• I think to have a wall switch with LIFX you would need to have some sort of home automation hub in place like SmartThings/Wink/HomeKit/Indigo/etc. Or you might be able to get some sort of generic switch like the Logitech Pop (which requires its own hub) to trigger things through IFTTT.
  
• I think either Hue or LIFX color bulbs will provide good color shift. Both have pretty good quality light and light color. I expect some of the no-name bulbs you can find on Amazon would be pretty bad.
  
• I find the reviews from the Wirecutter to be useful to research this kind of thing.
  
  Edit: In terms of a switch to control it, either bulb can be turned off by the existing wall switch or lamp switch. Either can be turned on by the same switch, but at least with Hue's current firmware, it will revert to full brightness white, I don't know about LIFX. However if you do turn it off with one of those switches, there is no way to turn it back on with the app/voice assistant/etc. So when I talked about the switches above, I'm talking about smart switches.
  
  I don't think I was clear either that I think Hue might be the way to go. Of course you will get some bias towards Hue in /r/hue, but if you are concerned about reliability, automation, and control capabilities, I think Hue has more to offer.

The easiest solution would be to go with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076MGKTGS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_iTnJDbPWF33T2

The work great with the Hue bulbs and can be mounted on the wall like a regular switch. There are other similar options, but in my opinion these look the best and are the most user friendly. Might be a good interim solution even if you decide to get into a more sophisticated system like Smartthings or Home Assistant.

My girlfriend also hates using Alexa to control lights so I've done a similar thing and set presets for color and brightness based on time of day which greatly reduces how often she has to deal with the lights. Motion sensor that trigger simple lights like hallways and bathrooms work well too.

Here's what you asked for

Hub:
Wink Hub 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KW8WGZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_D2e7ybH4AEXCA

Bulbs:
Hue White Ambiance https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ESW34RQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_B0e7ybX5B7KF0

Lock:
August Smart Lock (2nd Gen) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0168IXNZQ/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_R3e7ybSK95NFG

Outlets:
GE Z-Wave Wireless Control Duplex Receptacle Outlet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013V1SRY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_04e7ybQXPB1TX

Based on what you said about a nice slick UI I think the Wink 2 wins that battle over a Samsung Smart Things hub. Plus if you get into adding shades Lutron makes a nice z wave shade called the Serena and the Wink 2 can operate Lutron devices without needing another hub. It's not as customizable as Smart Things, but I think it works well and has good support behind it.

The Hue Ambiance bulbs are nice, does tons of white light shades only so it fits your requirements there. You will need a Hue bridge, but that integrates with the Wink 2 nicely.

If you can get the August lock with Z-wave functionality I'd go with that over what I linked because I think the normal August is pretty shit, but it's the only lock I know of where you can assign one time use codes or time sensitive ones. Getting the normal (Bluetooth) August lock online requires the August Connect and its a buggy piece of shit that barely works even with the best connection and very close to the lock. Maybe software will\has fixed it but in my prior experience with it I was very not impressed. You can also add a keypad to the August on the secured side of the door. All those extras add up though, but you can do everything you said was required with the August that I believe no other lock can do.

The outlets are pretty self explanatory, work off Z-wave and only one plug is automated the other is always on.

Alexa can integrate with everything I listed, all you need to do is give everything a unique name and have her find the smart home devices and you can give simple commands like, "Alexa turn off kitchen light" and it'll do it.

You could definitely get more complicated setups but all of these things will work together, you could even pair your Ecobee with the Wink 2 if you wanted to.

I have the exact same desire as you, and it is frustrating that these are so hard to find. I do have a couple of experiments set up around my house's

The first is the easiest. I have a few Hue dimmer switches (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076MGKTGS) in strategic locations around the house, but they are typically next to existing switches that I've taped over-the-counter and overall it's an unsatisfying solution.

My second experiment is a zwave scene controller (Gocontrol Z-Wave 3-Way Wall Accessory Switch -https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EAY3K5Y), and it's probably my favorite solution so far, but they're difficult to come by. I don't think they're actually manufactured anymore. I have it installed talking to my automation system which turns around and talks to hue lights, and it works pretty well. I could achieve the same thing by using any zwave (or zigbee, I guess) in-wall switch and just not hook up the load write, but it seems wrong to me, and I philosophically don't want to pay for the switching or dimming hardware. My ideal price point for these would be $30-35 instead of $50.

My third experiment is something that just got released at CES (Click for Philips Hue (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MMWH2YB). It's actually also pretty elegant and doesn't actually need to be wired in, but I find it's slightly less reliable than I'd like, and I sometimes have to push the buttons decently hard or multiple times to ensure functionality.

My ideal solution would be a combination of second and third, basically a wired zigbee in-wall scene controller, and aside from the RGB one posted earlier in this thread (it's $80!!), I haven't really seen one that fits the bill, much less is reasonably priced.

Home assistant will interface with all sorts of products you can look at the Home Assistant website to see all things it interfaces with.

I will also say that this is the most active community and the fastest to incorporate new products. Over the last five months I have been tinkering with HA many new products have been incorporated.


As for the Iris Smart Plug it is a zigbee device that contains a Zwave radio. It will connect to your Zwave network and be an always on device (meaning that it will extend the reach of your mesh network) but you will not be able to control the on and off of the plug. I have two of them and they work great if you use something that has Zigbee radio.
If you are only going to utilize the Z-Stick you will want to use something like one of the following:

[Leviton VRPD3-1LW Vizia RF] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JFF4RG4/ref=twister_B01JJKURQS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1) I have this one for my Christmas tree

GE Lighting Lamp Module with Dimmer Controller

[GE Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control Outdoor Module] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013V8K3O/ref=twister_B017SOTBJG?_encoding=UTF8&th=1) I have a few of these outside

As for the GE Duplex outlet, I have one or two of them but I really like the design and functionality of the Leviton VRR15-1LZ Vizia RF + Split Duplex Receptacle better.

As for light bulbs, I own Hue, Link, Cree, and maybe one more. They are all Zigbee bulbs so I connect them to the Hue hub and let it interface with HA. They work fine for my uses but I really don't care about the colors. When Lifx put its bulbs on sale a few weeks ago I almost bought some of the BR30 but didn't because they don't interface with Home Kit. I really don't need them since the fixtures already have a zwave switch but I thought it would be nice to change colors if I wanted to. Also I have found that some of the Zigbee bulbs loose the connection with the hub if they are turned on and off from a switch. I was hoping the Lifx being wifi would not do that.

Would anyone be interested in some youtube videos explaining my setup and discussing my experiences with products?

You just want to make sure whatever smart switches you buy support 3-way configurations. Lutron Caseta does this by using their Pico Remotes, which is nice because the Picos are cheaper and easier to install than a second smart switch, but look and function pretty much just like a wired switch. I believe Caseta also offers a more expensive smart switch that allows traditional 3-way wiring too if for whatever reason you didn't want to use the Pico remotes.

You can see what I'm talking about here: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-P-PKG1WB-WH-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer/dp/B07HM6L48C/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_pm?ac_md=3-0-VW5kZXIgJDc1&keywords=lutron+caseta&pd_rd_i=B07HM6L48C&pd_rd_r=e254cde8-dfaf-4a70-a266-ee71bfc5abbb&pd_rd_w=fdPji&pd_rd_wg=loQTX&pf_rd_p=be5d8dec-444e-4770-91df-1e16a8c46da8&pf_rd_r=MKNJAE82S81QNN0KACY0&qid=1564160301&s=gateway

The switch comes with a "remote kit" (the Pico), which when screwed in to a switch box looks just like the switch, and the remote pairs to the switch to control the same light seamlessly. Lutron provides very good instructions for their products too.

edit: This starter kit adds the required hub as well, and includes everything you would need for your stair lights. Some will scoff at hubs, but it's needed for Caseta because they use RF for wireless communication, and I think the hub is worth it for Caseta at least because it's probably the fastest responding, most reliable smart switches available. Hubless Wi-Fi switches will never be as reliable and consistent. https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-BDG-PKG1W-Assistant/dp/B07G5V6M6G/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_pm?ac_md=4-1-QmV0d2VlbiAkNzUgYW5kICQxMDA%3D&keywords=lutron+caseta&pd_rd_i=B07G5V6M6G&pd_rd_r=e254cde8-dfaf-4a70-a266-ee71bfc5abbb&pd_rd_w=fdPji&pd_rd_wg=loQTX&pf_rd_p=be5d8dec-444e-4770-91df-1e16a8c46da8&pf_rd_r=MKNJAE82S81QNN0KACY0&qid=1564160301&s=gateway

You could try fishing a neutral wire from the ceiling fixturewall outlet to the switchbox. I've done it in my house, but I don't know if I would try it in an apartment.

Alternative products: Since this switch controls an outlet, it's against code to use a dimmer switch on it. And dimmer switches are the only "smart" products I'm aware of that can operate without a neutral.

You're probably better off replacing the wall outlet with a smart outlet or any smart wall wart. Here's GE's in-wall smart outlet since you seem to be leaning toward zwave already.

You can control that smart outlet with something like GE's wall controller or velcro an aeotec minimote to the wall and use that. Even better - you could use an Amazon Echo for control - I rarely physically interact with smart switches since I got a modicum of automation running and a few Echos around the house for voice control.

Depending on the budget and what your wanting, but if you didn't know, their are many options for putting a module in the canopy of the fan, to be able to control dimming the lights, and fan speeds over a single wire. Even IR ones $101 smart fan
switch. That I am pretty sure can be controlled by many smart hubs through IR modules. I don't think the lutron series that integrates directly over wifi supports the single wire to a canopy module to control the fan and the light.

If you truly just wanted a dumb wall switch that controls the light and fan, you can find those much cheaper than what I linked, and only need the single wire to control both (with the same canopy modules.)

Assuming you have SmartThings (based on the /r), you can use any Z-wave or Zigbee switch. I've tried multiple (reputable) brands, based on what's on sale, and my experience has been they're all pretty much the same. But all mine look like modern paddle switches, there are other options out there.

It's debatable, but I'd call the 'gold standard' to be the GE switches. I was just providing a link to them in a thread yesterday and noticed they were on sale for $33, which is a damn good price. Looks like they rolled out an updated version so they're discounted, and personally I don't think the upgrades mean much. I just picked up 4 more, because... why not.

When those aren't on sale I've been going to Zooz. I like their small company attitude and they have terrific customer support. And they frequently have sales. You can get them on Amazon, but the sales are on their website.

These are the types of wall plates that I use. Easy to find in single, 2-, 3-, and even 4- gang. I have a custom made 7-gang at my house, so everything I've bought since was done to match that style.

But again, all these are because I wanted modern paddle switches and the "decora" style wall plates. You can get smart switches in traditional rockers, or modern version like the Caseta switches (which still use the decora shape).

Hey /u/Mercury357 !

Sorry I can't offer much advice when it comes to Inovelli or Zooz, but I'm sure you'll get a great response from some of the other members here.

I can however, relay that the GE Switches are on sale right now on Amazon for $30.99 and the GE Dimmers are on sale for $32.99

Our Add-On switches work great for 3 and 4-way setups as well, those run $19.50 right now

If you have any questions about GE product, feel free to ask. :)

I don't have one, but your post got me interested in looking, as I am currently getting ready to add some smart switches. The price of these are great, your adding a motion sensor for just a few dollars more then a normal smart switch.

