Smart Switches

Zwaveproducts.com Will also ship to Canada, it might be worth looking at their selection as well. Their return policy is more limited than Amazons, but still worth considering. They’re another popular vendor.

http://www.zwaveproducts.com/shipping_information

If you want a switch that actually flips up and down and works like a 3-way switch, you could put an Aeon Relay module behind your existing switch (or better a 3-way switch where you only use one side for the switch loop to the Aeon, that way, the switch will not have “OFF” and “ON” printed on them).

Wire this into the line and then use the low voltage contacts to create a switch loop to the switch. When the switch is toggled, it will send the message to the hub that it has been toggled and you can use smart lighting or another smart app to turn on or off the appropriate smart bulbs.

-Todd

If only using Hue bulbs, you can also just go with Hue Dimmers. Just battery powered remotes that " look like" a normal switch. Advantage being since they connect directly to Hue, you have local control regardless of any network or cloud issues. In my case I have UPS and a whole home generator, but doesn’t do me any good if the lines are down. I can’t remember a single time power lines went down but cable lines did not.

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Interesting point about the relays. If used to with a switch, if the switch is powered off, does it still work remotely? My assumption is that it adds remote control when powered on.

As for the Hue dimmer - it’s not for me. I don’t want to add more things into the mix, just replace :slight_smile:

Yes, as long as it was correctly wired. The radio in the relay will remain powered even when the switch is off and the current to the fixture being controlled by the relay is off.

When using a relay, typically the switch is not a powered switch. It’s a mechanical switch. Toggling it tells the relay to change the state of the current to the fixture, but it doesn’t actually power the relay radio off in any way.

So when using the relay, the switch on the wall is sending information to the relay, but not cutting it out of the circuit.

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So the relay will convert a normal switch into a Zwave switch. The paddle function, would then simple change the state… Sort of like a 3way switch, where “up” can be On/Off.

Very cool.

Hi John,

We definitely recommend purchasing through our website if you decide to go with the Evolve switches, it will be cheaper than Amazon:

They can be used as virtual add-ons to activate any device in your SmartThings network and have the look of a typical paddle switch (but you don’t actually connect them to a load, they just need line and neutral). They work best through direct association which to our knowledge, is not available through ST software, most users would use a secondary controller like the Aeon Labs Minimote to associate devices. But in your case, since you’re trying to control a ZigBee bulb with a Z-Wave device, it would have to be done through an automation rule in the ST software, so delays may occur depending on all the factors @JDRoberts listed above.

Feel free to reach out to us with questions about shipping and return policy and we’ll be happy to help!

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Thanks!

I was just looking at your site: http://www.thesmartesthouse.com/collections/black-friday-deals-1/products/vision-single-relay-module-switch-zl-7431-us

These look like a great way to turn my existing switches “smart” :slight_smile: