6 ms·

My plea / request : Make a home assistant a DROP IN replacement for a standard light switch. It has power, its adds functionality from the get-go (smart lightin

My plea / request : Make a home assistant a DROP IN replacement for a standard light switch. It has power, its adds functionality from the get-go (smart lighting), it’s placed in a convenient position for the room and no extra wires etc required.

Carrok 2y ago
Look at Shelly light switches.
- NegativeK 2y ago
  Agreed. They sell UL rated models, have an option for cloud connectivity but zero requirement, your switch still works if the Shelly loses connectivity with whatever home automation server you have, and it's a small box that you wire in behind the switch.
  - Carrok 2y ago
    They also make drop in replacement dimmer switches. Even easier than the small box style. https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-plus-wall-dimmer https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-plus-wall-dimmer
- timdiggerm 2y ago
  You've misunderstood what they're asking for. They're asking for Home Assistant hardware (microphone, speaker, wifi) that, instead of being a standalone box taking up space on the counter/table/etc, fits into the hole in the hall where they currently have a lightswitch.
  - Carrok 2y ago
    I guess I did misunderstand, because that request seems strange to me. I’m assuming they have more than one switch. Which one should have Home Assistant on it? Seems like an odd deployment strategy. A pi isn’t that big..
    - hn92726819 2y ago
      No I don't think that's it either. Home assistant runs on a server somewhere still. What the top level comment is asking for, completely unrelated to the article mind you, is to have a smart device in the form factor of a light switch that you can hook into your home assistant system. The problem they likely have (I have it too) is that you set HA up and it can control smart plugs, smart thermostats, etc, but it can't control 99% of the existing lights in your house because they are wired to dumb lightswitches. Instead of some mechanical finger flicking a switch or something, why not uninstall the existing light switch and replace it with a smart one.
      - Carrok 2y ago
        So my original comment was not a misunderstanding. They are smart switch drop in replacements.
        hn92726819 2y ago
        Yeah, you're right. That is a weird request then, or I don't understand it either. I didn't realize something like [1] goes inside your switch. I was expecting a switch with a faceplate combined. 1: https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-1-gen3 https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-1-gen3
        Carrok 2y ago
        They also make what you’re describing.
        chipsa 2y ago
        I use Lutron Caseta switches for my smart switches.
    - moffkalast 2y ago
      Not the home assistant controller, but a peripheral. A light switch you can toggle manually or through the assistant. I think the problem with this setup is that it needs to be wifi connected, and if you embed an esp32 inside a wall it will get exactly zero signal. Maybe with external antennas hidden in the switch outer case.
  - ragmondo 2y ago
    Yes - exactly this. If there are multiple needed, then some can be smarter/ more capable than others, but this removes the “just another box and cable(s)” issue.
throwaway4220 2y ago
Would a zigbee or z wave switch fit your needs? It’s “offline” but does need a hub
sirtaj 2y ago
The now 8-year-old blog post titled "Perfect Home Automation"[1] on the HA website agrees with you from the first heading, and is borne out by my personal experience too. Nobody in your house should need to retrain to do things they are already doing. 1. https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2016/01/19/perfect-home-automation/ https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2016/01/19/perfect-home-a...

Carrok 2y ago

Look at Shelly light switches.

NegativeK 2y ago
Agreed. They sell UL rated models, have an option for cloud connectivity but zero requirement, your switch still works if the Shelly loses connectivity with whatever home automation server you have, and it's a small box that you wire in behind the switch.
- Carrok 2y ago
  They also make drop in replacement dimmer switches. Even easier than the small box style. https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-plus-wall-dimmer https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-plus-wall-dimmer
timdiggerm 2y ago
You've misunderstood what they're asking for. They're asking for Home Assistant hardware (microphone, speaker, wifi) that, instead of being a standalone box taking up space on the counter/table/etc, fits into the hole in the hall where they currently have a lightswitch.
- Carrok 2y ago
  I guess I did misunderstand, because that request seems strange to me. I’m assuming they have more than one switch. Which one should have Home Assistant on it? Seems like an odd deployment strategy. A pi isn’t that big..
  - hn92726819 2y ago
    No I don't think that's it either. Home assistant runs on a server somewhere still. What the top level comment is asking for, completely unrelated to the article mind you, is to have a smart device in the form factor of a light switch that you can hook into your home assistant system. The problem they likely have (I have it too) is that you set HA up and it can control smart plugs, smart thermostats, etc, but it can't control 99% of the existing lights in your house because they are wired to dumb lightswitches. Instead of some mechanical finger flicking a switch or something, why not uninstall the existing light switch and replace it with a smart one.
    - Carrok 2y ago
      So my original comment was not a misunderstanding. They are smart switch drop in replacements.
      - hn92726819 2y ago
        Yeah, you're right. That is a weird request then, or I don't understand it either. I didn't realize something like [1] goes inside your switch. I was expecting a switch with a faceplate combined. 1: https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-1-gen3 https://us.shelly.com/products/shelly-1-gen3
        Carrok 2y ago
        They also make what you’re describing.
        chipsa 2y ago
        I use Lutron Caseta switches for my smart switches.
  - moffkalast 2y ago
    Not the home assistant controller, but a peripheral. A light switch you can toggle manually or through the assistant. I think the problem with this setup is that it needs to be wifi connected, and if you embed an esp32 inside a wall it will get exactly zero signal. Maybe with external antennas hidden in the switch outer case.
- ragmondo 2y ago
  Yes - exactly this. If there are multiple needed, then some can be smarter/ more capable than others, but this removes the “just another box and cable(s)” issue.

throwaway4220 2y ago

Would a zigbee or z wave switch fit your needs? It’s “offline” but does need a hub

sirtaj 2y ago

The now 8-year-old blog post titled "Perfect Home Automation"[1] on the HA website agrees with you from the first heading, and is borne out by my personal experience too. Nobody in your house should need to retrain to do things they are already doing. 1. https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2016/01/19/perfect-home-automation/ https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2016/01/19/perfect-home-a...