I'm copypasta'ing my answer to this question from a month ago. Good luck!

Just reno'd my home, and I LOVE MY SMART HOME. I'm using SmartThings in conjunction with Logitech's Harmony Hub, and it is working fantastically!!

A few other recommendations:

1. CAT6 EVERYWHERE. This is so important and worthwhile, that I'm writing it to echo everyone else's statements :) I had my contractor's wiring guy run unfinished, plain Cat6 everywhere, and will finish the ends myself, which saved a ton of money.
   
   
2. Get them to install your Smart Thermostat. I supplied mine (Ecobee 3) to my contractor and wanted them to install it. This is because when I asked them if my furnace had the C-wire, they said yes, so I could install it myself. I pushed them to install it for me, and it turned out that I didn't have the C-wire, so they had to do the extra wiring run to my furnace and get it installed. Massive bullet dodged, no way I could have done that myself after the walls were up. I love smart heating/cooling. I chose the Ecobee 3 because it is actually a hard-wired thermostat, so no need to ever change batteries :)
   
   
3. Smart dimmer switches for nice pendant/chandelier LED lights in kitchen and/or living room (or anywhere else). I bought a couple smart dimmable GE z-wave switches (I think it was this, or a similar model) and had the contractor install those too. This you can probably do yourself, but it's better if they do it for you while they're installing all the other wiring and regular switches anyway. The switches are wonderful, and can dim my beautiful kitchen pendant LEDs, as well as my beautiful chandelier LED. Thus, those lights didn't have to be smart, just the switch, which allowed me unlimited access to any light I want. Light shopping is a lot of fun, a lot of cool stuff out there. If using this switch, just make sure the lights you buy for them are dimmable, as some LED lights are not dimmable, and will tell you so in the specs.
   
   
4. Outlets at every window. For what? SMART AUTOMATED BLINDS. And with the outlets by the windows, then you can order the blinds that come with standard wired power, which is cheaper than the battery powered and solar powered ones. And c'mon, let's face it, no one wants to change the damn batteries, especially with the blinds going up and down at least one cycle per day, and solar power never seems to deliver enough juice. I ordered smart Bali Blinds through Costco that have the Somfi receiver built into them. You build your own package when you order (because you have to measure and specify lengths and widths for blinds), and when choosing accessories, you have to order the Somfi to Z-wave controller (Zrtsi is what they call it) with it. I LOVE these smart blinds.
   
   
5. Get them to install your Smart Door Locks. I'm using a Schlage Z-wave (or zigbee?) lock for this, and it is working great so far. But it was a pain in the ass to install apparently, or more specifically, to line up with the hole the door bolt lines up with in the door frame.
   
   
   HOME MODE:
   
   Now, I have my smart home programmed so that when I pull up onto the driveway and into the range of my wifi, the blinds automatically open, my LED lights come on, and the TV system turns on, programmed to my starting channel of course (which is usually sports, because baseball is on by the time I get home :D), and the door unlocks. It's...really amazing lol...I freaking love this setup.
   
   If I have gone out for the day and just remembered that I didn't check to see if I locked the door? I can just check the status of it from the SmartThings app. Unlocked? Click. Locked.
   
   VACATION MODE:
   
   When I was out of town last month, I programmed a couple SmartThings routines to open and close my blinds, and turn my lights and tv on and off, at different intervals on different days. I used different timings for different days, because why not? It's so easy and simple to set up in SmartThings, so why not make it just the slightest more realistic and difficult for burglars to figure out?
   
   All in all, I can't believe my smart home is actually functioning the way I hoped it would. I expected there to be more issues and problems, but nope, it's working exactly the way I wanted it to.
   
   
   When my garage is cleared out, I will be installing my wifi enabled Chamberlain garage door openers too, so that the garage door will open automatically for me as well :) If you can get them to install that too, that would save you a bunch of time, since that's a lengthy install and you usually need someone to help with it.
   
   GOOD LUCK!
   
   Optional:
   
6. Speaker wire in every room, like bathrooms. Or at least the rooms you'll want sound in (kitchen, bedrooms, living room, bathrooms....that's pretty much every room :D). I wish I had done this. I initially thought I would just use a bluetooth speaker wherever I wanted sound. But then Google released the Chromecast Audio, and you can get whole home sound now for CHEAP...if you have powered speakers everywhere. Plus, it's always good to have speaker wires wherever you're going to have a tv, because true surround sound will always be better than soundbars.
   
   BONUS EDIT:
   
   Writing this prompted me to check my stuff while here at work. I just opened the SmartThings app and noticed I left the blinds open! Click. Closed. :D
   
   DOUBLE BONUS EDIT:
   
   I can't wait for my Google Home and Amazon Echo Dots to arrive!!!!

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

First thing anyone should buy is Deluxe Audio Strap. Can't stress that enough.

Vive-N-Chill is also really useful. It may seem silly, but it actually works really well. When I use any other headset for active gaming I really miss it.

Hyperskin covers for the controllers are awesome, comfortable, add grip and help with the occasional wall scrape. Though personally I ditched the headset one as I feel like it may trap in heat. Does look cool though. But the controller ones are a must have.

One of my absolute favorite VR accessories: 1" MMA floor tiles. Worth every penny. Way better than any thinner solutions and you can really kneel/roll around on the ground comfortably and stand for hours on it. Can be disassembled for transport and does not slide on carpet. They seem to be holding up to heavy duty long term use so well they should last for years through multiple generations of headsets.

My favorite face cushion for personal use is the stock foam one. Comfortable, breathes, and absorbs moisture and wicks it away. Nice to break out the fancy faux-leather ones for guests and stuff, but the original stock ones are the best for serious game sessions, at least in my opinion. Just hand wash it on occasion.

These guitar hangers are cheap and awesome for hanging controllers from when paired with some 10 foot usb micro cables for charging. Maybe not as cool looking as the special charging stand, but a whole bunch of pairs are great for different VR controllers if you have more than just a pair to deal with.

And, if/when you ever tire of the Base Stations' function to remotely power up/down automatically being fussy, slow or intermittent, then remote power outlets will make you happy. They make the base stations spring to life and sync in a few seconds compared to the slow blue tooth routine and power off when you want them off.

Okay let's start from the beginning- each of your devices needs to be machine-controllable.

Lights- you can use smart bulbs (Hue etc) or you can use lighting controllers (smart light switches, plug-in dimmer modules, etc). Either way you'll either need a network like Z-Wave or Zigbee or Insteon to control them, which will require a USB RF interface. You could use all WiFi devices but I don't recommend this.

TV- that probably means infrared. Some TVs you can control by serial port, other TVs you can control with network traffic. 99% chance infrared is your best bet though.

Fan- if this is a plug-in fan you can use a plug-in switch module. What kind of fan is it?

Xbox- probably via IR.

Voice control- Alexa or Google Home.

Hub- Home Assistant works, HomeSeer costs money but might be easier to set up.

So to break this down, you need to find a way to interface all these devices with your hub. Let's assume you're using HA.

For the lights, you need a primary control technology, that'll be Z-Wave, Zigbee, Insteon, etc. I suggest Z-Wave as it's got better support in both Home Assistant and HomeSeer. That unfortunately rules out Hue bulbs, but it means you can instead get nice Z-Wave smart light switches and use your existing bulbs. Here's a popular one. If you want super controllability check out the HomeSeer branded switches- they'll work fine with Home Assistant, they have several LEDs that you can program to do whatever, you can decouple the switch (so pushing the button doesn't turn on the light but rather sends a Z-Wave command), program double/triple/quadruple tap actions, etc.

Note that if you really really want Hue lights, Home Assistant and HomeSeer both (somewhat) support ZigBee. You can also buy a Hue Bridge, which is basically an Ethernet-Zigbee interface that's Hue-proprietary, and link that to HA or HomeSeer.

Fan- if it's a plug in fan you need a plug-in appliance/switch module. Here's one. If you have a ceiling fan type thing you'll need a ceiling fan switch. Here's one of those (HomeSeer makes one too).

IR (TV, Xbox, etc)- probably BroadLink devices or Global Cache iTach. Note that if you try HomeSeer, Global Cache works, Broadlink I think does not.

Voice commands- How to integrate Alexa and Home Assistant.

You'll want to look at Smart things by Samsung or even a hubitat with z wave motion sensors, door sensors and z wave light switches.

Smart things

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SmartThings-Generation-GP-U999SJVLGDA-Automation/dp/B07FJGGWJL/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=smartthings&qid=1568218834&s=hi&sr=1-4

Hubitat

https://www.amazon.com/Hubitat-Elevation-Home-Automation-Hub/dp/B07D19VVTX/ref=sr_1_4?crid=11LGAJMZT4XTM&keywords=hubitat&qid=1568218857&s=hi&sprefix=Hubitat%2Ctools%2C181&sr=1-4

If you go the z wave /z wave plus route things tend to be much more stable and you can build a interference free IOT network. Zigbee runs on 2.4ghz so its generally less preferred to z wave that operates at a interferance-FREE 800-900 MHz.

Things like the GE Z wave light switches are great for a good reliable IOT network.


GE Z wave light switch & Extender

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Repeater-Extender-SmartThings-14291/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=zwave+ge+light+switch&qid=1568218742&s=gateway&sr=8-2

For locks I highly recommend the Keyless Yale locks. $98 a piece, very reliable and they work great with a z wave network. They also use a hardened steel strike plate, a solid steel body, a tamper alarm, a anti saw dead bolt core and cant be picked.

