Top products from r/homeautomation

We found 555 product mentions on r/homeautomation. We ranked the 2,409 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.

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Top comments that mention products on r/homeautomation:

u/ImArcherVaderAMA · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

I'm copypasta'ing my answer to this question from a month ago. Good luck!

Just reno'd my home, and I LOVE MY SMART HOME. I'm using SmartThings in conjunction with Logitech's Harmony Hub, and it is working fantastically!!

A few other recommendations:

  1. CAT6 EVERYWHERE. This is so important and worthwhile, that I'm writing it to echo everyone else's statements :) I had my contractor's wiring guy run unfinished, plain Cat6 everywhere, and will finish the ends myself, which saved a ton of money.

  2. Get them to install your Smart Thermostat. I supplied mine (Ecobee 3) to my contractor and wanted them to install it. This is because when I asked them if my furnace had the C-wire, they said yes, so I could install it myself. I pushed them to install it for me, and it turned out that I didn't have the C-wire, so they had to do the extra wiring run to my furnace and get it installed. Massive bullet dodged, no way I could have done that myself after the walls were up. I love smart heating/cooling. I chose the Ecobee 3 because it is actually a hard-wired thermostat, so no need to ever change batteries :)

  3. Smart dimmer switches for nice pendant/chandelier LED lights in kitchen and/or living room (or anywhere else). I bought a couple smart dimmable GE z-wave switches (I think it was this, or a similar model) and had the contractor install those too. This you can probably do yourself, but it's better if they do it for you while they're installing all the other wiring and regular switches anyway. The switches are wonderful, and can dim my beautiful kitchen pendant LEDs, as well as my beautiful chandelier LED. Thus, those lights didn't have to be smart, just the switch, which allowed me unlimited access to any light I want. Light shopping is a lot of fun, a lot of cool stuff out there. If using this switch, just make sure the lights you buy for them are dimmable, as some LED lights are not dimmable, and will tell you so in the specs.

  4. Outlets at every window. For what? SMART AUTOMATED BLINDS. And with the outlets by the windows, then you can order the blinds that come with standard wired power, which is cheaper than the battery powered and solar powered ones. And c'mon, let's face it, no one wants to change the damn batteries, especially with the blinds going up and down at least one cycle per day, and solar power never seems to deliver enough juice. I ordered smart Bali Blinds through Costco that have the Somfi receiver built into them. You build your own package when you order (because you have to measure and specify lengths and widths for blinds), and when choosing accessories, you have to order the Somfi to Z-wave controller (Zrtsi is what they call it) with it. I LOVE these smart blinds.

  5. Get them to install your Smart Door Locks. I'm using a Schlage Z-wave (or zigbee?) lock for this, and it is working great so far. But it was a pain in the ass to install apparently, or more specifically, to line up with the hole the door bolt lines up with in the door frame.


    HOME MODE:

    Now, I have my smart home programmed so that when I pull up onto the driveway and into the range of my wifi, the blinds automatically open, my LED lights come on, and the TV system turns on, programmed to my starting channel of course (which is usually sports, because baseball is on by the time I get home :D), and the door unlocks. It's...really amazing lol...I freaking love this setup.

    If I have gone out for the day and just remembered that I didn't check to see if I locked the door? I can just check the status of it from the SmartThings app. Unlocked? Click. Locked.

    VACATION MODE:

    When I was out of town last month, I programmed a couple SmartThings routines to open and close my blinds, and turn my lights and tv on and off, at different intervals on different days. I used different timings for different days, because why not? It's so easy and simple to set up in SmartThings, so why not make it just the slightest more realistic and difficult for burglars to figure out?

    All in all, I can't believe my smart home is actually functioning the way I hoped it would. I expected there to be more issues and problems, but nope, it's working exactly the way I wanted it to.


    When my garage is cleared out, I will be installing my wifi enabled Chamberlain garage door openers too, so that the garage door will open automatically for me as well :) If you can get them to install that too, that would save you a bunch of time, since that's a lengthy install and you usually need someone to help with it.

    GOOD LUCK!

    Optional:
  6. Speaker wire in every room, like bathrooms. Or at least the rooms you'll want sound in (kitchen, bedrooms, living room, bathrooms....that's pretty much every room :D). I wish I had done this. I initially thought I would just use a bluetooth speaker wherever I wanted sound. But then Google released the Chromecast Audio, and you can get whole home sound now for CHEAP...if you have powered speakers everywhere. Plus, it's always good to have speaker wires wherever you're going to have a tv, because true surround sound will always be better than soundbars.

    BONUS EDIT:

    Writing this prompted me to check my stuff while here at work. I just opened the SmartThings app and noticed I left the blinds open! Click. Closed. :D

    DOUBLE BONUS EDIT:

    I can't wait for my Google Home and Amazon Echo Dots to arrive!!!!
u/gtgoku · 5 pointsr/homeautomation

I have recently gone down the road of automating my home. Here are some of my thoughts:

  1. Try not to lock yourself into an eco-system.
  2. Google Home and Amazon Echo have similar capabilities, if you already have an Amazon, echo and if you like it go with more Alexa devices. As /u/TwiceBakedTomato already mentioned, Google Home or Amazon Alexa are only going to be voice-control part of your home automation. Also, if you already have a pixel phone, you can check out google's home skills, by using the google assistant.
  3. Do not overlook Zwave. You can get a USB Zwave hub like this, and you won't have a bunch of bulbs and switches crowding your wifi network.
  4. Check out Home Assistant. It is not really a works out-of-the-box solution (I can't speak for hass.io), but it is not hard to setup and has a lot of resources online. The possibilities with it are quite endless. The kind of automations you can have are only limited by the inputs/components you have configured and your imagination :)
    You can check all the components Home Assistant supports here. I have it configured with my TP-Link bulbs, switches, LIFX Bulbs, ZWave sensors, Zwave switches, Schalge Smart Lock, Roomba, NAS, Nest Cameras, Thermostat, etc...
  5. For the doorbell, I would suggest going with the Nest Doorbell, Keep in mind there is an extra $50/yr (or $30/yr for each extra Nest cam) for Nest to save 24x7 video feed. It has however performed better than my older Ring doorbell which kept failing. Make sure your apartment doorbell is wired.
  6. If you are getting more cameras, there are 2 options, going for a solution like Nest or Arlo, where the video feed storage, notification, etc is all handled by an external company; or getting cheaper IP/ONVIF Cameras and using your own surveillance/storage solution. I personally have a mix of both. I have a few nest cameras and a few cheaper IP cameras that record to my NAS. This gives me the peace of mind that in case someone breaks into my home and steals my NAS as well, I can still depend on Nest to have the break-in recorded and stored on their servers. I can also see the feed from all my cameras in a single place in Home Assistant.


    Miscellaneous thoughts:

  7. Replacing wall switches are really easy, so don't restrict yourself to using only smart plugs. Just keep the older switches and put them back when you're moving out of your rental. (Obviously take appropriate safety precautions when working with live electric wires). They are also better when you have a multi-bulb lamp (like a chandelier), instead of getting 3-5 smart bulbs to make the chandelier smart, you can just get a single smart-switch which controls it.
  8. Look into a smart lock, they are easy to install and are great! I currently have this one.
  9. You can setup Home Assistant in something as small as a raspberry pi. Or if you have a older laptop lying around you can easily install Home Assistant, an MQTT server, Grafana, etc on docker containers on the same system
  10. If you like DIY stuff, instead of getting a $35-$60 multi sensor like this, you can easily put together one with a ESP8266 and sensors which would cost about $8-$10 in total.
  11. Make sure you set a budget. It's very easy to start buying stuff and a lot of approx. $30 stuff will add up quickly :)

    Hope this wall of text helps you. Happy Automating!

    e: spelling
u/SirEDCaLot · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Okay let's start from the beginning- each of your devices needs to be machine-controllable.

Lights- you can use smart bulbs (Hue etc) or you can use lighting controllers (smart light switches, plug-in dimmer modules, etc). Either way you'll either need a network like Z-Wave or Zigbee or Insteon to control them, which will require a USB RF interface. You could use all WiFi devices but I don't recommend this.

