Is there a panel I can fit over a light switch so I can SmartHome it?

June 21, 2021 10:37 AM

I have an old EchoShow, and I rather enjoy using Alexa to turn lights on/off, fans on/off, and that sort of thing. But I rent, and I don't want to mess with the existing light switches. So I was thinking... is there some sort of a mechanism I can control via wifi that can turn on/off the regular light switch? That I basically snap/stick onto an existing light switch?

And by switch, I mean "toggle" switch, not the flatter "rocker" switch.

After extensive research, the only thing I found that was CLOSE was this, which has its OWN remote, and not WiFi. It basically gives you remote control of a light switch.

And this, which requires a quite expensive hub

Alternatively, I can add this "remote button pusher" onto that 1st remote switch. However, this remote button pusher ALSO requires a hub, albeit, a much cheaper hub ($28) which is apparently also an IR blaster (for IR remote), not that I need such.

Is there a hubless version of the switch toggler?

posted by kschang to Computers & Internet (16 answers total)

An easier approach might be to use internet connected lightbulbs (Hue, etc) and smart plugs, so you keep the switch in the "on" position and the bulb or smart plug handles the connectivity. Not sure if there's anything you can use for ceiling fans but for regular plug-in fans or lights that should work fine. Just hold on to the old bulbs and swap back out before you leave.

(Hue bulbs do require a hub, not sure about other brands. I have some random smart plugs that don't require a hub but I only use their branded app to control to program timing; I don't use Alexa/etc so not sure how they would integrate with that. )
posted by misskaz at 10:50 AM on June 21, 2021 [11 favorites]

What solution has worked for me, is to use smart plugs plugged into lamps. I mean, in most rooms I use lamps more than overhead lights anyway. This especially works well for living room lights, and bedside lights.

I usually buy the cheapo 4-pack of round looking plugs for about $50 on Amazon that don't require a hub. We're up to 12 of them now.
posted by bbqturtle at 11:15 AM on June 21, 2021 [2 favorites]

I wondered the same thing, and then my neighbor in the apartments solved this by replacing all their bulbs with smart bulbs. (At the same time, he also solved the problem of his adult kids leaving all the lights on... lol.)

I've been meaning to do it to at least SOME of ours. Thank you for reminding me.
posted by stormyteal at 11:24 AM on June 21, 2021

This absolutely exists, and it's much more pleasant to be able to choose to either use the switch or your smart home setup; smart bulbs mean you can't depend on your switches doing what you expect them to do.

I googled "smart mechanical light switch", and got this from Switchmate, but there are a bunch of products in the category.
posted by sagc at 11:27 AM on June 21, 2021 [2 favorites]

Lutron Aurora.
posted by primethyme at 11:28 AM on June 21, 2021

Response by poster: @misskaz, @bbqturtle -- my fault, I forgot to mention the switch turns on overhead fluorescent lights.

@sagc -- alas, SwitchMate requires a $95 hub, which I actually did link to... at least ONE listing said it required a Wink hub... And reviews are pretty abysmal. :-\ Another listing says no hub needed (Huh?) and reviews are equally abysmal. :-\ May have been different revisions of the product?

@primethyme -- not quite. That's a dimmer retrofit. All it does is lock the switch in ON position. It doesn't mechanically flip the switch.
posted by kschang at 11:56 AM on June 21, 2021

Unfortunately, with the setup you've described, for that particular set of lights, you'll need to either install a smart light switch (and remove when you leave) or deal with flipping it.

One last hail mary - sometimes fluorescent lights are plugged into a normal outlet at some point. Either in their box, or above a drop ceiling, or even within the walls. This is especially common in workshops / when they are exposed. If that's the case, you could potentially but a smart plug between the plug and the outlet!
posted by bbqturtle at 12:22 PM on June 21, 2021 [1 favorite]

It's worth noting that replacing a light switch requires 5 minutes and a screwdriver. (And another 5 minutes when you move out.) I'd naively guess replacing the switch plate will take a lot less effort than the time spent searching for a mechanical switch flipper and robustly connecting it to a random existing switch.
posted by eotvos at 1:13 PM on June 21, 2021 [2 favorites]

I don't think you're going to find something that doesn't require a hub for reliable integration with Alexa. And while that Switchmate hub is expensive, it's not much more expensive than the hubs you'll need for industry-standard smart light set-ups (Hue, Caseta). I agree with eotvos that replacing a light switch is easy; it also doesn't require drilling any new holes so when you move out you can put in the old switches and leave things as you found them. A caveat, though: only attempt this if you have access to the circuit breakers.
posted by mr_roboto at 1:28 PM on June 21, 2021

Response by poster: That SwitchMate thing has horrible reviews. Apparently latest firmware eliminated need for Wink Hub, but also made integration flaky. The reviews are either 1 star or 5 stars. WTF.

