Reddit mentions of GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Light Switch, Toggle Style, On/Off, In-Wall, White, Repeater & Range Extender, Zwave Hub Required- Works with SmartThings Wink and Alexa, 12727

Any zwave switch should be able to toggle power. They are relatively easy to wire in. Just watch a few YouTube videos (TURN THE BREAKER OFF FIRST).


I wanted to have a toggle switch that matched the other toggles in the house (not the flat 'paddles'). These are a little large but should find in a double box like that.

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-12727/dp/B00PYMGOHM

I got a couple of these: https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-12727/dp/B00PYMGOHM/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473194366&sr=8-2&keywords=ge+zwave+switch

they seem to come highly recommended and I know at least one person personally that has installed a number of them.

The switch itself looks normal except that the toggle points straght out (so it looks like it's stuck inbetween on and off. Basically it's operation is push up for on and push down for off. GE also makes a dimmer version and a 3 way add on switch.

I have both of these: GE 12727 (no dimming) & GE 12729 (dimming). They require a Z-Wave hub (I'm using SmartThings 2.0) to integrate with Alexa. The switch + hub + Echo all pair and work together wonderfully.

EDIT: Also no faceplate change needed.
2nd EDIT: You should really be asking this on /r/HomeAutomation instead.

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.

I know that GE makes a toggle style z-wave switch; I haven't done much searching for toggle style switches previously, so there may be others too. As far as how they work, I have never used the toggle style switch but on the decora models, yea, it's basically one momentary switch under both sides of the paddle.

i was thinking i could get a z-wave wall switch like this. I was hoping there was some kind of wireless/battery powered z-wave switch that i could put on the bedside tables.

On a side note is that GE add on switches basically what i am looking for but not wireless? Meaning do the ge add-on switches simply trigger a different z-wave control (for instance the switch by the door)?

Not that one - it's an "add-on" switch for use where you have a couple of switches that control the same set of lights (a 3-way switch scenario), it's a dummy switch which is why it's half the price of other zwave switches :)

Here's what you'll want: https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-12727/dp/B00PYMGOHM

You'll be able to link the sensor to it about 6 ways to Sunday with smartthings, no problem. The more you look into it, the more you'll realize how powerful smartthings can be - you could even have it turn on the lights when it senses motion only on Tuesdays between 6-9pm when the temperature is less than 72 degrees in the den, your wife isn't home and the fridge door is closed if that's what you wanted to do. Just plain motion it can do in its sleep.

The switch I'm installing tonight/tomorrow is just a GE Z-wave switch, one of these. The fan that I have operates on standard 110 power, it's almost exactly one of these

Installing it last weekend was a lot of work, so I haven't ran a real switch to it yet. I cheated and wired it up to an extension cord, and plugged that in to a wifi outlet. I just wanted to see it in action and ran out of time before mother's day plans happened.

So no existing timer switch yet. If I wasn't doing a z-wave switch, I'd be installing a timer switch like you have. That's what my neighbor has and he says it works great. I'll use a timer component to set this up so that it turns off automatically after a period as well.

EDIT: Also, thanks for making me think about automatic "shut off" conditions! Auto shut off is a great idea.

We recently installed these GE switches and have so far liked them a lot. They don't look dramatically different from traditional switches, and you can then use whatever bulb you need in the actual outlet.

Just as a note, we did have issues with the newer SmartThings app automating the lights coming on at night and going off in the morning, but it seemed to be an issue with the app- we used the classic app and it's worked perfectly ever since.

It sounds like you want an on/off switch.

GE makes those but other manufacturers probably do as well.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PYMGOHM/ref=crt_ewc_title_gw_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I've been using the GE z-wave toggle switches with SmartThings and haven't had any issues. I initially tried to avoid replacing the switches and put in the smart bulbs but our issue was if the power goes out in the middle of the night the bulbs would then turn on and wake us up. The other added benefit with the switches is that anyone visiting doesn't need anything special to control the lights (parents, friends, dog watchers).

Just as a tip, when installing the switches we had issues with them working in the first hour or so (probably due to needing to do the z-wave network repair). Initially the z-wave network repair was failing. What I found worked was to install the switch, connect to smartthings and do setup for a couple minutes, flip breaker to kill power to switch for 10 minutes, turn breaker back on, and then run the z-wave network repair. Since doing that process we've had zero issues. Hope this helps you out.