TV- that probably means infrared. Some TVs you can control by serial port, other TVs you can control with network traffic. 99% chance infrared is your best bet though.

Fan- if this is a plug-in fan you can use a plug-in switch module. What kind of fan is it?

Xbox- probably via IR.

Voice control- Alexa or Google Home.

Hub- Home Assistant works, HomeSeer costs money but might be easier to set up.

So to break this down, you need to find a way to interface all these devices with your hub. Let's assume you're using HA.

For the lights, you need a primary control technology, that'll be Z-Wave, Zigbee, Insteon, etc. I suggest Z-Wave as it's got better support in both Home Assistant and HomeSeer. That unfortunately rules out Hue bulbs, but it means you can instead get nice Z-Wave smart light switches and use your existing bulbs. Here's a popular one. If you want super controllability check out the HomeSeer branded switches- they'll work fine with Home Assistant, they have several LEDs that you can program to do whatever, you can decouple the switch (so pushing the button doesn't turn on the light but rather sends a Z-Wave command), program double/triple/quadruple tap actions, etc.

Note that if you really really want Hue lights, Home Assistant and HomeSeer both (somewhat) support ZigBee. You can also buy a Hue Bridge, which is basically an Ethernet-Zigbee interface that's Hue-proprietary, and link that to HA or HomeSeer.

Fan- if it's a plug in fan you need a plug-in appliance/switch module. Here's one. If you have a ceiling fan type thing you'll need a ceiling fan switch. Here's one of those (HomeSeer makes one too).

IR (TV, Xbox, etc)- probably BroadLink devices or Global Cache iTach. Note that if you try HomeSeer, Global Cache works, Broadlink I think does not.

Voice commands- How to integrate Alexa and Home Assistant.

u/sauladal · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Good start.
I made the switch from Smartthings to HA. For me, I absolutely loved WebCoRE and had a ton of pistons. In several rooms, I have smart bulbs controlled by smart switches so this takes a lot of automation that you want to be very instant (press button on wall > turn on light). With Smartthings there was delay due to cloud which is what made me move over to HA. Also a string of random cloud downtimes helped push me.

First off, stop trying to do any automations in HA itself. Do it all in Node-RED. Install Node-RED from the hass.io packages and then watch some youtube tutorials on how to get started. There's a learning curve as well and coming from someone who likes scripting in WebCoRE, I asked myself why I'd go with something as visual as Node-RED, but trust me it's extremely powerful once you get the hang of it. And your scripting ability will come into play in function nodes.

Move all your devices over to HA. Just get off Smartthings. You currently have 0 benefits of HA since you're still relying on ST and cloud. Regarding Z-Wave stick, I use a HUSBZB-1 stick. I'm very happy with it. It has both Z-wave and zigbee in one stick. I have just over 30 z-wave devices attached to it and never noticed any problems.

For Alexa, the Alexa Node-RED bridge made it extremely easy to control my devices with Alexa. There's an easier install than what's in the documentation on the website because you can just type the package name into Node-RED and click install. This seemed to be the easiest way to set up Alexa control for free. But it's probably not as feature filled as the HA Cloud method that relies on Nabu Casa ($5/month).

u/1Tekgnome · 1 pointr/homeautomation

You'll want to look at Smart things by Samsung or even a hubitat with z wave motion sensors, door sensors and z wave light switches.

Smart things

https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-SmartThings-Generation-GP-U999SJVLGDA-Automation/dp/B07FJGGWJL/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=smartthings&qid=1568218834&s=hi&sr=1-4

Hubitat

https://www.amazon.com/Hubitat-Elevation-Home-Automation-Hub/dp/B07D19VVTX/ref=sr_1_4?crid=11LGAJMZT4XTM&keywords=hubitat&qid=1568218857&s=hi&sprefix=Hubitat%2Ctools%2C181&sr=1-4

If you go the z wave /z wave plus route things tend to be much more stable and you can build a interference free IOT network. Zigbee runs on 2.4ghz so its generally less preferred to z wave that operates at a interferance-FREE 800-900 MHz.

Things like the GE Z wave light switches are great for a good reliable IOT network.


GE Z wave light switch & Extender

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Repeater-Extender-SmartThings-14291/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=zwave+ge+light+switch&qid=1568218742&s=gateway&sr=8-2

For locks I highly recommend the Keyless Yale locks. $98 a piece, very reliable and they work great with a z wave network. They also use a hardened steel strike plate, a solid steel body, a tamper alarm, a anti saw dead bolt core and cant be picked.

​

You'll want a good quality door sensor, good reliable ones are few and far between so make sure you get something that has great amazon reviews. Dont cheap out here as flaky contact sensors are everywhere and its not worth the $5 when it doesn work half the time.


Z Wave Door Sensor


https://www.amazon.com/Z-Wave-Magnets-Window-Sensor-DWZWAVE2-5-ECO/dp/B01N5HB4U5/ref=sr_1_4?crid=29QS4YGELWFZR&keywords=zwave+door+sensor&qid=1568220339&s=hi&sprefix=Z+wave+door%2Ctools%2C170&sr=1-4


Yale Z wave YRD110ZW619 Dead bolt

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PM6V1XW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

I also use an Abode Security System thats z wave based with my z wave locks feeding in to it. Abode is great as its got all the fancy features other alarm systems offer but has no monthly charge!!


Abode Security System

https://goabode.com/?rfsn=2685339.3291b5


​

For Smart outlets I dont have any z wave ones yet, just a couple of TP-Link kasa ones. I would probably go for GE in wall outlets though. DONT SKIMP on your outlets, lesser known brands have been know to catch on fire!

I have 19 kasa light bulbs and they work pretty darn good, but I would recommend GE outlets for much better home automation. Smart light bulbs are good for basic stuff but once someone turns off the light switch you cant turn them back on until you flip the switch.


Kasa Light Bulbs LB110

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-LB110-Smart-Wi-Fi-Dimmable/dp/B01HXM8XE2/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=Kasa+bulbs&qid=1568220252&s=hi&sr=1-5

Please note that Smart things and Hubitat are booth good in there own respects, Smart things is good for people who know how to use a computer but are not power users. Hubitat is great for people who own a github account and really want the full automation experience. Hubitat runs most/all IOT commands locally and doesn't rely on the cloud for processing.

I skipped hubitat and went for HASSIO, I really, REALLY, dont recommend this rout unless your a computer tech as the learning curb can be really steep!!! It runs on your own server, I use the VB version


HASSIO

https://www.home-assistant.io/hassio/

u/InovelliUSA · 4 pointsr/homeautomation

Good morning /u/EFaden and congrats on the new house!

I'm not sure what HUB you have but there are a couple options if you want to keep the standard in-wall switch, but use scenes to automate things.

Disclaimer: I'm associated with Inovelli, so please keep that in mind. However, I'll lay out all the options that I know of since the scene switches are a passion of mine since they can do so much

On that note, there's a few brands that I'm aware of that have the scene functionality built into a normal in-wall switch and they are: GE, ZWP, HomeSeer, and ourselves.

GE, I believe has a double tap feature in their new Z-Wave Plus switches, but I just have their old ones in my house (which have been great) so I can't confirm, but I've seen posts about it.

HomeSeer was actually one of the first, if not the first companies to come out with this and I personally have one of their switches in my house as well and it's been rock solid. You can add up to I believe 10 scenes to it by single/double/triple/4x/5x tapping the switch (top and bottom). There's a specific device handler for it if you're on SmartThings.

ZWP, I don't really know much about, I just saw they had a scene switch too.

