Lights off remotely

April 4, 2016 4:30 PM

We are looking for a reliable, fairly easy-to-install/use timer or remote control system for the light switch in our toddler's bedroom.

Often after we put our toddler down, she gets up and turns the lights back on. I don't mind this - she usually just quietly plays with some toys or looks through her books for a few minutes before going to sleep. What I do mind is that, because of an old door that is noisy despite our best efforts, it is difficult to go back into her room and turn the light back off without waking her up.

We do not wish to cover the light switch so that she cannot turn it on when she wants - she often entertains herself in her room after waking up and I don't want to make it impossible for her to flip through her books after a nap. We also do not want something that requires an internet connection for a variety of reasons.

She sleeps with her bedroom door closed, so any solution would need to work without having to open the door, because the noisy door wakes her up ~50% of the time. The door has been rehung, the hinges greased, but it still makes a loud click when it opens.

posted by palindromic to Home & Garden (9 answers total)

Get a simple remote designed for holiday tree or outdoor lights and use 2 remotes, wire up a lamp, the child will LOVE the effect and you can reverse the switching from outside.
posted by Freedomboy at 4:35 PM on April 4, 2016 [1 favorite]

I use the Phillips Hue. I use it so that it wakes me up with hospital lighting, and switches to ambient orange at night. But you can also turn it on and off with your phone.

If you use the light switch, it defaults to hospital lighting. So now I only operate my lights by phone. It's kinda ridiculous.
posted by politikitty at 4:39 PM on April 4, 2016

Wemo Light Switch. Both on & off at the switch and via the app. No need for a hub like other home automation systems.
posted by bluecore at 4:57 PM on April 4, 2016

Lutron has RF-based dimmers, like this one. I haven't used one of these (I have a whole home system), but the Lutron products I've used have been good. Lutron has a long track record in the lighting control space, so I trust them more than some of the newcomers (though I suppose for a single light switch, it's not as critical).
posted by primethyme at 4:58 PM on April 4, 2016

Phillips Hue and Wemo both use the internet, which I noticed you don't want.

Is the light switch attached to an outlet (connected to a lamp?) if so: Remote control outlet

If it's hardwired to room light, then: Remote Light Switch
posted by Karaage at 5:00 PM on April 4, 2016 [2 favorites]

> Phillips Hue and Wemo both use the internet, which I noticed you don't want.

We just got Philips Hue and whilst it requires a local WiFi network (so that the app on your phone can talk to the base station over WiFi), to the best of my knowledge it does not require an Internet connection or a Meet Hue account, unless you want to control it whilst you're away from home. So it might still fulfill OP's requirements.
posted by snap, crackle and pop at 6:33 PM on April 4, 2016

Wemo Light Switch.

Oops, sorry-- didn't notice you wanted to avoid an internet connection. Sorry about that.
posted by bluecore at 6:49 PM on April 4, 2016

Ceiling fans that use remote controls operate on RF, so you don't need line-of-sight for it to work.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 8:15 PM on April 4, 2016

I have the Etekcity Wireless Remote Control (on Amazon, sorry no link) for my bedroom lights and find them really convenient. The outlets are white so they don't stick out and the set I bought comes with two remotes. The remote works well through my thick wooden headboard, but if I'm too far away (across the master bedroom) the connection can be dodgy. I'd give her one remote (tape off the extra buttons with blue tape) and keep the other 3M Command velcro'd to the wall outside her room.
posted by PorcineWithMe at 4:20 AM on April 5, 2016 [1 favorite]