Wirelessly switching an outlet from another outlet

February 21, 2016 2:59 PM

I have an outlet in a room that is controlled with a light switch. I want another outlet in the room to also be switched by that same light switch. Is there a product I can plug into the switched outlet that will send a signal to a device plugged into the non-switched outlet to turn it on and off? Think this but switched by an outlet and not a remote.
posted by bajema to Home & Garden (3 answers total)

The cheapest and simplest is something like this, which is essentially the same thing you linked, but the remote is designed to replace a wall switch. You'd have to wire the old outlet to be always on and add another receiver to both outlets if you wanted it also on the same switch. At the higher end, there are dozens of systems to control appliances from various switches -- WeMo being the most well-known and easy to implement.
posted by Lame_username at 5:06 PM on February 21, 2016

Just as an aside, all general wall outlets with two plugs can be separated internally so that one can be wired as switched while the other can wired as always on.
posted by ptm at 5:19 PM on February 21, 2016

I actually use those several of those Etekcity remote switches you linked to do something similar in an apartment I was renting since I didn't want to mess with the wiring. Even though they look cheap, they actually work surprisingly well. They take grounded 3-prong plugs, which is nice (because a lot of cheaper x-mas tree light switches only take 2-prong plugs). You can also re-program them easily so you could have one on/off on the remote control multiple outlets if you wanted to. I was trying to do something similar to what you are doing, but I ended up just using that and then attaching the little remote to the wall next to my switch (I put a magnet on the back and stuck it to the doorframe). There is a set on Amazon that comes with 5 outlets and two remotes for a little more than what you linked to.

I also use Belkin Wemo Switches for a few other things. I use the ones that look like an outlet, but they also make a light switch that you can replace your current switch. You can use IFTTT with these, and set up exactly what you are trying to do (though there would be a slight delay). On IFTTT, you can set the switch as the trigger and then you can select specific switches or all of your switches to turn on or off, etc. I used to have mine set up to do exactly what you mentioned: I could get in to bed and turn off the lamp with the switch right next to me, and then it would turn off all the other switches.
posted by This_Will_Be_Good at 10:35 PM on February 21, 2016