I’m still looking for a workable option for retrofitting smart lighting to my house. I have solid walls throughout and a lot of lights with 2, 3 or even 4 gang dimmers, as well as lots of 2 way switches. I do have neutrals at the switches but this actually limits my options - Fibaro etc won’t fit in the backboxes (certainly not more than 1) and there it isn’t possible to wire via the ceiling rose as the wiring runs directly to the switches and only the switched live is in the ceiling.
I think I have four options - I’d like any feedback on these or anything I’ve missed. I’m leaning towards Aone for the dimmable circuits and will look for another option for the switches.
Aurora Aone dimmer modules
- should fit even with >1 gang
- can support 2 way switching, although you need dimmers at both ends
- can use my own light switch surrounds (I like Retrotouch Crystal)
- DIYable
- not sure what to use where I don’t want dimmers; still need to find another switch for that
LightwaveRF (EDIT: corrected from Lutron)
- can support 2 way switching, although you need Lutron at both ends
+/- will probably fit, although the module looks to be the size of the backbox which might cause problems - DIYable
- not a massive fan of the look
- needs its own hub
- not sure what to use where I don’t want dimmers; still need to find another switch for that
Hardwire lights an use battery switches
- Allows me to fit Fibaro etc. in the ceiling
- Should support 2 way via automation
- DIYable
- Loses the physical link between switch and light (e.g. no internet)
- Need to change batteries
- Can’t use my own switches, although some of the switches are quite nice
Rewire all the lighting circuits back to central bus
- ‘Best’ solution
- Not DIYable
- Not sure whether circuits are joined at the distribution box (one module powers mutiple rooms) - if so it should be easy. If they are joined ‘inside’ the house then it will be impractical.
Thoughts?