Anyways back to your question, I found this review on the dimmer version of the switch

> So, it works. Well, stand alone it works fine. Wink does not fully support it. So you get a phantom sensor that you can't control in the app and you get two switches (both do the same thing) in the app. They are aware of the need to upgrade their app. The tech was surprised since they support the Zwave switch and dimmers from GE without a problem. I was too. So, it works, I am keeping it, but with Wink, it's a bit winky. I replaced a sensor and non-dimmer switch with this. I like it

You could keep your current bulbs and install a smart switch instead, this is a popular option:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Model-Wireless-Lighting-Wall/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1506608062&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=ge+smart+switch&psc=1

You would need a hub with that, but considering smartthings is selling for $50 on Amazon it could be more cost effective depending on the amount of bulbs you would have to replace if you went with smart bulbs instead.

For the smart bulb option I'd say check out sylvania lightify. Lowes has them on sale now for 75% off. They're $7.50 for the basic white ones. It can pair directly with most smart home hubs like smartthings or wink so if you already have one it would be very cost effective.
https://www.lowes.com/pl/Lightify-promotion/4294400949

I suspect that's part of it, and it's definitely worth it to me. The signal input is very flexible. I suspect the other part is Z-wave is a proprietary protocol and requires license. Finally, it's not exactly a high-volume device.

I think the mimolite is way more polished than other options. I wish their marketing would have more examples highlighting the possibilities. It can trigger on power loss, it can trigger when voltage is within a certain configurable range, or outside of a certain configurable range, it can use the signal to toggle the relay locally, it can use the signal to control other devices, it can be polled for signal or report on a configurable timed basis.

I have 2 of these, one for my garage door ( http://imgur.com/a/db2tQ ) and one for my doorbell ( http://imgur.com/a/fzUE3 )

Sure, this could have also done this with an AVR and an esp8266 for some awesome franken-MQTT device, but until I can set up a bench, this is much easier and faster to set up... and much easier to recommend.

If you just need a z-wave dry contact relay, there are other less pricey options. These would be great for something like low voltage zoned lighting, a fireplace, or electronic shut-off valve.

http://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Z-Wave-Isolated-Contact-Fixture/dp/B00ER6MH22

http://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI/

An important feature these options lack is a mode for momentary contact, which is handy when interfacing with buttons like a garage door, electric latch, or gate controller.

depending on your hub - I have smartthings
you should have several choices
you'll need to figure the max current draw of the fan or the HP
then install the appropriate switch

easiest would be the wall switch and some temp sensors, if it wil handle the load

I have the go control - originally for my old garage door (programmed as a momentary switch) - it will handle 20 amps and is cheap.

GE also has a 40 amp heavy zwave switch - for $150ish

with the smartthings hub you could program time on, time off , on for event, off for event , (event could be window opens , temp specified, etc) and then run time for specific period of time or if temp is satisfied with enough connected things you can control all kinds of things - fan included :)
good luck


direct load good for 20amps

GoControl Z-Wave Isolated Contact Fixture Module - FS20Z-1

https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Z-Wave-Isolated-Contact-Fixture/dp/B00ER6MH22/ref=pd_sim_60_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=YX3EFBFRGMTV783BT193

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Switch, On/Off, In-Wall
https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-12722/dp/B0035YRCR2/ref=pd_sim_60_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=BB38NVA9J8T5JFDE3QTJ

Incandescent - Minimum Load: 40W, Maximum Load: 960W
Motor – 1/2HP
Resistive – 1800W

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting and Appliance Control, 40 Amp, Large Load, Direct-Wire, Indoor/Outdoor

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YTCZZF0/ref=twister_B017SOTBJG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Lutron Caseta Dimmer does not use a Neutral. On sale today as well.
Amazon Link

The consumer Smart Bridge works with Home Assistant after you use a couple Python scripts to get some key values and cert files.https://www.home-assistant.io/components/lutron_caseta/

I have 2 of the Caseta switches, a bunch of Hue Bulbs, and Leviton Z-Wave in wall dimmers. I like them all honestly and haven't had any problems so far.

I think the Hue Bulbs produce the widest range of dim light. I have "dimmable" LED bulbs where I have the in-wall smart switches installed and the lowest dim level is still pretty bright compared to the dimmest setting on a hue bulb. To get better dimming you have to buy the better LED bulbs which can run $9 plus depending on what you get, in which case you're approaching Hue Bulb pricing.

I personally have used both the Leviton smart plug, but have come to actually like the Inovelli one as you can control both sides = more Christmas lights :)

As for outdoor, GE seems to be the only one out there now, but supposedly per Inovelli's Facebook page, they are coming out with one soon.

Here's the link to both the Leviton one I've used as well as the Inovelli one (indoor):

Leviton - https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-Decora-Appliance-Module-Z-Wave/dp/B00LEWQYC6

Inovelli - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K6J1Y1I

Outdoor:
GE - https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-Outdoor/dp/B0013V8K3O

Inovelli - https://www.facebook.com/inovelliUSA/photos/a.1899373336993353.1073741829.1702973266633362/1899528456977841/?type=3&theater

As for setting the sunset/sunrise -- that can be done via the Smart Lights SmartApp within the ST app (Marketplace > SmartApps > SmartThings Recommends > Smart Lights)

Lastly, as for the space heater -- I would advise against that as if the plug doesn't turn off or it tips over, it could cause a fire :/ -- but if you really want to, just check the Maximum Rating on various smart plugs and make sure your space heater does not exceed it.

Yes, I use the Lutron connected remotes with Hue exclusively and they work great. A fantastic workaround for the lack of a true on-wall switch for Hue products which is existing gang plate friendly.

Sure, you can use the Hue dimmer but it looks out of place when next to an existing light switch.

Installation is simple. The important part is to pair the remote to the Hue hub to get the remote on the same zigbee channel. It won't show up in the Hue app so it won't be obvious if the pairing was successful. This makes sure the bulb stays connected to he Hue hub after the remote pairs with the bulb.

For instructions on pairing, check the #3 top rated customer review on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B014STZASK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482202187&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=lutron+connected+bulb+remote&dpPl=1&dpID=310BUkrwnfL&ref=plSrch

Virtually all smart switches require a neutral (typically a white wire). Some dimmers only require 3 connections (live, load, and ground).

Smart bulbs are the easiest solution, but the most expensive (and annoying) in the long term (if the switch is off you can't control the light from other devices)

For using smart switches running an additional wire from the switch box to the neutral bus in the breaker box is an option but is usually the most labor intensive option. For other options you need to identify how the switches were wired. There are 3 common ways:

1. Best case: there are 2 sets of wires in the switch box, and 1 set of wires in the load box. This requires no new wiring you can simply install the smart switch
   
2. This are 2 black wires in the switch box (and possibly ground wire(s)), and 1 set of wires in the load box. In this case the builder likely cut the black wire and ran it into the box and the neutral is uncut behind the switch box. In this case you can remove the box cut the remaining wires and run all the wires into the box.
   
3. There is 1 full set of wires (black, white, and ground) in the switch box and 2 sets of wires in the load box, there are 2 options here, 1. rerun the wires between the switch and load boxes with 3 conductor wire (black, red, white, and ground) black as live, red as load, white as neutral, or 2. use a micro switch like: https://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-DSC18103-ZWUS-White-AL001/dp/B008VWAPU4/ in the load box.
   
   Hopefully that helps.

The Lutron Caseta switches don't require a neutral. They are Alexa, Harmony Hub, and Apple HomeKit compatible. They also work with IFTTT. They do have their own hub but they are rock solid. They are by far the most reliable bit of smart home tech that I have (even more so than Hue). Pricey but worth it. They are more buttons than switches but I like the way they look.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MXCRAX8/ref=psdcma_507840_t1_B00JJY0S4G#

The standard dimmer includes a remote that can easily replace a three-way switch. They are super versatile (LED, CFL, or incandescent) and work with Lutrons really expensive blinds if you have that kind of money :)

Do you mean a normal side and a dimmer side, for two separate lights/loads, in a single gang? No, I don't.

If you mean a smart switch for a single load, with separate normal and dimming actions, Lutron Caseta has four buttons (on/off with dim up/down in the middle). Those are quite popular, mainly due to their ability to work without requiring a neutral in the electrical box, plus the flexibility of their Pico remote that pairs with them, allowing 3-or-more-way switches, even in places that aren't wired, but won't work directly with Alexa without picking up a Lutron Caseta hub.

Switch/Pico kit
Switch/Pico/hub kit
Pro hub (if needed, for example, with a solution like Hubitat)

GE makes Decora-style paddles that are tap top on, tap bottom off, and hold top/bottom for dimming; they're Zwave and work with Alexa ... if you have the 2.0 with smart home hub. They need a neutral, however.

GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus Smart Dimmer Switch (also Zwave Plus and Zigbee options)

GE and Lutron also make ceiling fan controls that match their light switch products.

Smart switches are probably the best in MOST situations.

The reasons to go with a bulb (In my opinion) are:

1. A lamp, since there is no switch to be used there
   
   
2. A very poorly located switch that you won't really ever be interacting with anyways. Then it's kinda a toss up. Though you can get switch which also have a remote, so you can put a smart switch on in this case, and mount the remote on the wall in a better location. This is also a way to make a single pole switch into a "dual pole switch" without any rewiring.
   
   
3. You want some of the features that only a smart bulb can give you, such as color or temperature changing.
   
   If you do go with bulb there are some ways to get around some of the problems of the switch behavior with smart bulbs:
   
   
4. My hue bulbs do come back on at full brightness when power is restored after being cut, meaning that if I need to get some light in the room and I don't care about color, temp brightness etc just flicking the switch off and on turn them on. Not a great solution but ok when you need to flick alight on in a hurry to find something. Note though that this is a reason not to put Hue bulb in a bedroom, if the power goes out in the middle of the night and comes back on your bedrooms lights goe to full brightness, not so nice.
   
   
5. Another way to use 'switches' and bulbs is to wire the bulb to be always on, and then wall mount a remote inplace of the switch plate.
   
   
6. Another ooption (That i haven't tested but have been told works) is somehting like this which you can place over a regular light switch. So you flick the switch on, and then cover it with this to control the lights. This has the advantage of more easily cutting the power to the fixture incase you need to for some reason.
   
   I asked a question recently about switches to use with Hue bulbs here
   
   

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-LZL-4B-WH-L01-Connected-Bulb-Remote/dp/B014STZASK

These are awesome. You just pair these to the hub and the bulbs you want to control, and wire nut the lights to be hot 24/7. These fit in a regular decora faceplate; its the best solution I've found so far that solves the smart bulb/dumb switch issue. Plus, these match with Lutron Caseta's smart switch line for lights that aren't hue.

What you're describing is exactly how these fans this switch is designed to work out of the box.

While your house has two hots running from the switches to the ceiling (for manually controlling what is essentially two devices), the remote receiver box in the fan is only capable of accepting one hot leg. Then it switches power to both the fan and lights depending on what you do with the remote.

The easiest thing to do would be to replace the switch with a model that allows for both manual and remote operation. I'm sure Lutron or Leviton, etc. make units that would suit you.

EDIT: Realizing that you might have bought an aftermarket remote for a standard fan. But the answer is the same. I'm assuming you installed the receiver by giving it a single hot wire, not two. So magic aside, the switch that is no longer connected to anything isn't going to work. Now, the switch on your wall is simply for giving the receiver power, and it in turn powers both the light and fan, based on your commands.

EDIT 2: Finally had a moment to look on Amazon. This is what you'd want.

