I’m looking for recommendations for light switches. My one weird request is that I want something that I can replace my existing switches with that continues to work even without WiFi. I’ve got lots of lights that are wired in a dual switch configuration so you can turn them off/on from two points, and I’d like to keep that working without any automation.
Unfortunately, their light switches don’t work in the same way. I could do it with a dumb switch and a relay, but I’d rather have a proper smart switch for more options.
Can anyone point me at light switches that work this way? Ideally: low cost, tasmota/esp home, bonus points if Thread is an option.
Light switches are one of those things that you get what you paid for. You can get cheap, but you might spend more time fiddling with than you want. I’d recommend you look at a high quality switch like Inovelli (assuming you’re in the US, you didn’t mention that). They have a Matter/Thread line. They aren’t cheap, but they are very good switches. Many of them you can use with dumb switches in three ways, or you can use two smart switches that are bound together, or you can get an Aux switch from them (which is mostly dumb but connects to a smart switch).
Like you said, 2/3 way is better suited for relays
Are you using eu or uk switch?
If you need 2 way switch that works without wifi, you could try flashing esphome with meshmesh component on your athom switches
Insteon does very well at this type of requirement whether relay or dimmer.
Plusses
Device-Device communication for on off or dime
HA can die and switches keep working coordinated
The Insteon PLM or Hub can die as well, and switches keep working coordinated
Switch to switch response time in on-device scenes is instant
Proprietary non-wifi rf that doesn’t interfere get interfered
The offer imbedded modules that can be tucked behind existing switches to maintain decor
The PS01 paddle can be field configured as a dimmer or relay and looks like a Leviton decor switch
There’s an officially supported HA Insteon Integration
Minuses
Need to put an Insteon switch in each location, no separate traveler
Up there cost wise
The problem with thread is that the lighting specs are seriously lacking at this time. The specs for native matter/thread scenes have barely been released, no products I know have them yet. So every scene type behavior requires HA to be hands on in the houses lighting. I refuse to do that and not installing any thread lighting until there are native scenes products like insteon
Ah thanks! Unfortunately I’m in the EU and they’re currently crowdfunding here to release them. It also doesn’t look like they have terminals for any additional hardwired switches - but then I could only see one product in their EU shop.