​

You'll want a good quality door sensor, good reliable ones are few and far between so make sure you get something that has great amazon reviews. Dont cheap out here as flaky contact sensors are everywhere and its not worth the $5 when it doesn work half the time.


Z Wave Door Sensor


https://www.amazon.com/Z-Wave-Magnets-Window-Sensor-DWZWAVE2-5-ECO/dp/B01N5HB4U5/ref=sr_1_4?crid=29QS4YGELWFZR&keywords=zwave+door+sensor&qid=1568220339&s=hi&sprefix=Z+wave+door%2Ctools%2C170&sr=1-4


Yale Z wave YRD110ZW619 Dead bolt

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PM6V1XW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I also use an Abode Security System thats z wave based with my z wave locks feeding in to it. Abode is great as its got all the fancy features other alarm systems offer but has no monthly charge!!


Abode Security System

https://goabode.com/?rfsn=2685339.3291b5


​

For Smart outlets I dont have any z wave ones yet, just a couple of TP-Link kasa ones. I would probably go for GE in wall outlets though. DONT SKIMP on your outlets, lesser known brands have been know to catch on fire!

I have 19 kasa light bulbs and they work pretty darn good, but I would recommend GE outlets for much better home automation. Smart light bulbs are good for basic stuff but once someone turns off the light switch you cant turn them back on until you flip the switch.


Kasa Light Bulbs LB110

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-LB110-Smart-Wi-Fi-Dimmable/dp/B01HXM8XE2/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Kasa+bulbs&qid=1568220252&s=hi&sr=1-5

Please note that Smart things and Hubitat are booth good in there own respects, Smart things is good for people who know how to use a computer but are not power users. Hubitat is great for people who own a github account and really want the full automation experience. Hubitat runs most/all IOT commands locally and doesn't rely on the cloud for processing.

I skipped hubitat and went for HASSIO, I really, REALLY, dont recommend this rout unless your a computer tech as the learning curb can be really steep!!! It runs on your own server, I use the VB version


HASSIO

https://www.home-assistant.io/hassio/

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!

I've never heard of Legrand, and I've always seen Lutron as having more of a closed system, but I see that Caseta is getting, or just got official SmartThings support. What I meant was going with z-wave dimmers or on/off switches like the ones made by GE or Linear/GoControl. The nice things about regular z-wave, z-wave plus, and zigbee products like this is that it's compatible with a whole slew of hubs, and will probably be supported by all future hubs for a long, long time. Doesn't matter if you have SmartThings, Wink, VeraLite, whatever, it will work.

Lighting doesn't have to be complicated, it's more about the hub you go with, than the device that controls your bulbs because that is what you interact with. I have a mix of z-wave dimmers and smart bulbs around the house, altogether 20 something light devices connected to a SmartThings hub. Alexa integration is great, as is Google Assistant on android (I have no iOS devices). I can tell either Alexa or the Google Assistant to turn lights on/off, dim lights to a percentage (I love being able to dim lights to any percent I want, 1%, 10%, 63%, whatever I want) and they change instantly. I use an android app called SharpTools that has a great UI for controlling devices, and good support for creating widgets.

I don't use scenes, but SmartThings has "routines" so you can create a widget on your phone's home screen or control it with Alexa to perform preset tasks (Set Living Room light to 10%, Set Reading Lamp to 85%, turn on a power outlet, lock your front door, etc).

Here's some links if you want to look at some other options:

GE Z-Wave Dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2

Linear Z-Wave Dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E1OVFAK/ (I have a bunch of these and they're great).

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.

Setting up an automation system in your house requires 3 different areas:

1. Controlled "appliances"
   
   
2. A hub
   
   
3. A controller
   
   I am being specifically vague when I say controlled appliances because this group is vast and varried. You can have smart light bulbs, smart light switches, smart wall outlets, smart thermostats, various sensors, security cameras, and the list goes on and on.
   
   All of these appliances will have a communication system such as z-wave or wifi that allows it to connect to the hub and be controlled virtually.
   
   These can be extremely expensive, but most have gotten relatively cheap. For instance, the light switches I have are about $40 each. So, for about $40 per room you can completely automate the lights of your entire house.
   
   The Hub is simply a device that connects to all of the above appliances and allows you to control them virtually. I have a smartthigns hub. I really like it, but there are several other options that you can use. All have their benefits and drawbacks.
   
   As said above, the main job of the hub is to be the connection/control point for all of your appliances. The secondary bit is that each hub has a control OS that you interface with as a controller for your system. This will take two forms. First form is an app you can install on a tablet or smartphone that will allow you to set up routines or directly control every single connected appliance from wherever you are in the world. The second form (not on every hub) is a simple programming interface that gives you powerful customizing options to how you want to control your system. If you can imagine it (and code it) you can do it, pretty much.
   
   The controller group is also where the echo fits in. You don't need an echo, but it is an amazing addition. Typically having a smart system just meant you could control everything on cool customized timers, virtually from everywhere in the world, and from a centralized "remote" in your house instead of having to go to each device. With the echo you can skip the tablet "remote" all together and just speak to your house and it listens.
   
   I highly recommend diving into the world of an automated system. It is only a couple hundred dollars to get started and you can slowly build your system out over time. Check out /r/homeautomation for some more info too.

I thought I'd share my experience for the community, and hopefully my experiences help or encourage others to give this a shot on their own. I had absolutely no experience growing anything when I started, so if I can do it, so can anyone else!

I've got an equipment list of the stuff I'm using since it took me a long time to figure out what to buy. This doesn't include the $1.50/week for RO water from the local grocery store, the electricity, or the other stuff I ended up buying afterward for my clones.

No grow tent or ventiliation is needed for my scenario since I have full access to a basement. It's perfect since there is a water heater and a boiler in the same room so the temp is always pretty constant, there is plenty of CO2 from the gas that the appliances burn, and the humidity is also pretty constant.

A few of the mistakes I made that I'd fix next time:

• Buying a heating mat for germination/clones. I only got 1 out of 5 seeds to germinate, and thankfully that one turned into a good plant. I think heat was where I went wrong since I also tried to do clones without a mat and none of them rooted. When using the mat I bought, I had much, much better success.
  
  
• After transplanting my germinated seed, I let that plant go too long in a small container and it got a little root bound. Should have transplanted sooner.
  
  
• I was in the veg stage longer than I think I needed to. Went on vacation in the middle and that screwed up my schedule a little bit, but I think I'd be better off with less veg time for the next plant
  
  
• Buy a better pH pen. I cheaped out on that and I've never gotten it calibrated correctly, so I've been using the dropper/eye test method with the General Hydro test kit that comes with the pH Up/Down. That method seems to work just fine, but it's kind of a hassle.
  
  The images have some details about my grow, but I'll be happy to answer any other questions folks might have.
  
  Item | Cost | Product Link
  ---|---|----
  Seeds (OG Kush Feminized, 20ct) | $80 | Marijuana Seeds NL
  Coco Coir | $17 | Kempf Coco
  300W LED Lighting | $80 | GalaxyHydro
  Plastic Pot | $0 | Craigslist - Free
  Light Timers | $12 | Light Timers
  pH Tester | $18 | pH Pen
  pH Up and Down | $16 | General Hydro
  Jeweler's Loupe | $6 | Magnify Me
  Nutes | $35 | Canna Coco 1 & 2
  Perlite | $13 | Black Gold
  CalMag | $17 | Botanicare Supplement
  TOTAL | $294
  
  
  Also, THANK YOU to everyone in this sub. There is a ton of info out there about growing, but this place is the best location I found for timely info related to my new hobby.
  

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.

Like /u/JshWright, I use z-wave switches and dimmers that replace the physical switch. They're quite a bit more expensive, but easily fit in any switch junction box and don't have to connect to wifi.

I use either GE or Linear/GoControl brand. Both seem to work the same. Only reason I use a combination is because I'm picky and the white color of the Linear ones don't quite match the standard wall plates and switches. So I use the cheaper Linear switches for single gang boxes and the GE for multi:

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Dimmer-Z-Wave-12724-Amazon/dp/B006LQFHN2

https://www.amazon.com/Linear-WD500Z-1-Z-Wave-500-Watt-Wall-Mount/dp/B00E1OVFAK

3-way configurations are pretty easy with these, just might take you a bit to figure out which wires need to go where. With the GE switches you have one master switch like the one I linked above, and then their add-on switch for the others in the circuit. Linear has an add-on switch also, but it's like twice the price of the GE one. So I always use GE for 3 or 4-way switches:

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Bluetooth-Wireless-Lighting-12723/dp/B00RKJS8MQ

I've looked at the HomeSeer ones too, which look pretty cool. They're Z-wave Plus and also support double and triple tap, although I'm not sure if HASS and/or OpenZWave support that function anyway.

http://www.homeseer.com/compare-z-wave-on---off-wall-switches.html

Sorry if there are formatting errors and such I am on mobile.

Basics

You should really consider a better HUB/products if you want this level of automation. You are going to want an offline hub such as Vera or Homeseer (what I use). Homeseer I know will interface with the echo Vera should. Hubs like wink/SmartThings end up not working when...