You are welcome, as far as the camera goes I search on eBay and use the keywords "Vivint ping camera" (I am unsure how to link an auction from my phone. As far as add ons to my system I use 2gig PIR1 Passive Infrared Motion Detector https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TZ73C6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Ng.CzbM9GCJSE for the motion sensor, GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Dimmer Switch, In-Wall, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12724 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wi.Czb8H4K514 for my dimmers, Previous Model: GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Fan Speed Control, 3-Speed, In-Wall, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12730 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGVVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1i.CzbBD0V1RF for my ceiling fans, GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Duplex Receptacle Outlet, On/Off, In-Wall, White, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12721 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013V1SRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Lj.CzbQAY9KV4 for my outlets. I have found home automation to be addicting and expensive haha.

The Z-Wave system is designed for interoperability, with management by a local hub that reaches out to the cloud as necessary. Hence there are many manufacturers, competitive pricing, interchangeable components, flexible control modalities. Also, a huge range of sensors, modules, controllers, locks, remote controls, and thermostats in addition to switches.

Wi-Fi smart devices are focused on ease of installation. Without standardized interfaces, the only way to offer remote control is through cloud management. Configuration and automation could be provided through a switch-hosted web server, but since the whole point is remote control and Echo/GH integration - and since the manufacturer has an eye on your data and your possible future income stream - the cloud solution wins. Wi-Fi power requirements means that in general these devices must be hardwired.

Non-cloud Kasa support requires an always-on computer running node.js, with manual device installation and static IP addresses everywhere. This is only an issue if TP-Link abandons the product or starts charging, in which case you have to decide whether it's worth the hassle...

I have a bunch of GE/Jasco switches and dimmers and one each of Leviton and Evolve - and also door/window sensors, motion sensors, thermostat, door lock, lamp modules, remotes, wall controllers, and garage door sensor.

The switches are all pretty much indistinguishable. GE/Jasco and HomeSeer 3-ways require a proprietary companion switch but you can dim from the companion and up always=on, down=off. Zooz and Inovelli 3-ways use your existing remote switch but no remote dimming and remote setting is random.

I love a good Home Depot run as much as the next, but also, make sure you aren't getting price-gouged: on Amazon. And you are very welcome. I like to help.

Nice job, looks great!

I made one too, but I used one of these to modulate the speed.

the pulse width modulation dimmer is a lot easier on the fan motor and uses less power (and it's dirt cheap). You can rip the insides out of the box, it's a pretty small board inside.

Also, old hard drive magnets are great for stir plates.

I have all of my outdoor lighting automated.

• Front Porch
  
• Back Door
  
• Back Deck
  
• Detached Garage Light
  
• Low Voltage Outdoor lighting
  
  In combination with a few other devices, door sensors, ring door bell for motion, garage door automation (MyQ) etc. I can setup a multitude of different scenarios. Open the front door, lights go full brightness, close door dim them back down. Motion from the ring at night, crank the brightness up. Open the garage door, turn on the light above the garage to full brightness. Most of the lights turn on about 15 mins before sunset with some nice transitions in brightness.
  
  I use GE Z-Wave Outdoor Modules that I plug into the low voltage transformers that are always set to the on position. That way I can just toggle the switch on thus turning on the transformer and the lights.
  
  
  In most of the outdoor fixtures I use Smart Bulbs (the lights that are shielded from the elements). My front porch I use Hue Color that I automated for holiday lights. I have a detached garage that I
  put in a Lutron Caseta dimmer since the switch was in the house.
  
  
  Essentially I used a variety of devices to tackle each lighting situation based on what would work best and then automate everything with Home Assistant. You can see all my devices and automations here.
  

Sure thing! You only need to buy one thing, a Hue starter set. I would also recommend the dimmer switch so you can operate the lights easily without using the app. Then you just download the Hue app, follow the directions and get started. I personally suggest the old Hue app over the new one. I think it's this one, but I'm not 100% sure. The reason why the old app is better is because you can set the fade duration to any whole minute level. The new app does it only in increments of 5 minutes. While the new app might look snazzier, it just didn't do what I needed. And that's it! Just play around with different schedules.

My setup is two lights, one on each nightstand. They fade up to full brightness at 6:30, automatically turn off at 8. Then they automatically turn on at 8PM and fade down over 10 minutes starting at 9:20. It's my cue that bedtime is coming. I'm basically creating my own night-day cycle.

Lutron makes great smart switches. As others mentioned occupancy sensors are better than smart switches for high traffic areas like kitchens, bathrooms, hallways and smart switches are better in bedrooms, living rooms, etc.

So it’s a double hit with keeping the wife happy.

First, she won’t want you to replace everything you have. That would just be wasteful spending.

To make things easier to start, I would suggest the connected bulb remote from Lutron. If set up correctly you would have on/off as well as dimming control of your hue lights, while they ecstatically keep things looking tidy. (They fit in standard decora wallplates which should do the trick.

Now my general rule of thumb is to prevent “dumb” accessories. Something that can easily lose its power and no longer respond. The only hue light in my house vulnerable to this is the 2 A19 bulbs above my stove. I just always leave the stove light on now as the connected bulb remote is nearby, plus it controls under cabinet hue light strips (thus double benefit).

For long term happy wife / happy life (following not just rule 2, but rule 1: don’t waste money) I would suggest the Lutron Caséta line. They can be configured in 2 pole, 3 pole, and 4 pole (takes creativity). They offer dimming & on/off switches. They also offer Serena shades which use the same hub, and have the same size of remote.

I have friends who say that decora sizing doesn’t matter, but it’s once you add on to your setup with outlet switches, blind control, lights, fans, spotify, etc… that having everything on a single wallplate is super nice.

On a final note. To change colours, I drive via Siri allot. Most of my scenes would have a colour, but if not then a simple “set the kitchen to red” will suffice.

Fin.
edit: link

Haha, thanks! I like to know what's what, but it looks like since they didn't move the switch box, they didn't have to update it to the latest code when they renovated. I might have to look into a leak-to-ground switch if I can find one. I might be out of luck without using a Lutron Caseta Wireless.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-PD-6WCL-WH-Caseta-Wireless-150-Watt/dp/B00KLAXFQA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1467145260&sr=8-3&keywords=lutron+caseta+wireless

Looking at that, I might actually do that, Lutron has better quality products anyway and the price has come down on them too!

Assume you mean THIS and not THIS?

It looks like if you do mean the first one, that is kinda pointless with Alexa. You can create your own scenes and just activate them via voice, not sure why you'd want to press a button to do it.

But, to your question, it looks like you don't need the hub with the Echo Plus

"Echo Plus is a simple way to start your smart home. It has a built-in ZigBee smart home hub, which allows for simple and direct setup of compatible ZigBee lights, locks, plugs, and in-wall switches from brands like Philips Hue, GE, and Yale. No additional hub required."

Edit: Now I am curious by what they mean by "in-wall switches", maybe just plain smart lights still need a hub.

If you want a remote, get a Lutron 2-in-1 fan/light dimmer combo with remote (~$90). It will work with any fan that has separate wires for fan and light (which is nearly any fan without the remote).

What's nice is the Lutron controller has a canopy module that installs above the fan and is controlled by the wallbox unit with only a 2-wire connection, so no extra wiring if you're replacing a light fixture with a fan.

EDIT: Here's the Amazon link, though you may be able to find a better price. I recall paying $90, it's now $98. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017O71MI/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Qcaevb0Y38EDH

It probably depends on the model of your gas fireplace but for mine it was fairly easy. I used a Remotec Z-Wave Dry Contact Fixture Module. It's showing unavailable on Amazon right now so not sure where else you could get it. You will also need a generic Lamp Cord to power the dry contact. I didn't do anything to the wall switch.

Basically, the wall switch has 2 low voltage wires coming from it and going under the fireplace. You cut these wires under the fireplace and you connect them to the dry contact. Essentially you now have 2 coming in from the switch and 2 going out to the fireplace. Then you connect the lamp cord to power portion of the dry contact and then plug it into the outlet under the fireplace (Not sure how you would do this without an outlet under there so I'd check for that first). That's it! The wall switch still works like normal and now you can control it like any other Z-Wave switch through an app or with voice. I'm not aware of anything similar that works over Wifi instead if you don't have a hub.

As for safety, it's probably safer now that I can track and disable it remotely. You can also set up automations to turn it off or notify you if left on for too long. You aren't touching any gas lines and the wires you are touching are all low voltage, I don't see why people consider this dangerous.

You can use a simple on/off switch like this:
www.amazon.com/HitLights-Light-Inline-Toggle-Switch/dp/B006U5JWQW
(advantage - barrel plugs to make it easy, but you can also splice/solder).

I knew it would be bright, so i put mine on a small rotary dimmer like this:
www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-LED-Strip-Lights-Controller/dp/B003L4KKF2
BUT - i never dim it. It's hard to have too much light. Just make sure that all of the LEDs are basically pointing away from you under the press. They can be too bright if pointed at your eyes when checking your case fill.

I'm not too familiar with 0-10v systems so I read up a bit. It appears that you do need a low voltage traveler wire to feed all the way to the switch. I don't believe the one I linked will work as your fixtures are still designed to work on 120vAC and that PWM dimmer is low voltage DC only.

Is this in your home or a garage i.e. - does it need to be aesthetically pleasing? My shop lights are simply plugged in to a standard two outlet receptacle. You could cut in a 4 outlet receptacle and wire one of the dimmer switches next to the main outlet at the beginning of the circuit. The switch on the wall would then control the power going to that switch, but you'd be able to set the level of brightness and then not touch it.

Another option (and I don't know if this is feasible or even code compliant) is to use the neutral wire as the control wire. The specs on that Lutron state that no neutral wire is required for operation. Just so long as you labeled it properly (similar to how the neutral can be used as load in certain situations) I don't see why you couldn't run it from your lights to the switch as the 10v control wire. I only know enough about this to be dangerous though so I'm sure someone will downvote or correct as necessary. Please don't do this without confirmation from the manufacturer/electrician.

Edit: I think this controller from Lutron might be just the ticket. Per the manual you can control it with any number of their Pico switches and it does all of the dimming wirelessly via RF. You can also connect it to a wall switch, a handheld switch, etc., and even control it via the Amazon Echo if you want. Just did a little extra reading though and apparently you need their hub to control the wireless connection. Once you have that, though, you can add any number of switches (I think to an extent) to any number of circuits and even integrate your lights with Smartthings, Vera, HomeSeer, or one of the supported automation hubs. Granted, you're looking at $100 for the hub/switch starter kit and another $80 for the 0-10v, but your'e also eliminating the hassle of wiring (aside from wiring the control wire from the ballast to the Lutron controller) and setting yourself up for automation, if that's something you're into. We have our under cabinet lights and a couple other things hooked to a SmartThings hub and the Echo and it's pretty convenient.

My house had similar wiring in several rooms, so I removed the wall switches and simply tied the wires together so the outlets would remain on. Then I bought some of these and mated them to a SmartThings hub to do something similar to what you describe:

• SYLVANIA LIGHTIFY 2 Button Wireless Dimmer Switch
  
• GE ZigBee Smart Lighting Dimmer, Plug-In, 2-Outlet, Led & CFL Bulb compatible
  
  In the SmartThings App, you can set up Routines "[Room Name] Lights On" and "[Room Name] Lights Off", and you can set them to "Automatically perform '[Room Name] Lights On' when... Something turns on or off." Then you pick the switch you wanted to perform the routine.
  
