Wireless or timer lightswitch

[Gad-Westy]

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_...

[DanGPR]

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.

[Andrew_S]

As you already have hive, why don’t you just buy a hive light bulb.

[wibble cb]

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.

[Gad-Westy]

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.

[Gad-Westy]

Andrew_S said:

As you already have hive, why don’t you just buy a hive light bulb.

Cheers. We actually have one but they aren't for outdoor use.

[Gad-Westy]

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.

[wibble cb]

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.

All in and works as prescribed!

[strippier]

LightwaveRF.

[JimbobVFR]

Gad-Westy said:

Cheers. We actually have one but they aren't for outdoor use.

No lightbulbs are really, it's the fitting that's outdoor rated not the bulb.

I've had a hue bulb outside for about a year and a half, it's in a proper IP rated outdoor fitting and has been absolutely fine.

[JagBox]

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?

[Richie C]

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?

https://getden.co.uk/products/

[timetex]

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.

[timetex]

Richie C said:

These any good?

https://getden.co.uk/products/

Until they actually ship, nobody knows!

[JimbobVFR]

timetex said:

Until they actually ship, nobody knows!

Quite, I've been following Den for almost a year and it's had so many delays I'd almost given up on it ever launching, the original launch date was supposed to be April.

[Harry Flashman]

I used cheap sensor LED lightbulbs outside. Admittedly this means the light is on all night, from dusk until dawn...

[Gren]

Andrew_S said:

As you already have hive, why don’t you just buy a hive light bulb.

That's what we have outside our front door. Works a treat especially when linked to Google home for voice commands and routines