I have access to the circuit breakers. I just prefer NOT to work on electricity (bad experience from childhood, hahaha).
posted by kschang at 1:36 PM on June 21, 2021

So... search for one with better reviews? That's why I tried to provide search terms for the category of products you're describing.
posted by sagc at 2:37 PM on June 21, 2021 [2 favorites]

Best answer: I think some of the confusion between "hub required" and "no hub required" (aside from the usual Tom Waits-ness of large print giveth, and small print taketh away) is the distinction between being able to flip the switch with an app (no hub!) or with Alexa/voice control (probably hub?).

I presumed from your description that voice control is the killer app. If you're not married to voice control, I think there's cheaper options. Reddit recommended this switch which comes with its own hub for $36.
posted by adekllny at 3:42 PM on June 21, 2021 [1 favorite]

I solved this with smart bulbs in my apartment; my setup was to basically get a Phillips Hue starter kit and some switches that I stuck next to the old light-switch. Not quite as elegant since it doesn't cover the switch, but it works.
posted by Aleyn at 8:30 PM on June 21, 2021

Response by poster: Thanks for the feedback, folks.

@sagc -- searching for alternatives are quite difficult with Amazon which has bajillion variations of the same products (multipacks of different qtys) not to mention virtually identical products from multiple manufacturers. I think I scanned through at least 10 pages of products before giving up, but adekllny gave me a lead for another one.

@adekllny -- ah, that's something that hadn't surfaced during my search. Thanks for the link. Alas, the hub/switch combo is NOT available in the US store. Switch is available, but hub is out of stock. But it also says "compatible with Alexa"... Then goes on to show various Echo models EXCEPT my Gen1 Echo Show. *sigh*

I think what that means is Amazon had included in the later generations of Echo a Zigbee hub, which is NOT present on the Gen 1 Echo Show. So I probably need a hub.

And yes, I can see that the hub adds the voice assistant capability. And yes, I do consider that the killer app. And I only really use Alexa. I wonder if I should just wait, or get a third-party Zigbee hub... Given that this isn't discounted for PrimeDay, I guess I'll wait for the hub to become available and see if I can find a combo deal.

OR... I can order the switch today, which will work with the app, but no voice control, and maybe add the hub later if I still really want the voice control.

@Aleyn -- thanks for the explanation. However, as explained earlier in an amendment, the switch goes to a tubed fluorescent light fixture that's not compatible with smart bulbs (I have two Wyze RGB smart bulbs I'm trying to use myself)
posted by kschang at 1:44 AM on June 22, 2021

Honestly, it kind of sounds like you should bite the bullet and go with smart switches. If you are willing to educate yourself on youtube, and learn a bit about electric safety, it sure does sound like the best solution for you over these low-quality gizmos. If you were really worried, you could hire an electrician, but have him walk you through the steps of safety and how do DIY in the future. I've never met a tradesman that minded showing you what they were doing while explaining why.
posted by bbqturtle at 10:08 AM on June 22, 2021

The hub is less about voice control and more about the type of radio control. If the protocol the devices use is Z Wave or Zigbee (crap data rate but extended reach) you will need a hub, but hubs can be $40 if you can find a device that will work with hubs from other people (which, I believe, includes Hue). If the device is natively WiFi then no hub is required, and it will call home to a manufacturer's server, which may or may not have Alexa integration. (Hubs do the same, generally - call home to a manufacturer server - but only the hub calls home, not the devices.)

I use WiFi devices and the ones I've bought (various makes) all work with Alexa, but I've use smart sockets and switch replacements - if you went down either path I've found Kasa to have a good lineup for sane money, but I've never tried to add an over-switch widget and I don't think they do that.

For the monetary differences and considering the minimal effort involved it might be worth costing up an electrician or handyman.
posted by How much is that froggie in the window at 6:24 PM on June 22, 2021