  Beware, there's a caveat:
  
  Communication from the switch, through the Zigbee network, to the hub, to the Internet, to the SmartThings service, and all the way back to the outlets is slow -- like, it takes 5 whole seconds to turn the lights on -- which, even after a year, is still enough time to make me think, Oh, I probably didn't actually click the switch. It's not something I would recommend to the average person who just likes things to work, but, if you're looking for a very specific solution with the lights and wiring you have, it is actually faster than using voice control. Good luck.

I found this tutorial to be really helpful

https://www.blackwaterskies.co.uk/2013/05/making-your-own-nichrome-dew-heater-bands/

And if you don't know your electrical engineering formulas, this is a god send:

http://www.sengpielaudio.com/FormulaWheelElectronics.gif

For a PWM controller to regulate the heat, something like this would be good:

https://www.amazon.com/Leegoal-LEDwholesalers-Lights-Dimming-Controller/dp/B003L4KKF2/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1549856638&sr=8-7&keywords=pwm+controller+12v

That can handle up to 8 amps, which should be sufficient for a dew heater.

A good place to buy various electrical components (in the US) is https://www.digikey.com/ (you'll find components like that PWM controller and others on it as well). Can be a bit hard to navigate, but has a very powerful search feature.

If you can insulate the dew heater strip, it will let you use less power since the heat is used more efficiently.

I use zwave GE smart switches. They are reliable and work amazing! I have one for my light and fan in the bathroom currently with a few different automation. zero issues.

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Enbrighten-Repeater-SmartThings-14294/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=sr_1_3?crid=196U15RIKMG2C&keywords=ge+zwave+switch&qid=1569958084&s=gateway&sprefix=ge+z+wave+s%2Caps%2C237&sr=8-3


I would stay away from wifi light bulbs and wifi switches. Z wave is probably the best connection for those kinds of devices, especially if you want reliable fast local automation.

I have a similar situation. I'm in a house built in 1955 and in the process of replacing switches with a Lutron setup.

One thing I wanted to be clear on is what you mention about a lack of neutral wires. From my understanding (and granted, I'm not an electrician, but have done my fair share of wiring jobs around the house), even houses from the 50s would have neutral wires. I'm wondering if you've confused ground wires with neutral wires. Neutrals are usually white wires while grounds are usually green or bare copper. Again, I know this as I'm in the exact situation. My house has no ground wires in most locations, but neutrals are everywhere as expected.

I only have one switch in the house the controls an outlet, but here's now I tackled it.

• First, I removed the switch and coupled the wires together to make the outlet constantly powered.
  
• Next, I got a Lutron lamp controller (https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer-300-watt/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484801392&sr=8-1&keywords=lutron+caseta+lamp) and used this for the lamps in the outlet.
  
• Finally, I got this (https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-PICO-WBX-ADAPT-Pico-Wallplate-Bracket/dp/B00JZRAFEA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484801427&sr=8-1&keywords=caseta+pico+wall+mounting) to mount the Pico remote for the lamp controller in the same box the original switch used to be in.
  
  This has actually worked out great, as it means we have an extra outlet in the living room for plugging in things like our laptops, but we still have a switch in the wall for the lamps.

You will need two things primarily.

One, a SmartHub.
I would go the z-wave route unless you're a huge fan of apple's HomeKit in which case you will want a AppleTV 4. I prefer SmartThings myself, but Wink is also a good option.

Two, Smart Switches. If you go the Z-Wave route, the options are nearly endless. LINEAR and GE makes Z-wave switches that are about $30/piece. Just remember that you need neutral wires in your wall to use them. AeoTec makes some that hide behind your existing switches. Tons of people make the kind that plug into your outlets so you can control things that are plugged into them. Or you can replace the whole receptacle with a new z-wave outlet.
If you go the Apple HomeKit route check out iDevices. It's a bit more expensive, but runs on WiFi which is better than Bluetooth in most cases.

edit: words and stuff

Thanks -- that's helpful. Do you have any z-wave relays that you've used in the past? I've used the Remotec switch before, but if there's something else out there that's better, would love to know.

Oh yeah, something like that would be cool after I decide on the hub (I'm like 90% sure I'll want some zwave compatibility). Kind of wish it ALSO had dumb timer options for my hub-less self now, but that is one to definitely bookmark for me, thanks!

This isn't time sensitive, I was just looking in my backyard and thought I'd post to see what was out there. I wonder if I can actually just install one of these (or similiar) in the GFCI outlet (that is encased) actually...

Alexa/Google Home are compatible with the bridge, not the bulbs, meaning any bulb that works with the bridge works with them. When Ikea advertises compatibility they mean for their bridge, so don't use that as a guide.

Hue bulbs are built on a standard called ZigBee Light Link (ZLL), so are the Ikea bulbs. As long as you buy bulbs that faithfully implement the standard you should be okay (Ikea bulbs might need a firmware update from their bridge to do this). If the bulb supports dimming/color temperature via ZLL then the Hue Bridge will be able to control them, and by extension Google Home.

All this said, if you're doing your whole house, have you considered smarthome light switches? Something like https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01MUCZA1C/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1510413289&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=zwave+dimmer .

They work just like a normal light switch you can press to turn on/off/dim but add a SmartThings/Wink hub and you can control them via Google Home/Alexa and have all the automated routines/etc you get via Hue. For multi-bulb fixtures I use those switches, plus Philips Warm Glow LED bulbs, which change colour temperature as they dim. The result is full smart home control, good colour temperatures, regular wall switches so I don't have to use my voice all the time, and I can buy cheap non-smart bulbs.

Also, be aware that one Hue bridge is limited to 50 bulbs and 7 dimmer switches. That's the other reason I went for wall switches, I would need multiple bridges and then I couldn't have one button to turn off the whole house.

Caseta makes a great product, I use them everywhere - both the smart dimmers, and switches, and also use their non-smart motion sensing switches.

Having said that, you can't use voltage switches with smart bulbs!

At least not the current generation, and since they need to maintain state non likely in the future unless the add non-volatile storage and that will get expensive.

You need to use a "virtual switch" of some type, one that basically sends data commands to the bulbs like your phone does. I have about 30 smart bulbs in my place and so believe me it's a sore spot.

The good news for you is that since you have Hue bulbs (too expensive for the number I wanted), you can use the Hue Dimmer Switch which is designed just for this purpose:

No wiring needed, just paste it to a wall somewhere and connect to your hue hub.

I use a combination of the Brilliant Switch and the SmartThings controller to kind of do the same things, but my bulbs are Tuya which doesn't have an integration yet, so it's a kludgy solution.

Here’s a set of two dimmer switches, hub and remotes. No neutral wire required for these so couldn’t be easier to fit

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-BDG-PKG2W-Assistant/dp/B01M3XJUAD/ref=sr_1_7?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1535840828&sr=1-7&keywords=lutron+caseta

And here’s just the hub and a basic switch. You do need a neutral for the switch

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XPW67ZM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017LRCG38/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It’s not cheap to get started for sure (mainly due to that bridge) but Caseta, apart from HomeBridge, has been my most solid HomeKit device. The bridge never requires a restart in my experience. I honestly wish I hadn’t invested so much in Hue before I used this.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-PKG1W-WH-Assistant/dp/B00JJY0S4G

Then you can have a remote! And if you care, the Lutron Caseta Bridge will allow you to control it with your phone, and it also integrates nicely with Home Assistant, if you want to go that route (look it up!). Otherwise, the dimmer and remote will work by themselves.

P.S. ♥️

Yeah I got the warm white versions cause I wanted them less blue looking.

For dimmer this is what I got: http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Dimming-Controller-LED-Lights/dp/B003L4KKF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1381518684&sr=1-1&keywords=led+dimmer

You're also going to need a power supply. I got this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Ledwholesalers-Power-Suppply-Driver-Transformer/dp/B0034GUEY4/ref=pd_sim_hi_1

However, I wired all my wires by hand. They do have jacks on them though as well.

Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Ledwholesalers-Inline-Dimmer-LED-Strips/dp/B004T9ITQ0/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1381518743&sr=1-4&keywords=led+dimmer

And then you can use a generic laptop type power adapter as long as the wattage is correct. I plan on revamping my setup at some point to make it easier to setup.

I've been using Lutron Caseta light switches+hub with Alexa for the past few years. These are expensive but of very high quality. I believe the Lutron Smart Bridge is required to connect to Alexa; you can get the starter kit from Amazon, but prices tend to be better on eBay.

There is a healthy discussion of this and other options in the homeautomation reddit, so that's worth checking out if you go down this road.

I know that you said you're using WiFi bulbs, but I was in the same situation using zwave bulbs. If you have a hub, replace the bulbs with zwave bulbs and you can use this switch. It goes over top of your switch and is permanently screwed into the plate. You just leave your switch in the on position before you put the new switch over top of it. It has dimming controls also. Works pretty well for me.


Sylvania Smart Home 73743 Lightify Smart Dimming Switch, Dimmer, White


https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0196M620Y/

I have a few of the 4 button Hue dimmers, which I love... there was a hack to use them with Smartthings, which is OK except I want to get away from any reliance on the cloud at all.

So, since you already have a Hue bridge, these buttons can be had for @ $25. Pair them with your Hue bridge, but don't assign them to any rooms/groups/lights.

On your Pi, install node-red, and install the nodes for Homeassistant (node-red-contrib-home-assistant) and Hue(node-red-contrib-huemagic) from the palette. You can then make a flow that will allow you to do pretty much anything you want with the Hue dimmer buttons. I currently have one attached to a lamp with a Cree ZHA bulb that does on/off, dim up and down in 10% increments, long-press dim up sets to 100% brightness, long press dim down sets to 5%. I have another that controls a hacked Wifi smart plug I picked up at Walmart (Homie firmware) that works with MQTT.

How set are you on the GE switch? Lutron Caseta seems like the perfect solution for this situation. The starter kit comes with wired dimmer switch and a separate remote that can be wall mounted. I use it for the recessed lights in my living room and it's been great so far. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXCRAX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_QjPMxbYPD5823

In the process of building a new home but here is what we are doing for most of the switches.

Most lights will be on GE motion zwave dimmer. Plan to use the motion as part of home alarm system as well as other triggers.

GE Z-Wave Plus Smart Lighting Control Motion Sensor Dimmer Switch, In-Wall, Vacancy/Occupancy Sensor, 26933
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071Y38FX5

Lights in multi gang boxes that already have a motion zwave will get the Homeseer 200 smart switch. The fans will be controlled by the Homeseer 200 fan switches. I plan to take advantage of their multi tap features to control other switches or automations and the leds to indicate current situations.

HomeSeer HS-WD200+ Z-Wave Plus Scene-Capable Wall Dimmer Switch w/RGB LED indicators
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079F38TPF

https://shop.homeseer.com/products/homeseer-hs-fc200-z-wave-plus-fan-controller

From my research these are the best/ most versatile zwave switches you can get.


I’d avoid smart bulbs for reasons mentioned already. I’d want everything to work without smarts if needed.

Is there already existing power wiring for a z-wave switch? If not, you might need to wallmount a battery operated MiniMote or something like that.

If you're not stuck on Z-Wave you might want to look at Lutron's dimmers with their Pico Remote which can be mounted in a low voltage single gang old work bracket and covered with a decora plate for a nice looking wireless install. Same with their connected bulb remote which I'm using for a couple of Cree Connected bulbs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JJY0S4G/ref=pd_aw_fbt_60_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=86N3WGD52NQ4GTPN2MDD

You'll find the single gang bracket for the Pico Remote in the related items.

