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Smart light switch, no neutral, ideally keep physical switch

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  • 02-11-2022 1:46pm
    #1
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭


    Hi,

    Has anybody any experience with something like the SONOFF ZBMINI-L Zigbee 3.0, however this looks to iffy reviews on amazon for reliability. I was ready to buy one until i saw the reviews!

    I want to operate my outside light via app and also via the physical switch. I've got no neutral to the light and to complicate things it's on a dual light switch and the other light switch is part of a two way switch, that's why i thought something like the above would be best.

    I have no hub yet, but plan to get Home Assistant set up in the next few months so if required a hub wouldn't be that much of an issue. I have a good few kasa smart plugs currently, and a Drayton wiser to control my central heating.

    I have a backup plan of smart bulbs but would rather the smart switch if I can find something

    I'm aware of similar threads but couldn't see anything recent on the issue so started fresh.

    Thanks in advance.



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    #2
    Tree
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,710 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tree


    So I love my Shelly relays. The 1L works without neutral at the switch (But you do have to add a bypass at the ceiling rose if you're running an LED bulb). Alternatively, the Shelly 1 (or similar) can be installed directly in the ceiling rose, and the load doesn't matter. The Shelly Dimmer 2 can also be used with/without neutral. They're wifi enabled so no faffing about with hubs, and the Shelly app is functional but you'll really have fun when you get home assistant up and running.



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    #3
    maxamillius
    Registered Users Posts: 1,136 ✭✭✭maxamillius


    Look at quinetic switches



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    #4
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119826258#Comment_119826258

    Thanks. If I had two LED bulbs in series, I'm guessing one bypass would be enough? These look good.



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    #5
    Tree
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,710 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tree


    That I wouldn't be certain about, everything here is a single fitting (some with multiple bulbs), it'd depend on how the whole thing is looped.



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    #6
    blackbox
    Registered Users Posts: 4,344 ✭✭✭blackbox


    If you have no neutral, how do you power the smart device - does it require a battery?



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    #7
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119826525#Comment_119826525

    My understanding is that you put in the bypass and that way a tiny current can flow around the bulb, rather than through it.



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    #8
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119826500#Comment_119826500

    Cool, I meant to say they were wired in parallel. As one light currently broken more and the other still goes... Maybe I should get two bypasses. Are they hard to fit?



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    #9
    Tree
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,710 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tree


    I'd highly recommend asking them by email, they're quite good for answering questions. I'd guess at parallel. I find them a bit tricky to fit in a normal ceiling rose, but if I nibble away some of the bits of plastic it can be smushed in



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    #10
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119830975#Comment_119830975

    Thanks I got sorted! Only needed one bypass. Switch installed and set up, very impressed. Thanks a lot for the recomendation. Much appreciated. Saved me a lot of research and perhaps a compromised purchased! Very easy set up.



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    #11
    Tree
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,710 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tree


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119903508#Comment_119903508

    Welcome to the rabbit hole, it goes deep :)



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    #12
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    The switch was working great for a the past few weeks. However this morning i couldn't turn the lights on via alexa and then tried flicking the switch manually and it didn't work either. The device is showing as offline. No issues with rest of my network.

    Does the fact that the switch doesn't work manually indicate it could be a physical loose wire or a fault with the switch? I have seen if i flick the physical switch 5 times I'll reset the shelly switch, so i'll try that this evening but wondering whether to get my hopes up!



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    #13
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    Turned off and on the trip switch for the lights and that fixed it.



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    #14
    BAABAA96
    Registered Users Posts: 45 ✭BAABAA96


    Hi,


    I’ve got some smart bulbs (tp link)and obviously to get the best use of them I need to leave the wall switches on. Does anyone know what sort of cost this will bring if they are left on?


    and secondly is it stupid to think that if I have the bulb set at 50% brightness it should only use 50% of the electricity?



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    #15
    mp3ireland2
    Registered Users Posts: 1,793 ✭✭✭mp3ireland2


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119903794#Comment_119903794

    My Raspberry pi 4 arrived at last so I got set up with home assistant. Using this switch now to turn on when the ring doorbell detects motion ☺️



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