I’m remodeling a home on the United States that was built in 1978. I started some basic automation with a few Shelly relays but I’d like to replace all of the switches with a smart switch and where most will be dimmers. Also, more than a few lights are currently using 3-way switches, a situation that Shelly cannot accommodate gracefully. I installed a number of GE Z-Wave switches more than 10 years ago in another house but never used the Z-wave for automation; yet, that will change soon.
At this time, I would like to decide on a certain smart light switch (and/or Dimmer) that will accommodate 3-way circuits. The house will later be a rental and I will be 350 miles away, so the light switches should be very reliable. When or if HA should fall, the lights should continue to work. There should be no batteries for the load side box. I love Lutron but I don’t want the batteries.
So what light switches would you recommend? Looking for an above average quality, perhaps premium. I will want to integrate with HA and run locally.
What technology? I see there are: Z-Wave, Wifi, Matter over Wifi, Zigbee… What have you found to perform well and where they will not be outdated anytime soon?
I would just use dumb momentary switches and Shelly. Why? Because they are cheap, reliable, easy to wire and you can connect as many as you want to one Shelly. Abandon all 3-way switches, they don’t have any role in smart lights.
Also, when smart switch fails one day and you don’t find the same model anymore, your house will look like jungle with all different switches.
Yup that is another option for a relay, I rem someone show in a video they linked 2 switches directly via cable then used another relay behind a 3rd switch to control the state via direct shelly app/setting link to act as the 3rd switch.
If I find that video example I will update the post else that’s the gen idea when setting them up.
We’re building a new house right now, and I’ve decided to standardize on Inovelli switches.
They’ve got a good reputation, appear to integrate well with Home Assistant, and the switch will just work as a switch if something happens with the automation system. Inovelli has a number of different switches too from a standard dimmer to something that controls a switched outlet all the way to a fan control.
They do require neutral wires, but if you’re renovating a house built in 1978, it’s likely you’re redoing the electrical and will end up with neutral wires in all the switch boxes.
What connection protocol you want to use is a different question. Inovelli has Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Matter switches. I’m going with Zigbee in my house.
I very much would like to understand what you were describing here. I currently do not have a working college of what you’re trying to say. I look forward to the example video if you can find it. Or, if you can’t find it perhaps you could clarify or better explain what you’re trying to say.
1 Shelly relay is wired into the 2 way light switch setup that used at the staircase.
The second is wired behind a switch in a room that has no physical connection to the main two in the staircase where the same light is to be controlled.
By using the shelly app or via automation the second relay is able to control the state of the main relay as if it was wired directly.
If I recall they used a 4 way switch with the relay to get the extra physical switch to use with the connection in the room that already had 3 other lights they wanted to control.
To use one of the template examples as provided below:
3-way switches are passing the current for the lights through them.
But (smart) relays don’t need that, they only need a trigger signal. And this gives a huge flexibility in wiring. Just 2 wires, no current, add as many switches as you want.
Want a dimmer with 3 switches? -Just swap Shelly Plus1 to Shelly Dimmer and you are done.
I like your perspective on this and appreciate the help. So, what remote switches do you see controlling the relay? Does your idea require the Shelly Plus I4? Please explain what switches will control the relay. What’s presented to the user.
Also, with the Shelly dimmer, how can the user get control of this without an app? Is there a way to have a nice looking switch plate do variable dimming or at least trigger some prebuilt scenes. How might this be presented to the user in terms of switch hardware?
The benefit of a relay setup is that you can use any physical switch that you want that suits your home aesthetic if none of the smart switch options out there fit your needs in this regard.
Please explain how we will wire and this momentary switch to control the relay. Does the switch have to be in the remote box where the original traveler wires are? I assume we’re rewiring the three-way circuit to be traditional single switch location wiring. I’m still trying to wrap my head around this when I spoke with Shelley recently they act like there’s only one way to do this and that is to use there special I4 product.
Momentary switch is jus a traditional dumb light switch with a spring. A push button. Nothing else.
It gives a trigger to relay when you push it. You don’t need any smart switches or Shelly I4 switches or any specific brand. Just plain traditional switch that esthetically pleases you is good for normal relay or for dimmer.
You have a freedom and simplicity not comparable to some “smart switch” approach. With a fraction of cost.
I illustrated two examples how you can wire them on post#9. Both are valid also for dimmer.
