Here’s an article showing the difference between two and three wire setups: http://blog.smartthings.com/how-to/how-to-wire-a-light-switch/
That article was written for and is appropriate for US wiring. Unfortunately Not applicable to UK set ups. (Even the wire colours are incorrect for the UK.)
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The third wire is the neutral. It’s essential to every complete circuit. So there is definitely one on the circuit somewhere. However, it might start at the ceiling rose rather than the wall switch box. Or it might be elsewhere in the wall. Normally in a UK house it is a blue wire, but it may be wrapped together with another wire inside a different colour coating.
The relay is powered by a trickle of current from the neutral.
Here is the topic with a link to a UK blog article showing appropriate colours and all that.
Even so, it is best to bring in an electrician if you have any questions about how all this works.
As far as a soft reset, it can usually be done just by flipping the wall switch on the same circuit in a specific pattern, but check the user guide.
With regard to the upstairs light question, depending on exact placement one relay can control two devices on one circuit. If the two lamps are on two different circuits, it would require two relays. If they are on the same circuit, it might be possible but might not be exactly what you want as then they would always have to be turned on together.
However, it’s quite easy with SmartThings to create a relationship between the two lights so that they could sometimes be both turned on together and other times be managed individually. So I suspect you can get the end result you want, but I’m not sure it would be done with the wiring pattern you suggest.
Not too sure what is meant by LightwaveRF and SmartThings integration needs considerable Technical expertise.
I’m very new to ST but I just had to copy Adams code from his Github site into the IDE to create a new device handler and then it was a simple case of adding my LightWaveRF devices as new devices.
I didn’t have to run my own server either , this just uses the LWRF server that their hub is normally connected to.
I agree it is slightly laggy but nothing you can’t live with and certainly is preferable to having to switch back forth between ST and LWRF apps on my phone to control different devices.
The other downside is the control is on/off but not dimmable .
I’d certainly recommend anyone who has LWRF already installed to give it a try.
This looks like it should be useful - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Popp-009303-Z-Wave-Battery-Controller/dp/B013VFVTX2/
It certainly can be, it just depends on the exact details of your set up. Like all battery controlled switches, it does not control current, so it has to be combined with devices that are also networked devices. So it can work well with smart bulbs. If you’re going to use Dumb bulbs, then there has to be yet another networked device controlling the current to those bulbs, typically either an in wall relay or a pocket socket.
Also, these will not work straight out of the box with SmartThings, you will have to use some of the custom code created by community members.
These details are discussed in option 3A of the first post in this thread.
FYI - thanks to the efforts of other members of the community, these Popp or Z-Wave.me wireless wall controllers can now be used to their full feature set with my latest device handler. Actions can be be triggered off button presses, releases, double clicks, clickholds and clickholdReleases - with the use of the smartapp you can dim as you hold as well, and thanks to an update to Rule Machine yesterday you can now use any of these click actions in rule machine as triggers.
Personally I’ve gone totally down the smart bulb route - using these wall switches - you can get loads of different face plates and buttons so you could have an all chrome finish or glass or whatever you want.
The only downside as far as I can tell is ST reliability - you are totally reliant on ST working, which is not always the case. We can live and hope that this changes - and if it doesn’t, the first competitor that comes along that can offer reliability for these z-wave switches interoperating LIFX and Hue bulbs I’ll upgrade to.
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Agreed. The popp and Z wave.me battery operated switches don’t physically control the current to the devices. Which means that if The home automation system is unavailable (either because the Internet is down or because the SmartThings system is not functioning correctly), there will be no way to turn the lights on and off using these devices.
Of course if you kept the regular switches in place and just added these as a parallel means of control, then you can use the original switches in case of an outage. But it may be confusing to people.
This is an issue with many types of controls, including the official SmartThings mobile app. So it’s just something to be aware of.
At my house, as I mentioned, we do keep the original switches in place and use battery-operated switches and voice as additional means of control. Different households will have different needs in this regard.
I spoke to the Energenie guys as they have uk automation kit (which needs a hug) and they are working on a ST integration, which I think they are trying to make official. Sounds like they hope to have a demo at the gadget show in March.
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Just had a look at the Energenie Products and website etc.
So wish these were Z-Wave 
From what I can see and correct me if I am wrong is the following states its one way, and can only send the signal to command the device and thus its stateless, a super quick browse and I cant see any of the retrofit Items (Light Switch and Sockets) as having anything other that one way
Radio Frequency 433.92Mhz
-Data Protocol Simplex one way, OOK
- Receiving Range 25 meters in open area
- Encoding 20 address bits (preset OTP), 4 data bits
- Socket Rating 220 - 250V~ 50Hz, 13A, 3000W max. each socket
Not sure what the OOK is however, but if in fact they are stateless, then its no different to LightwaveRF which are also stateless and a bit cheaper I think too.
@adamclark_dev has already created a great setup to allow UDP control of LWRF via Smartthings.
Lightwave /SmartThings integration
Anyway I hope I am wrong and they are stated and then if they did integrate then it would be a great solution for the UK market. Given we lack so much device diversity here.
Until then for me its Re-Tractive Switches with Aoen Micro Switches and LWRF Retrofit Switches and Sockets.
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@CraigJohn - Looking at their pimote - https://energenie4u.co.uk/catalogue/product/ENER314-RT. It would be fairly simple to stick one of these on a RaspberryPi and then convert HTTP requests from SmartThings to the pimote and escape the need for the Energenie hub altogether, If there API isn’t bad, then a cloud to cloud integration would also be fairly easy.
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So today I got my Hue Bulbs and I’m trying to find a solution to people switching my light off at the wall, making it unable to work from my mobile.
Am I correct in thinking, I can wire my existing switch to be always on, and replace it with a blank faceplate and stick one of these on top?
Thanks
Yep, just put a blanking plate on and use a wago connector to connect the switched live and live and you’re good to go. I didn’t bother with any switches as I’ve got 17 motion detectors and some cameras to detect motion for lighting.
2 posts were merged into an existing topic: Motion sensor inactivity turns lights off too early (2016 discussion)
I have created a new thread for you to discuss the various options for turning lights off after inactivity in a room. That’s getting kind of off topic for this particular thread, but you’ll be able to discuss details there:
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Got this touch screen switch for testing from one of the z-wave manufacturer, tested with my UK hub, ST able add it easily and identify it as Z-Wave Switch. Turning on / off the switch will trigger the status update in the ST app almost immediately.
The switch do not need neutral wire to work (the 3 wire) but come with a relay box.
Quite easy to install & a good deal consider it’s cost (+relay)
This is the prototype before replacing my wall switch 
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Hard to see from your photos, but I take it the relay DOES need a neutral?
Is the relay essential? If the wattage of the light is low enough (LED) can the switch-plate control them directly (i.e. wire the lights in place of the relay box).
The relay, link back to the same neutral, you don’t need to install another neutral wire. I hope this photo give you better idea.
Looking at the photo the relay needs a neutral so you could put it above the rose pendant if you have space and pick up the neutral there. This is a good solution for single switches I wonder if the make double and triple?
You are right, the relay can just attach to the lights fittings.
What do you mean by if the make double and triple?