Smart light switches....that look like normal light switches?

rG-tom

rG-tom

rG-tom

Soldato
Joined
27 Nov 2004
Posts
10,340
Location
North Beds
Hi all,

I have moved most of my lamps to either smart plugs or bulbs now, and would absolutely love to do the same to the ceiling lights. I have absolutely no interest in replacing all of the bulbs with smart bulbs, the cost is really prohibitive. And the only thing i want to be able to control is the on or off state.

I have bought this

https://sonoff.tech/product/diy-smart-switch/minir2/

to try but they're way too big to fit behind my light switches even for single gang switches, let alone if I needed four to control 4 set of lights (like in my kitchen).

Most smart switches look truly terrible. I just want something that looks like a "normal" light switch like this, but appreciate it'd have to momentary switches rather than ones that stay up/down:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/schneide...shed-stainless-steel-with-black-inserts/124ff


This is the closest i can find but i don't need the dimming, and would prefer single switches. Also, £200 is an absolute joke...

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lightwave-4-gang-2-way-led-smart-dimmer-switch-stainless-steel/322ht

Am I missing something? There's smart sockets galore that look normal, why not smart switches?

Cheers,
 
I'm fairly sure it's to do with the lack of a neutral wire in most UK wiring circuits. As such they're not overly common as they wouldn't work.
 
Martynt74 said:
I'm fairly sure it's to do with the lack of a neutral wire in most UK wiring circuits. As such they're not overly common as they wouldn't work.
Click to expand...

My house actually has common wires into each switch so not an issue (the sonoff one worked perfectly but just doesn't fit), but there are absolutely loads of plastic / futuristic looking ones, just none that look like normal light switches!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B096XNG...abc_FYPG2GDZEN65A5SSB5J1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Example, they do multigang ones so would be ideal but they look a bit pants....
 
wonko said:
Could you put the sonoff switch at the light fitting end? Alternatively, could you install deeper back boxes? (plastic would be better for the RF transmission)

I've got Hue around the house, and have been wondering about the lounge ceiling lights which Hue bulbs won't fit. The best options I've found are one of these with new dimmable bulbs:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B091HP42S8 or https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samotech®-Zigbee-Retrofit-Compatible-Philips/dp/B08MY7K8KK
Click to expand...

The neutral/common doesn't go to the fittings only the switch, and they're all spotlights anyway. I have ~150 spotlights throughout the house, so changing bulbs is out of the question.

Deeper back box is a possibility I guess. It's just so weird that there appears to be no technical reason for "normal" looking smart switches to not exist, they just don't.
 
Last edited:
rG-tom said:
The neutral/common doesn't go to the fittings only the switch, and they're all spotlights anyway. I have ~150 spotlights throughout the house, so changing bulbs is out of the question.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, I've got no neutral at the switch, so could use the existing cable to the rose for momentary switches if needed.

rG-tom said:
Deeper back box is a possibility I guess. It's just so weird that there appears to be no technical reason for "normal" looking smart switches to exist, they just don't.
Click to expand...
Yep, frustrating isn't it. With Hue, the best I came up with was to permanently power the lights in the back box, put a flat metal blanking plate over the top (painted wall colour) and then use a Hue smart switch on that.
 
I know you said changing all the bulbs is out of the question but I've been really impressed with the Aone range, I was in the same boat as you and opted for traditional switches but with some app/remote control over some rooms and will change out the bulbs in the future, the latest Aone's require no hub or additional wiring and can be grouped together per room via the app or remote. They also do a range of traditional looking Dimmers/switches but they require their bulbs.
 
rG-tom said:
Hi all,

I have moved most of my lamps to either smart plugs or bulbs now, and would absolutely love to do the same to the ceiling lights. I have absolutely no interest in replacing all of the bulbs with smart bulbs, the cost is really prohibitive. And the only thing i want to be able to control is the on or off state.

I have bought this

https://sonoff.tech/product/diy-smart-switch/minir2/

to try but they're way too big to fit behind my light switches even for single gang switches, let alone if I needed four to control 4 set of lights (like in my kitchen).

Most smart switches look truly terrible. I just want something that looks like a "normal" light switch like this, but appreciate it'd have to momentary switches rather than ones that stay up/down:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/schneide...shed-stainless-steel-with-black-inserts/124ff


This is the closest i can find but i don't need the dimming, and would prefer single switches. Also, £200 is an absolute joke...

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lightwave-4-gang-2-way-led-smart-dimmer-switch-stainless-steel/322ht

Am I missing something? There's smart sockets galore that look normal, why not smart switches?

Cheers,
Click to expand...

Have a look at a Shelly 1, or sonoff do a similar one. They're essentially just a relay so you can control the bulb regardless of the position of the switch.
 
Semple said:
Have a look at a Shelly 1, or sonoff do a similar one. They're essentially just a relay so you can control the bulb regardless of the position of the switch.
Click to expand...

I have the sonoff, which iirc is the smallest of these devices, but they're too big to fit behind even the single gang switches let alone the 4 gang ones :(
 
rG-tom said:
That's my point, but i don't understand why it doesn't exist, plain brushed steel switches are the most common type of "normal" light switch, why has nobody made smart ones?

within 20 seconds of googling for the same thing for plug sockets i found this:

https://www.electricalcounter.co.uk/products/Switches+&+Sockets/Decorative+Switches+&+Sockets/Knightsbridge/Knightsbridge+Screwless/Brushed+Chrome/Brushed+Chrome+&+Grey+Smart+2+Gang+13A+Switched+Socket+w/+2x+USB+2.4A/854847367
Click to expand...
Those aren't actually smart devices though.

White rectangular is the most common type of normal light switch by several orders of magnitude I'm sure.
 
Is it possible that metal faceplates tend to cause RF reception problems, so most manufacturers go with plastic?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom