Use Z-wave wall switch for routine to control Enbrighten 40amp Z-Wave Direct-Wire Smart Switch?

I use a well for household water in my second home. I usually turn off the well pump at a direct wire 20amp wall switch when I leave the house for an extended period. Now, I’ve added a humidifier and will need the well to run when I want to add humidity. I installed an Enbrighten Z-Wave Direct-Wire Outdoor/Indoor Smart Switch, up to 40 amp capability, directly to the well pump pressure switch. So, I’ve created a situation when if the wall switch is off, power to the smart switch is also off, and no remote on/off can occur. Here’s what I’m thinking would work as a solution and I would like suggestions or past experience in terms of what specifically to do to execute this idea… here goes… can I replace the wall switch with a 15 amp z-wave switch, direct wire the well pump wires in the box behind the switch so it bypasses the switch all together. Then send power to the z-wave wall switch from another 15 amp source in the 3-gang box to allow the switch to be used though a Smartthings routine that would turn on the well smart switch when wall switch is on, and off when off? If this would work, how do I wire the z-wave wall switch if I’m not actually creating a complete circuit?

I would consider leaving the existing wall switch as an emergency shutoff. You could use a remote like the Zooz Zen34 to control the 40A switch, or use scene control via one of the adjacent switches - if they’re already smart, use multitap combinations, or replace with a scene controller and dedicate some buttons to the well pump.

Thanks MarkTr. I should have explained more about the situations for use of the well pump. Sometimes we have family or friends stay at the home and I want to keep the instructions simple about turning the well off - that’s why I went overboard with the labeling on the switch, haha. Also don’t want someone to head out the door while I’m taking a shower and think that sweeping every switch to off is a good idea. In that same room, only five feet away, is the electric panel with a dedicated breaker for the well pump, that would serve as a shut off too and that’s why I went down the road of using the switch in a routine to shut off the well - allows me to idiot proof the arrangement. The other two switches on the wall in that same gang are not smart.

Makes sense. In that case you could hardwire the pump switch as you suggested and install a smart switch as a “dummy”. The line side of the switch can still be wired to the same circuit (N and L), you just don’t connect the load side. By using the same circuit, the switch will also shut off when you flip the pump breaker. If you use an Inovelli or Zooz switch, you can configure them for smart bulb operation where they won’t turn the relay on/off, just so you don’t have a clock when you operate them. You could also set up z wave direct association with the well pump, which should eliminate the need for routines to link the two (but you can still use routines for scheduling etc).

Check your local code: you may not be allowed to have the well pump bypass a wall switch all together. Sometimes that’s only allowed for lighting, you just need to check your local jurisdiction.

We have a somewhat similar situation at our house with a security camera that we want to keep on while allowing people the option to turn off the porch light which is part of that camera unit.

What we did was similar to your idea but without changing any of the wiring. We just put a little wooden box over the original dumb switch with a hinge so you could lift it up in an emergency if you wanted to. Then mounted a smart battery operated switch on top of that. So there’s still a switch in exactly the same place, and it still operates the porch light, it just can’t turn off the security camera.

These days there are other readymade models of “smart switch covers“ which can do the same thing. They hide the original switch underneath so it always stays on, but give you buttons on top for network control of the device.

most are battery operated, A few that work with the hue bridge can use Zigbee energy harvesting technology which doesn’t require a battery.

Zooz has a nice battery powered zwave switch which looks just like a regular switch and which you could use with the box cover method.


(it also has a plate which allows you to replace an existing wired switch, but I’m talking about the situation where you want to keep the original wired switch, whether it’s for code reasons or just as a backup.)

GoControl also has a very simple two button model, but I think it would be too big to fit in your multi gang switch plate. You would have to put a box cover on the existing switch and then put this one on the wall above it. But it’s a very inexpensive solution.

If you don’t want to make a little wooden box, there are plastic options you can buy on Etsy and elsewhere that work well. These are usually called “cover guards.“ they will usually cost less than $12.

Anyway, that’s just a different approach if you don’t want to do any rewiring. :sunglasses:

Okay, I think I’m understanding that I could wire it this way, sue a Zooz Zen71 basic smart switch as a dummy, or use something like the Zen32 scene controller if I wanted to add more whole home functionality to that switch location. Of course, I would ground everything appropriately, just didn’t draw it. Also, the well pump pressure switch has a manual on/off/auto, so I think that covers being able to power on/off the unit after the direct wire z-wave switch if necessary.

Looks right to me - just keep in mind, as JD said, your local code may require a disconnect at the wall switch, which this wouldn’t meet.

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Thank you for your help, and JD too! I will check with the township to see what’s permitted. I recently had the service upgraded and a new panel installed. The previous panel was a direct wire from breaker to a receptacle, and then a plug to the pressure switch, don’t know if that met code at the time, but sure looked sketchy to me. I included this hardwired wall switch when the panel was upgraded, and it passed inspection. When I added the Enbrighten, I did away with the plug-in set-up to the pressure switch and wired it into a junction box. By adding the hard wired Enbrighten switch to the pressure switch it also has a manual switch. But I will get local clarification just to be clear. I do appreciate the help!

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I think I would have installed two smart switches, one as a “dummy” with no load and one for the pump hidden behind a cover guard as suggested by @JDRoberts. If both of the switches are GE Enbrighten, you can use @philh30 Edge driver that allows for association groups so that when the dummy switch is turned on, it turns on the pump switch hidden behind the cover.

A regular smart wall switch won’t handle the current, hence the need for the inline switch.

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