As for Inovelli, we're really proud of the work our guys put into the firmware this time and I'll highlight some of the features below:

  • Ability to add 10-12 scenes (10 for Dimmer and 12 for On/Off) based on taps or holds

  • Ability to disable the internal relay - this is good for people who use smart bulbs on their loads so that now when the switch is used, rather than cutting power to the smart bulb, the switch will instead send a scene command to the HUB to turn the light on (or if you have a Z-Wave bulb, it can be directly associated with the bulb and there will be no need for a command to be sent to the HUB). I personally use this feature in my daughter's room bc she has a Hue light setup on it and depending on the number of taps, the bulb will turn a different color

  • For dimmers, you can now set the default brightness based on the time of day. An example would be at night time if you don't want to blind yourself in the bathroom, you can set it so that the dimmer will only dim to 10% between the hours of 10pm and 6am. This can be set to happen locally (manual pressing) or remotely

  • Also for Dimmers, you can change the speed at which the switch turns on. Some people like a slow dim, some people like a fast dim, while others like an, "instant on" effect to mimic an On/Off switch

  • Change the minimum dimming level - this is great for if you have an LED bulb that starts flickering at the low setting

  • Finally, you do not have to have an auxiliary switch in a 3-Way setting. Simply wire this up to your existing, "dumb" switch and it will work as a normal 3-Way switch

    As I said above, not sure what HUB you have, but we wrote device handlers for SmartThings and Drivers for Hubitat, but if you don't have those, the settings above can all be done via parameters (except for the dimming based on time of day, let me check with our VP of Tech)

    Anyway, I hope that helped a bit. You can't go wrong with any of those brands. They're all unique in their own way and if you're thinking about Z-Wave, then they are some very reputable brands.

    Have a great day and if you have any questions, feel free to reach out!

    Eric

    Founder | Inovelli

    
    <br />
    Links:<br />
    <br />
    GE: <br />
    <br />
  • On/Off https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1AHC3R
  • Dimmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MUCZA1C

    HomeSeer: (they have quite a few, so just type in, "HomeSeer Z-Wave Plus Switch" and they should all come up. I'm going to put the couple I know work with ST)

  • On/Off https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DFSAAJ4
  • Dimmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DFRWZNE

    ZWP:

  • Dimmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725SZMTG

    Inovelli

  • On/Off https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N235ROS

  • Dimmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01NAUCQ18
u/ragingcomputer · 10 pointsr/homeautomation

I think it's easier to search for minor inconveniences and annoyances around your house, then search for ways to automate it away.

I gotta watch out with this site or I'll end up in the non-automated poorhouse, but it's awesome for product discovery
http://www.smarthomedb.com/products

Since you mentioned OpenHAB, the supported technologies list is a good place to start a wishlist too
http://www.openhab.org/features/supported-technologies.html

I'm using z-wave for most of my devices, so the product database is full of devices that are more likely to be compatible
https://github.com/openhab/openhab/blob/master/bundles/binding/org.openhab.binding.zwave/database/products.xml

This forum thread is also great for seeing what other people have gotten working
https://community.openhab.org/t/collection-of-working-z-wave-configs/1407

Personally, I've had great luck with these devices:

Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Z-Stick, Gen5 Z-Wave Plus - ZW090 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X0AWA6E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_cIbCwbYMNV0A4

2gig CT100 Z-Wave Programmable Thermostat (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008CQ4V3Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_3IbCwbNFR9PQ6

MIMOLite - Z-wave Mulit-Input/Output Dry Contact Bridge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B6RZ7MM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_uKbCwbF1ZBAXK

GE12722 Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control On/Off Switch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035YRCR2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_oLbCwbQCFR48K

GoControl WNK01-21KIT Z-Wave Essentials Wink Enabled Security Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XUXYSWU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_p5bCwbRY8TXQ5

I have an old ADT installed Safewatch pro 3000 alarm, and this ties it into OpenHAB really nicely.
http://www.alarmdecoder.com/

I'm comfortable pulling wires through the walls, so I use one of these for TTS playback from my OpenHAB box:
Elk ELK-70 Echo Speaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XP1HZ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_kZbCwb799TN4C

Driven by one of these:
Lepai LP-2020A+ Tripath TA2020 Class-T Hi-Fi Audio Amplifier with Power Supply https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049P6OTI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_X0bCwb7MYGM47

A few scenarios might help with inspiration.

I have a sensor on my garage entry door that kicks on the laundry room light when the door is opened so I never enter a dark house with my hands full.

If it's 00:00 - 06:00 and any perimeter sensors on the alarm are tripped, all outside and main level lights come on at full brightness

I have a sensor on my garage door to send me an alert if it has been open for more than 15 minutes, and a camera and a mimolite to close it remotely

My wife works nights so I have a mimolite to disable the upstairs doorbell while she's sleeping during the day. It sends our phones alerts if the doorbell is rung while silenced

u/Kairus00 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I've never heard of Legrand, and I've always seen Lutron as having more of a closed system, but I see that Caseta is getting, or just got official SmartThings support. What I meant was going with z-wave dimmers or on/off switches like the ones made by GE or Linear/GoControl. The nice things about regular z-wave, z-wave plus, and zigbee products like this is that it's compatible with a whole slew of hubs, and will probably be supported by all future hubs for a long, long time. Doesn't matter if you have SmartThings, Wink, VeraLite, whatever, it will work.

Lighting doesn't have to be complicated, it's more about the hub you go with, than the device that controls your bulbs because that is what you interact with. I have a mix of z-wave dimmers and smart bulbs around the house, altogether 20 something light devices connected to a SmartThings hub. Alexa integration is great, as is Google Assistant on android (I have no iOS devices). I can tell either Alexa or the Google Assistant to turn lights on/off, dim lights to a percentage (I love being able to dim lights to any percent I want, 1%, 10%, 63%, whatever I want) and they change instantly. I use an android app called SharpTools that has a great UI for controlling devices, and good support for creating widgets.

I don't use scenes, but SmartThings has "routines" so you can create a widget on your phone's home screen or control it with Alexa to perform preset tasks (Set Living Room light to 10%, Set Reading Lamp to 85%, turn on a power outlet, lock your front door, etc).

Here's some links if you want to look at some other options:

GE Z-Wave Dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2

Linear Z-Wave Dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E1OVFAK/ (I have a bunch of these and they're great).

u/butka · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

HA is definitely more user friendly. Its discovery process does an excellent job of finding most entities. I find openahb to be more stable with the z-wave protocol, but it's a more established product. HA has a lot of momentum. They are prolific with updates and feature additions.

I'm currently running Openhab because I have z-wave stability issues in HA, but I have a feeling I will switch to HA eventually once it irons it out. The beauty of raspberry pi is that cheap SD cards can act as swappable hard drives. So I actually have one card with Openhab and another with HA. I simply shutdown, swap cards and I can run the other system. 8GB is plenty if home automation is all you're running on an image.. those can be bough for $6 nowadays.

One thing you'll want to do is research protocols before setting it up. In addition to HA or Openhab, many protocols require additonal hubs or controllers to talk the language to those devices. So for Z-wave, you would need something like this. HA and Openhab are very flexible and can talk many protocols, but just keep in mind that talking multiple protocols may or may not be exactly free (depending on the protocol/technology).

u/[deleted] · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

Smart switches are the best replacement because it leaves everything the way every other house is built, but adds smart functionality. If you install smart bulbs, they are controlled from two different sources - the light switch, and your phone. Want to turn the light on but someone flipped the switch? You must get up to manually flip the switch, then control the light bulb.

Smart bulbs are only good if you live in an apartment complex, need RGB bulbs, or want to change color temperature. Overall, the smart switch is the best thing to use because it only adds functionality, not take any away. I personally use a technology called Z-Wave which creates a strong mesh network in your house. Z-Wave doesn't rely on internet, which means if your internet goes down they continue to function. A large portion of WiFi devices require you to have internet as well, which is a huge downfall of home automation relying on WiFi.

I have a couple of these, a Vision Relay that i've installed to keep my original switches, and a few other z-wave outlets around.

u/AndroidDev01 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Sorry if there are formatting errors and such I am on mobile.


Basics

You should really consider a better HUB/products if you want this level of automation. You are going to want an offline hub such as Vera or Homeseer (what I use). Homeseer I know will interface with the echo Vera should. Hubs like wink/SmartThings end up not working when...

