Replacing a fully switched outlet

Probably a fairly basic question, but I’m new to the smart scene. I have outlets currently in a bedroom controlled by a switch at the room entrance. All four sockets are controlled by the switch. Works great for the lamps plugged in, but not for the alarm clock or charger that plug in to the outlets as well.

What I want to do is change one or both of the outlets to a smart outlet, and use a smart switch to control half of the outlet wirelessly to run the lamps, but keep the other half of the outlets live at all times for other things.

In the switch box, I have hot, neutral and ground, so I am planning on just baypassing the original switch and wiring the outlet live at all times. The new smart switch would draw power from the box, but with no switched load.

Does this sound doable? We already have a Samsung Smart things hub in use.

Sure, that should work fine. In fact, most in wall switches that work with SmartThings only have one controlled outlet and the other is always live.

There are quite a few on the official compatibility list.

On a good/better/best scale

GE and Enerwave are at the high-end of the “good” category.

Go control is at the low-end of the better category.

Leviton is at the high end of the “better” category or maybe the low-end of the “best.”

They’re all fine, they just have slightly different feature sets and different warranty lengths. :sunglasses:

I do strongly recommend getting the newer Z wave plus models rather than the older Z wave classic models in all cases, however. You will get better range, but more importantly zwave plus models have the option to pair in place, which is really convenient for devices which are wired to the mains.

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I was going to add that it sounds like the outlet might have 1 of the outlets constant power and the other switched. I would check that.

Are you sure the switch location has a neutral and they did not run the neutral as the switched leg back to the outlet? If that is the case you do not have a neutral and most smart switches require one.

If you have a true neutral and the outlet is split (there is a metal tab between the two screws that is broken apart, isolating them), then just use a smart switch so you can control it.

If you do not have a true neutral at the switch and the wire comes from the outlet to switch power to that outlet but have the other side of that outlet on constant power, then you could replace with most smart outlets because one always remains powered and you can put a remote that looks like a switch in the box that houses the switch to control it when someone comes into the room.

Personally, I am hoping you can install the smart switch because as much as possible, everything in my house can be manually operated just in case my hub, internal network, ISP or redundant connection over the cell network should go down.

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Worked out great, used GE Z-wave Plus switch and outlet. Too cool, and much easier than fishing wires in an attic when it is 100 degrees out. Thanks for the advice!!!

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