Hello folks! I have these switches in my bathroom.
The rightmost is the lights, and the middle one is the bathroom fan, and I’d like to replace that middle one with something I could load tasmota on (or some other open source firmware), without replacing the other switch, the sockets, or the faceplate.
I haven’t seen any smart switches that have a form factor that would fit through this faceplate, though; they seem to mostly want to be the entire electrical box.
If it weren’t for the electrical plugs I could maybe replace this with some kind of 2-gang thing, which isn’t really what I want but could be fine, but as it stands I’m not sure what my options here are.
I don’t need the new switch to necessarily look like the old one, I just want it to fit in the same box and use the same faceplate. Do you folks have any recommendations?
Plates are cheap. That’s the wrong hill to die on. Find your switch that fits a single gang space and get a plate that fits it. If your switch exists it was made to fit one of the standard plate holes.
Possibly - I think Zooz zwave has a toggle switch that could fit, however it will be a different style (and probably not the off-white colour). I don’t know if there’s a wifi that could work.
You need a decora style outlet and switches. They all have the same large rectangular opening. All the Caseta wireless switches use that style. Not sure on open source options.
Anyway, then you can use a standard three-gang decora faceplate. No need to replace the box.
Also make sure that outlet is GFCI while you’re at it.
This right here is the answer. The fact that you have an outlet means you also have a neutral. That guarantees that you can use literally any Smart Switch you want.
Just replace the outlet with a decora style outlet, install two Smart switches, and put a three gang decora wall plate on. And you’re done.
In addition, this Leviton ZigBee switch does 15A and it works with HA Yellow. It’s got your standard NA certifications and you know, it’s Leviton.
Another option would be to rework the box/plate to a 2-gang or a 3-gang with one blind; short the fan leads to supply current at all times; put a smart plug in-between the fan and the power line. My bathroom fan has a small outlet that it connects to so I stuck a Hue switch directly in-between and removed the switch from the wall and replaced the plate with a 2-gang with a single opening. I also have a booster fan that was hardwired. I spilt the wiring, terminated it in a 1-gang box with an outlet. Terminated the fan cable with a plug. Added a smart plug in-between.
You know… I hadn’t even noticed that outlet wasn’t GFCI… Ha!
Ok, you (and everyone else in thread) are right, the idea of rewiring the whole box wasn’t appealing to me, but if I’m being objective it’s actually not that much work and is probably less money overall than the smart switch itself.
Thanks folks, for shaking the blinders off me!
Not sure where you are at but a new faceplate is like $2 max. You can get one that is double outlet one big box and one tiny slot for the switch it you want. You can also opt to replace the other switch as well with a sea saw switch that is in a box shape as well for like $5.
There are options.
Way back I had replaced some of mine with Wemos before they went cloud based. I did exactly this, replaced the faceplate for like $1.50 and was set.
Do you have a tasmota switch in mind already?
Leviton and probably others make modular switch plate covers so you can mix and match any combination you need.
Say what. Do you have a link? I tried finding them and failed.
I think I found them. They seem to be called “sectional” wall plates. Here’s an example that could let OP replace the middle switch with a decora while keeping the left and right as-is.
The ones I know of are at Home Depot . I searched “modular” but the listing’s didn’t seem to have any useful keywords. Also from what I was finding on the site the collection online is not very expansive. I have a switch plate at work that those could be useful for. I has to be a dozen switches wide.