Edit: I realize there are a few Z-Wave battery operated buttons, however if you want something that looks more like a lighting controller, something geared more towards a high WAF, I think the Lutron products are your best bet.

Is there a reason why you're going the bulb route instead of the smart switches? Depending on how many bulbs you get, the cost can get up there pretty quickly. I use Lutron Caseta switches and they integrate well to smartthings and then into google home. I also have 4 downlights with hue bulbs in them for one room. What I did was just wired the power wires behind the switch to always have power to the fixture. At the time, Lutron sold a remote that looked the the other smart switches I installed that could control hue light bulbs. I just put it over the wires with a bracket that Lutron made as well.

They do. There are two versions, a ZigBee and Clear Connect. The ZigBee one works with Hue. I would love it if the ZigBee version would show up in the Hue app or HomeKit.

> I want Hue to support an affordable small remote like the Lutron pico.

I guess you could call it DIY, but it was pretty easy. I bought the components from Amazon:

• 5 meter strip of "warm" led lights
  
• 120 to 12V 30 Watt power supply/transformer
  
• PWM Dimmer
  
  The transformer plugs into the wall and then into the dimmer (I extended the wires using 12v wire I had on hand and butt contectors) then 2 wires out of the dimmer into the strip of lights. The light strip comes with a standard looking DC connector, which I removed and just hard wired it. I also used the entire strip, but it can be cut every two inches at certain points. If you choose to cut the strip, you will need to solder the wires onto the strip. Since I used the entire strip I just used the included wire (after removing the DC connector thing)

I know this isn't exactly the response you were looking for but there are decora style hue switches. Technically they are remotes but you can hardwire your lights to always be on and install the remotes as decora switches. My current system consists of 27 hue bulbs controlled by 12 of these remotes/switches and it works great. Links and documentation below.

Remotes

Wallplate Brackets



Documentation:

1. Unpackaged the Lutron remote
   
   
2. Put the remote within 4 inches of your Hue Hub
   
   
3. Open the Hue app and go to Settings -> Accessory Setup -> Click the + Button in the bottom right corner -> Hue dimmer Switch -> Option 1 -> LED blinking
   
   
4. Next, while the app shows as searching, press and hold the top "On" button on the Lutron remote
   
   
5. After about 10 seconds or so, you'll see the green LED on the remote start flashing rapidly. Keep holding until the light turns off
   
   
6. The remote is now paired with the bridge and you can exit out of the Hue app (It'll still be saying searching…)
   
   
7. Now you can proceed with pairing the remote as the instructions say
   
   
8. Simply go next to the Hue bulb that you want to control with the remote and hold down that top "On" button on the remote
   
   
9. The Hue bulb will flash three times and then grow dim or turn off
   
   
10. You should now be able to control the bulb with both the remote and the Hue app!
    
    
11. If you want to pair any other bulbs, perform the same steps with the next bulb

To give an example of what I would personally use.

LEDs (I would purchase 2 reels (10m total)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005ST2I9O/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1#productDetails

Dimmer (2 of these, 1 per reel)
http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-LED-Strip-Lights-Controller/dp/B003L4KKF2/ref=pd_sim_hi_bsb_12?ie=UTF8&refRID=024VHCH0KYFFJDQAM9QV

powered by this (only need the 1 but you can buy 2 if you'd prefer)
http://www.amazon.com/MEANWELL-HitLights-Listed-Adapter-Warranty/dp/B008K4UKLW/ref=sr_1_51?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1397563708&sr=1-51

Mount as much of the strip(s) as possible on U-channel or similar to minimize heat issues (the U channel will act as heat sink with a bit of "work") sideways outside of the square/rectangle lightbox. This will minimize the 0 0 0 0 0 0 lighting effect.

If you can build the desk enough to test you can see if 1 row around the perimeter will work, or 2 or 4... You can use the dimmer(s) to adjust the brightness as needed.

If you still need/want MORE lighting or want to have a separate smaller section that is always on at 100%, you can put some strips in rows across the "bottom" of the lightbox facing directly up.

I pretty much did this on my magnifier lamp. I have about ~.3 meter of the above linked LEDs running constantly at 100% for basic task lighting and a "night light" and ~2-3meter inside periphery of the reflector. I also used some to replace a picture lamp (it needs to be dropped by 50% though, it is too bright) and I am working on figuring out 2 more "ideas" now.

Rough math is rough but I figure it is approximately a 10% and 100% split. I am not using a dimmer on my setup though so I just try to not stare at the light for too long.

I think something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-DSC18103-ZWUS-White-AL001/dp/B008VWAPU4

would work for you. You can keep your existing switches even. This is assuming you have enough room behind the existing switch in the gang box. You'll need a hub like a smart things, but previous comments seem to show you are alright with that.

Personally, I love the idea of the old style edison bulbs and fixtures. This would allow you to do it with no visible changes at all.

What you need is a Luton smart bulb remote, they have some making them but you might get lucky and find them. These pair with the Philips Hue bulbs and work great

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-LZL-4B-WH-L01-Connected-Bulb-Remote/dp/B014STZASK

Yep, the Remotec Dry Contact module is absolutely perfect for that.

https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI

You could use any z-wave dry contact module really, just don't try to use a standard z-wave wall switch designed to switch line voltage. If you somehow manage to get line voltage to the millivolt contacts for the gas valve, then you will fry it. But the Remotec one is especially good for this use case because it has extra terminals for the existing physical switch. So you can still use the physical switch to turn the fireplace on and off without it getting out of sync with the z-wave relay. Could probably do the same with a MIMOLite Dry Contact Bridge, but it's also almost $20 more than the Remotec with no other benefit in this case.

Here's a great write-up I found when I did my fireplace:

http://thedataist.com/off-topic-how-to-automate-your-gas-fireplace/

Be aware that you will still need line voltage to the module to power the z-wave radio, and that line voltage and millivolt shouldn't be wired in the same electrical box unless you have one specifically for this purpose that has a divider. I was lucky because my fireplace already had a 120V outlet underneath it for the blower, so the setup was a simple as the instructions I linked to.

I actually took it a step further since that outlet also had a separate wall switch for turning the blower on and off, and I wanted to be able to control the blower by z-wave but didn't care about controlling it with the physical switch. So I also replaced the outlet underneath with an in-wall z-wave outlet, then plugged the power cord for the Remotec into the socket of the z-wave outlet that was not controlled by z-wave to prevent a sort of z-wave redundancy, and the blower into the socket of the outlet that is controlled by z-wave. By doing this I can control the blower with z-wave and no longer with the original switch on the wall, but instead use the switch on the wall as sort of a safety cutoff to completely kill power to the outlet below which of course then kills power to the Remotec and the blower. I just flip that switch off if I'm on vacation or in a time of the year when I don't use the fireplace. Did my best with the wording, but admittedly it's probably still REALLY hard to follow. I can make a diagram if needed.

Then I picked up a z-wave Aeon minimote for 20 bucks and set the buttons to control the fireplace and blower so that guests could control everything without using Google Home or having access to my hub. My fireplace didn't have a remote originally, and the price for all three parts was still less than adding one with the added benefit of being able to tie everything into automatons through my hub(s).

EDIT: Eventually I also want to add a z-wave gas shutoff valve either under the fireplace or for the main gas line coming into the house or maybe both just as an added precaution. Then write an automation that would shut it off if a smoke detector is tripped in that room or anywhere in the house depending on where I put the gas valve(s).

Mostly a gimmick. A fun gimmick, but a gimmick nonetheless. It really depends on what your budget is. Is approx $20/bulb worth it for a novelty? For me, it was in a few places, but I probably wouldn't do it again. The temperature thing is now a must after having the color and the ambient. I hope to never go back to a single temp bulb again. That's worth $15 premium of the ambient over the cheap white ones.

Get the dimmer switches. 100% worth the money. Then put these guards over your current switches.

If you want smart lights and need a physical switch to use I would suggest two options.

The first option is to upgrade your wall switches. I have used these before and have had no issues Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Dimmer Switch for Wall & Ceiling Lights, PD-6WCL-WH, White, Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLAXFQA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_x-WWBbPYJ4QP5

If you want to go the Hue light route you can buy wireless switches and use the included 3m mounting to hang it on your wall Philips Hue Smart Dimmer Switch with Remote (Installation-Free, Smart Home, Exclusively for Philips Hue Smart Bulbs), 1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076MGKTGS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_IeXWBb02JK78V

As others said, most likely you'd add a z-wave dry contact switch like this one if you have a z-wave hub. That's the best solution I know of and you'd be just side-stepping the current RF function. There's good info in the reviews there about how to actually do this as well.

Here’s what I used with Alexa/ST. New Model: GE Z-Wave Plus Wireless Smart Fan Speed Control, 3-Speed, In-Wall, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa, 14287 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XTKQTTV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_0VwgAbD6D17PZ.

New Model : GE Z-Wave Plus Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Dimmer Switch, In-Wall, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa, 14294 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_TXwgAb5Z1F42N

Just a heads up, most ceiling fans use RF instead of IR. It's really a pain to get Harmony to talk to RF ( I looked this up like 2 days ago). If your fan is controlled by a switch, you can just replace the switch. Otherwise, you can probably install this plus the harmony hub.

Best of luck to you!

Here is the route I'd go down. It's gonna be a bit complex though, but almost all home automation stuff is complex at this point.

• Get Home Assistant installed on something (raspberry Pi is your best bet).
  
  
• Get Home Assistant talking to your hue
  
  
• Get an MQTT server set up. Probably on your Rasberry PI
  
  
• Get Home Assistant configured for it
  
  
• Now... stop using an Arduino and get an ESP8266 instead. It's basically the same thing only much, much, much better and comes with a WiFi stack, which you'll need for this project. Friends don't let friends use arduino's...
  
  
• Get the switch working. Get it to do the right thing on MQTT. Plumb it through into Home Assistant. Get home assistant plumbed through to your Hue.
  
  Glossed over a metric shit-ton of detail, but like I said.... this whole "home automation" space is still pretty chaotic and complex. If you are in the apple ecosystem and have an appletv, you can also do a similar thing with HomeKit, HomeBridge and MQTT.
  
  Your other alternative is to simply buy a damn dimmer switch from Phillips Hue that works with their light bulbs and call it a day. They are a very high quality dimmer, honestly.

I got this thing to convert my mundane fan into a remote control. Useful if you find a style you like that doesn’t have a remote.

It requires 4 wires though instead of the normal 3 if you want fan and light control.

Lutron Maestro IR Fan Control and Light Dimmer for Incandescent and Halogen Bulbs, with IR Remote Control and Wallplate, Single-Pole or Multi-Location, MIR-LFQMT-WH, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017O71MI

So to add to my previous comment, im not sure about commercially, but if you latch this onto the gate where it swings out it will keep it in place with a little handy work and depending on the gate style.

https://www.amazon.com/27-5A-Spring-Plunger-Solenoid-Electromagnet/dp/B00S4U3WWQ

Combine this with a Zwave plug or a timer to power it on when you want the gate to become free. You could angle the gate or spring load it from the opposite side to free open.

https://www.amazon.com/General-Mechanical-Multiple-Lighting-Polarized/dp/B00435FRXS/ref=sr_1_4?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1479876032&sr=1-4&keywords=timer+plug

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Lighting-Control-Receptacle-Wireless/dp/B0013V1SRY/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1479876060&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=GE+zwave+outlet

One problem I had with smart outlets is that one one of the plugs is controlled by the switch, the other is just on 100% of the time.

