Wireless or timer lightswitch
Discussion
We have an exterior light operated by a light switch in the living room. We like the light itself so don't really want to change it but we would like it to be on a timer so it's on in the evenings for a while (appreciating that it might need to be adjusted a bit for daylight hours throughout the year).
You can buy replacement lightswitches with built in programmable timers but they're pretty damn ugly, or at least all of the ones I found are. They more or less all look like an 80's calculator and not in a charming way.
Then it occurred to me that in this day and age, and with our house being Hive and Alexa equipped, maybe there was a more discreet wireless option now. I found this, which looks a little less disgusting but I wouldn't mind getting some real user feedback if anyone has tried similar.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GR2HJT2/ref=asc_df_...
You can buy replacement lightswitches with built in programmable timers but they're pretty damn ugly, or at least all of the ones I found are. They more or less all look like an 80's calculator and not in a charming way.
Then it occurred to me that in this day and age, and with our house being Hive and Alexa equipped, maybe there was a more discreet wireless option now. I found this, which looks a little less disgusting but I wouldn't mind getting some real user feedback if anyone has tried similar.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07GR2HJT2/ref=asc_df_...
I am going to be fitting this tomorrow, I have neutral wires and room in the box....(I appreciate that I am in Canada and wiring is slightly different!)
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FBFN4HD/ref=oh...
The aim is to be able to turn on the light as I approach the house, rather than have it burning away for hours, or fitting as you say, a fairly ugly timer.
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FBFN4HD/ref=oh...
The aim is to be able to turn on the light as I approach the house, rather than have it burning away for hours, or fitting as you say, a fairly ugly timer.
DanGPR said:
You will need to drop the switch forward and check there is a Neutral cable there, it's 50/50 if it will be 3-plated at the light or switch.
For a fiver you could just buy a dusk til dawn lamp and stick it in the existing light fitting.
No neutral but thanks for tip on the bulb. For a fiver you could just buy a dusk til dawn lamp and stick it in the existing light fitting.
wibble cb said:
I am going to be fitting this tomorrow, I have neutral wires and room in the box....(I appreciate that I am in Canada and wiring is slightly different!)
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FBFN4HD/ref=oh...
The aim is to be able to turn on the light as I approach the house, rather than have it burning away for hours, or fitting as you say, a fairly ugly timer.
Cheers, food for thought. I'll take a look to see what UK equivalents there are.https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FBFN4HD/ref=oh...
The aim is to be able to turn on the light as I approach the house, rather than have it burning away for hours, or fitting as you say, a fairly ugly timer.
Gad-Westy said:
wibble cb said:
I am going to be fitting this tomorrow, I have neutral wires and room in the box....(I appreciate that I am in Canada and wiring is slightly different!)
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FBFN4HD/ref=oh...
The aim is to be able to turn on the light as I approach the house, rather than have it burning away for hours, or fitting as you say, a fairly ugly timer.
Cheers, food for thought. I'll take a look to see what UK equivalents there are.https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07FBFN4HD/ref=oh...
The aim is to be able to turn on the light as I approach the house, rather than have it burning away for hours, or fitting as you say, a fairly ugly timer.
I want to replace a double gang switch by the front door, controls outside lights and hallway lights. Another switch end of the hallway also controls hallways lights.
Anyone found a wireless/alexa double gang for the front that will work with another switch in the setup? Or would I need to change them all?
Anyone found a wireless/alexa double gang for the front that will work with another switch in the setup? Or would I need to change them all?
JagBox said:
I want to replace a double gang switch by the front door, controls outside lights and hallway lights. Another switch end of the hallway also controls hallways lights.
Anyone found a wireless/alexa double gang for the front that will work with another switch in the setup? Or would I need to change them all?
These any good?Anyone found a wireless/alexa double gang for the front that will work with another switch in the setup? Or would I need to change them all?
https://getden.co.uk/products/
I've done a couple of things with my outdoor lights.
a) 4x low level bulkheads are wired to an old-school dusk to dawn sensor. Works perfectly. This ensures the path between driveway and house is always lit when dark.
b) 1x wall mounted outside light, I found space inside the housing to wire in a LightwaveRF relay, as it is wired to a 2-gang switch in the kitchen, the other gang of which is a slave for some of the kitchen lights so I didn't want to mess with the switch itself.
c) 10x up/downlighters, I fitted nice LED bulbs and wired the whole set into a single LightwaveRF relay
I can then switch the LightwaveRF kit on/off using phone, Alexa, IFTTT, remote control, wall mounted scene remote, etc. You can also get PIR and door sensors for lightwaveRF. I'm going to wire in a similar set of low level bulkheads on the opposite side of the house to a door sensor on the utility door so they only come on when that door is opened.
I do have some other LightwaveRF stuff in the house as well (mainly plug sockets) and the Hub (needed for Alexa, IFTTT etc.) and it all works pretty reliably. I can now say 'Alexa, good night' and she'll turn off the TV and Amp (Harmony Remote), turn on the upstairs TV (Orbivo remote), turn off the 3 sitting room table lamps, the kitchen floor standing lamp, and then 5 minutes later, she'll turn off all of the outside up/downlighters and the wall mounted outside light, and also the 2 table lamps in the Hallway.
I have the Sitting Room lights set to come on at 6pm each day (never use the room before then, but if I need to go in, 'Alexa turn on lights' works fine. I have the outdoor lights set to come on 30 mins before dusk each day, and off at 1am if I don't give the off command to Alexa)
But to answer the Ops question - LightwaveRF is good, but you'd need the hub or another lightwaveRF device (e.g. dusk/dawn sensor) to get the full effect, and probably only worthwhile if you buy into expanding capabilities later. Otherwise as someone has suggested, either a Hue bulb or even a dusk to dawn bulb (non-smart) would work well.
a) 4x low level bulkheads are wired to an old-school dusk to dawn sensor. Works perfectly. This ensures the path between driveway and house is always lit when dark.
b) 1x wall mounted outside light, I found space inside the housing to wire in a LightwaveRF relay, as it is wired to a 2-gang switch in the kitchen, the other gang of which is a slave for some of the kitchen lights so I didn't want to mess with the switch itself.
c) 10x up/downlighters, I fitted nice LED bulbs and wired the whole set into a single LightwaveRF relay
I can then switch the LightwaveRF kit on/off using phone, Alexa, IFTTT, remote control, wall mounted scene remote, etc. You can also get PIR and door sensors for lightwaveRF. I'm going to wire in a similar set of low level bulkheads on the opposite side of the house to a door sensor on the utility door so they only come on when that door is opened.
I do have some other LightwaveRF stuff in the house as well (mainly plug sockets) and the Hub (needed for Alexa, IFTTT etc.) and it all works pretty reliably. I can now say 'Alexa, good night' and she'll turn off the TV and Amp (Harmony Remote), turn on the upstairs TV (Orbivo remote), turn off the 3 sitting room table lamps, the kitchen floor standing lamp, and then 5 minutes later, she'll turn off all of the outside up/downlighters and the wall mounted outside light, and also the 2 table lamps in the Hallway.
I have the Sitting Room lights set to come on at 6pm each day (never use the room before then, but if I need to go in, 'Alexa turn on lights' works fine. I have the outdoor lights set to come on 30 mins before dusk each day, and off at 1am if I don't give the off command to Alexa)
But to answer the Ops question - LightwaveRF is good, but you'd need the hub or another lightwaveRF device (e.g. dusk/dawn sensor) to get the full effect, and probably only worthwhile if you buy into expanding capabilities later. Otherwise as someone has suggested, either a Hue bulb or even a dusk to dawn bulb (non-smart) would work well.
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