I’m new here, but I’ve tried to do my homework before posting and haven’t found what I’m looking for. What I’m looking for is a lamp socket that has a switch (pull chain, twist, whatever) that has wireless tech built into it (wifi, z wave, or zigbee), that we can use to retrofit existing lamps to make them “smart”. The switch should still work manually, but it should also be abled to be controled via the smart platform regardless of the manual switch possition.
Basically I’m looking for this:
This is the closest thing I’ve found a while ago, but I’ve never used this because I’ve ended up using either smart bulbs or plug in outlets on all my lamps. It’s got a button for on/off control I believe:
Yeah, I’ve seen that, but once someone pulls the pullchain on the lamp, that gets disconnected. Sometimes I don’t want to open an app or ask to have something done. I just want to do it manually. That is where I run into the problem. I would think this is a market opp for some smart manufacturer.
True, but you could be a little destructive and clip the chain! LOL Although if it’s a nice lamp you won’t be making any points with your significant other… I’ve learned that the hard way.
What country are you in? The device selection does vary.
That said, it just isn’t going to work if somebody pulls the chain on the light that you show because that will break the circuit to the light. The smart switch can’t make up for that.
If you are willing to just put tape over the pull chain so that it can’t be used, there are some alternatives that would give you a different manual button on the lamp that could be used without actually cutting current.
Then the socket that @johnconstantelo mentioned becomes one option, but there are other ones as well. But nothing that can work with the existing chain, unfortunately.
First, I’m in the US. The socket that I showed is an example of that I would like the the smart tech integrated into. I’m not asking for an adapter that screws into this. That exists alreadt and doesn’t suit my needs. I’m looking for a replacement socket for an existing lamp that can be hardwired into the electrical wires in the Zero Tech lamp. The manual switch and the smart tech would essentially control a relay in the socket that powers the bulb. That way, the bulb can be actuated either manually or via a smart opperation. The socket would obviously be a bit (not too big I hope) larger than the original socket to house the smart tech and the relay. The idea is to retain the same look and functionality as this type of socket, but add smart tech inside. That way you can retrofit ANY lamp that has t his type of socket (and there are a lot of them) with smart tech while retaining the same look and feel.
I don’t know of anything that fits the exact description of what you have described, regardless of protocol.
The closest in terms of functionality is the Sengled element touch, which is a zigbee smart bulb that can work with a smartthings hub. It has a button on the side of the bulb itself which provides the manual control. It works very well. And at about $17 with no wiring or soldering required, it’s a very practical solution for many people.
This really close, but in this case, if the led in the bulb dies, then you basically toss the whole thing. With my idea, you can use an LED buld, a CFL, or an incandecent bulb. Anything really. Even if you have an bulb to house plug adapter, screw it in and BAM, it’s a smart enabled device.
You aren’t going to find anything in the US which requires disassembling existing lamps and wiring something into the circuit, because that would violate the UL certification and without the UL certification you can’t sell it at Target or Sears or Home Depot or Lowe’s or most of the major retailers. So it cuts the potential market size down below where most manufacturers are interested. It becomes a specialty item for The maker market, and while there are some possible options sold for robotics hobbyists, there isn’t anything that works easily with smartthings.
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In order to make the retrofit options safe and easy for a mass consumer market while preserving a UL certification, your two options are a smart bulb like the Sengled or a screw in socket like the one that @johnconstantelo mentioned. Or the following WiFi option:
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Since these do not require disassembling the existing lamp, they just have a higher safety rating and can be sold in a wider variety of stores. Although aesthetically less pleasing.
Even if it isn’t UL listed, it’s still being sold to consumers. This would be the same thing. Plus, it could be sold directly to lamp manufacturers to be built into their lamps.
That particular item is UL listed. Check the technical specifications in the product description. (Home Depot doesn’t sell anything electrical that isn’t UL listed. I believe that’s also true of Lowe’s, but I’m not 100% sure.)
If you’re saying that a company could make a complete replacement unit, which is not the same As adding a device to the existing socket, then, yes, they could. But apparently there just isn’t enough of a market for it. You can certainly write to device manufacturers And suggest it.
@Tony_Magallanez
I have not seen any smart table lamp pull-cord switches like you picture and request. I am based in the UK and switches like these even purely manual ones are these days quite rare.
This would be wired in to the power cable going to the table lamp. I don’t know if they do a US version of this product. Remember Europe and US use different Z-Wave frequencies.
A slightly related solution applies to ceiling pull-cord switches. It is possible to have a light fixture in the ceiling and instead of a wall switch to use a ceiling switch via a pull-cord. Like the following. http://www.mkelectric.com/en-gb/Products/WD/ceilingaccessories/Ceilingswitch/Pages/default.aspx
Normally these are used in the UK in bathrooms and toilets due to regulations requiring that where there is water i.e. bathrooms that the switch be controlled by a pull-cord to avoid the possibility of electrocution. Normally these are simply pull on/off switches. However the red version on the above page is a momentary version and can be used with the Fibaro Z-Wave micro module to control a light.
Unfortunately it is not available in the US, that’s one of the reasons why I always ask the country first. I agree that this might be a good solution, but it’s not available in the US.
jelockwood
This would be wired in to the power cable going to the table lamp. I don’t know if they do a US version of this product. Remember Europe and US use different Z-Wave frequencies.
Unfortunately it is not available in the US, that’s one of the reasons why I always ask the country first. I agree that this might be a good solution, but it’s not available in the US.
Shoe on other foot for a change
Far too often it is us Europeans who get the short end of the stick over product availability.
I know this thread is a bit stale, but I had the exact same thought / need. As I’m reading this, it just dawned on me that I could swap out the dumb socket with switch for a dumb socket with no switch then screw in a smart socket with switch. No more manual option to defeat the smart switch. Looks like I have a weekend project…
The only table lamp cord dimmer I had previously seen was the SwiidInter which is a Z-Wave device and only suited for the European market.
I have today just come across a different product, a Zigbee table lamp cord dimmer. It works with both Smartthings and Philips Hue. (But I would think not HomeKit via the Hue.)
Sadly for our friends in the colonies despite the fact they list it priced in US$, this also is not available for the US as it is a 220v only product.
My DIY method was to purchase the two circuit (not the 3way)lamp socket replacement. I 3D printed a small ~1"D, 1/8" thick plastic button to place in the bottom of the socket. It isolated the bulb from the old switched power center connector. I placed a small brass pad on top of the button with a 20 ga 600V silicon wire to the brass pad. Then fed this wire through the center of the rivet down into the base of a brass lamp or to the inside of a ceramic lamp. I used a shelly mini and connected the load line to the 20ga wire. I ran a second wire from the switch second circuit connection. to the switch line of the mini. Line and neutral connected like normal. Now the lamp switch works locally and remote control also works. No modifications were done to the new socket except for the button in the bottom of the socket for the bulb. You can remove the min, the button, and connect the lamp up normally when you want a new smart lamp. Any small relay switch designed for an electrical box and works with your system will work. Make sure that the relay is secured and safe. Ceramic lamps work the best. Almost inpossible to hide the mini in a lamp with a glass base without getting pretty creative.