1. Your router doesn't work
   
2. Your ISP's connection drops
   
3. Hub's service provider (AWS most likely) goes down
   
4. Hub cloud service doesn't work or needs maintenance
   
5. Random outages/problems
   
   Similarly, you should NOT get a nest (or EcoBee). I have a nest and while I love the design it is fickle. I would instead recommend a z-wave thermostat. With a z-wave thermostat you can do almost everything nest can (no auto scheduling). Already Purchased
   
    
   
   You should seriously consider a different HUB
   
   

   Dimmers and Wall Switches
   

   
   Here is a good place to start. Lutron dimmers are fantastics although they can be a bit pricy (I don't think you mentioned a budget...). Other options include the GE 12724 for dimming if you want to go z-wave over Lutron. And, the GE 12722 for regular on/off. Or Homeseer is releasing new switches soon that look fantastic (Also z-wave)!
   
   Here's some more info. 1 2 3 4
   
   

   Garage Opener
   

   
   Chamberlain is great!
   
   

   Security
   

   
   If you cannot change/return your system that fine but I would recommend a DSC power series system as they almost universally integrate with automation systems Homeseer has a plugin as does Vera.
   
   

   Audio
   

   
   Sonos is fine. It can be controlled via Homeseer/Vera (Think announcements). Or you can get an Echo Dot and connect it to the sonos connect via an audio cable. GET a WHA controller (Check the Outdoor speaker section for recommendations)
   
   

   Front Door Cam/Doorbell
   

   
   Either Doorbird a doorbell and camera (expensive) or a normal doorbell with an IP camera with motion record. The integrated solution is better but of course more expensive. If you end up with IP cameras you should consider Hikvison they seem to make the best cameras for the money.
   
   

   Outdoor Light
   

   Just install the smart switch of your choice.
   
   

   Fan's
   

   Not sure sorry. :-( GE has a fan controlling switch but I doubt it would work as you mention remotes...
   
   

   Under Cabinet Lighting
   

   Hue lightstips, Aeon lightstrips or a WIFI / Z-wave LED controller with regular strips. (Will edit later with links)
   
   

   Outdoor Speakers
   

   The Daytons are fine you could also go with Yamaha NS-AW150. For integration you could connect them to the MONOPRICE 6 Zone Controller and AMP. You could also connect the Sonos CONNECT to the monopice and have outdoor audio + sonos audio and send audio to any other zones you have!
   
   
   
    
   
   PM me or comment if you need any more info :-)
   
    
   
   *Will edit and add more info when I get to a keyboard.

So my 2 cents would be to go with a combination of Lutron and Hue. I'm very particular and insistent on having the same design language for things like faceplates, switches, appliances etc.

Lutron Caséta switches are quite nice. They work well as everyone has stated, but obviously lack color changing options. This is where Phillips Hue and the Lutron Connected bulb remote come in. Lutron makes a Zigbee pico remote that can control hue lights and can be mounted to look exactly like any other Caséta switch! You Just need the Pico wall bracket.

http://www.lutron.com/en-US/Products/Pages/Components/ConnectedBulbRemoteControl/Overview.aspx

https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-PICO-WBX-ADAPT-Pico-Wallplate-Bracket/dp/B00JZRAFEA


This seriously was a game-changer for me as it allows for a very dynamic smart home environment. I would use Hue for everything except for the fact that some of my lights (Dining room chandelier and other special light fixtures) don't have a hue bulb in their size or wouldn't look good since they are exposed.

Another really awesome feature if you have Sonos is they have a Sonos pico remote as well! So when I walk into my dining room, I can turn to the faceplate (with all nice looking, standardized switches) Turn on my Caseta dining room chandelier, my Bar lights (hue color strip), and press play on my dining room Sonos!!

http://www.casetawireless.com/Pages/sonos.aspx

No lie, I swapped every single Leviton Z-wave switch out for these. The flexibility of adding 3-ways, and placing switches wherever you want is seriously fantastic and can't recommend it enough.

If you don't mind adding another hub you should check out Lutron Caseta. They are a bit more expensive than GE and Insteon but they're reliable and work well with HomeKit and Alexa. You can make scenes in the Caseta app and both the Home app and the Alexa app will be able to use the scenes that you created.

As for a fan switch the only option that works with HomeKit and Alexa is the Caseta Multi-Location Switch:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017LRCG38/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_JZVyybFAGHSZQ

This wont be able to change the fan speed but it lets you turn the fan on and off.

As for setting scenes with the touch of a button, you could get a Harmony hub and some pop switches. The Harmony doesn't play well with HomeKit but it's pretty cool with Alexa. Although the app is kind of counter intuitive, it works well once you get it the way you want it.

Harmony Hub:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N3RFC4Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_I7VyybF2F7VWZ

Pop Switch:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JO8TLMQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_g6VyybPZPFZ51

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.

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. :)

Alternative, the TP-Link Switch is compatible with Home/Assistant, as are their Plugs and LED Bulbs. Note that there is no IFTTT support as of yet.

I have two Smart Bulbs and a Mini Plug in my living room right now. App-wise, they're controlled with Kasa on my phone and a tablet. I can turn on/off, set schedules, dim (except Plug), etc... and do everything but schedules with my Google Home.

The Switch is part of the same family of products, same core functionality across the board.

Not sure how 2 Switches controlling the same lights would work... but might be worth a shot. (edit: see posts below)

I can say, "Hey Google, turn off the lights.", or call out a specific lamp. The Plug is treated separate (attached to bias lighting behind my TV). It doesn't trigger on "lights" calls. I wonder if Switches are yet another category.

With the possibility of IFTTT support, I hope to get movie/tv show time going with a single command, which would dim/kill the Bulbs and kick on the Plug.

Aside from the above, I have my Bulbs set to turn on when I get up for work weekdays. I'm going to get another, color changing one for my bedside, put that on a circadian schedule (option in Kasa).

My venture in to this started off with a Belkin WeMo Mini, but it would not connect to my hidden network (should not be the case with latest fw). My case went all the way to an engineer but after testing a TP-Link Smart Plug, which worked flawlessly and imo, had a much easier setup, I tried the bulbs and now I'm all in with them. I returned my Belkin products but was able to discuss my issues with an engineer we had a solid conversation. Kudos to them.

Hope some of this helps!

On a budget, I would stay well clear of things like Hue- they are very expensive to scale up because they rely on each bulb being "smart", and this also means they are limited in terms of which light fittings you can use in the future.

Personally i've gone for a self-build Z-Wave option, preferring to embed z-wave dimmers in my walls (behind the light switch) and make my own controller from a raspberry pi + some software called "Domoticz". This means an initial outlay of about $70 for the pi+Zwave adaptor, and then a cost of $40 per room after that regardless of how many bulbs you need. A hue solution would be 3-4x the cost.

The downside (or upside depending on your POV!) is that you need to build this yourself - setup your own alexa bridge, install + configure domoticz, and be willing to handle the electrical connections to your switches. It's all really easy though if you have the desire to get stuck in (there are lots of youtube tutorials). You can save a lot of $$ though particularly if you are in the US where the parts are generally cheaper than the UK (Where I am), and your setup will be much more configurable than any off the shelf solution. You can also add more obscure devices easily to a domoticz setup. I have my security cameras hooked in for example and setup so that a relevant light will turn on when the motion sensing is triggered between certain hours, and my wifi kettle connected so I can ask alexa to turn the kettle on. It's rather fun and addictive once you get started :)

As a starting point here are a few links that may help:

• Razberry - the Z-wave adaptor for the pi - http://razberry.z-wave.me/
  
• Domoticz - home automation software (free) - https://www.domoticz.com/
  
• Alexa-Domoticz bridget - https://github.com/madgeni/alexa_domo
  
• Fibario dimmers (what I use) - http://www.vesternet.com/z-wave-fibaro-universal-dimmer-2-250w
  
• GE Dimmers (fine for US, not usable for me in the UK) https://www.amazon.com/GE-Dimmer-Z-Wave-12724-Amazon/dp/B006LQFHN2
  
  

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 used this article for some cursory info on switches, and went with these in the end:

GE Smart Dimmer, Z-Wave, In-Wall, 12724

The price was good for how many switches I was installing, and I like them a lot except for two minor things:

1. The lights fade on/off a bit too slowly for my liking. This however can be changed by altering a setting from your Z-Wave hub, though I haven't had time to fiddle with that yet.
   
   
2. The rocker doesn't depress all the way, it sort of stops half-way and clicks. Most people won't care about this or probably even notice it, but it's a minor pet-peeve of mine.
   
   I also got a SmartThings Kit to control them while it was on sale for $100 off for Black Friday (it was the lowest price they've ever sold for, but it's currently $50, which is still pretty good). You can also just get the hub, but I wanted some sensors so the kit made sense to me.
   
   I wish the Hue Hub was a bit more robust, but sadly it can't be used directly in conjunction with any known in-wall switches. However, You can add Hue bulbs to SmartThings, so that can wind up being a central place to manage things.
   
   Personally, I also setup Home Assistant which lets me do a lot more with other product APIs, and lets me control the UI to some extent as well. Be warned though that it does require some understanding of code and servers. I setup the Home Assistant MQTT Bridge for SmartThings so it can talk to my ST Hub, and use it for automation instead of SmartThings. Hypothetically you can just get a Z-Wave USB stick for your Home Assistant server in lieu of something like SmartThings and have it act as a hub directly, but I felt getting a ST Hub was easier.
   
