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I'm looking to install smart switches for my lighting. Since I have LED lights and 2-wire circuits to the switches (no neutral), I'm looking at wifi controlled remote relays - which I can find no problem.

However, all these switches seem to integrate with smartphone apps - not with something I can fix to the wall in each room. Is there a good reason that I can't find a physical switch that can be hooked into some sort of smart control system? Obviously if there exists something, I can route it via IFTTT to close the loop (and remember that I need some legacy lighting just in case the network goes down)

The closest I've found so far is a 433 MHz stick-on wall mount switch, and a 433MHz/WiFi relay - but I'm intrigued about why there is no existing product to meet this application.

To clarify one specific use case, my wired switches seem to often turn out to be where I want some furniture - so I'm primarily looking to re-locate the switch without doing any re-wiring (and also gain connectivity). Preferably a manufacturer who addresses the EU market.

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2 Answers 2

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If you want to go the DIY route then using sonoff relays with the MQTT firmware update then it would be pretty easy to make a esp8266 based wall switch that published on/off messages to control the relay directly or via something like Node-RED or OpenHab.

If you want an off the shelf product then most of the vendors for lighting normally skip the relay approach and go for direct control of the bulbs. Both Philips Hue and Ikea Tradfri have wall mountable controllers to put next to the existing switch that can control on/off, brightness and colour/colour temperature

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  • Vendors wanting tie-in for all of the value chain makes sense, but it doesn't explain why sonoff doesn't have a switch to source messages from.
    – Sean Houlihane
    Jul 1, 2018 at 22:27
  • Most likely, the sonoff was never intended as a consumer product
    – hardillb
    Jul 2, 2018 at 7:32
  • most (all?) sonoffs have a switch input, you just have to wire it yourself, but the GPIO is broken out to the row of programming contacts.
    – dandavis
    Jul 8, 2018 at 20:56
  • Even easier, the SonOff RF will bridge from a 433 MHz remote control to push messages so I can use off the shelf hardware, and battery powered transmitters.
    – Sean Houlihane
    Oct 10, 2018 at 10:48
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Belkin have their Wemo light switch, which replaces a standard wall switch and allows remote control of ceiling lights.

I haven't tried one, but I have the Wemo light bulbs and wireless sockets, and they work well with Home Assistant if you don't want to use Belkin's mobile app.

(You still have to do the initial setup with the app, but once it's connected to your network you can ditch the app for HA)

Edit: This answer mentions Bluetooth Low Energy switches which don't need batteries. I can't find them for sale online yet, though.

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    Belkin have totally pulled out of the lighting market and the light switch was only available in the US and will not work with European voltage or wiring schemes
    – hardillb
    Aug 1, 2018 at 21:30
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    This requires a neutral, so it's not quite what I need (and I wonder what the standby power is).... Sorry, forgot to mention I'm EU based.
    – Sean Houlihane
    Aug 1, 2018 at 21:39
  • @hardillb I had no idea, that's good to know, thanks! Also a shame, as I was interested in buying the light switch, but couldn't find it for sale anywhere in Europe
    – Aaron F
    Aug 2, 2018 at 8:15
  • @SeanHoulihane after posting my answer I read this answer which talks about Bluetooth Low Energy wall-mounted switches which don't require batteries, and therefore sound amazing! :-) Unfortunately I can't find them for sale online, and they don't have a distributor in the country I'm based, so have sent them an email to ask how I can get my hands on one...
    – Aaron F
    Aug 2, 2018 at 8:17
  • @AaronF - This market is taking it's time getting organised. Lots of testing to do for this sort of product though.
    – Sean Houlihane
    Aug 3, 2018 at 9:09

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