Are there any good/reliable out of the box options for a wifi wall/light switch that will work in the UK and doesn’t require a neutral at the switch?
I’m planning to replace several simple on/off physical wall switches and ideally would like to control them via Wifi (prefer not to add a hub if possible). I have one Sonoff TX T3UK (requires a neutral) in our garage for some exterior lights (which in turn ends up in the eWelink app) and something that plays nicely with this would be good.
Requirements:
Touch sensitive
Black
No neutral
WiFi
Reliable
Thanks in advance and before anybody goes into detail about overloading WiFi, I’m using a proper multi wireless access point setup with a dedicated IoT wireless SSID.
Hi,
The problem here is the word “reliable”. The only current going to power the switch module has to go through the load - the lights. Change the bulb, and the switch might go nuts. Change the bulb to one of the same brand, the switch might go nuts (capacitive dropper? constant current? BrightPower new chip? suppliers change their circuits regularly).
Some kit is sold with “optional” ballast - a capacitor and resistor in a package to provide a base load. Not many WLAN devices have these, although I’ve tried Z-Wave (Fibaro), and the kit is not recommended for general use today.
Personally, I’d jump straight to Matter / Thread, install a MINI4RM behind the ceiling rose, in a light fitting, or look at the brand new Sonoff wall switches about to be released. Bet they need a neutral…
As @FloatingBoater mentioned, most ‘no neutral’ wifi switches comes with capacitor that needs to be installed on the light fixture or using this method to get any neutral switch working
Another option would be the sonoff basic R4 using the magic switch mode
Hmm, requiring a neutral is a pain which means they have to go in the ceiling rather than behind a wall switch. Long term probably more reliable though. I have no ceiling roses though, our entire place is lit with GU10 spotlights.
For the existing “no neutral” switches that include some kind of anti-flicker module, it would be informative to see if they’re actually just using a variation on the “hack” from that video where the diodes etc are baked into the switch and the “anti flicker” module contains the other part which has to sit near a bulb.
These mini rm modules sound good on paper but if the wall switch is being left in situ and one of these added, what happens the first time a family member throws the physical switch to kill the lights? Will the Mini rm be able to switch them on again (decoupled mode??) or not?
If you can locate the MINIRM behind the rose, or in a light fitting (modern LED lights are ideal), the existing switch still connects directly to the unit and works locally without remote control.
Yes - Sonoff, Shelly, Tasmota, etc all have two switch settings. Momentary, and toggle. Both change the load state when the switch is changed.
Personally, I replace the toggle / paddle / ONOFF switch with a MK grid system momentary “push on” switch to allow dimming control, but that’s not needed.
this post!