   Finally, I also got a Google Home while it was on sale, and used IFTTT to create custom commands so I can trigger scenes in Home Assistant for things like watching a movie on my projector, watching TV, getting ready for bed, etc. I also want to have it automatically turn the projector and TV on eventually as part of the scene, but haven't had time to play with that yet.
   
   It was a little annoying to setup, but I like it a lot now that everything's humming along.

SmartThings Version 3 Hub (I have the Version 2 Hub...you will have to look around for this one):
https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SmartThings-Generation-GP-U999SJVLGDA-Automation/dp/B07FJGGWJL/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1540989501&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=smartthings+hub+2nd+generation&psc=1

GE Z-Wave Plus On/Off Light Switch:
https://www.amazon.com/GE-Repeater-Required-Works-SmartThings-14291/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540989582&sr=8-3&keywords=z-wave+switch

GE Z-Wave Plus Dimmer Switch:
https://www.amazon.com/GE-Repeater-Required-Works-SmartThings-14291/dp/B07361Y54Z/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540989582&sr=8-3&keywords=z-wave%2Bswitch&th=1

GE Add On Switch (if you have a 3-way or 4-way switch):
https://www.amazon.com/GE-Bluetooth-Wireless-STANDALONE-12723/dp/B00RKJS8MQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1540989718&sr=8-3&keywords=z-wave+add+on+switch

ZigBee Motion Sensors:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F8ZHBLS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ZigBee Door Sensors:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F956F3B/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

ZigBee Leak Sensors:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F951JDP/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

ZigBee Outlet Plug (you will need to replicate your ZigBee mesh, I use to motion activate lamps, turn lamps on/off at sunset/sunrise, etc.):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F96JB63/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Z-Wave Thermostat:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005EJ7YO2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ZigBee RGB Landscape RGB LED Strips:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R1PB2ZY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

ZigBee RGB Lightbulbs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073ZBYXKQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Z-Wave Deadbolt:
https://www.amazon.com/Kwikset-SmartCode-Electronic-SmartThings-featuring/dp/B004F1B24I/ref=sr_1_12?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1540990126&sr=1-12&keywords=z-wave+lock

Z-Wave Garage Door Opener:
https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Linear-GD00Z-4-Z-Wave-Controller/dp/B00M75TEIU/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1540990160&sr=1-4&keywords=z-wave+garage+door+opener

Sonos One Speakers (Great music, and talking through SmartThings):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B074XN1LH3/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Amazon Echo Show (for Voice Control...an Echo Dot will work just fine too):
https://www.amazon.com/All-new-Echo-Show-2nd-Gen/dp/B077SXWSRP/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1540990254&sr=1-1&keywords=echo+show

That's about all I can think of at the moment.

If you are going to do this, do it in stages. Z-Wave and ZigBee are mesh networks...meaning that the reliability of the network gets much better the more devices you have. Also, with these mesh networks:

• Battery operated devices DO NOT reinforce the mesh
  
• The only devices that reinforce the mesh are devices that are always powered from the mains
  
  I see so many people complaining about how the Z-Wave or ZigBee devices don't work, when they are relying on too many battery operated devices.
  
  For Z-Wave devices, choose Z-Wave Plus over Z-Wave...it's the newest standard, and has much better range.
  
  In the US, Z-Wave operates in the 900 MHz spectrum and ZigBee in the 2.4 GHz spectrum. Personally, I "prefer" Z-Wave devices as there is a lot of "junk" in the 2.4 GHz spectrum right now. However, the ZigBee devices are operating reliably as I have a strong mesh setup (with non-battery operated devices).
  
  Two great application for the Leak Sensors:
  
  
• Near your hot water heater (when they go, they always leak)
  
• Under your A/C drip pan (if you have central air)
  
  Great applications for door open/close sensors:
  
  
• Turn closet lights on/off when the door opens or closes
  
• Turn on entry and hallway lights when an entry door opens, but only when it's dark (30 minutes before sunset or after sunrise)...turn off 1 minute later
  
• Notify me when my gun safe is opened
  
  Great Application for Motion Sensors
  
  
• Turn on outside ceiling fans (but only if the temp is above 72 degrees)
  
• Turn on lamps while motion is active when it's dark
  
  The motion sensors I linked above are the new ones...the magnetically mount. What's cool is that the magnet is in the sensor, and it's strong enough to attach the sensor to a dry wall screw (no need to mount the adapter bracket).

This is making sense now, I'm pretty sure I'm following you. Black in your hot, white is your neutral, bare wire is ground, red wire is "load", this is the switch line. The fact that you have this in the outlet box coming from the ceiling is good.

So, I'm assuming that when you pull the fan down, you will see that there is a fan controller that is hooked up to the black and white wires. Making it permanently "hot" the fan controller then relays the fan on and off. You will find the red wire abandoned, it used to be used (or was intended to be used) to switch the light, it is still attached to the "load" of the switch.

You are in good shape.... GE makes a pretty good z wave fan control module. https://www.amazon.com/GE-Control-Z-Wave-12730-Amazon/dp/B00PYMGVVQ. You will remove the fan module and hook the black wire to the black wire of the fan and the blue wire to the red wire. The white wires should all be tied together and it should be capped off in the box the physical switch is.

Here is a diagram. http://www.do-it-yourself-help.com/images/fan-switch-loop.gif

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.

I did this exactly in my backyard. I threw one of the more expensive Caseta dimmers INSIDE a weatherproof box outside and hard wired my patio lights into the junction box. It could have just as easily been the cheaper dimmer or the regular 6A switch and not the dimmer and it would have worked just as well. I spent a little more on the more expensive dimmer because the load was so low with the patio lights (20w total) that I didn't want any flickering or weirdness. I hardwired only because I didn't NEED a dimmable outlet, but you could also just as easily put a receptacle after the dimmer/switch.

​

I say all that just to let you know what you are asking for is entirely doable, like cduff77 mentioned, just get the plug-in dimmer, tie off the wall switch so it's always on and replace it with a wall mounted pico pemote. The whole thing will run you about $75 but it is well worth it.

​

Lutron hit it out of the PARK with Caseta, it's the most reliable smart device I have, and I have a ton (Ring Doorbell, August Lock, Philip's Hue, EcoBee Thermostat). All they need is to come out with a multi-speed fan controller and a couple of smart outlets (Controllable with Picos, just like you want) and they will own the game.

Programmable light switches are super handly for when you're out of town and want to make it look like you're home, and if you're forgetful about turning off lights.

Keypad deadbolt never worry about getting locked out. If someone is house sitting you can give them the code and then change it when you get home.

Energy saving outlets are great for things like charging cell phones or computers and keeping your power bill lower.

Wifi thermostat. I think Nest is overrated and expensive for what it is.

Electric crockpot-pressure cooker-rice cooker-yogurt maker. This thing does it all, seriously. Pressure cookers are awesome for getting things cooked quickly so you can buy cheaper groceries (dried beans vs. canned). Slow cookers are great for tough pieces of meat, roasts, soups... They're also great in summer as they don't heat up the whole kitchen. It being multi-purpose is a bonus for kitchen space.

Like others have said, the issue is more with space in the box behind the unit than it is side to side once you break off the heatsink tabs on the appropriate side. Here are a couple thoughts from my experience installing some a couple days ago:

1. Break off the tabs before connecting the wires to the switch. I forgot about the tabs on the first one I was doing until after I was ready to start screwing it back into the box. Also in a two-gang box you'll only need to break them off on the inward facing sides. On 3+ gang the central switches would need both sides done. Regardless, breaking them off before rather than after is much easier.
   
   
2. A good pair of pliers makes that much easier. I started out using a crappy pair of pliers from the toolkit that came as a "free gift" with the house because they happened to be closer at hand. The work could've been done with those pliers, but it became about 5 times easier and faster when I went out to the garage to get a better pair out of the toolbox.
   
   
3. On a couple of the switches I was working on, I noticed there was way more wire in the box than is actually needed. Normally I would be in favor of leaving excess extra in case it is needed for some future change, but a pair with a pair of wire cutters/strippers you can remedy much of the cursing other users are warning about when stuffing everything back in by removing some of the excess. Obviously only do that if you're confident you're leaving enough to work with both now and in the future.
   
   
4. Not related to the wiring, but I believe the one you linked to is not Z-wave Plus (just regular Z-wave). The Z-wave Plus version is available (looks like the same price right now, though the Plus version was actually slightly cheaper recently) here.
   
   
5. Also not related to wiring, but I've noticed there is a brief delay with the GE switches (I got the z-wave plus version, but I don't think that is the problem) between pressing it and the lights activating. This was even before connecting to any hub, so it's not a delay there. I'm assuming it's something I'll get used to in time, but it's worth being aware of before you buy them.

This is my system:
Network Diagram

I have several switches like this: Zwave Switch, some are on/off like that, some are dimmers. For my dining room I have a hanging light with 5 bulbs. I can control all 5 with one dimmer.

I use a SmartThings hub to control everything. So I can walk in to the room and hit the switch like decades of muscle memory has taught me, or I can say "Alexa turn on the dining room light". Google integrates with SmartThings too, I just have a Echo Dot and Ecobee 4 already. Guests don't have to guess how to turn on and off a light. It looks and acts just like the switch that used to be there.