  1. Your router doesn't work
  2. Your ISP's connection drops
  3. Hub's service provider (AWS most likely) goes down
  4. Hub cloud service doesn't work or needs maintenance
  5. Random outages/problems

    Similarly, you should NOT get a nest (or EcoBee). I have a nest and while I love the design it is fickle. I would instead recommend a z-wave thermostat. With a z-wave thermostat you can do almost everything nest can (no auto scheduling). Already Purchased

    &amp;nbsp;

    You should seriously consider a different HUB

    Dimmers and Wall Switches


    Here is a good place to start. Lutron dimmers are fantastics although they can be a bit pricy (I don't think you mentioned a budget...). Other options include the GE 12724 for dimming if you want to go z-wave over Lutron. And, the GE 12722 for regular on/off. Or Homeseer is releasing new switches soon that look fantastic (Also z-wave)!

    Here's some more info. 1 2 3 4

    Garage Opener


    Chamberlain is great!

    Security


    If you cannot change/return your system that fine but I would recommend a DSC power series system as they almost universally integrate with automation systems Homeseer has a plugin as does Vera.

    Audio


    Sonos is fine. It can be controlled via Homeseer/Vera (Think announcements). Or you can get an Echo Dot and connect it to the sonos connect via an audio cable. GET a WHA controller (Check the Outdoor speaker section for recommendations)

    Front Door Cam/Doorbell


    Either Doorbird a doorbell and camera (expensive) or a normal doorbell with an IP camera with motion record. The integrated solution is better but of course more expensive. If you end up with IP cameras you should consider Hikvison they seem to make the best cameras for the money.

    Outdoor Light

    Just install the smart switch of your choice.

    Fan's

    Not sure sorry. :-( GE has a fan controlling switch but I doubt it would work as you mention remotes...

    Under Cabinet Lighting

    Hue lightstips, Aeon lightstrips or a WIFI / Z-wave LED controller with regular strips. (Will edit later with links)

    Outdoor Speakers

    The Daytons are fine you could also go with Yamaha NS-AW150. For integration you could connect them to the MONOPRICE 6 Zone Controller and AMP. You could also connect the Sonos CONNECT to the monopice and have outdoor audio + sonos audio and send audio to any other zones you have!



    &amp;nbsp;

    PM me or comment if you need any more info :-)

    &amp;nbsp;

    *Will edit and add more info when I get to a keyboard.

u/diybrad · 1 pointr/homeautomation

zwave and zigbee all in one is what i use

https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-CECOMINOD016164-Linear-HUSBZB-1/dp/B01GJ826F8

I actually don't connect the 433/IR directly to the Pi, I loaded this software onto a cheap wifi board called a esp8266 (~$5-7). This syncs two way signals to Home Assistant over MQTT. I use it for controlling my A/V gear over IR mostly so I needed to position it in a different room than the Pi (not on my github yet bc I'm still fucking with it, but read their wiki pretty straight forward). Google around tho because people definitly just plug in the 433 stuff directly to the Pi.

https://github.com/1technophile/OpenMQTTGateway

Basically, if you are willing to do this easy DIY stuff and work in Linux on the Pi you can pretty much build projects like this for a couple of bucks for almost everything. You can incorporate ANYTHING into Home Assistant and a Pi. I did my whole apartment almost entirely using very cheap stuff from China + open source firmware. Look around on the HA forums

edit: a list of DIY things I've built ranging from useful to silly, to show some examples. I will write up blog posts for all these eventually. Definitely look at "ESP Easy" if you are interested, or the Milight Hub
https://diyfuturism.com/2017/07/23/10-favorite-diy-iot-projects-using-the-esp8266/

u/Zykle · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I'd say some code knowledge is helpful, but not required, the biggest hurdle (for me) is that I use a Raspberry Pi, so it's linux and after initial setup I rarely poke at the linux part of it so I forget a lot of commands.

I generally prefer to use their Paper UI which allows you to configure most (but not all) of the general configurations you'll do on a day-to-day basis in a fairly simple UI. But if you don't have a RPI right now, and just want one for use with Openhab, (or another open source system) you can skip a lot since Openhab has a distro that comes with Openhab pre-installed an a lot of the software you're likely to need.

Unfortunately I've only just ordered my first of these sensors yesterday s I don't know the specifics of how they work yet, but I expect if you use the original gateway and their software, you can set some spans of time where you want an alarm to sound on your smart phone, and times where it's not necessary.

If connected to a third party system, then the world is your oyster, since the sensor would report "Open" or "Closed" then the hub can handle what happens next, based on the rules you've created. Personally, I'm gonna use them in conjunction with smart thermostats, to turn down the heat when a window or door opens in the room the thermostat is in.

Unfortunately I don't know what if any issues the original gateway has, but based off the replies I've gotten in this thread, it seems you can make it work by using either Zigbee2MQTT, or just a Zigbee gateway. In this case, a Zigbee gateway can be something like this which is just a USB device plugged into either a PC, be it windows, linux or mac, and it'll enable OpenHab to communicate with devices running the ZigBee protocol (Zigbee incidentally is what Philips hue also uses).

I'd say if you've gotten plans like that, I'd probably look into some third party stuff to act as the command center. If nothing else, then for the flexibility, but the option to have one item act on input from another is usually limited to items that can utilize IFTTT, or advertised to work together with each other, but with Openhab, they don't need either, as Openhab facilitates the commands and collect relevant data.


With Openhab my biggest issues was getting my head around how things fit together, but I got completly bitten by the bug and spent days tinkering.


Hope it helped!

u/cleansweep9 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

You could try fishing a neutral wire from the ceiling fixturewall outlet to the switchbox. I've done it in my house, but I don't know if I would try it in an apartment.

Alternative products: Since this switch controls an outlet, it's against code to use a dimmer switch on it. And dimmer switches are the only "smart" products I'm aware of that can operate without a neutral.

You're probably better off replacing the wall outlet with a smart outlet or any smart wall wart. Here's GE's in-wall smart outlet since you seem to be leaning toward zwave already.

You can control that smart outlet with something like GE's wall controller or velcro an aeotec minimote to the wall and use that. Even better - you could use an Amazon Echo for control - I rarely physically interact with smart switches since I got a modicum of automation running and a few Echos around the house for voice control.

u/mccoolio · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

Hey /u/Mercury357 !

Sorry I can't offer much advice when it comes to Inovelli or Zooz, but I'm sure you'll get a great response from some of the other members here.

I can however, relay that the GE Switches are on sale right now on Amazon for $30.99 and the GE Dimmers are on sale for $32.99

Our Add-On switches work great for 3 and 4-way setups as well, those run $19.50 right now

If you have any questions about GE product, feel free to ask. :)

u/jerrkawz · 9 pointsr/homeautomation

Pretty much most custom setups here use the aeotec z-wave stick and either Open Hab or Home Assistant. Open Hab has a pretty new configuration UI but its not finished yet so there is still a far amount of not so trivial configuring that you have to do. Home assistant is just writing config files (YAML) but the documentation is amazing and its pretty easy if you are even remotely tech savvy. As stated already in the thread you do need a spare computer to essentially act as a hub.


I've been running this setup for almost a year (home assistant) and I haven't had any problems so far, its very stable.


Also you can give home assistant a shot before you switch as it supports the smart things hub!

u/gsears34 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

You could keep your current bulbs and install a smart switch instead, this is a popular option:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Model-Wireless-Lighting-Wall/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1506608062&amp;amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;amp;keywords=ge+smart+switch&amp;amp;psc=1

You would need a hub with that, but considering smartthings is selling for $50 on Amazon it could be more cost effective depending on the amount of bulbs you would have to replace if you went with smart bulbs instead.

For the smart bulb option I'd say check out sylvania lightify. Lowes has them on sale now for 75% off. They're $7.50 for the basic white ones. It can pair directly with most smart home hubs like smartthings or wink so if you already have one it would be very cost effective.
https://www.lowes.com/pl/Lightify-promotion/4294400949

u/Ironzey · 6 pointsr/homeautomation

GE switches are what I recommend.
They have switches, On/Off.
They have dimmers, On/Off and dim brighten (hold up to brighten or hold down to dim not too hard)
They have fan controller. Four speeds, low, medium, high and off. (sorry, no reverse)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0035YRCR2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1486773955&amp;amp;sr=8-1&amp;amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;amp;keywords=ge+zwave+switch&amp;amp;dpPl=1&amp;amp;dpID=41bCFFIGx8L&amp;amp;ref=plSrch

You might want to reconsider the double triple tap option. It nice to be able to control something unrelated using a "secret switch". Triple tap to restart a computer by chance. Triple tap to turn off all the light in your place.