Edit: Here is the link to how to do SmartThings Z-Wave Repair :) https://support.smartthings.com/hc/en-us/articles/200981864-How-do-I-make-sure-my-Z-Wave-devices-are-routing-optimally-

I just replaced the switches in a four gang box with these which are being controlled by a Smartthings hub.

The GE Z-wave switches are the only toggle type switches I could find. They can be purchased as regular switches or dimmers and can do three or four way switching.

They fit in my box, cramped but, it worked.

Cloud based control from your phone or Alexa. Switch still works like a regular switch, it just stays in the middle all the time.

Nice thing is you can buy others and add them as you want.

I used this for an outlet most recemtly:
GoControl WO15Z-1 Z-Wave Single Wall Outlet, White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JFK1YRE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WW8iybATX7XG4

This is the plug in lamp dimmer module
GE Lighting Lamp Module with Dimmer Control, Z-Wave, Plug-In, White, Works with Amazon Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMM7E6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2X8iybCTVJ88R

This is the regular switch... Notice this is a "regular" style but you can find it in paddle as well.
GE Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control Smart Toggle Switch, In-Wall, White, 12727 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGOHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_d08iybB4CY6HZ

I think you're out of luck if you're looking for a single switch that can do fluorescent tubes today, and dim bulbs later. Such a thing doesn't exist, as far as I know.

As for Zwave switches that can handle your current lights, I don't think there's really a bad option:

Linear/GoControl has a Decora-style switch that is really reliable.

GE has Decora-style and toggle-style switches (this is what I primarily use. Haven't had any problems).

You're probably going to spend $30-$45 per switch for these models.

Have you sorted out your hub already?

> See, I didn't even know that was a thing. Glad I opened this thread already. So much to research.
>
> Thanks.

No prob man, and they really do work amazingly. Here's an amazon link for the z-wave plus outlets:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07361JZ2H/

Here's the link for the switches and add-on switches. They come in either paddle or toggle style, and in a couple colors. You can also get switches that support dimming if that's your thing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PYMGOHM/

If it's a 3-way, the functionality of the add-on will match that of the other switch. So if it's a dimmer on the main side, the add-on has that as well.

This Switch is a cheaper option since I just saw the cost effective part. I have one of each and tbh the rocker looks nicer but functionally they both are equal and I didnt have the added expensive of a new wall plate with this one.

Thanks for the response BreakfastBeerz. A quick search there makes it seem like this device may work:
https://www.amazon.com/GE-45605-Z-Wave-Technology-Receptacle/dp/B00PYMGOHM/

But since our one light has three separate switches in the room I'm hesitant to move forward with this plan due to the expense and complexity that may be involved.

I would guess that this would work: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGOHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T2_khTszb520VX84

However, you may want to check with abode about compatibility.

OKay, so for each 3-way, I'd need something like one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGOHM/ref=asc_df_B006LQFHN25032304/

and one of these?:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGYY0/

(And the hub of course)

I have GE switches in my house... and like you I switched out everything that kinda needs to be smart (I left bathrooms alone, visitors don't want a motion sensor in the bathroom :-)).GE does make a toggle style, though if you want my personal opinion i think they are kind of ugly. If you are going to replace almost everything in your house just go with the paddle style.

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why would you need two hubs? what are you planning on using as a hub?

Pop the knobs off, are they standard switch slots behind them (in the metal cover)? If so you can use a "toggle" style such as this: https://smile.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Required-12727/dp/B00PYMGOHM/

I'm not aware of any wifi toggle-style switches however.

Also be sure to check the box depth and switch depth. Smart switches are quite deep and that box looks kinda shallow.

I'm not fully following what you are asking for.

You want a smart switch with no dimming capability.

But are you saying you want it to only control one light, or two?

Is this a for a three way switch?

If I have put it together properly, you are just looking for a regular ordinary on/off single pole light switch with no dimming capability?

like this?: switch

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGOHM/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468330935&sr=sr-1&keywords=ge+zwave

This is the switch I use. They also have paddle switches and dimmers.

You can replace the switch on the right with this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGOHM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_78CDybP8MXER9