If you have WiFi bulbs that you control through Google it still gives you the same end result but there are more points of possible failure in that path. If you leave the room and turn off the switch they are useless until you turn the switch back on. Any WiFi device answers to it's home base server. Each and every bulb has to ping home to check in and ask for commands. So each bulb is working separately. Even if you create a group in Google home, it's still 10 bulbs. All 10 have to be working perfectly for them all to turn on together. You may end up with one bulb that didn't get the memo and stays off, or more likely they will turn on at slightly different times due to latency. You ask Google to do something, Google has to ask the bulb server to do something, and the bulb server has to ask the bulb to do something.

A hub may still call home the same way, but it's a single point. The hub then sends the command locally to the device directly. It should be more reliable and faster that way.

The only time that smart bulbs make sense to me is if you really really want color changing bulbs. Otherwise it's simpler and more cost effective to use a switch. Bulbs will always burn out, even LED bulbs. Dumb bulbs are cheaper to replace down the line. The switch shouldn't ever need to be replaced.

Many new people resist getting a hub. See it as an unnecessary expense. But over time the limitations of a hubless system will show up, and the hub often doesn't work well with the WiFi devices, so you end up re-buying everything. So in the long run it's cheaper and easier to just bite the bullet and get a home control hub that uses Zwave or Zigbee. You can still add voice control with Google or Alexa to most hubs.

Many companies make Zwave devices, it's a standard and there is competition to keep prices in check. And if these companies go out of business tomorrow the Zwave devices they already made still work. If the company that made a WiFi device goes out of business the device stops working. That's a real risk for a cheap Chinese made WiFi device, it can be abandoned without notice.

If Samsung killed SmartThings tomorrow, my entire Zwave network is portable. I could get a Wink, Vera, HomeSeer, HomeAssistant, etc and only have to replace one piece of hardware to be back up and running. So it's a scalable and portable methodology.

Edit:
I thought of another analogy. A hubless system of WiFi devices is like organizing a pot luck with a group of friends. You have to get them all to agree to a certain time, organize who is going to do what, carpools, etc and pray no one forgets something or flakes or breaks down. A hub based system is like giving a command to an Army general. You give one command and they get it done. You can give the general standing order and they will act on their own, when such-and-such happens, do this-or-that.

All your eggs are in one basket, but lots of people make baskets, and the eggs can be moved easily.

You can get ROLLS of remote controllable LED lights online. My husband and I use them for lighting our computer cases for instance. Just do a little research in the reviews to make sure people have a good experience with their safety and longevity for the price. https://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Changing-Flexible-Controller-44-button/dp/B0040FJ27S

If you are looking for an easy solution around 100 to 200 give philips HUE a try? You can control with your phone and they have a couple of products that provide ambient lighting. https://www.amazon.com/Philips-259945-Bloom-Frustration-Free/dp/B00I12YFP0/ref=pd_sim_60_5?ie=UTF8&dpID=41j4KdlKf9L&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&psc=1&refRID=YGM42E2837A7BAV7AW3M and this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F0W3CI0/ref=s9_dcacsd_bhz_bw_c_x_6 and they have lots of other hue products too.

You could build up a crown moulding with a small shelf before the ceiling then line it with rope lighting to create a lit ceiling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaSHR6mfbRE

You could buy a couple of lamps from ikea, craigslist, marshalls, tj max, home goods, then put lower wattage lights (40w or 25w) in them on the 2700 (warmer) side of the spectrum. Dimmable lamps would be a plus just make sure the bulbs are dimmable too. They could be standard lamps, wall mounted plug in lamps, pendants you plug in then hang from the ceiling or even something more zen like a salt lamp: https://www.amazon.com/YYout-Himalayan-Crystal-Dimmable-Electric/dp/B01DP47SDY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469690772&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=dimmable+salt+lamp&psc=1


You can put any pluggable light on a remote with a light switch remote. They can be pretty handy... Or the clapper lol. https://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Electrical-Household-Appliances/dp/B00DQ2KGNK/ref=sr_1_7?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1469690399&sr=1-7&keywords=plug+remote

If you currently have two switches, one for the fan and one for the light, you can get these. I have this setup in my living room and it's pretty sweet. You just need to set up the fan switch as a dimmer so that you can remotely adjust the fan speed just like you would a dimmer.

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Fan Speed Control, 3-Speed

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Dimmer Switch

So you would realistically do smart switches instead of having smart bulbs. The only reason I would see to use smart bulbs is because you don't own the property or because you want the ability to change colors of a color lightbulb.

> Do smart switches always keep the smart bulbs powered?

It depends on what you mean by smart switches. You would realistically just use a smart switch like this. The light switch itself would always have power no matter if you turn the light on or off (unless you kill the breaker), so you could control it no matter the state of the light.

Your best bet if you want to continue using the smart bulbs, and not smart switches, is by buying the Philips Hue Dimmer switches. You would still need the power for the light to be on (meaning don't touch it/block it off if needed). They would still be at the mercy of people using the light switch itself.

But, unless you rent or need color control, it doesn't make sense to keep dropping money on this path.

You could do this using zwave devices. It will cost some money up front but you'll have a solid base to build out more complex home automation tasks if you want to.

You can turn any computer into a local "hub" with a Zwave USB dongle. This one is pricey but works really well. Plug that into a spare laptop lying around the house or buy a Raspberry PI.

Install the Home Assistant package on the computer or PI that you plugged the dongle into. This makes it easy to send and receive signals from Zwave devices without having to learn a bunch of low level APIs. You can write automation commands using YAML markup or write complex, custom tasks using Python. Home Assistant is just a bundle of open source free software, so I don't think of it as a "service", but you could roll your own software if you like that replaces it. It all runs locally, not in the cloud, so you own and control it.

Now you can buy any Zwave switch you want. GE has a bunch of reasonable priced switches.

You can get an "add on" switch that does not hook into your home power but controls smart light bulbs like Hue using over the air signals.

Or you can buy a real switch that does control existing lights through the power in your home -- this will let you send signals to your switch using your Home Assistant "hub" to turn lights on or off and dim them without having to replace existing bulbs.

Have fun.

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

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.

Tent: TopoGrow 2-in-1 Indoor Grow Tent 108"X48"X80"

Lights: Three of these: MARS HYDRO 960w, apparently they just came out with a 2nd version of these at 900w, so here's that link

Soil:Fox Farm FX14054 Happy Frog Potting Soil

Pots:Fabric Pots
Humidifier:3.5G humidifier

Fan: basic large oscilating fan

Exhaust:AC Infinity CLOUDLINE T6
CO2 Bag: Exhale 365

Fertilizers: Technaflora Recipe for Success Starter Kit
Timers: Basic ones

Basil Seeds: because basil is fucking delicious

let me know if you all see anything extra i need or anything you think i could improve on!

Thanks again for the help!

I just switched to 12/12 from 24/0, started the flowering formula for the nutrients, and switched on the "bloom" light on the lights.

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
   
   

I'd recommend going with a SmartThings hub. The Echo can easily interface with it, and you can control it from both your iPhones and Apple Watch (I find the utility of controlling things from my Mac to be pretty low, and so don't really bother -- but I'll mention one possible solution below).

Here's what I recommend:

1. Get and install a SmartThings Hub along with the iOS and watchOS apps (if you install SmartThings Classic, your phone can send and install the watchOS app to your watch through the Watch app).
   
2. There is a SmartApp for SmartThings you can install to connect to and control your MyQ garage door
   
3. Ring already works with SmartThings, so nothing to really do here.
   
4. For the lighting, I recommend installing smart switches, replacing your existing light switches for the lights in question. I like the GE switches myself.
   
5. If you really want to be able to control everything from your Mac(s), install and configure HomeBridge. This bit of software will emulate Apple HomeKit for the devices connected to your SmartThings Hub. Then you can simply use the Home app built into macOS 10.14 to connect to and organize your devices for use on your Macs, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
   
   HTH!

So the plus just gets you Zigbee control. I have an Echo Plus, but all my smart home devices are wifi, and not Zigbee (except a few hue lights, but I already have the hub for that).

So I'm controlling:

• 2 smart light switches, 1 smart dimmer (all wemo)
  
  
• ~6 hue bulbs
  
  
• 2 tp link bulbs
  
  
• wemo outlet
  
  All over wifi.
  
  You'd need the echo plus to control:
  This light switch without a hub, but you wouldn't need it for this other switch.
  
  I did some googling, and it looks like no Apple TVs do Zigbee. So the normal echo should be able to do everything it can currently do. The plus just opens the option to directly control Zigbee devices.
  
  edit: as /u/RichardBLine correctly pointed out, Echo Plus supports Zigbee and not Z-wave. I've updated the post and links. Thanks!

Disabled gamer here. I have my own cab which is designed for someone of my short stature to use. I'd offer blueprints but we made it over a decade ago and I don't think it'd work for wheelchairs, anyway.

I can add a suggestion for the PC inside it, though. If you get a PC that boots up on power events, you can have a wireless remote control power socket handle booting up the cab and getting it ready to go. No futzing around with switches behind the cabinet or anything like that. I've got one of these and it works great, I click a button on the small remote control and a minute later I'm in my front-end and gaming.

I'd also suggest checking out my spreadsheet of PC games with cabinet support and accompanying video as they may be relevant. Steam has a lot of games which can work well with limited and rebindable controls, for both cabinets and disabilities alike... but a few landmines where games that look like they should work are a complete pain to configure.

Lastly, consider checking out AbleGamers, a nonprofit dedicated to doing exactly what you're doing -- adapting controls and game systems for disabled access.

Happy gaming!

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.