In my use case, paranoia over leaving the hair curler plugged in, that down fall was two much. Sure I could see the outlet was off but I had no idea if the device was plugged into the right outlet.

My solution was this little guy
Aeon Labs DSC18103-ZWUS,White,US,AL001 Aeotec Z-Wave Micro Smart Energy Switch, 2nd Edition, White, Small https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VWAPU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fBzqybV7TXXRH

Fits behind the standard outlet and turns the entire thing into a switch.

I'm also thinking this might be a good thing to add to a couple more outlets for Christmas lights

I am not an electrician but just went through the same challenge and found a solution. I have been swapping out the dimmer switches in my house (built in 1959) for new smart switches. I realized that there are some switches that do not require a neutral wire.

Lutron Caseta Smart Home Dimmer Switch, Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and the Google Assistant | for LED Light Bulbs, Incandescent Bulbs and Halogen Bulbs | PD-6WCL-WH | White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLAXFQA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_kBT2DbJ69HVY7

Maybe an electrician on here can explain this better, but these switches basically leave a trickle of power when turned off to keep the switch working.

Ok. Maybe smarter to make the switch smart rather than the light bulbs. Do you have a separate switch on the wall that turns the light on/off today? Or is it one switch for both fan and light? I'll assume you do have a separate switch:

TP-Link dimmer if you don't have a controller.
GE Dimmer if you do.

If you don't have a separate switch, I have a different idea.

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but the other day I asked a similar question.

I wanted my Hues to be powered all the time so I could always use the Hue app alone to turn them on, or have them return to the previous scene, or all the other benefits that come with leaving the Hues powered.

However, I wanted to replace the Decora switches/dimmers with something that could be used to control the Hues but without cutting power. So my solution is what /u/rittyroo suggested, I purchased a Lutron Connected Bulb Remote with the wallplate bracket and hooked it up to the Hues. It's not designed for them, but there is a Youtube video showing how to set it up and it worked for me no problem.

I still have to actually hardwire the lights to always-on, though I haven't yet because they're three-way switches which are outside of my expertise - I'll be getting an electrician or someone smarter than me to do it. But the system works exactly like I had hoped.

Well the best I could find was this: https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Receptacle-12721/dp/B0013V1SRY/ref=sr_1_37?ie=UTF8&qid=1542927191&sr=8-37&keywords=smart+outdoor+outlet

Which is not specifically for outdoors. I think probably the reason that there are not outdoor rated in gang box receptacles is that the electrical code for different areas could really make it hard to make a device that will fit them all.

Part of the problem is that a smart socket has to have power all the time (be it from a battery or from the AC) so there could be real issues with installing it properly.

If you decide to go ahead and do it this way, please consult with an electrician or your local governing authority to make sure you are following code. If you are not and there's a fire, it could go poorly for you.

z-wave.

You could do it one of a couple of ways. Both ways would have you installing a z-wave light switch to replace your existing one, soemething like

http://www.amazon.com/Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Control-Switch/dp/B0035YRCR2/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1414373746&sr=1-1&keywords=z-wave+light+switch
Then you could either get a lamp modules for the lights, like this

http://www.amazon.com/GE-Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Control/dp/B0013V6S0Q

but that would add a lot of bulk to your setup, so instead i would probably look at replacing your power outlet iwth a zwave outlet like

http://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-Receptacle/dp/B0013V1SRY/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1414373786&sr=1-1&keywords=z-wave+outlet

So once you pair the switch and the outlet, when you pressed the switch it would not only power on your existing lights, but also turn on/off the top receptacle of the outlet as well

Put in any light fixture and bulbs you want and use a Lutron Caseta in wall dimmer switch. First light switch is about 100 bucks,

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-P-BDG-PKG1W-Caseta-Wireless-Selected/dp/B00MXCRAX8/ref=sr_1_3?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958038&sr=1-3&keywords=lutron+caseta

This includes the Smart hub needed to make it internet accessible.
Each additional switch thereafter is around 50$.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer-150-Watt/dp/B00KLAXFQA/ref=sr_1_2?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958148&sr=1-2&keywords=lutron+caseta

You can also purchase them with remotes for $60

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-600-watt-150-watt-Multi-Location/dp/B00JJY0S4G/ref=sr_1_1?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958148&sr=1-1&keywords=lutron+caseta

and you can purchase plug in versions that allow you to control standard lamps and such ($60)

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Caseta-Wireless-Dimmer-300-watt/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=sr_1_7?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1482958148&sr=1-7&keywords=lutron+caseta

Lutron Caseta is not only compatible with alexa, ("alexa turn my living room to 50%" "alexa turn off my bed room" "alexa turn my living room to 10%" etc.) it is also fully homekit enabled. ("Hey siri, set my chamber to 2%" ) and utilizing the home app on your iDevice, you can set up schedules and such, for example my bedroom light turns on to 10% 30min before my alarm, and up to 50% 5 minutes before my alarm. This really helps me wake up on time.

Lutron caseta work great. worth the money

Make sure you use the Enerwave dual z-wave relays, and not the Monoprice ones. The Enerwave relays work great with Wink. Lots of reports of issues with the Monoprice ones. I had one explode inside the gang box

Also, if all you want is for the controlled outlet to be the bottom one, then there are a few choices that work with Wink:

• GE z-wave outlet
  
• Enerwave z-wave outlet
  
• Linear/GoControl z-wave outlet
  
  These are cheaper than using the Enerwave z-wave dual relay to make two controlled outlets, although the latter is more useful in many situations.

Lutron also sells a plug-in lamp dimmer. I have one and it's great (and yes, it has a Pico):
https://www.amazon.com/Caseta-Wireless-Lighting-Dimmer-P-PKG1P-WH/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1519663870&sr=8-3&keywords=lutron+caseta+plug-in

(If you want HomeKit control, you would also need to buy a Lutron Caseta smart bridge if you do not already have one.)

I believe my wiring is the same. I'm on a Wink hub, and these are what I use:

The dimmer is great because it fits in the wall, but you can't run low-voltage LED lights on it because they use so little electricity that the light will always be faintly on. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KLAXFQA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I also have an over the top switch. It doesn't look as good, but it works. Also, it makes an electric motor noise as it switches. I personally like the noise because as I tell Alexa "goodbye" I can hear the switch to know for sure that my lights are off as I leave my condo. It does work with the switch and a rocker.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B079M178GW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used this https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI/ref=mp_s_a_1_7 because I had it laying around, and it fit nicely (since I was replacing a simple one gang wall switch).

If I was doing it again today from scratch? Well, I went poking around Amazon, and was depressed that I didn't see anything cheaper or demonstrably better. One useful feature of the module I used is that there's a button on the front that will activate the relay if you don't/can't activate it through home automation

Lutron caseta is much simpler than it looks at first. You will need the wireless switch and the wall plate hat matches the number of switches in a location (e.g. a 5-switch install needs 5 switches and 1 5-gang wall plate).

For most people, the switch you want is
LUTRON P-PKG1W-WH Caseta Wireless 600-watt/150-watt Multi-Location In-Wall Dimmer with Pico Remote Control Kit, White
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY0S4G/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_O2YRybNK0JMVR

The single gang wall plate is:
Lutron CW-1-WH 1-Gang Claro Wall Plate (1 Pack), White
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MAW4XE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_F5YRyb2VD4WGE

And you will need one bridge (you can get a bundle of 2 dimmers, 2 picos, and a bridge but that bridge isn't the pro model which you may not need, I got it just in case, but I'm not using any of the additional integration capabilities):
Lutron L-BDGPRO-WH - Smart Bridge Pro
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Z8AXQCQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_N-YRyb1VWE0P8

You can also get a plug in dimmer for Lamps which acts as a range extender, and the non-dimmer switch for other devices such as potentially a ceiling fan or lights that just don't need dimming.

Hope that helps!

Your wall switch should definitely still control it if you turn it off and on again. Personally, That light is stupid though and you are better off with a regular light and changing out the actual switch for something like this. I know you said it was a mistake but if you are still in the return phase i would definitely return for a normal light and get the switch i recommended. That way you can app control or control it like usual. The only thing about the switches is you NEED a neutral in the box.

If you have a 3 wire ran from the switch to the fan (white,black,red,ground) you can do some variation of what I did for my Fan/Light rooms.

This for the light control. Also This if you want it to match with the fan switch.

This for the fan control.

If you only have a 2 wire ran from the fan/light to the switch then you would have to do something more along the lines of what u/caddymac suggested.

Hope this helps and if you have anymore questions let us know.

Generally speaking, it's not recommended to put a dimmer on an outlet. Lutron has on/off switches, but they also require a neutral.

But you may be over thinking it. You can just do this and then get the "switch" wall mount for the remote.


Edit: I didn't fully read your post. You can program any of the Lutron remotes to control multiple Lutron lights. Mounting one and having it control multiple I think is the best solution.

You can use the Lutron Caseta for 3 way switches or more. Install the full Lutron Caseta switch in one box, and use remotes for the other boxes. You can put another switch anywhere, even if there isn't wiring there.

Lutron Caseta Wireless In-Wall Dimmer, 600/150-Watt, Single Pole, Works with Amazon Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KLAXFQA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_BazDyb4YRKZ8B

Remote with wall bracket
Lutron PJ2-WALL-WH-L01 Pico Remote Control with Wall Mounting Kit, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JR202JQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ObzDybQ8C594T

You need the hub as well

Hub, 1 switch, and 1 remote
Lutron P-BDG-PKG1W Caseta Wireless Dimmer Kit with Smart Bridge for Amazon Alexa and Selected Models, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXCRAX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kdzDybXVZ4ZGM

They sell the wall brackets seperate as well
Lutron PICO-WBX-ADAPT Pico Wallplate Bracket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JZRAFEA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_nfzDybQX74B01

Basically you can get a 2way solution for $100, and add a 3rd switch for $20

I think you might be looking for this:
SYLVANIA LIGHTIFY by Osram - Smart Home- Dimming Switch for all LIGHTIFY Products Control your Smart Home System at the Touch of a Button, Works with Alexa (hub required) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0196M620Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_8OfCybXA5VXDY
I use one with my SmartThings Hub and it works great.

I use one of these through smarthings works great. Sylvania Smart Home 73743 Lightify Smart Dimming Switch, Dimmer, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0196M620Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3gW4Cb02M57JK

For that I would use a couple z-wave wall switches. Since it would be the easiest to implement. GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus Smart Fan Control, Speed ONLY, in-Wall, Includes White & Lt. Almond Paddles, Zwave Hub Required, Works with SmartThings Wink and Alexa, 14287, White and GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus Smart Dimmer Switch, Full Dimming, In-Wall, Incl. White and Lt. Almond Paddles, Repeater/Range Extender, Zwave Hub Required, Works with SmartThings, Wink, Alexa, 14294

The best thing for you, imo, since you’ve already invested a lot in hue is to get the little hue dimmer remotes. You’d use the remotes instead of the physical switches and you’d lock the switches with a switch lock/guard.

Philips 473371 Hue Dimmer Switch Smart Remote (Installation-Free, Exclusive for Philips Hue Lights), White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076MGKTGS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dpaSAbSV6SY55

In the future, as was already said, if you can use a smart switch then it would almost always be preferred to use a smart switch.


Edit:keep in mind that the smart switch from GE is zwave and requires a zwave hub like smartthings.

If you were to get into a hub then that opens up a while world of other possibilities but I think that might be beyond your scope of what you want.