I only have one of the homeseer switches and don't regret the purchase. My switch control the lights in our loft (on/off/dim/brighten), double tap controls lights that are connected to a plugin module. Triple tap is used to play a test sound that I use to test the volume of house alerts.

It's great that you are thinking of other folks who will be using the system. Not everyone wants to pull out a phone to turn on a light.

Edit.
I prefer dimmers to on/off switches. The light ramps up gracefully. Now, I find the on/off to be very jarring.

Motion sensors, I've found the monoprice units to be just fine. They've been reliable and include a temperature sensor. I've had a few of these for years and have yet to replace a battery. The best price I've found on theses.
https://www.monoprice.com/mobile/product/details/15271?maincategoryid=122&amp;amp;categoryid=12212&amp;amp;subcategoryid=1091804&amp;amp;cpncd=

u/BustedKnuckleGarage · 1 pointr/homeautomation

depending on your hub - I have smartthings
you should have several choices
you'll need to figure the max current draw of the fan or the HP
then install the appropriate switch

easiest would be the wall switch and some temp sensors, if it wil handle the load

I have the go control - originally for my old garage door (programmed as a momentary switch) - it will handle 20 amps and is cheap.

GE also has a 40 amp heavy zwave switch - for $150ish

with the smartthings hub you could program time on, time off , on for event, off for event , (event could be window opens , temp specified, etc) and then run time for specific period of time or if temp is satisfied with enough connected things you can control all kinds of things - fan included :)
good luck


direct load good for 20amps

GoControl Z-Wave Isolated Contact Fixture Module - FS20Z-1

https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Z-Wave-Isolated-Contact-Fixture/dp/B00ER6MH22/ref=pd_sim_60_3?_encoding=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1&amp;amp;refRID=YX3EFBFRGMTV783BT193

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Switch, On/Off, In-Wall
https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-12722/dp/B0035YRCR2/ref=pd_sim_60_3?_encoding=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1&amp;amp;refRID=BB38NVA9J8T5JFDE3QTJ

Incandescent - Minimum Load: 40W, Maximum Load: 960W
Motor – 1/2HP
Resistive – 1800W

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting and Appliance Control, 40 Amp, Large Load, Direct-Wire, Indoor/Outdoor

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00YTCZZF0/ref=twister_B017SOTBJG?_encoding=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

u/amazonian_raider · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Like others have said, the issue is more with space in the box behind the unit than it is side to side once you break off the heatsink tabs on the appropriate side. Here are a couple thoughts from my experience installing some a couple days ago:

  1. Break off the tabs before connecting the wires to the switch. I forgot about the tabs on the first one I was doing until after I was ready to start screwing it back into the box. Also in a two-gang box you'll only need to break them off on the inward facing sides. On 3+ gang the central switches would need both sides done. Regardless, breaking them off before rather than after is much easier.

  2. A good pair of pliers makes that much easier. I started out using a crappy pair of pliers from the toolkit that came as a "free gift" with the house because they happened to be closer at hand. The work could've been done with those pliers, but it became about 5 times easier and faster when I went out to the garage to get a better pair out of the toolbox.

  3. On a couple of the switches I was working on, I noticed there was way more wire in the box than is actually needed. Normally I would be in favor of leaving excess extra in case it is needed for some future change, but a pair with a pair of wire cutters/strippers you can remedy much of the cursing other users are warning about when stuffing everything back in by removing some of the excess. Obviously only do that if you're confident you're leaving enough to work with both now and in the future.

  4. Not related to the wiring, but I believe the one you linked to is not Z-wave Plus (just regular Z-wave). The Z-wave Plus version is available (looks like the same price right now, though the Plus version was actually slightly cheaper recently) here.

  5. Also not related to wiring, but I've noticed there is a brief delay with the GE switches (I got the z-wave plus version, but I don't think that is the problem) between pressing it and the lights activating. This was even before connecting to any hub, so it's not a delay there. I'm assuming it's something I'll get used to in time, but it's worth being aware of before you buy them.
u/quarl0w · 1 pointr/homeautomation

This is my system:
Network Diagram

I have several switches like this: Zwave Switch, some are on/off like that, some are dimmers. For my dining room I have a hanging light with 5 bulbs. I can control all 5 with one dimmer.

I use a SmartThings hub to control everything. So I can walk in to the room and hit the switch like decades of muscle memory has taught me, or I can say "Alexa turn on the dining room light". Google integrates with SmartThings too, I just have a Echo Dot and Ecobee 4 already. Guests don't have to guess how to turn on and off a light. It looks and acts just like the switch that used to be there.

If you have WiFi bulbs that you control through Google it still gives you the same end result but there are more points of possible failure in that path. If you leave the room and turn off the switch they are useless until you turn the switch back on. Any WiFi device answers to it's home base server. Each and every bulb has to ping home to check in and ask for commands. So each bulb is working separately. Even if you create a group in Google home, it's still 10 bulbs. All 10 have to be working perfectly for them all to turn on together. You may end up with one bulb that didn't get the memo and stays off, or more likely they will turn on at slightly different times due to latency. You ask Google to do something, Google has to ask the bulb server to do something, and the bulb server has to ask the bulb to do something.

A hub may still call home the same way, but it's a single point. The hub then sends the command locally to the device directly. It should be more reliable and faster that way.

The only time that smart bulbs make sense to me is if you really really want color changing bulbs. Otherwise it's simpler and more cost effective to use a switch. Bulbs will always burn out, even LED bulbs. Dumb bulbs are cheaper to replace down the line. The switch shouldn't ever need to be replaced.

Many new people resist getting a hub. See it as an unnecessary expense. But over time the limitations of a hubless system will show up, and the hub often doesn't work well with the WiFi devices, so you end up re-buying everything. So in the long run it's cheaper and easier to just bite the bullet and get a home control hub that uses Zwave or Zigbee. You can still add voice control with Google or Alexa to most hubs.

Many companies make Zwave devices, it's a standard and there is competition to keep prices in check. And if these companies go out of business tomorrow the Zwave devices they already made still work. If the company that made a WiFi device goes out of business the device stops working. That's a real risk for a cheap Chinese made WiFi device, it can be abandoned without notice.

If Samsung killed SmartThings tomorrow, my entire Zwave network is portable. I could get a Wink, Vera, HomeSeer, HomeAssistant, etc and only have to replace one piece of hardware to be back up and running. So it's a scalable and portable methodology.

Edit:
I thought of another analogy. A hubless system of WiFi devices is like organizing a pot luck with a group of friends. You have to get them all to agree to a certain time, organize who is going to do what, carpools, etc and pray no one forgets something or flakes or breaks down. A hub based system is like giving a command to an Army general. You give one command and they get it done. You can give the general standing order and they will act on their own, when such-and-such happens, do this-or-that.

All your eggs are in one basket, but lots of people make baskets, and the eggs can be moved easily.

u/Kovis · 1 pointr/homeautomation

If you currently have two switches, one for the fan and one for the light, you can get these. I have this setup in my living room and it's pretty sweet. You just need to set up the fan switch as a dimmer so that you can remotely adjust the fan speed just like you would a dimmer.

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Fan Speed Control, 3-Speed

GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Dimmer Switch

u/jeremypimping · 4 pointsr/homeautomation

So you would realistically do smart switches instead of having smart bulbs. The only reason I would see to use smart bulbs is because you don't own the property or because you want the ability to change colors of a color lightbulb.

&gt; Do smart switches always keep the smart bulbs powered?

It depends on what you mean by smart switches. You would realistically just use a smart switch like this. The light switch itself would always have power no matter if you turn the light on or off (unless you kill the breaker), so you could control it no matter the state of the light.

