Home Automation in Switzerland - Page 11

22 yards · #**201** 30.05.2020, 17:06

	Quote:	Macer
	thanks for the details. I think welding is beyond my capability.

Any metal works/blacksmith would extend the spindle for you. It's a five-minute job.

EPMike · #**202** 02.06.2020, 10:23

May I ask what walll switch did you use for the Fibaro Jalousiensteuerung?
Thank you

	Quote:	drcpt
	Just as an update, a few months ago, I finally decided to go full in and install relays on all my window shutters. The only thing I'm still not able to do is to easily put a group/all in a horizontal position, but aside that, being able to close and open them on a schedule and via google home is really awesome. I wouldn't have been able to do the herculean task for physically installing the relays without Jose's help, so a big shout-out to him. I pre-setup the relays one by one, and he then patiently fulfilled the installation puzzle (not all places he installed the relay had that much space). He then helped me fully test the installation and troubleshoot the couple that were more reluctant to work. If you need any help for this kind of installation, I couldn't recommend him more.

maninwhitecoat · #**203** 06.06.2020, 12:34

	Quote:	Tom1234
	This thread has been a bit quiet recently so I thought I'd mention something I found the other day - for those interested. For all those who want some clever switches but want to keep the standard Feller wall switch look, Feller now do a four-way Philips Hue wall switch. It has no batteries, relying instead on kinetic energy to power. It can be used standalone or mounted alongside an existing Feller switch with a double base plate. It's not cheap but can be multi-function as holding one of the four switches rather than just pressing produces another state, as does pressing the top two together or the bottom two together. I'm using mine one with my home automation system, controlling a zigbee dimmer to dim the bathroom lights and operate the shutters. Ideas for combination button presses could be to start a shower timer for the kids which could flash the lights on and off when they've definitely spent too long in the shower. As a plus point , the new Philips Hue hub firmware supports Zigbee 3.0 protocol so I can use the Philips Hub as a Zigbee hub which is one less bit of hardware to buy.

Following on from this a little bit, replacing the existing switches. Have people used or heard of Sonoff? They have relays and all sorts of accessories, but I quite like their wall switches.
https://sonoff.tech/product-category...t-wall-swithes

Do you think the EU switches will be compatable with the switches here?

alanzed · #**204** 30.11.2020, 15:43

	Quote:	Macer
	I was wondering if anyone else was having fun automating their home with the Shelly Cloud switches: https://shelly.cloud/ As long as you have a neutral, and the wall switch/socket is within range of your wifi, they work a treat. They Definitely get a thumbs up from me.

Ciao.
I was looking at ways to keep the same light switch yet adding smart functions. At first I thought about the Shelly devices, but do they fit in the small hole behind the switch/plugs?

If so, which one of them would add the capability to be controlled via Zigbee?

Thanks for your help

Tom1234 · #**205** 30.11.2020, 17:12

	Quote:	alanzed
	Ciao. I was looking at ways to keep the same light switch yet adding smart functions. At first I thought about the Shelly devices, but do they fit in the small hole behind the switch/plugs? If so, which one of them would add the capability to be controlled via Zigbee? Thanks for your help

Sunricher make zigbee switches that get mounted behind the existing switch. They make dimmer/switch modules too to use with dimmable LED or halogen lamps.

They're also compatible with Philips Hue so can be controlled that way too.

29 CHF at the moment for the basic switches from Brack.ch

Funk-Schaltaktor ZigBee 3.0 400 W

alanzed · #**206** 30.11.2020, 17:39

	Quote:	Tom1234
	Sunricher make zigbee switches that get mounted behind the existing switch. They make dimmer/switch modules too to use with dimmable LED or halogen lamps. They're also compatible with Philips Hue so can be controlled that way too. 29 CHF at the moment for the basic switches from Brack.ch Funk-Schaltaktor ZigBee 3.0 400 W

Thanks. How is this different from the Shelly?
I do not have Hue or Alexa, but I guess this can be implemented in Home Automation. I have HA running in a raspberry with the Zigbee module.
Also does this require the "Live"? In some switches I may only have the neutral.

newtoswitz · #**207** 30.11.2020, 18:17

	Quote:	alanzed
	Thanks. How is this different from the Shelly? I do not have Hue or Alexa, but I guess this can be implemented in Home Automation. I have HA running in a raspberry with the Zigbee module. Also does this require the "Live"? In some switches I may only have the neutral.

