They both allow you to control the device remotely using your Smartphone or Voice Assistant. It doesn’t make sense to have a Smart Switch connected to a Smart Light because they both provide roughly the same benefits. How does a Smart Switch work with Smart Lights?Ī Smart Light connected to a Smart Switch will work, but I’m not sure why you would want it to. Here’s a solid video to give you a better idea. Youtube is a fantastic resource for getting installation right. You might also run into differences in wiring, as not all houses have the same wiring setup. Installation requires turning off power in your home and specific tools to ensure the power is really turned off for the specific socket you’re working on. As such, make sure you can actually install it before making the plunge in purchasing. Smart Switches are more difficult to install than a Smart Plug or a Smart Light. How do you install a Smart Switch?Īs hinted at above, installing a Smart Switch is likely the largest hurdle you’ll run into. You’re likely to get more value from a single Smart Switch than a Smart Light. Generally, you can expect to pay about $50 dollars for a Smart Switch with a single knob.
Smart Switches are a bit more expensive than Smart Lights and Smart Plugs. This issue becomes really important once you move past the early phase of a Smart Home and launch into the Home Automation phase. Make sure your Voice Assistant and other devices are compatible with the Smart Switch before purchasing. Similar to other smart devices, a Smart Switch doesn’t always support the ecosystem you have. If you can’t trust it, it’s not worth much once you get to more advanced setups.
If you do buy a Smart Switch that doesn’t support 3-Way, your Smart Switch will tell you that it’s on, when it’s really not. Just make sure you get the right Smart Switch, because not all Smart Switches support this functionality. Smart Switches support 3-Way Switch configurations, too. This kind of configuration is called a 3-Way Switch. For example, in my home, I have one stairway light that is controlled by both a switch at the bottom of the stairs and a switch at the top. In your home, you might have two seperate switches that control the same light. The Smart Switch needs to blend in with the rest of the devices in your home, so it’s important to find a style that blends in with the rest of your existing Switches.įirst, let’s talk about what a 3-Way Switch is. You wouldn’t want one that sticks out like a sore thumb. Switches are one of the more visible and used appliances in a home. If it can’t be turned on and off, it’s not really a switch, right? This is required functionality. Smart Switches let you control the switch on your wall from your Smartphone or your Voice Assistant, thereby giving you full access to control whatever appliance the switch is connected to-usually a light–even if it’s not a smart device. I think they are one of the most useful smart device categories out there, despite having a potentially tricky installation. First and foremost, Smart Switches are pretty awesome. Now that we know what normal switches are, let’s talk about the smart device variant of them. There are several variations of a switch: you might have one with multiple knobs or you might have a light that is connected to multiple ones, called a 3-Way Switch or your switch might even be able to change the brightness on the light it’s connected to, as well.įor some more information, check out this explanation of wall switch configurations. Sometimes it controls devices in a separate room, like a switch beside your front door that controls the lights outside. Typically, a switch is connected to devices like overhead lights or wall plugs near the switch itself. It has some number of knobs, or toggle buttons, that control a nearby device. A switch is an appliance that’s embedded into the wall of your home.
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