Your best bet if you want to continue using the smart bulbs, and not smart switches, is by buying the Philips Hue Dimmer switches. You would still need the power for the light to be on (meaning don't touch it/block it off if needed). They would still be at the mercy of people using the light switch itself.

But, unless you rent or need color control, it doesn't make sense to keep dropping money on this path.

u/theoxfordcomma · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

You could do this using zwave devices. It will cost some money up front but you'll have a solid base to build out more complex home automation tasks if you want to.

You can turn any computer into a local "hub" with a Zwave USB dongle. This one is pricey but works really well. Plug that into a spare laptop lying around the house or buy a Raspberry PI.

Install the Home Assistant package on the computer or PI that you plugged the dongle into. This makes it easy to send and receive signals from Zwave devices without having to learn a bunch of low level APIs. You can write automation commands using YAML markup or write complex, custom tasks using Python. Home Assistant is just a bundle of open source free software, so I don't think of it as a "service", but you could roll your own software if you like that replaces it. It all runs locally, not in the cloud, so you own and control it.

Now you can buy any Zwave switch you want. GE has a bunch of reasonable priced switches.

You can get an "add on" switch that does not hook into your home power but controls smart light bulbs like Hue using over the air signals.

Or you can buy a real switch that does control existing lights through the power in your home -- this will let you send signals to your switch using your Home Assistant "hub" to turn lights on or off and dim them without having to replace existing bulbs.

Have fun.

u/mareksoon · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Do you mean a normal side and a dimmer side, for two separate lights/loads, in a single gang? No, I don't.

If you mean a smart switch for a single load, with separate normal and dimming actions, Lutron Caseta has four buttons (on/off with dim up/down in the middle). Those are quite popular, mainly due to their ability to work without requiring a neutral in the electrical box, plus the flexibility of their Pico remote that pairs with them, allowing 3-or-more-way switches, even in places that aren't wired, but won't work directly with Alexa without picking up a Lutron Caseta hub.

Switch/Pico kit
Switch/Pico/hub kit
Pro hub (if needed, for example, with a solution like Hubitat)

GE makes Decora-style paddles that are tap top on, tap bottom off, and hold top/bottom for dimming; they're Zwave and work with Alexa ... if you have the 2.0 with smart home hub. They need a neutral, however.

GE Enbrighten Z-Wave Plus Smart Dimmer Switch (also Zwave Plus and Zigbee options)

GE and Lutron also make ceiling fan controls that match their light switch products.

u/chronot150 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

If you know anything about Linux it should be easy to pick up. If you don't know anything about Linux and you want to learn by doing, this is a great way to start. I'm somewhere it the middle, and it taught me a few things without being totally annoying.

Grab a Raspberry Pi and follow the instructions in the Getting Started section of http://home-assistant.io. Since it runs a database on your Pi, get a fast SD card; that will be the bottleneck in speed for the UI.

The Z-Wave contoller I'm using is one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Aeotec-Aeon-Labs-ZW090-Stick/dp/B00X0AWA6E/

It holds all of the information regarding your Z-Wave devices direcly onboard the dongle.

The Z-Wave controller plus the Raspberry Pi running Home Assistant are the equivalent of the "hub" you're talking about. You can expand it to do pretty much whatever you want, too.

Yes, it's more complicated to get set up, but you can do a lot more than the name brand hubs once you're comfortable with it.

Their forums are a good source of help, but if you take the dive and get stuck feel free to PM me.

u/YaztromoX · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

I'd recommend going with a SmartThings hub. The Echo can easily interface with it, and you can control it from both your iPhones and Apple Watch (I find the utility of controlling things from my Mac to be pretty low, and so don't really bother -- but I'll mention one possible solution below).

Here's what I recommend:

  1. Get and install a SmartThings Hub along with the iOS and watchOS apps (if you install SmartThings Classic, your phone can send and install the watchOS app to your watch through the Watch app).
  2. There is a SmartApp for SmartThings you can install to connect to and control your MyQ garage door
  3. Ring already works with SmartThings, so nothing to really do here.
  4. For the lighting, I recommend installing smart switches, replacing your existing light switches for the lights in question. I like the GE switches myself.
  5. If you really want to be able to control everything from your Mac(s), install and configure HomeBridge. This bit of software will emulate Apple HomeKit for the devices connected to your SmartThings Hub. Then you can simply use the Home app built into macOS 10.14 to connect to and organize your devices for use on your Macs, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.

    HTH!
u/Durnt · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

I am giving +1 to the GoControl USHBZB-1 on dedicated computer. The other recommendation I have is that if you do go with Home assistant, I recommend the alternative home assistant software, here is the method of install that I used, instead of Hass.io. I messed around with both but I found that while Hass.io is the easier one to setup, it feels rather limited in many regards. Ultimately, the "alternative" home assistant meshed with me better. Also, the software has gotten a good bit easier to use in recent months.

&amp;#x200B;

I have also heard good things in regards to openhab but I don't actually have any experience with them.

&amp;#x200B;

EDIT: From my understanding, all zwave should work with all zwave devices. Zigbee has different protocols of zigbee which may not be able to communicate with each other if the devices are from different protocols. Supposedly zigbee 3.0 fixes that but who knows.

u/AlwaysSunnyInAustin · 1 pointr/homeautomation

The hub by itself is still on sale on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010NZV0GE
Unless you need every part of the kit that is cheaper.
Also the GE light switches are only $32 on amazon right now and pretty easy to install if you know how to turn off your breaker. So I would definitely go that route unless you want the floodlights to change colors (for Christmas or Halloween).

Also you can throw in an amazon echo or google home (I like it better already) and you can use your voice to set the thermostats control those outlets and control the floodlights.

Feel free to ask further questions.

u/dac0502 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

You are welcome, as far as the camera goes I search on eBay and use the keywords "Vivint ping camera" (I am unsure how to link an auction from my phone. As far as add ons to my system I use 2gig PIR1 Passive Infrared Motion Detector https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TZ73C6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Ng.CzbM9GCJSE for the motion sensor, GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Dimmer Switch, In-Wall, Includes White &amp; Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12724 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wi.Czb8H4K514 for my dimmers, Previous Model: GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Fan Speed Control, 3-Speed, In-Wall, Includes White &amp; Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12730 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYMGVVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1i.CzbBD0V1RF for my ceiling fans, GE Z-Wave Wireless Smart Lighting Control Duplex Receptacle Outlet, On/Off, In-Wall, White, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12721 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013V1SRY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Lj.CzbQAY9KV4 for my outlets. I have found home automation to be addicting and expensive haha.

u/redroguetech · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

It's a tad more expensive than the cheapest. Not neccesarily a bad thing, as the cheapest is often... the cheapest.

Your link is for 2835 LEDs. Have you researched LEDs sizes? Nothing wrong with 2835; just a matter of aesthetics and taste as to what's the "right" size, but there are other sizes available.

With crown molding, probably not possible, but it's best to put them in an aluminum channel.

Also, those cheap ass WIFI controllers and remotes work surprisingly well, but you may want to upgrade to the Hue platform using an FLS-pp. The main advantage for this immediate one-off install would be allowing tying more than one together for a single remote. Using the WiFi things, you're going to get boxed into trying to wire and power them as a single strip (which may work perfectly fine). Of course, you'd need a remote that works with Hue... the Hue Dimmer works well.

u/jds013 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

The Z-Wave system is designed for interoperability, with management by a local hub that reaches out to the cloud as necessary. Hence there are many manufacturers, competitive pricing, interchangeable components, flexible control modalities. Also, a huge range of sensors, modules, controllers, locks, remote controls, and thermostats in addition to switches.

Wi-Fi smart devices are focused on ease of installation. Without standardized interfaces, the only way to offer remote control is through cloud management. Configuration and automation could be provided through a switch-hosted web server, but since the whole point is remote control and Echo/GH integration - and since the manufacturer has an eye on your data and your possible future income stream - the cloud solution wins. Wi-Fi power requirements means that in general these devices must be hardwired.

Non-cloud Kasa support requires an always-on computer running node.js, with manual device installation and static IP addresses everywhere. This is only an issue if TP-Link abandons the product or starts charging, in which case you have to decide whether it's worth the hassle...

