Switch Control Button that looks like a switch?

Devices & Integrations
#1

So I put a regular leviton smart switch in my guest room and then plugged both lamps into leviton dimmer modules. The idea here was that the wall switch originally controlled a outlet but I rewired the outlet to be always hot and then hooked up the switch. Then once I got the smart lights app configured with the lamp modules I thought hey this is going to be awesome I touch the switch and boom lights come on. However due to the delay for when the switch finally tells the hub that hey Iā€™m on, makes turning the lights off and on in this room a bit of a hassel. Sure the 6-30 second delay for turning them off would be fine for getting into bed but to have a guest want to turn on the lights and have to wait for a long time is a bit frustrating.

So today at HD I saw the Lutron Pico control for only 24 bucks and I almost picked it up, but did my research in the store and found out that its not compatible with ST (I read that it might work with V2 but well Iā€™m still on V1 and in hurry to upgrade since Iā€™ve only had the hub since May). So this got me to thinking that there must be a device out there similar to this one that works with ST. Iā€™ll gladly yank the old switch out of the wall and just put in a simple battery operated device that when you push a button sends the signal to ST to turn on the lamps in there. Iā€™ve read through the suggested threads that came up while I was typing this out but couldnā€™t really find one that did what I want it to do. Anyone got any suggestions? Also once I do find one, anyone know of a smart app that could delay the turning off of the lamps when the off is pushed so that hey Iā€™m climbing in bed but donā€™t turn the lights off for 10 seconds to give me time to get into bed. I apologize if this was already covered in another thread and I just didnā€™t see it. Thank you.

#2

As for the delay timer, Rule Machine will give you that functionality.

And for the switch, you can check out here:

#3

If the switch box has both a power and neutral line, you can use ā€œanyā€ switch with a Z-Wave (or ZigBee?) ā€œmicro-relayā€. This can, but need not even carry a load, but either way, can be used to trigger a SmartThings Event.

Monoprice has one ā€¦ though I have had 2 die on me over a period of months.

Aeon Labs Aeotec is more reputable, I think. Lots of Forum topics on thisā€¦


If you donā€™t want to use a particular switch, then you can usually hook up most any ZigBee and Z-Wave wall toggle or tap switches with or without a load as well.

The problem is that nearly all of these need a Neutral, which in old San Francisco homes, is rare in many locations.

#4

The Iris Smart button works using this device

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#5

@tgauchat yeah I ran a neutral to the box from the outlet that it was controlling to fix that issue.

@celblazer I think that might be the route that I end up going and just velcro it or something to a blank wall plate. I liked the idea of the pico since I it would just go over the hole in the wall for the gang box but still look like a regular switch even though it would be battery operated.

The leviton switch I"m sure works great but like all regular zwave switches there is the delay problem from when you activate the switch as to when it decides it wants to notify ST that hey I did something. I know thats not ST problem its just how the switches are designed. Even the GE switches I have, Iā€™ve noticed have a similar delay from when theyā€™re touched and as to when the app shows hey Iā€™m on or off. Of course you do it through the app and its instant, which is what you would expect.

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#6

The Pico will not work with either version of the SmartThings hub.

As far as other options, this should be of interest. :sunglasses:

#7

Thank you everyone for your responses. It looks like the Cooper wireless switch is what I"m looking for based off of what Iā€™ve found here going through the forums. Any personal thoughts on that device?

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