I think something like this would work:
GE Z-Wave Plus Direct Wire 40 Amp Smart Switch, Indoor/Outdoor, 120-277V Lighting Appliance Control, Repeater/Range Extender, Zwave Hub Required-Works with SmartThings, Wink, and Alexa, 14285, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YTCZZF0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Y.E9BbGX2TS07

It's just on/off, no temp control. But I don't see why you would want to change the temp remotely, as most water heaters are set it and forget it . But at least with this outlet hub you can definitely turn on and off to save some energy.

I was going to get a few Lutron plug in switches but I found the bluetooth auto-off fairly reliable. Now that latest steamvr beta allows the entire system to be turned on from the wands and headset, I think that's actually superior to a third party switch setup.

I've got the exact same switch.... Having done the same research as you, the simple answer is, there isn't a device that will duplicate that.

The closest solution I have come up with is to put 2 of these in the ceiling fan https://www.amazon.com/Aeotec-Z-Wave-Micro-Dimmer-2nd/dp/B00IRI1CEK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1482251383&sr=8-1&keywords=z+wave+micro+switch. One to control the light and one to control the fan. Unfortunatly, you will lose control of the switch (other than on/off) at the physical switch itself. You would be able to both the light and fan on/off, but not just the light or the fan, you would need to use a smart device to do that.

I appreciate your input!

Using a smartphone or tablet would be a sufficient alternative in many circumstances. The Phillips Hue lights work very well with the associated smartphone app. Phillips also makes a Dimmer Switch and a Tap Switch for use cases when having access to a phone or tablet is not practical. The Phillips hardware switches might be preferable over a phone/tablet because you only have to press a single button (versus unlocking a phone, opening the correct application, and then pressing a button) and a phone/tablet has much greater needs in terms of electricity. The Phillips Dimmer Switch operates on a replaceable watch battery. The Phillips Tap Switch doesn't even require a battery at all! (It uses the mechanical energy generated by the physical action of pressing the button to power itself.)

I wonder if either the Dimmer Switch or Tap Switch from Phillips could be hacked/re-purposed to send command to Google Home?

I recommend smart switches vs smart bulbs. It keeps the traditional control plus avoids having to stick secondary Philips switches(or similar) next to the "real"ones with child covers on the "real" switch so people don't turn off the circuit. The only time I would use smart bulbs is for something like a table lamp that has no wall switch or for renters.

Often the fireplace controllers use a low voltage input to turn on the fireplace. You need a meter if you want to know what these wires are. My guess is that one of those wires is 12/24V DC from the controller, and the switch closes the circuit. Green is just ground.

Zwave switches require 120V AC, and send that to the load. I have no idea if code allows this, but if you want a ZWave switch you'd need to borrow AC power from the adjacent box, and use a relay switch similar to this: https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI

EDIT: Actually, looking at the reviews, the best solution would be to use this relay in the fireplace enclosure, and connect it to the current switch: https://www.amazon.com/review/R2100DM2EPKO7Q/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B00913ATFI&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=228013&store=hi

I think that might be the same dry switch, but I used this one here. Pretty easy to setup and has been working for a couple of years now

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00913ATFI/ref=oh_aui_i_sh_in_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have it integrated with smartthings and Google home.

I think this qualifies as a new question... I want to set up a couple rooms in my house with motion sensors and smart switches to turn lights on and off after a certain amount of inactivity - My wife and kids are notoriously bad at doing it themselves. My question is this... Is it better to get a smart switch and sensor or buy a combo device like this? Price-wise it seems to be about the same so are there any practical considerations that would drive my choice one way or the other?

I have a couple Lutron Caseta wireless switches. They have a switch you hardwire in place of the existing one, and then you have the option to use a wireless remote. You can mount it on the wall like a normal switch, or it has a pedestal if you want to leave it on a table. If you invest in the Lutron "smart bridge" you can control them with a phone app as well.

edit:
Here's what I have. I like them:

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-600-watt-150-watt-Multi-Location/dp/B00JJY0S4G

Lutron MIR-LFQTHW-WH Maestro IR 300-watt Single Pole Fan and Light Control Kit, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017O71MI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.0PFybYW4PQEH is the best thing I've found so far... probably just gonna buy a Haiku L fan though

Yup, eagerly awaiting that enhancement too!

My ideal Hue-compatible smart-switch -- which AFAIK doesn't exist -- would be hard-wired so it could control load to the fixture as a backup, but normal operation would just send Zigbee signals for smart control.

Along those lines, I've heard of some folks using this product, which is battery-powered and fits over the top of a conventional wall-switch. So that prevents people in your household from accidentally toggling the wall-switch (but it can still be accessed on the rare occasions where it's needed.) But I personally don't care for the aesthetics of a big bulging remote on the wall. Also, I don't think that Sylvania product is directly compatible with the Hue hub; you'd need some other automation solution (SmartThings, HomeKit, etc.) to bridge those systems.

I did this with GE Switches in the wall wired up with no load. I Direct wired my ceiling fans and rewired their light kits with the Aeotec Micro Dimmer 2nd Edition
Then use Smart Lighting in Smartthings to tell the dimmer to turn on/off depending on the on/off status of the GE Switch in the wall. I have 4 ceiling fans setup like this. Works well. Would probably work even better if the GE Switches I used were ZWave +.

This nice thing about this module is it still has a provision for the pull chain. So the switch and the pull chain are functional in my setup.

Lutron makes their caseta wireless switches that come with the pico remote, or you can buy them separate. You can even mount the remote in a switch box to make it look like a real second switch.

The switch and remote work by themselves without a hub, but a hub can be added later for more control.

Technically it's not z wave, it's lutron clear connect, but it works with the wink hub, or you can buy the lutron smart bridge, and then get it to work with Vera or smartthings.

Lots of answers already, but one that is legal and safe - Lutron Caseta are 'physical' switches, giving you local on-wall capability to switch lights on via physical interaction, but also wirelessly controllable via a hub and the inernet (plus Alexa, and android apps etc). So an arduino with wifi (ESP8266) or a raspberry pi or similar) could control them.

Lutron has a lamp outlet dimmer switch but you'll need to get the hub as well. There's a home assistant component which would then allow you to feed in the sunrise schedule.

I'm doubtful that a standalone dimmer like you're describing exists.

Lutron Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Lamp Dimmer and Remote Kit, P-PKG1P-WH, White, Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY1QG0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Q7GPCbYBJ7WJ8

>the smart switch is a cheaper option

You don't seem to be getting the fact that you are comparing apples to oranges. Further, smart switches are not necessarily cheaper than Hue color bulbs. The Lutron is a popular smart switch that is more expensive. Also, your statement that smart switches never need to be replaced is wrong. Smart switches have sensitive electronics that can and do fail.

We just used the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch. It only works with Hue, to my knowledge. It just attaches to the wall, it's battery powered and wireless. Blanked off the existing switch for the ceiling light.

Otherwise I'd recommend the Lutron Caseta, they require another proprietary hub but don't require neutral wires.

And yeah it's been quite a busy year so far. Hopefully it slows down for the holidays (yeah right... we're hosting apparently)

​

Edit: if you want to "smart" things up, get a Smartthings hub and motion sensor or door sensor. You can set your Hue lights to turn on automatically when the sensor detects you!

I use Smartthings and really like it. You can find the hubs for less than $80 if patient and looking around. Ya that may seam like a lot but using the switch you picked out at $80 x 3 for a cost of $240 while Smarthings plus either these Leviton or these [GE] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=psdc_507840_t4_B01N4F487U) will end up being cheaper if you buy 3 or more. Z-wave is designed for exactly this, home automation stuff so I really prefer to use that over WiFi devices.

I don't have any switches at the moment, only Hue but I will be getting some eventually. For a Hub you have two real options if you are really new and not super techy, Wink and SmartThings. Both have different strengths. I've never used Wink but that seams to be a bit more user friendly, however Smartthings is by no means difficult and it has a very helpful community and is more customization. Someone will probably take issue with this but I liken Wink to IOS (cleaner UI, a bit smoother, just works) and Smartthings to Android (much more custimizable)

These are 3 individual switches, therefore, you can just replace them with Homekit smart switches. You may need to get a bigger box to accommodate these Homekit smart switches.

I have listed some of the Homekit smart switches below and a link to the Apple website that has a list of all the Homekit switches that are available. Also, the Homekit subreddit is here: https://reddit.com/r/HomeKit/ if you have more Homekit questions.


https://www.amazon.com/iDevices-Dimmer-Switch-Required-HomeKit/dp/B0743Q7VCL/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1540877906&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=idevices+dimmer+switch&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/iDevices-Wall-Switch-Required-Single/dp/B06Y5G7XPJ?ref_=w_bl_hsx_s_hi_web_3031359011

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-BDG-PKG1W-Assistant/dp/B07G5V6M6G/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1540877972&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=lutron+caseta+switch&psc=1

https://www.apple.com/ios/home/accessories/

Is there any reason you're not considering a smart dimmer? You can get them as a switch or a plug. (There are also WiFi versions, if Z-Wave isn't your thing.) Then you can use whichever light you like, as long as they are marked as "dimmable" on the packaging.

I'm not a proponent of smart bulbs in general because, while they last long, they do still burn out. But I understand they are a good solution for some people, though. I hope you find what works for you.

Second the smart relay.. here's one on Amazon that is even advertised for pool pumps.. I've had good luck with the GE Zwave receptacles inside my house using a SmartThings hub.

This might work: SYLVANIA LIGHTIFY ZigBee 2 Button Wireless Dimmer Switch, Works with SmartThings, Hub Needed for Amazon Alexa or the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0196M620Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Jft2AbCSWS0E5

Also, if you search Amazon for Zigbee remote, a couple come up that might work. Good luck!

A Caseta plug-in lamp dimmer along with a wireless remote can do this. https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-PKG1P-WH-Assistant/dp/B00JJY1QG0

You can mount the remote on the wall using the wall mount kit (not included with the kit above, but should be pretty easy to find). If you no longer use the switch that you’re trying to replace, you could remove that switch, tie the wires together to make that receptacle always on, then mount this wireless remote right on top of the old switch location.

The GE Model 14294 is $40 on amazon
Its "officially" recognized by wink - Linking this switch up with wink hub 2 is super easy

https://www.amazon.com/New-Model-Wireless-Lighting-Wall/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520302424&sr=8-1&keywords=ge+14294

The GE or HomeSeer dimmers will work just fine. I personally use the GE ones. Make sure you get the Z-Wave Plus ones though... they can be enabled through a device handler in ST to enable double tap (so can the HomeSeer switches).

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Required-14291/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1517504684&sr=8-4&keywords=ge+z-wave+plus+switch

or

https://www.amazon.com/New-Model-Wireless-Lighting-Wall/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1517504684&sr=8-5&keywords=ge+z-wave+plus+switch

Again make sure it's the Z-Wave PLUS model. Even within those links, picking a specific switch might get you the non-plus.

As far as wattage, you should be fine. Standard switches will do up to 600w, that's 10x60w bulbs on a single circuit (or 6x100w) assuming incandescent bulbs, power usage goes WAY down with LED bulbs.

Your biggest problem is going to be getting all of your switches to fit into the wall... they're quite big. I'd recommend jumping neutrals and line if you can from switch to switch, instead of trying to add to the bundles (i.e. neutral into switch 1, then out of switch 1 to switch 2, etc...). If you're not comfortable with wiring you should have an electrician install them.

My gas fireplace had a switch on the wall, so I thought a smart switch would accomplish my goal to add the ability to use Siri to control the fireplace. Realized the switch was a low powered one, not a normal light switch.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00913ATFI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This wired between the switch allowed me to connect to the aeotec z wave hub and works great.