I have a bunch of GE/Jasco switches and dimmers and one each of Leviton and Evolve - and also door/window sensors, motion sensors, thermostat, door lock, lamp modules, remotes, wall controllers, and garage door sensor.

The switches are all pretty much indistinguishable. GE/Jasco and HomeSeer 3-ways require a proprietary companion switch but you can dim from the companion and up always=on, down=off. Zooz and Inovelli 3-ways use your existing remote switch but no remote dimming and remote setting is random.

u/D_Bagggg · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

Yeah, you can do that! I've become a big fan of Zooz switches [Amazon]. The linked one there is the ZEN26, which is for on/off switches (as opposed to dimmers). An important note: Zooz switches are Z-wave, meaning they need a hub (like SmartThings or HomeSeer) to control via Google home.

If you don't want to get a hub, there are plenty of other options available. TP-Link makes some great switches, and their app is wonderful. You just set up the switches, then connect your TP-Link account to your Google account, and then all of your switches can be controlled from the Google Home app or your Google home mini.

The process of rewiring the switches is quite simple, and there are plenty of video resources available. But, as always, have a professional do it if you're not confident.

Reply back here if you have other questions, I'd be happy to try and help!

u/ednc · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

@Gottria

I was really trying to make the RP3 version work, but it had two limitations:

  1. Only 5 plugins allowed ( I'm already way past that)
  2. It is linux based, which would normally be a good thing - but since HS is .NET, there were a fair number of plugins that did not run (or get supported) on Linux / Mono.


    I bought the HS3 software only (not pro, just regular). My understanding is HS does a 50% off deal 2x a year, so I'll wait for that and upgrade to pro. (TIP: put it in your cart, and leave the site for a day or so. I got an email with a 25% off coupon for it)

    I bought my own mini windows box (this thing is tiny, and it's actually really cool) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M1LA8MB/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

    And this Z-Wave USB device (in my reading it had better reviews than the HS one, and it works great) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X0AWA6E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

    So far this stack has worked out great for me
u/ramk13 · 4 pointsr/homeautomation

If you google "zwave switch" (not dimmer) you'll find tons. Not to sound mean, but did you try searching?

u/klinquist · 0 pointsr/homeautomation

As far as light bulbs, there are lots of places to start. If you want to replace bulbs themselves, look at LIFX or Hue. They both offer either color or white bulbs and an API that lets you dim/adjust color/etc via your phone.

Alternatively you can replace your light switches with ZWave switches (about $40ea) that you can hook to a ZWave controller (ZWave is a wireless protocol that a lot of HA devices use. Zigbee is another).

As far as a ZWave controller, I still personally like SmartThings ... although there are other options. OpenHAB+Aeon ZWave USB stick is more of a 'roll your own' setup. Wink, Abode, and Vera are other options.


As for your garage, once you have SmartThings or another option listed above, this will do the rest of the work for you:
http://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Linear-GD00Z-4-Z-Wave-Controller/dp/B00M75TEIU

For #3, Sonos is the most expensive but best option.

For #5, You can go Nest, Ecobee, or a number of the great ZWave thermostats if you have a Zwave controller.

u/YoungSalt · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Out of the box solution? Get a smart bulb (plenty of reviews to determine which is best for you), a SmartThings hub, and if your phone doesn't handle location well, a presence sensor. With my phone there's no need for a dedicated presence sensor.

Hopefully someone can weigh in a good bulb option.

SmartThings hub: www.smile.amazon.com/dp/B010NZV0GE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_8nxsyb8CV5CWS

Arrival Sensor: https://www.smile.amazon.com/dp/B00GM7V8I8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vCxsyb4878G7S

Your scenario you want is very basic, so a small amount of research should be enough to get a solution going. My experience is with SmartThings, so I can't speak to other options.

u/belly917 · 9 pointsr/homeautomation

There is no 2 device single gang zwave switch on the market at the moment. Most people here either:

  • expand the box to be a double gang box and then install a z-wave switch for the lights example, and a z-wave switch for the fan. example It's dimmable (3 speeds)

  • Put a single zwave switch in the wall for the lights, and then put a remote dimmer unit for the fan that hides in the electrical box above the ceiling fan. This limits control to an app, voice with google home/alexa, or getting some sort of zwave multi button scene control to stick on the wall.

  • A modification of the previous. Put remote dimmer/switch for BOTH the light and the fan in the electrical box above the fan (may not fit) and then put a zwave scene controller in the original single gang box switch location.

    I was fortunate to have double gang boxes in my house, so I was able to use the seperate GE light and fan switches. Both work well.
u/JrClocker · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Smart Thermostat: I use the Honeywell Z-Wave thermostat (as my smart home is "mostly" Z-Wave). I considered Ecobee (I hate Nest), but went with this as I don't really need a "learning" thermostat...do this temperature when I am home, do that one when I am not home.

Sprinkler control: Rachio (Amazon Link) - best sprinkler controller I have ever had...depending on where you live, you might even get a rebate on your water due to the water savings this has.

Smart Door Lock: Kwikset (Amazon Link) - again Z-Wave as I use Z-Wave. A cool thing about this lock is that you can re-key it yourself.

Temperature Sensor: SmartThings Motion Sensor (Amazon Link) - it reports temperature, and it's ZigBee

Leak Sensor: Samsung SmartThings Leak Sensor (Amazon Link) - it's ZigBee, but I have built out a smaller ZigBee network too.

Garage Door Opener: GoControl (Amazon Link) - again Z-Wave.

&amp;#x200B;

Multi-Purpose Sensor: SmartThings (Amazon Link) - Open/Close, Temperature, Vibration: I have one of these on each my closet doors (when I open the door, the closet light turns on...when I close the door the light turns off). I also have one on my Gun Safe (so I get notified if my gun safe door is open...also get vibration notifications if it's being tampered with)

The temperature/motion sensor is a nice combination. For example, I have one of these outside on my lanai. When it detects motion, it turns the fans on...but only if the temperature is over 74 F). I have a few of these inside that turn on small table lamps at night when motion is detected (versus large/bright lights) because the night is dark, and full of terrors.

&amp;#x200B;

Don't know if you have a pool, but I use iAqualink as my pool controller. It has it's own app, and now integrates with Alexa (doesn't integrate with SmartThings yet). But it's nice being able to turn on the spa and spa heater while out for dinner, and having it be up to temperature by the time you get home.

&amp;#x200B;

Oh - and check out Sonos for whole house audio. I SOOOOOOOOO love my Sonos speakers.

u/awarfield21 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I like the GE Z-wave smart dimmer paddle. I've installed 4 of them and 2 add-on switches for the three way switches. No issues so far, they were easy to install, the videos they have on YouTube are very easy to follow. I set up a price alert on amazon for these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006LQFHN2/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1 and nabbed them when they got down to $33 each, which is about the best price I've seen.

u/Infernal7 · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

It probably depends on the model of your gas fireplace but for mine it was fairly easy. I used a Remotec Z-Wave Dry Contact Fixture Module. It's showing unavailable on Amazon right now so not sure where else you could get it. You will also need a generic Lamp Cord to power the dry contact. I didn't do anything to the wall switch.

Basically, the wall switch has 2 low voltage wires coming from it and going under the fireplace. You cut these wires under the fireplace and you connect them to the dry contact. Essentially you now have 2 coming in from the switch and 2 going out to the fireplace. Then you connect the lamp cord to power portion of the dry contact and then plug it into the outlet under the fireplace (Not sure how you would do this without an outlet under there so I'd check for that first). That's it! The wall switch still works like normal and now you can control it like any other Z-Wave switch through an app or with voice. I'm not aware of anything similar that works over Wifi instead if you don't have a hub.

As for safety, it's probably safer now that I can track and disable it remotely. You can also set up automations to turn it off or notify you if left on for too long. You aren't touching any gas lines and the wires you are touching are all low voltage, I don't see why people consider this dangerous.

u/Bminiman · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

I got this done in fewer steps with my Echo. It should work the same on Google Home since you're interfacing with Samsung SmartThings.

