# Light switch latency and "report only" switches **URL:** \ **Category:** Connected Things\ **Tags:** lighting, lights\ **Created:** [August 5, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/light-switch-latency-and-report-only-switches/54346 "2016-08-05T17:55:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RandomEngy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/randomengy/32/36702_2.png) [@RandomEngy](https://community.smartthings.com/u/RandomEngy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/light-switch-latency-and-report-only-switches/54346/1 "2016-08-05T17:55:21Z")
I’m looking at the best smart switches for the house. I’m looking at the GE 12722 and Homeseer HS-WS100+, mainly. I hear that the Homeseer switch has “instant device report” capability but the SmartThings hub has a way to work around it and tell when a user has manually hit the light switch. Does anyone know what kind of latency this report has? I ask because I want to set up a “report only” switch that will be hooked up to a ZigBee smart bulb in a lamp. The GE switches are cheaper but if they have a lag in this kind of report I might go for something more expensive. Also wondering if there is any problem with the “report only” plan where the switch is not hooked up to a lighting electrical load. ---
**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 6:02pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/light-switch-latency-and-report-only-switches/54346/2 "2016-08-05T18:02:08Z")
I’m really tired right now, so I’ll let other people discuss the various aspects of the set up, but one quick thing… One) no-load switches. There’s no problem with setting up the switch so that it’s not connected to load. Lots of people do that intentionally when they are looking for a switch to control a smart bulb. Most people seem to be going for the smart switch covers now. There are a couple of different brands available. These go over the existing switch. The original switch is left always turned on. The cover has its own buttons. So the cover communicates to the hub, the hub communicates to the bulb, the bulb comes on. There seems to be very little lag with these. Both the switch covers and no load wiring are discussed in the smart switch FAQ. > [@FAQ: Philips Hue and Other Smart Bulbs - What sort of light switches to use with them? (Long FAQ)](https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-philips-hue-and-other-smart-bulbs-what-sort-of-light-switches-to-use-with-them/28984): > > Thinking on a big move to Hue lights, the real question is - what switches to use with them? If they’re all automatable via ST and other devices, do I really want to put them all on controllable switches too? There’s the advantage that I can arrange to ensure those switches are on so that the the Hue bulbs would be too…but it also leaves open the ability for folks to just turn them off and leave them off. Hmm. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![RandomEngy](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/randomengy/32/36702_2.png) [@RandomEngy](https://community.smartthings.com/u/RandomEngy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2016, 7:08pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/light-switch-latency-and-report-only-switches/54346/3 "2016-08-05T19:08:40Z")
Thanks! I’m probably going to avoid anything where I need to change the batteries, so a no-load switch replacement sounds great. Just wondering what kind of latency I can expect with the different switches.