Hi All, I’m keen to get some inwall switch(converting a traditional light switch).
What I’ve read is that if the switch isn’t a certain classification that it won’t update directly on the HA interface.
Does anyone gave any recommendation for an Australian audience?
Not sure if these are suitable?
I have several Aeotec Nano and Dual Nano switches installed now. I had to update the devices to the latest firmware, otherwise they wouldn’t work properly at all. Also, I had to manually configure the external switch mode to “2-state switch” (they are connected to a standard wall on/off switch), because auto-detection wasn’t working for me.
The switches do update their status in HA, but for a period of ~3 seconds from switching the physical button or switching in the HA user interface the status is a bit in flux; meaning, the switch in HA sometimes switches back and forth until it settles on the correct state. I don’t think that this is specific to an Australian installation.
What you want to have a quick look at is if your wall switches have a neutral wire nearby; the Aeotec switches - and I believe it’s the same for the Fibaros - require live and neutral to be powered. If neutral is missing you may want to check with your electrician how easy it is to run a neutral wire to that light switch. Involving an electrician is the Australian-specific recommendation 
Thankyou for taking the time to respond.
I suppose my biggest concern is the impact that not having the instant update occurring will have. I’m completely new to this thing, I’ve got a Roomba, wemo power point and one hue light bulb. So I have enough to build a Proof of Concept however I’m just buying a new house and wanting to get it converted over to SMART.
At this point I’m trying to figure out what the most reliable in wall switches that convert a normal light circuit into a smart circuit, would be. Seems like in AUS we really only have, Fibaro, Aeotec, Vera and maybe DHS, they all appear to not have the “Control” command class as per the below article.
So some questions, am I worried about nothing and should I just got the Aeotec or Fibaro switches?
Do you need to change the physical wall switch rockers to the bush button type switch? Or is this purely optional.
With the 3 second of stabilising does this cause issue from an end user experience perspective, I need to get this one passed the wife and it would be terrible if i spend all this money and then have an unstable solution.
I’ve kept the standard rocker switches for now. I’d say replacing them with touch panels is optional. Also, I have a few wall panels with things like rocker switch + fan control, or 3x rocker switches on one panel, and I don’t think there are drop-in replacements available for these.
I really only notice this issue when I watch the HA user interface and press the physical switch at the same time. The lights turn on/off instantly, but the virtual switch in the user interface is a bit delayed, or sometimes on then off then on again - within ~3 seconds. Or, when I press a light switch button on a tablet running Tileboard, the lights turn on/off instantly, but that virtual switch is not updating immediately.
I’d say, the family does not notice this. I am aiming for turning on/off most of my lights automatically anyway - or train the family to use Alexa voice control. 
I have a few more Aeotec Nano switches here waiting to be installed. My biggest frustration with these switches was really only when I got them brand new from the supplier, and they weren’t working reliably at all - the update to the latest available firmware fixed that (bar that issue described above). I read somewhere that OpenZWave (which is embedded in HA) does not support multiple versions of features, i.e. in my case I believe OpenZWave was expecting certain feature/behaviour that the older firmware on my switches did not yet support.
Eventually I want all lights in the main living areas, garden and pool controllable, and bed rooms, laundry, garage just remain fully manual. In bedrooms I’m supplementing the main (manual) lights with Philips Hue and hopefully soon IKEA trådfri lights.
Wow, thanks for the very descriptive response to those questions, specifically thankyou for putting my kind at ease about the 3 second issue. This was my biggest concern and I can see that this is something I can absolutely put up with.
Thanks for the feedback on the rocker question, I have seen some clipsal push button switch that can replace the standard rocker (AUS style).
My research has led me to a current build of
I was going to do all the bedroom but I like your idea of just having lamps in each room with a Phillips Hue. Does HA pickup the phillips hue bulbs easily?
PS, I’m now looking into the ikea stuff as well… I need more $$$ 
It’s much nicer to replace the rocker switches with push-buttons. You can get them either in the old styles or as the very nicer / expensive Clipsal Saturn 4000 series. (that’s what I used in my old house, looks mint) Also, you can use a combination of rocker and pushbuttons in the same wall plate, and even fan controls.
Also look at the Yeelights (cheap on Banggood). I use them at the moment because I’m in a rental, and just control them using Xiaomi wireless buttons.
Ah sweet, will check out for sure.
Any idea if we can use something like the Aetoec dimmer switch for fan control?
yes, they support fan control up to 100W.
mind blown!
So in that case for a fan light combo, you’d need an aeotec dimmer and switch?
I can see though you wouldn;t bother as the cost of the nano switch outway the cost a smart globe.
or 2x dimmers so one controls fan speed and the other can dim the light. Plus: using dimmers escapes needing a neutral wire at the switch which would very rarely be there.
Yep, smart globes (eg: Yeelight) are far cheaper than Australian z-wave devices. We get screwed here.
In regard to those TRIAC motors you referred to, would any fan running a DC motor that has a wireless remote be compatible?
not sure what ‘TRIAC motors’ you are referring to. TRIAC’s are a device that is used to switch (at very high speed) AC power. Ceiling fans have AC motors in them and these devices are only good for AC. There may be fans around that have inbuilt conversion to DC and run DC motors… but I have not dealt with such. In theory they would still work with these dimmers as no product on the market is designed to control DC at the light switch (which is AC) as a replacement for a standard switch or fan controller. Do you have a link?
Not much in the way of technical details 
https://www.fansonline.com.au/ceiling-fans/indoor-ceiling-fans.html
Yep, so as I expected those fans have in-built AC to DC conversion and speed control. You wouldn’t be able to use ANY kind of dimmer or fan controller on the wall to control those fans as all the control must be done within the use, ie: using the supplied remote. If you wanted ti integrate into HA you would need to replicate the supplied remote. Not sure from the image as to whether the remote uses IR or RF but either could be done through HA using the appropriate hardware. My opinion, get a standard fan if you want to use HA since the integration will be simpler with a z-wave dimmer. Otherwise you will need either an IR transmitter in each room, or if they are RF then an RF transmitter within range. Neither of those options give you feedback. At least with a z-wave dimmer HA will known if someone turned the fan on locally
Sweet, this makes a lot of sense and totally agree, simpler is better and then I can make it smart.
My brother and brother in law are sparkies so I won’t be installing this stuff myself 
I’d say yes, at least with the Hue hub I’ve never had any issues at all. Bulbs and light strips appear in HA with full support for dimming and colour change.
You may need a bit more patience - IKEA keeps delaying the launch, latest rumours I’ve heard indicate April 2019…
How did you update the firmware on the aeotec switchss?
If you have the Aeotec USB stick - you can download the firmware (including the updater) for each device from their website, stick the USB stick into your PC and run the firmware update over-the-air. Works on Windows only.
So I have my set of proof of concept kit, 5th gen zwave usb stick, aeotec multisensor and aeotec smart power point.
@exxamalte what polling interval and polling intensity did you set it to on the switch node to get it updating in 3 seconds. Currently it doesn’t appear to updating on HA at all if i activate device physically.
Hey mate, personally I use sonoff basics and Shelly 1’s/2’s behind my switches. They are cheap at around $8 each and just need some wire soldered to them and firmware such as Tasmota flashed.
Riley.