Easiest first thing to do is add a Google Home (or Alexa but sounds like you’re in the Google ecosystem). This gives voice control to anyone in the house. Next I would consider adding some physical switches for the bulbs - you’ll probably need a hub like SmartThings unless you’re willing to wire them in because all the WiFi switches need power. Here is a wireless example https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0196M620Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9w5Xzb56QC5K0

This will do exactly what you want.

LUTRON P-BDG-PKG1W Caseta Wireless Smart Lighting Starter Kit: 1 Smart Bridge, 1 In-Wall Smart Dimmer with Wallplate and 1 Pico Remote, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MXCRAX8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_s-dvzb6XKJW7B

If you can stretch your $50 budget to $83, then you can get one smarthings hub and one GE outlet

I did this a couple weeks ago. Easy to set up; works great.

The way I would do it is, change the plug that's on a switch to a plug that's on all the time and use a couple of these, http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JJY1QG0/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1411994996&sr=8-3&pi=SL75. Then I would replace the switch with http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KLAXOE8/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1411995035&sr=8-6&pi=SL75 and http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JZRAFEA/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1411995035&sr=8-3&pi=SL75. Its super easy to do this way and everything is connected without trying to fish new wires in.

stick a pico remote to the wall and you'll get 5 buttons you can use to pass into Home assistant. then an IR/RF emitter to send commands to the fan from Home assistant. if you're already thinking about getting hue, you could get their remote and stick it to the wall.

If there's no switch on the wall then the fixture must be wired to always be on, or maybe there's a switch/relay in the breaker box itself, so smart bulbs could be a good fit. you'll still need an IR/RF emitter to control the fan though.

Lutron Caseta will take care of that for you. Bonus: you can plug two lamps in to one, however they can't be independently controlled.

If you end up getting a hub then you can use your iPhone, or Alexa, amongst other devices to control them, however I wouldn't bother with the hub unless you expanded the switches to multiple areas of your house...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JJY1QG0/

I'm just using a plug-in lamp dimmer for mine, but there are several ways to go about it...lamp dimmer, smart bulb, smart switch...

I believe your problem is that you have Smart bulbs connected to a smart switch. If the smart switch is off then the smart bulbs wouldn't work. I would think your bulbs would still connect to wink as long as the power is on. Since they're both dimmable you probably should use the Lutron Casetta On/Off Switch rather than the dimmer.

You may also be able to pair the light with a connected bulb switch that can be wall mounted next to the regular switch using this Lutron Pico Wallplate Bracket and a 2 gang wallplate.

Seriously... don't do this... This is an excellent way to burn down your house/apartment, or electrocute yourself. Yes, commercial products are a little more expensive, but that's because they have to meet actual quality standards and are rigorously tested (assuming you buy something that is UL rated).

Look in to a product like this: https://www.amazon.com/Aeotec-Z-Wave-Micro-Dimmer-2nd/dp/B00IRI1CEK/

That little "UL" in the top right corner means it is certified to not burn your house down (used properly)...

You could look into products utilizing Z-Wave. There's a few modules that can be placed into a box behind switches or above light fixtures, like potentially this one. But you'd still need a Z-Wave controller, something like the SmartThings Hub, perhaps.

EDIT: Here's another Z-Wave wire-in switch. There are even motion sensors like this one and other things that speak Z-Wave.

So for multi-way setups. You need ONE master switch if you will then the add-on switches for the rest. So for a 3-way setup (2 switches control the same light or group of lights) you need:

Quantity 1 of https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUCZA1C/

Quantity 1 of https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GFB0UNY/

For a 4-way setup (3 switches control the same light or groups of lights) you need:

Quantity 1 of https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUCZA1C/

Quantity 2 of https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GFB0UNY/

For all these setups, YOU MUST HAVE NEUTRALS!

Hope that helps, cheers!

EDIT: I missed your dimmer bit, you need these as your master switch: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MUCZA1C/

Just bought a few of these at Home Depot: http://amzn.com/B014STZASK

I think theyre exactly what you're looking for. They can control most smart bulbs and are sized like a regular decora switch so you can pop it in the wall and have it look like it's wired in.

Yeah for sure.

Rackmount

Ubiquiti POE Switch

Unifi Security Gateway

Unifi Cloud Key Gen 2 Plus + NVR

Unifi G3 Pros

Unifi G3 Dome

Unifi AC LR

Unifi AC Lite

TP Link 5-Port Switch

Monoprice CAT6 1000ft

Cable Matter Blank 24 port Patch Cable

Nest Thermostat

Nest Doorbell

Nest Indoor Cam

Nest Sensors

Casetta Dimmers

Phillips Hue Starter Kit

Google Home Hub

Google Home Mini

Google Home

Chromecast Audio and Ultras (not pictured)

Labeler

I'm using ones purchased from Amazon (http://amzn.com/B00JJY0S4G) or Home Depot (http://goo.gl/eZKEkK). You can control the dimmer from the remote and from the (Wink) hub. Neat setup. Looks like you can get the dimmer module without the remote from Amazon (http://amzn.com/B00KLAXFQA).

This system is great.

We have a Logitech Harmony hub based remote and I've used Caseta switches to control the living room lighting, ceiling fans, and the fireplace.

It sounds like you're more disappointed by the aesthetics of the device rather than the function? What would your ideal design be? Would it be modeled off of anything existing today? What kind of functions are you looking for? And what would make use more satisfying?

edi: How do the aesthetics of the Lutron remote compare? https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-LZL-4B-WH-L01-Connected-Bulb-Remote/dp/B014STZASK

I was surprised at first by the lack of HomeKit support, considering that most of not all of their other products are compatible. But like others have said, battery life is probably the main concern. Phillips Hue has a battery powered wall dimmer switch that can control other HomeKit devices and scenes, but they’re only able to accomplish this through the Hue bridge. Also, they are similar, but not quite not decora sized unfortunately.

Can't you get the removable dimmer switch and just use it as a remote? I do that and it's pretty useful.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076MGKTGS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Lutron Caseta PD-6WCL-WH Smart Lighting Dimmer Switch or PD-6ANS-WH Smart Lighting Switch are "single-pole" switches, but they will require L-BDG-WH Caseta Wireless Smart Bridge to function properly.

I think you can do it using mysensors. The store lists a ACS712ELC 30A Current Sensor which you can wire in series to your load. One idea would be to mimic a http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0013V8K3O/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?qid=1453046080&sr=8-5&pi=AC_SX118_SY170_QL70&keywords=smart+receptacle+cord&dpPl=1&dpID=31v4qTEZyWL&ref=plSrch or Aeon Labs DSC06106-ZWUS - Z-Wave Smart Energy Switch. You can do this by cutting an extension cable with one side going to the wall receptacle and the other to your load and all the electronics i n the middle. Need an arduino pro mini, radio, 110-5v, the current sensor, and a box to make it look nice.

You have a lot of options. Easiest would probably go with a hub like a Samsung SmartThings hub and get zwave door/window sensors.
For the garage door you could use the GoControl outfit kit https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Linear-GD00Z-4-Z-Wave-Controller/dp/B00M75TEIU

The fireplace gets a bit tricky depending on how the control is. Most newer homes with gas logs are on a milivolt system, meaning the switch on the wall that opens the gas valve doesnt actually have power, its just a signal wire. For this case you need to get power to that switch location which could be as easy as tapping into the lines of an adjacent switch. You need a Zwave dry contact swtich. https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI

I've read that in so many reviews. Ideally, I'd like to set it up exactly as you describe, but instead of training my dogs to utilized said button, I'd like to control it via zwave. Did you have to hack it to hardwire buttons into it, or does it provide contacts for such options?

Would such a relay: https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1448130400&sr=8-3&keywords=zwave+relay
have worked in your switch setup?

My wife burnt our counter top in our bathroom. I put in an outlet with this.

I have a controller let me know if it is consuming energy. If it consumes energy for greater than 30 minutes, I turn the outlet off.

If you use Home Assistant, there's actually a built in component for reading license plates. All you need is a cheap IP camera (edit, or web camera) and you're ready to go. To actually open the gate, you're probably going to want some sort of dry-contact relay, like this. You can also set Home Assistant up to send you an alert or flash a light in your home when an unrecognized car pulls up.

It also occurred to me (thanks to /u/b1g_bake for prodding my thinking a bit), you need to consider what kind of control you want. I recommended the FLS-pp, and it would do as advertised. If you were using white only, you could dispense with a "smart controller", and instead get a "smart switch" (so Google/Alexa would control the power). That doesn't allow color control. But, if only white, you could just use a normal switch and forget the voice control.

However, voice control gets tedious, and doesn't give you any control over color. (There may be Alexa Skills/Google Recipes that allow it...?) As I recall, the FLS-pp does have app control. I have one, but I've got nine home automation apps; I don't remember if one of them is for it or not (or if it didn't require an app to connect to my system)! The Fibaro does have an app, or at least... my phone has an app installed called "Fibaro" :-P

Color control is always tricky, because you need a color wheel or something equivalent. There are control panels, but you'd be getting into hub territory. Personally, I'd say it's worth it, but it depends on your budget. Controller + cheap LED strips + power supply, you're looking at ~$170 on the low end. To get a control panel and hub, you're going to (approximately) double that.

edit2: What I'd recommend (if budget allows) is to get a controller hub with a remote control, and have the remote control switch between a few preset "scenes". Hue + a Hue dimmer can do that ($75 for both; I actually have an extra Hue hub you can have for cheap). The FLS-pp and the Fibaro can connect to Hue. That would also allow adding /u/dabe9600's idea, Hue color bulbs either on the deck or inside, expanding to other lighting (like under-cabinet kitchen accents), etc., etc. /edit2

edit: And there are cheap little WiFi controllers that can do Alexa/Home. I didn't recommend it, because they wouldn't be able to connect to much of anything else. Also, a lot of them also go through the cloud, so you'd have a built in 1 second delay on response times. However, they can be had for $20 or less (even as little as $5 off AliExpress). The cheap ones don't power the LEDs, and otherwise only handle one strip without a booster.

I assume that it is, but I can't confirm it. Are you in the US? If so, you'd be better buying either of these, which I can confirm are two wire:

Dimmer and Remote

Dimmer

Both are less expensive than the item on eBay, and the first one comes with a Pico remote. I've bought several of each of Amazon. (Lowes and maybe Home Depot also stock these).

Nice! FYI it’s $84 normally on amazon. smile.amazon.com

You may also want to try the lutron dimmer plug you could set different light levels different periods of the day: 11pm-7am 40%; 7am-10:59 100% etc. you can set two homekit automations for when motion detected and when not detected (turn off) for each time period. I’ve found the hue motion sensor to be very responsive in this scenario, make sure firmware is updated.

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Lighting-P-PKG1P-WH-Assistant/dp/B00JJY1QG0 (needs hub and it’s worth it)

It may cover the WeMo plug, but I doubt it'll have sufficient depth for the WeMo and the plug that plugged into the WeMo. For an outdoor installation, I'd recommend a z-wave solution like GE outdoor z-wave outlets. Off course, it does mean that you'll need a z-wave hub ...

You might try a normal switch connected to an
Aeon Labs Z-Wave Micro Smart Energy Switch
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008VWAPU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_0gD-zbVX154GH

Turns your dumb switch smart :)

There's also a dimmer module:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IRI1CEK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_PiD-zbWY6WYJM