You’re talking about a jamb switch, but they don’t meet energy codes in my area. The issue that municipalities have with jamb switches is that if you don’t close the door then the light never goes off. If you put in a motion sensor with an automatic off then it will go off after a certain amount of time even if you don’t close the door. That’s really the best option. Technically motion sensors indoors don’t meet CA energy codes either because they don’t want lights automatically turning on anywhere in the house. They want you to physically hit the switch and then for it to time off. That is called an occupancy sensor. It’s actually required in closets and bathrooms.

But what you’d want is something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Maestro-Required-Single-Pole-MS-OPS2-WH/dp/B005WM3ALC/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?adgrpid=58685001040&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhfvT7I7-5AIVoyCtBh20jwIxEAAYASAAEgJHu_D_BwE&hvadid=274898185342&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9032130&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11606527727516147700&hvtargid=kwd-296546370640&hydadcr=12164_10197800&keywords=switch+motion+sensor&qid=1570037880&sr=8-5

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.

Yeah, you can do that! I've become a big fan of Zooz switches [Amazon]. The linked one there is the ZEN26, which is for on/off switches (as opposed to dimmers). An important note: Zooz switches are Z-wave, meaning they need a hub (like SmartThings or HomeSeer) to control via Google home.

If you don't want to get a hub, there are plenty of other options available. TP-Link makes some great switches, and their app is wonderful. You just set up the switches, then connect your TP-Link account to your Google account, and then all of your switches can be controlled from the Google Home app or your Google home mini.

The process of rewiring the switches is quite simple, and there are plenty of video resources available. But, as always, have a professional do it if you're not confident.

Reply back here if you have other questions, I'd be happy to try and help!

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.
  

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.

Hue ecosystem uses the Zigbee protocol. The Hue app can only control lights out of the box. There is only 1 fan controller for HA that I'm aware of and that's the GE zwave fan controller which requires a z-wave hub similar to SmartThings which also integrates with Hue and it works pretty well.


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

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!

I like the GE Z-wave smart dimmer paddle. I've installed 4 of them and 2 add-on switches for the three way switches. No issues so far, they were easy to install, the videos they have on YouTube are very easy to follow. I set up a price alert on amazon for these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006LQFHN2/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and nabbed them when they got down to $33 each, which is about the best price I've seen.

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.

GE makes good z wave plus smart switches capable of 3 way switching. You would buy one of these

GE Z-Wave Plus Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Switch, On/Off, In-Wall, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa, 14291 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_K4LZzbMEWM70Q

And one of more of these

GE Add-On Switch for GE Z-Wave, GE ZigBee and GE Bluetooth Wireless Smart Lighting Controls, NOT A STANDALONE SWITCH, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles, 12723 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RKJS8MQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_y5LZzb3VB99ZF

So I wanted to report back for people who come across this thread. Based on Manbient's recommendation, I am using Lutron Connected Remotes in conjunction with the Phillips Hue Bulbs and it works great. "Pairing" the Remote to the Hue hub first and then to each bulb you want it to control worked flawlessly. I tested a network outtage and the lutron remote still controls the lights just fine. The Hue remote DOES NOT, as it reports back to the hub to control the lights. While the hue remote has more options for colors, etc, the Lutron remotes seem to be a little more failproof, and can be mounted on the wall in standard faceplates. In fact, I think you can use the Pico wallplate bracket to give it the built-in look. Here is a link to that product: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JZRAFEA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This seems like the best solution for now, and it is still completely customizeable/reworkable, unlike wired switches or other combos.

The only thing that I don't like about the Lutron Connected remotes is that a single tap of the "on" button doesn't bring them back to their previously dimmed level, it turns them on full blast. Of course, you can just use the dim up and down buttons, but I got used to Lutron's Maestro switches where a single tap would bring the lights up to the previous level and a double tap would bring them on full. I did a little searching and couldn't find whether this was possible with the connected remote.
Anyone have a solution or workaround for that?
Thanks again everyone!

Edit: grammar

Most gas fireplaces today us a millivolt gas value. If your fireplace happens to have a fan switch or 120v available near the fireplace switch you maybe in luck. I used the 120v from the fan of my fireplace in parallel to power a relay and added a Lutron Caseta switch in series to turn the 120v on/off to the relay which in turn opens or closes the contacts for the low voltage solenoid. The added benefit of using a smart switch is being able to add it to my voice assistant Alexa or Home Assistant.

120v White wire -> relay <--> smart switch <- 120v Black wire

..................................coil.................................................................

......millivolt line<-> N.O. <-> millivolt line.......

Some more info on fireplace wiring.

There are fireplace remotes available depending on your fireplace's solenoid.

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 totally get it. Personally, as long as things don't get out of balance I try not to fret about screen time too much.

If you're really concerned I'd recommend getting a outlet timer. Say that the new rule is that the TV needs to go to sleep and can't wake up until noon or something. Say that we're making this decision together to make sure our minds and bodies grow and are healthy.

Then provide other things that he can use to entertain himself. Building sets, crafts, books, etc. He'll definitely find something when left to it. Remember how entertaining sticks were when left with nothing else? He'll adapt.

Do you think you'll use the features of the Hue bulbs? Like do you need the different colors or are you just looking to remotely control the lights?

I originally went with LIFX but decided that I didn't like the idea of having to replace every light bulb in my house with smart bulbs. Instead I've been opting for the GE Z Wave Plus switches and I've been loving them.

This way it doesn't matter what bulb is used, the whole switch is smart.

the beauty of the z-wave light switches is that if somebody turns off the light by hand, you can always switch it back on with automation. so you'll always be able to control the hues from automation app.
[these ge switches](GE Z-Wave Smart Dimmer, In-Wall, 12724 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KEO3xbHRNDQBB)

another reason i went with z-wave switches is that i can mix and match my bulb types. some fixtures can be plain led bulbs and still have on/off or dimming capability via the switch.

the velcro solution is a neat one and i'd probably end up doing just that if i was in an apt or unwilling to spend extra money.

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.

This is going to format like shit because I'm copying it straight from an email I wrote my sister.
The important bits: the hub is Samsung Smartthings, switches are mostly GE zwave switches, voice control provided by Amazon Echo.
Rolling it out across the whole house isn't easy or cheap, but it's worth it when you have someone over and you give the "turn on everything" command and you watch every light pop on, then do it in reverse.
This will get you started :)
>
> Switches: http://www.amazon.com/GE12722-Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Control/dp/B0035YRCR2
>
> Add-on Switches (for 3+ way): http://www.amazon.com/GE-12723-Add-On-Switch/dp/B00RKJS8MQ
>
> Dimmer:  http://www.amazon.com/GE-Z-Wave-Dimmer-In-Wall-12724/dp/B006LQFHN2
>
> Fan: http://www.amazon.com/GE-12730-Z-Wave-Smart-Control/dp/B00PYMGVVQ
>
> SmartThings: http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SmartThings-Hub-2nd-Generation/dp/B010NZV0GE
>
> Door Locks: http://www.amazon.com/Schlage-Connect-Camelot-Touchscreen-Deadbolt/dp/B00AGK9KOG/ref=lp_511306_1_2?s=hardware&ie=UTF8&qid=1461284077&sr=1-2
>
> Thermostat:  http://www.amazon.com/Nest-Learning-Thermostat-Generation-Works/dp/B0131RG6VK/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1461284145&sr=1-2&keywords=thermostat+smart
>
> Echo (for voice control): http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-SK705DI-Echo/dp/B00X4WHP5E/ref=sr_1_1?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1461284177&sr=1-1&keywords=echo
>

There are other things like motion sensors and garage door controllers that start opening up some really cool "routines."

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

Yes, you need a smart bulb for every bulb in the fixture.

If you have a neutral in the switchbox (IEC code in America since 2011), you can add a smart switch. Z-Wave, Zigbee smart switches require a hub. Kasa makes a Wifi smart switch as well:

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Wi-Fi-Light-Switch-TP-Link/dp/B01EZV35QU/ref=sr_1_1?s=lamps-light&ie=UTF8&qid=1536589791&sr=1-1&refinements=p_n_amazon_certified%3A16741513011

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.

Might be able to install something like this and use it with any fan. http://www.amazon.com/GE-12730-Z-Wave-Smart-Control/dp/B00PYMGVVQ and use it with smart things. If you have a fan with infrared control you could hook it up to logitech harmony, then to smart things, then to alexa.

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. ♥️

Just wifi does not mean it is or would be compatible with Alexa at all.. Do you have a hub such as Smart Things or Wink? If so, you're at least on the right track.. you would need this product, which is very hard to get your hands on. This isn't compatible with Alexa just yet, but should be on the road map.

Aside from that, you can wire up two switches, like GE Zwave Fan Control, Lutron, Leviton Fan Control, ect. for Light and Fan independently. These run to the hubs mentioned above and than can be found via Alexa. Sometimes the hub isn't needed, it really depends on your home setup and which switch you want, and the functions you're after. Either way, these are zwave devices, not wifi.

Thanks! The switch is a long ways from my hub. However, I have a kwikset deadbolt there and it seems to work just fine. I am hoping it will work.

Is this the switch?

GE Z-Wave Plus Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Switch, On/Off, In-Wall, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa / Google Home, 14291 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pPg5ybFJ9EEK7

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.

Under cabinets look great (as you noted), and work great when they are on.

