ID this (smart?) wall switch?

April 29, 2020 8:11 AM

I just moved into a new place with what appears to be a smart lightswitch. Naturally, no documentation/manuals are available. There doesn't appear to be any manufacturer info visible. Can anyone by chance ID it?
posted by entropicamericana to Technology (8 answers total)

Is it this Lesim?
posted by Candleman at 8:22 AM on April 29, 2020 [1 favorite]

You should be able to pull it out of the wall and see what it is. I assume the trim plate can probably be pried off (since there don't appear to be any screws).
posted by kindall at 8:54 AM on April 29, 2020

What does it seem to do, if anything? Is there something else in your new place that is similar or may be part of it?
posted by TDIpod at 11:29 AM on April 29, 2020

Best answer: This one looks right, though honestly with Aliexpress you will never find the true manufacturer; that sort of thing is typically sold by 100 storefronts. If you care, it probably isn’t UL listed, though you can check that by looking at it after removing it from the wall (after turning off the breaker).

Likely that’s the same one as the Amazon link above. The sellers seem to use Amazon, ship from China in the same way (telltale: two month out delivery time) and charge some significant multiple of the price. Hopefully one of the manufacturer names gets you to the app you’re looking for, but they tend to be quite creative with them. (Edit: ok, that seller has stock in the US. Nice. Also, the aliexpress listing refers to the ‘smartlife’ app in one of the images.)
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 7:20 PM on April 29, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Yikes, no UL listing is a big deal. So is a lack of HomeKit support. Looks like I'll be bumping the Lutron Casetas up on my purchase list. Thanks!
posted by entropicamericana at 9:20 AM on April 30, 2020

Actually, I see it is ETL/Intertek listed according to the image on that listing, so you might be good - OSHA approves Intertek testing the same as UL. If you're going to be paranoid you would check that that's real (as in: also on the Intertek site) versus just printed on there with no backing. Check to see if your switch also has the ETL logo.

And look, the model number KS-602 on the switch gets me a manual!
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 12:58 PM on May 1, 2020

Well, I found a record on the Intertek site, which on a cursory examination seems like the right one - but it's your house so do your own due diligence. (And this still doesn't get you HomeKit compatibility.)
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 1:03 PM on May 1, 2020

Response by poster: Damn, man. You saved the day. I had an electrician out to replace a breaker that home inspection found and do some other things and when I had him swap out the switch you were right—it did indeed not have a UL listing on it. The exterior area light it controlled had a melted photocell and the light itself wasn't in much better shape. Replaced it with a motion-detecting LED fixture.

You saved the day, How much is that froggie in the window!
posted by entropicamericana at 5:14 PM on May 22, 2020