I am looking for a smart switch with quite a lot of requirements which I’m finding tricky to shop for and I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions of products or alternative solutions to what I’m trying to do.
Downstairs I have a ‘dumb’ triple light switch (like this) which controls the outdoor porch light, the downstairs hallway light, and the upstairs hallway light. The upstairs hallway light is in a 2 way configuration, with the second switch being a single gang switch upstairs.
I would like a way to control all three lights from home assistant (using zigbee2mqtt), while retaining the ability to control all lights from the switches even when home assistant / zigbee network goes down (which removes the option of replacing the upstairs switch with a smart switch that can control the main switch via automations). A bonus would be to be able to dim the hallway lights, or at least the upstairs lights. My current ideas are:
Solution 1: find a 3 gang, 2 way zigbee switch to install in place of the current switch
Solution 2: use a 3 gang ‘dumb’ switch in combination with zigbee light relays - could use a 2 gang one in the downstairs switch and a 1 gang 2 way one in the upstairs switch
Solution 3: get an electrician in to separate the porch light and move it closer to the front door on a single switch, then I would need to find a 1 gang switch for that, and a 2 gang 2 way switch for the upstairs/downstairs hallway lights.
To add to the challenge, it is an old house with 25mm deep back boxes, so smaller depth smart switches are preferable - but I have accepted that I will probably need to get an electrician in to make the back boxes deeper.
Downstairs I have a ‘dumb’ triple light switch (like this) which controls the outdoor porch light, the downstairs hallway light, and the upstairs hallway light. The upstairs hallway light is in a 2 way configuration, with the second switch being a single gang switch upstairs.
So only 1 gang on the switch is on a 2 way wiring? Just to clarify
Yes correct, only the upstairs light is in a a 2 way configuration. the downstairs hall light and porch light are only 1 way.
A couple questions for the 2 way switch with the zbmini:
- can the existing 2 way wiring not be reused or will I need an electrician for this?
- can this be done with the zbmini in the upstairs wall switch, with one gang of the downstairs switch being wired to this for the two way configuration.
Yes, you will be reusing the existing 2 way wiring.
If you don’t intend to add the extra live wire, then you’ll need to change your 3 gang switch to a momentary type or convert one of them to momentary
FYI - that is not a 3 gang. A 3 gang is a box wide enough for 3 standard decora switches. Those a 3 switches in a single gang.
An alternative is to look at LightwaveRf.com they are expensive but they have regular discounts/sales and are bound to have something for Black Friday weekend. I use them and the integration in HA works a treat. They have an optional spacer you can use to gain a little bit more depth for all the electrical magic. The lighting starter bundle is often sold at half price.