I have a bunch of z-wave enabled devices in my home, like lights, relay switches, etc. One of my relay switches (Aeotec Nano Dimmer) already has an output to connect a physical external wall switch for “backwards compatibility” (non-smart).
The problem with this setup is that it requires passing wires throughout my house, which is not how I envision a “smart home”. I just want a simple solution to have an external switch in another room that will control this dimmer. I have tried Smartthings Button, and it works… But it looks like a button! I want something to blend with my other stuff, which means just a regular wall switch! Is there something like this available in the market?
You could look for another zwave switch/Dimmer that has association (0x85) capabilities. You can then set it up with zwave tweaker to command your Nano Dimmer. It would be a hard wired device so you would need to put in a box and get power to it. However you don’t need to connect it to the Nano Dimmer.
Be aware that all zwave plus devices have association. However group 1 is reserved to for the hub. Zwave plus devices must have additional association groups beyond 1 in order to work.
This question comes up every two or three months, so there are lots of threads in the forum about it.
The short answer is that there are several options for this. See the FAQ which lists all the buttons and remotes that work with smartthings. Each post should say whether the devices for the US or the UK, and whether it is battery powered or main powered, So read carefully to make sure it matches what you are looking for.
The FAQ is intended to only be one or two posts per device, and there’s usually a link to a discussion thread about that specific device. If you have any follow-up questions, either ask in the device specific thread or come back and ask here. Thanks!
If you are in the US, the most zwave popular option for this is probably the battery-powered Cooper aspire RF9575 “anyplace” switch. (Eaton is the company, Cooper is the division, and aspire is the model line. It could be listed under any of those three names.)
It comes in two different styles and several different colors. Make sure you match the model number as there is a different Mains powered switch that looks exactly the same. Shop around as prices vary, but here’s an example listing:
You can also get it in a “kit“ with one master switch and one of the battery powered auxiliaries.
Anyway, that’s a very popular option but there are some other choices as well. They are all listed in the FAQ.