If you have only the neutral then something is wrong with your wiring - it used to be considered OK to switch the neutral wire, but that hasn't been for a long time.

Having only a live wire is relatively common at the switches of multiway lighting circuits though.

alanzed · #**208** 30.11.2020, 18:21

	Quote:	newtoswitz
	If you have only the neutral then something is wrong with your wiring - it used to be considered OK to switch the neutral wire, but that hasn't been for a long time. Having only a live wire is relatively common at the switches of multiway lighting circuits though.

Yes, sorry, then must be only the "live" in the switch (I am not an electrician, sorry

).
And yes, this is probably part of a "multiway" (more than one switch operate the light), at least for some lights in my house.
Would this work?

Tom1234 · #**209** 30.11.2020, 19:15

	Quote:	alanzed
	Thanks. How is this different from the Shelly? .

Shelly is WLAN. The one I showed is zigbee.

	Quote:	alanzed
	I do not have Hue or Alexa, but I guess this can be implemented in Home Automation. I have HA running in a raspberry with the Zigbee module.

Yes. That would work.

	Quote:	alanzed
	Also does this require the "Live"? In some switches I may only have the neutral.

Every circuit needs a live and a return path (neutral). These modules need both.

For a multi-switch setup - you could put a zigbee module in every switch and control the switching in code.
This would be a bit messy.

alanzed · #**210** 04.12.2020, 14:50

What if I put the module in the ceiling light itself? This way I should be able to override the multi-switch complexity, right?

Tom1234 · #**211** 04.12.2020, 15:01

	Quote:	alanzed
	What if I put the module in the ceiling light itself? This way I should be able to override the multi-switch complexity, right?

If you were going to go down that path, you may as well just keep everything as it is and fit a Philips Hue or similar bulb and forget any switching module - the end result would be the same.

The problem with that though is that if someone turns off the lamp at one of the existing wall switches, you won't be able to use automation to turn it back on.

Is there a particular reason to want to automate it?

alanzed · #**212** 04.12.2020, 15:27

I already have 2x philips Hue bulbs (bluetooth) in one ceiling lamp, and other Yeelight in others.
What I would like to achieve is:
1) use the existing wall switches to turn them on and off
2) never cut the power off to the lamps, so that I can always control them from HomeAssistant.

I thought that adding e.g. a Shelly, I can keep the existing wall switch, and it would be the Shelly controlling a) the fact that the power never gets cut off; b) using the input from the wall switch only to toggle the status.
Additionally I thought that by putting the Shelly in the ceiling lamp, I would not have to find a complex way to control via code 2 different Shelly's in a multi-switch system.

Tom1234 · #**213** 04.12.2020, 16:33

	Quote:	alanzed
	I already have 2x philips Hue bulbs (bluetooth) in one ceiling lamp, and other Yeelight in others. What I would like to achieve is: 1) use the existing wall switches to turn them on and off 2) never cut the power off to the lamps, so that I can always control them from HomeAssistant. I thought that adding e.g. a Shelly, I can keep the existing wall switch, and it would be the Shelly controlling a) the fact that the power never gets cut off; b) using the input from the wall switch only to toggle the status. Additionally I thought that by putting the Shelly in the ceiling lamp, I would not have to find a complex way to control via code 2 different Shelly's in a multi-switch system.

If you have a permanent live and neutral in the ceiling above the lamp (it's possible one passes through (especially if it feeds a socket further on), then you could wire the module to that and the switched live from the switches to the switch input of the module.

That would work.

alanzed · #**214** 04.12.2020, 16:45

if it passes through, does it impact anything? my understanding is that power is anyway never cut off?

Tom1234 · #**215** 04.12.2020, 18:09

	Quote:	alanzed
	if it passes through, does it impact anything? my understanding is that power is anyway never cut off?

It is cut off to a lamp - otherwise the lamp would could not be turned off.

I don't want you to get out of your depth here so don't really want to get into details but you definitely shouldn't do anything you are not 100% certain of with mains electricity.

alanzed · #**216** 04.12.2020, 18:13

Ahah, appreciate the worry.
I have been dealing with these type of things throughout my life so it should not be an issue but I see where you are coming from.
My flat has been heavily refurbished 3 years back but the electrical system was probably not touched: one day I wanted to make a change in the kitchen and I could not understand why the motorized blinds in the opposite side of the house were not working anymore, so yes, I agree with you that I could mess up with things, also because the system is old and complex.
I will see if I give it a try.

Thanks a lot!