​

I think the reason people don't use them is because they are not typically wired to a switch on old houses; and/or hot bulbs overheat and damage themselves.

​

The solution is LED lights, triggered by a sensor like this or this that turn them on and off for you. LED don't overheat much, and the sensor turns them off, and on, for your convenience and safety.

I too would recommend nest, very easy to set up and monitor.

Additionally, I would recommend one of the following: a smart outlet, a smart light switch, or a few manual timers ([similar to this] (https://www.amazon.com/Century-Indoor-24-Hour-Mechanical-Outlet/dp/B01LPSGBZS/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1537666467&sr=8-16&keywords=circuit+timer)). Then plug in a desk lamp or floor lamp in various rooms and set them to turn on/off at various times. Will simulate someone being at home.

Century Indoor 24-Hour Mechanical Outlet Timer, 3 Prong, 2-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LPSGBZS?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

(Pack of 6) Barrina LED T5 Integrated Single Fixture, 4FT, 2200lm, 6500K (Super Bright White), 20W, Utility Shop Light, Ceiling and Under Cabinet Light, Corded electric with built-in ON/OFF switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HBT3BVM?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Hgrope 5W LED Grow Light Desk Lamp Clamp Flexible Neck for Hydroponic and Indoor Plants https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CVKWZH3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7ZEaBbZSW8ASJ


this last one isn't the exact red/blue lights i have but it looks better than mine hahaha

What you want to accomplish is certainly possible, however, you have a 3-way switch, so you will have to replace both switches. GE makes a 3-way compatible z-wave dimmer switch that I've used in my house that I've been pretty happy with. You will need to install the z-wave dimmer on your load switch (where the hot line comes in) and an "add-on" switch on the other 3-way switch. The photo you posted appears to be of your non-load switch since there isn't a black line connected to the switch, but to be sure you should test the load portion of the switch with a multimeter.

Here's links to the GE switches I use:
GE Z-Wave Dimmer
Add-On Switch

Edit: Upon looking at the photo you posted again, I do see a black line, but I can't see how it's connected to the switch. It's possible this is your primary load switch, but again I'm would test with a multimeter to be sure.

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.

Assuming you would like to have a nice, neutral and clean spirit to build into whatever you like (ie, everclear style); here’s my advice.

1. Make a large wash with basic sugar. 30kgs in 80 liters with one bag of turbo yeast will give you a 17-20% abv wash. (The turboyeast will multiply and do the work, no need to pitch in a lot of yeast)
   
   
2. Get ready to build up to your final product in stages — get at least three large 17.5 liter water bottles with airlocks or lids.
   
   
3. Buy a timer for the still like the ones used to turn lights on and off when you are away. Set it to run airstill for about 3 hours each time. This way you can run in the morning before leaving, once you are home, and again at night. About 9 liters of wash processed daily.
   
   
4. First run output goes into bottle #1, you will likely fill it before you get through the 80 liters, so maybe do 2 of these initial bottles. Dump the dregs, of course.
   
   
5. Throw some activated carbon pellets in #1 jugs before you start. Buy these from fish / aquarium shop. (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=activated+carbon+for+fish+tanks&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzIux7-mR5AIVFarsCh00oAPFEAAYASAAEgLpAvD_BwE&hvadid=214400406882&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9061122&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9515818740707918485&hvtargid=kwd-314829173026&hydadcr=16139_9891889&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_2m9jzfil1k_e)
   
   
   
6. Rerun all in jug #1 again through the air still. This will take it from 50-60% up to 80% or so. Put this output into jug#2, also with a few cups of activated charcoal. The dregs left in the still are about 20%, so dump them back into your original wash, if they are cooled down enough.
   
   
7. Once you’re ready with enough volume in jug #2, run it again but ensure you catch the first 100mls at least. This is the run you cut out the methanol, acetone and other light end nasties. You can use this stuff for washing up fluid, but not drinking. You can place a cup inside your gathering bucket under the spout.
   
   
8. Now you should have some really clean 180 proof base fluid. Max output form 32kgs sugar into 80 liters = +/- 20 liters of 180proof.
   
   
9. Add fresh spring water to get it back to 35%-40% and make your booze of choice. Everclear website has a lot of good ideas.
   
   If you try all this, pm me back and let me know how it went or if you had any problems.
   
   Timer — https://www.amazon.com/Century-Indoor-24-Hour-Mechanical-Outlet/dp/B01LPSGBZS/ref=sr_1_16?crid=1CF5S5I0380KI&keywords=timer+switch&qid=1566317740&s=gateway&sprefix=timer+electric%2Caps%2C-1&sr=8-16

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

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

it's not exactly a "smart" switch, but i got this switch that lets you plug in your lat/lon, date, and time, and it automatically flips the lights on at dusk and on at dawn based on a preprogrammed schedule. this handles my front porch light and my driveway light. it can also be programmed to turn off at a specific time if you don't want the light on all night long, but i have LEDs in so i just keep them on all night. there's also a button that will let you control the lights off schedule as well.

very easy to install, requires zero intervention once programmed. i'm strongly considering getting a second to control my side porch light as well.

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.

We have a Honeywell astro-timer switch for our front yard lights. Love it. I set it 2 years ago and it's never not worked. Best part about it is that it never needs adjustments throughout the year. It already knows based on the date when dusk/dawn is. All I had to do is set what time I want them to shut off.

The added bonus for us is that there's also an outdoor outlet on that leg. So we run all our holiday lights off it and everything comes on and shuts off together.

You could have 2 next to each other (they're standard single-gang size). But in your case, you could probably get one and tie the two switch legs together.

Z-wave switches will do what you want and are compatible with Smartthings. I have a few GE dimmers but they also make non-dimming switches. You can get them for about $35, sometimes less.

GE Z-Wave Plus Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Switch, On/Off, In-Wall, Includes White & Light Almond Paddles and Zwave Repeater Range Extender, Works with Amazon Alexa (Hub Required), 14291 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_shK0AbC9YFRW8

Can’t speak to how well they control fans or how they work in the same setup as the Lutron Casetta.

So what I was thinking of was like this switch, but maybe I was having a bit of a brain fart and confusing parts... This one is specifically designed for a multi speed ceiling fan type device. I had thought that there was a concern about wattages on a bathroom exhaust type fan too, but looking at this switch it specifically lists fans as compatible (at least as long as they are under 600w).

Edit: ah ha! The warning is to not use a standard dimmer switch to control fan speed... use a specific fan rated dimmer... or like the first link above.

Ok so here is the breakdown of what I am doing and a couple more photos of the UI and videos of it in action.

Here is the configuration.yaml and ui-lovelace.yaml files on Github.

The main components that are currently being used on the front end are:

• TP-Link/Kasa WiFi switches/outlets
  
  • HS100, HS105, HS200, HS210, HS220
    
• TP-Link/Kasa WiFi bulbs
  
  • LB130, LB200, LB230
    
• Ecobee 4 with 4 remote sensors
  
• August Lock and Connect
  
• Automatic
  
• Harmony Hub
  
• Foscam cameras
  
  • C1, R2e, FI9928P, FI9900PR
    
• Abode security system
  
• Darksky forecast
  
• Speedtest
  
  I intend for the UI to be displayed on a few Fire HD8 tablets. One that will be centrally located on the main floor of the house. Two others will be used as nightstand clocks in the master bedroom.
  
  At a high level, all I have done is drawn the floor plan and layouts in Sketch and exported individual assets as pngs and position them within a picture-elements card mostly utilizing image and its state_image. I would basically just plop down the button or icon or whatever with style: "top":50% "left":50%. Once the asset was in the UI I would inspect it via Chrome's dev tools inspector and select the parent container that the style was being set on. I would then manually adjust the top and left percentages until I was satisfied. I would then update ui-lovelace.yaml to include the new values and double check them in the browser.
  
  For the buttons, currently the button background and button text are baked into the image but I intend to change that soon. Basically the indicator light is actually the same size as the whole button its just 95% of it is transparent.
  
  Here are some screen caps (since i just posted photos from my phone last night)
  
  Here are a couple videos of it in action:
  
  
• Flipping a couple switches
  
• Switching between tabs
  
  Thats all I can think of for now to answer the basics... I am more than happy to go deeper into anything anyone has any questions about

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

Honestly if all you are wanting is the lights to turn on when someone walks in the room you may be better off not going with a smart solution. You can do what you want with Hue bulbs.

There are also a number of bulbs with motion sensors built in. I've never used one personally, so I'd do more research to see how it knows when to turn off.

https://top10perfect.com/top-best-motion-sensor-light-bulbs-reviews/

But your best and cheapest solution might be this.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B005WM3ALC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486211121&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=vacancy+sensor+switch&dpPl=1&dpID=31E-2BSEFmL&ref=plSrch

I know you said you were worried about messing with wiring, but honestly in most homes (I'm assuming you are in America, excuse my assumption if you are not) to change out a switch you literally turn off the breaker that switch is on, unscrew the cover, take out two more screws that hold the switch against the wall and then there are two wires going to the switch. Take those out and put them in the new switch and reverse the process. It is insanity simple in most cases.

Anyways, hope that's helpful. Let me know if you have any more questions.

I was thinking about a simple outlet for the TV/stereo but the harmony hub looks interesting. Thanks for the tip.

There's a bit of a problem with the light switch. I was thinking about something like this, but there aren't any available in Germany (The TP link switch costs 100€, instead of $40-50).

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.

Get a outlet remote to make things easy. I have my lighthouses and headset hooked to these.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DQ2KGNK?th=1

I realized mine was staying warm when I first got it, also the bluetooth didn't turn off my lighthouses sometimes in one of the early software versions. So I got a remote hooked to all three and can turn them off and on super easy now.

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

TP-Link has a good price on their wifi switches. These work with Alexa via the Kasa plugin but do not connect to any hubs that I'm aware of. I had a good experience with their Smart Plugs until I went 100% Z-Wave for hub compatibility. Either way, these are a decent price. Currently at $39.99 and Amazon even has a $5 coupon to reduce the price futher.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-HS200-Smart-Wi-Fi-Switch/dp/B01EZV35QU

Thanks! That switch looks great. And I see that the website advertises Nexia compatibility so that's good.

In the picture I posted, the stair lights have 2 switches that control them. Would I get one of these smart switches and one of the add-on paddles?

GE's toggle-style switches (12727, switch; 12728, add-on switch; 12729, dimmer) will fit into an existing toggle setup, but they don't stay up and down like a regular toggle switch does. They're always pointing straight out in the middle and you press them up or down to turn the light on and off (or hold the dimmer up or down to brighten and dim, respectively). They return to their center position as soon as you let go.

I like the decora series a little better (12722, switch; 12723, add-on switch; 12724, dimmer). They have a little LED on them that indicates the current status of the light. The toggle-style switches don't have any indication of whether they're on or off, which is kind of a bummer for outside lights.

One thing to be aware of for the add-on switches: they require a traveler wire, but can only be paired with GE primary switches. The traveler doesn't carry full line voltage; it's just used for the add-on switch to signal the primary when the add-on's been pressed.

1. I custom ordered blinds from Home Depot because I have floor to ceiling windows. I ended up not being happy with them. I ordered from a local window place and they made me custom ones that were a lot nicer, cheaper, and included installation. The cheaper sounding option isn't always.
   
   
2. I made the following electronic wiring upgrades myself (really easy to do):
   
   USB ports for friends who come over and want to charge their phones: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IAZIU5Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
   Timer for the shower fan so you don't always leave it on: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007BJULYS?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00
   
   Motion activated lights everywhere, esp the closets: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005WM3ALC?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00
   
   Edit: formatting

The best I've been able to find is the Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Multi-Sensor (DSB05-ZWUS). Note: not the newer models, for which the motion sensor doesn't work outdoor. You'll also need a zwave switch to control the lights (I use a GE 12724).

With a zwave dimmer switch, a zwave motion sensor, and a normal outdoor light fixture, I've set mine up to turn on the lights at 30% brightness at sunset, and off at sunrise. When motion is detected and the lights are already on, I have the brightness increase to 100% for 10 minutes, then back to 30%.

The Aeon sensor is definitely not ideal. I looked far and wide for a better outdoor motion sensor but wasn't able to find one. Others have suggested using a traditional outdoor light that has a motion sensor built in and detect the load increase to trigger an event. I decided not to go that route.

Assuming you have a neutral in the gangbox that houses the two switches for each fan, I would recommend the following:

• GE z-wave plus fan speed control switch
  
• GE z-wave plus light dimmer
  
  Use the pull cords to keep the light switch in the on position, and the fan speed at maximum. After that, you can control the light and fan exclusive using the new switches, the Wink app, or GH/Alexa.

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.

It's hard to say but I'd suggest at least 3x a week if not daily, anywhere from 25-50%...it's more to make sure the water stays clean for the one with fin rot than anything. I wouldn't expect the bloom to last more than a few days. You can also turn the lights off for a day or two and see if it helps.

A plug-in timer would be something similar to this (I just randomly pulled this off Amazon so am not endorsing this product, just using as an example). I get them from Walmart/Target, usually found where the extension cords and power strips are kept.

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.

Check out TP link smart switches

and if that's not really what you're looking for I also like These mini wifi smart plugs

Hope this helps!

(Apologies for the formatting I'm on mobile)

I'm technically savvy but more on the software side than the hardware side. I was geared up to do it myself until I started reading about 3-phase light switches (when you have more than one switch that controls a set of lights) and then it started to go over my head with load, line, neutral, etc...I figured: "Hey, I don't wanna burn my house down. Let's leave this to the pros."


I've done a ton of research but there is so much information out there that the more you look the less you know. I was looking at the GE 12724 but I'm open to recommendations as well.


I do know I'll be using the Samsung SmartThings hub for the brains of the whole thing. I'll likely tie in a Logitech Harmony hub in there too along with a Google Home for voice activation.


Thanks!

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

For your fan, take a look at this. It allows you to control the speed of the fan without having to click the chain. Leave the fan on high and let the switch work its magic. I love the one I have in my living room.

Yes, thats possible.

Basically, you're setting up a rule in Smartthings under the "Smart Lights" smartapp that says, turn on <GE switch> when motion is detected with <motion sensor>.

Alternatively, I would recommend using Lutron motion sensor (https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Maestro-required-Single-Pole-MS-OPS2-WH/dp/B005WM3ALC). It's just cheaper and does the same thing.

While I do have plenty of GE zwave switches and Hue bulbs throughout my house, I have those Lutron motion switch in my garage, pantry, laundry room, bathrooms, etc.. I dont need those rooms to be smart--just need to turn on when motion is detected.

edit: missed the part that said the switch is inside the house. The first option is best for your use case.

I have z-wave GE wall switches that work fine. You can usually find something in the amazon reviews that will indicate what success (or lack of it) other people have had. Lurking this sub is another good way to see what works for others.

As sauky said, check the smartthings list on the st website

The GE switches and dimmers were fussy getting them "paired" with the hub. But I have probably five different brands of stuff and none of it was immune to pairing troubles. I would just make sure whatever you get has favorable reviews.

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

Thank you so much for your reply! I'm potentially installing totally new light switches and I thought I read somewhere that the Phillips Hue switches aren't hardwired or something like that. Any idea what the ideal "hard-wired" light switch would be? Maybe something like this https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-Required-Requires-Assistant-HS200/dp/B01EZV35QU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512064629&sr=8-1&keywords=smart+light+switch

I don't actually know anything about electric wiring so I'm not 100% sure what hard wired means.

I had the same worry, so I got these which are pretty idiot-proof. You just

spin the center wheel to the current time,

push in the little black tabs around the wheel for the spaces of time you want the light to be on (in 30 min increments),

plug in your lamp and make sure the lamp is turned to the "on" setting and

make sure the switch on the side of the timer is clicked down to the little clock symbol.

It's been pretty reliable, though is always a few minutes off (about 3 for me) which I don't mind. I may get a fancier one later, but this one has done exactly what I need it too, plus I have a backup in case I decide to get crazy with any other lights in the house. Good luck!

Sure! Here is a dual bar light type and a circle type. Here's also a more low profile type you can clamp to the shelf above: top down light.. With any of these, for ease of use I recommend getting an outlet timer, takes a lot of the hassle/worry out of making sure your babies get enough sun: outlet timer. Hope this helps!

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

Buy these three things below to get you through the winter (or all year)! I've used these for a few months now on a 16-hour timer and all my cacti and succulents have thrived.

• Lights: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079BD5CG7/
  
• Timer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LPSGBZS/
  
• Mounting Tape: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009NP1OBC/
  
  You could quickly and easily install these on your shelves. The only concern I would have is the angle of the shelves. The sides of the plants on the back of the shelves would get more direct light, so just be sure to rotate your plants every week.
  
  p..s that is a great looking setup!

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!

The best I've come up with for this scenario is to either:

• Like /u/Alwayssunnyinarizona mentioned, expand the gang box so you can add both a Z-Wave dimmer & a Z-Wave fan controller (like the GE 12730) side by side. Since you already have the separate fan and light wiring, this isn't too bad. You would need a drywall saw to expand the hole (or a small saw), [optional] tin snips to cut the old box out, a new 3-gang box and wallplate, and patience.
  
  
• If you have the spare cash, Insteon makes the Fanlinc, which you can hide in the canopy. You could then add an Insteon KeypadLinc. Of course, the gadgets themselves are expensive, and you'd need to add an Insteon modem to your HA setup if you don't already have one. That said, it's as elegant as you'll get without modifying that box.
  
  
• Finally, you could hide a micro dimmer and fan controller in the canopy and use an in-wall scene controller to make your HA hub command them. Not as elegant and more points of failure, but it'll get the job done.

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

You could look into a RaspberryPi and the Pi version of the HomeSeer controller software. If you have a little time the software plus a Pi only costs a little more than a SmartThings. Otherwise I use SmartThings and I have really liked it so far.

As far as switches if you do not mind mixing brands this is what I do. Anywhere I have a dimmer, a 3+ way switch, or have the need for scenes I use HomeSeer. If I just have a regular switch I don't need to do anything fancy with I use GoControl switches as they are a bit cheaper if you look at the other sellers.

For the garage I use GoGoGate because I wanted to ability to give others access. I have seen others on this sub use these GoControl Garage Openers with contact sensors to verify open/closed.

I would also look into doing fan control

Depending on the size of your house and how many switches you are replacing this could get you pretty close to your $1k budget. You may need to add cameras later on. Also in your future endeavors I would look into EcoBee/Nest for temperature control.

There are probably other solutions but you can use GE's Z-Wave Smart Fan Control switch via SmartThings. Should work as well with the other Z-Wave hubs.

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