For the longest time I was trying to find a WiFi-controlled switch, and I found it with the WeMo Maker. I didn't want to go the RPi route, but certainly that makes a lot of sense.

Here's the complete list of what you'll need for my method.

-WeMo Maker
-Samsung SmartThings hub (no device needed since we'll make a virtual switch)
-IFTTT
-Echo/Google Home

  1. Set up the Wemo maker to work with your fireplace. I'm not an electrician, but my gas fireplace previously used an RF-controlled momentary switch. It's just two red wires, when held together, that starts the flame. I put those wires into the switch controller of the WeMo maker and was immediately able to control the fireplace with the switch.

  2. Create a new Virtual Switch in SmartThings (Google how to do it, it's not difficult), and call it "Fireplace"

  3. Connect IFTTT to your WeMo and SmartThings account. Use IFTTT to have the SmartThings virtual switch turn on the WeMo Maker. Confirm it works.

  4. Use the Alexa app to "discover devices" which should find the SmartThings virtual switch "Fireplace"

  5. Boom: saying "Alexa, fireplace on" or "Alexa, fireplace off" works!

    Bonus! I bought a cheap Z-wave remote, interfaced it with SmartThings, and had it toggle the virtual switch. So I can put one of these remotes in my bedroom near my nightstand and when I wake up in the morning, hit the button and boom, fire is warming up. You can have multiple removes that do this same thing. My wife hates talking to my Echo (she refuses to talk to a cylindrical object--can someone give her a pep talk lol), so the remote is a good backup for her to use. This is what I used:

    https://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-DSA03202-v1-Minimote/dp/B00KU7ERAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1480279272&amp;amp;sr=8-1&amp;amp;keywords=aeon+minimote

    Happy to answer any questions about this method :)
u/yeagert · 1 pointr/homeautomation

So I wanted to report back for people who come across this thread. Based on Manbient's recommendation, I am using Lutron Connected Remotes in conjunction with the Phillips Hue Bulbs and it works great. "Pairing" the Remote to the Hue hub first and then to each bulb you want it to control worked flawlessly. I tested a network outtage and the lutron remote still controls the lights just fine. The Hue remote DOES NOT, as it reports back to the hub to control the lights. While the hue remote has more options for colors, etc, the Lutron remotes seem to be a little more failproof, and can be mounted on the wall in standard faceplates. In fact, I think you can use the Pico wallplate bracket to give it the built-in look. Here is a link to that product: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JZRAFEA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

This seems like the best solution for now, and it is still completely customizeable/reworkable, unlike wired switches or other combos.

The only thing that I don't like about the Lutron Connected remotes is that a single tap of the "on" button doesn't bring them back to their previously dimmed level, it turns them on full blast. Of course, you can just use the dim up and down buttons, but I got used to Lutron's Maestro switches where a single tap would bring the lights up to the previous level and a double tap would bring them on full. I did a little searching and couldn't find whether this was possible with the connected remote.
Anyone have a solution or workaround for that?
Thanks again everyone!

Edit: grammar

u/cmlaney · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

I'm assuming you don't already have a switch in the place you'd like to add one? In that case, a zwave remote is your best bet. If you want something that looks like it belongs on a wal, this would be a good option. If you just want a cheap solution, a minimote would also work.

u/0110010001100010 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

&gt;From what I am reading I can just buy a Z-Wave USB stick and use it on the PC that is hosting HASS?

Yup. I have one of these, works great: https://smile.amazon.com/Aeotec-Aeon-Labs-ZW090-Stick/dp/B00X0AWA6E/

&gt;Are there zwave switches that arent a physical switch?

How about just getting one of these? https://smile.amazon.com/Light-Switch-Guard-Toggle-Shields/dp/B00DTXKOTM/

&gt;Are there any zwave relays?

There are, though I'm not aware of anything 12v.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01G7OD1F8/

https://smile.amazon.com/Vision-Z-Wave-Micro-Switch-relay/dp/B00R883YKU/

&gt;Any ideas on how that can be accomplished?

No idea on this on. I'm sure it's possible with HASS. At the very least you can call and external script to make said announcement. You might ask out on the forums, they have a good community: https://community.home-assistant.io/

Cheers!

u/lyoko37 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Do you think you'll use the features of the Hue bulbs? Like do you need the different colors or are you just looking to remotely control the lights?

I originally went with LIFX but decided that I didn't like the idea of having to replace every light bulb in my house with smart bulbs. Instead I've been opting for the GE Z Wave Plus switches and I've been loving them.

This way it doesn't matter what bulb is used, the whole switch is smart.

u/bodiee · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Not sure if you're using Philips Hues or not, but I picked up one of these and it works with the Philips hub. You can use the cheaper light strips that you mentioned with it.
I use Smartthings and it works pretty well with that. I know it's ~$50 but you're not tied to a 6' strip of lights. Hope that helps

u/mikespry · 1 pointr/homeautomation

the beauty of the z-wave light switches is that if somebody turns off the light by hand, you can always switch it back on with automation. so you'll always be able to control the hues from automation app.
[these ge switches](GE Z-Wave Smart Dimmer, In-Wall, 12724 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KEO3xbHRNDQBB)

another reason i went with z-wave switches is that i can mix and match my bulb types. some fixtures can be plain led bulbs and still have on/off or dimming capability via the switch.

the velcro solution is a neat one and i'd probably end up doing just that if i was in an apt or unwilling to spend extra money.

u/AbundanceNaught · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I use one of these for the LED's behind my TV.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P1N68FW/ref=sr_ph_1?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1495035763&amp;amp;sr=sr-1&amp;amp;keywords=fibaro
connects to smart things, can be auotmated.
I haven't had the greatest success though in controlling it via voice (i use echo).
For some reason when i try to rename the device in smart things, it no longer connects.
However having it part of a 'routine' works very well.
Turn on/off at certain times or as part of a macro like "good night" or what not.

u/iggy_koopa · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

Most of this stuff is pretty easy to search for:

u/aspyhackr · 1 pointr/homeautomation

&gt;Control smartthings without going through the cloud

OMG. That would be perfect. If that is the case, it would solve any hesitation i have about migrating to Home Assistant. Do you by chance have a link to the code base?

&gt;Some of the Zwave sticks dont support...

Do you have any recommendation as to which one to get? I was thinking about the Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Z-Stick Because that seems to be the one with the most support. Like I said, I've only done a cursory glance at rolling my own because as "Unreliable" as smartthings is, Its still "Good enough."

u/klieber · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Thanks -- that's helpful. Do you have any z-wave relays that you've used in the past? I've used the Remotec switch before, but if there's something else out there that's better, would love to know.

u/theantirobot · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Might be able to install something like this and use it with any fan. http://www.amazon.com/GE-12730-Z-Wave-Smart-Control/dp/B00PYMGVVQ and use it with smart things. If you have a fan with infrared control you could hook it up to logitech harmony, then to smart things, then to alexa.

u/TheAceMan · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Thanks! The switch is a long ways from my hub. However, I have a kwikset deadbolt there and it seems to work just fine. I am hoping it will work.

Is this the switch?

GE Z-Wave Plus Wireless Smart Lighting Control Smart Switch, On/Off, In-Wall, Includes White &amp; Light Almond Paddles, Works with Amazon Alexa / Google Home, 14291 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pPg5ybFJ9EEK7

u/artel · 1 pointr/homeautomation

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Control-12722/dp/B0035YRCR2

I have had great luck with these. Your electrician will be able to install them without problem and they will work well with just about all the home automation hubs.

Just as a disclaimer, I haven't spent much time with centralized solutions. How does the cost compare to smart-switches? I imagine the entire solution would cost quite a bit more.

u/Unhinged_Member · 5 pointsr/homeautomation

HomeAssistant. You can even use your Smartthings hub to connect to your devices, but control everything through HomeAssistant without the flakiness.

A Raspberry Pi 3 is all you need.

However, if you need to throw your Smartthings hub in the trash and want everything local, you can buy this dongle for the Pi.

HomeAssistant is much more user friendly than OpenHAB, has phenomenal community support, and development is fast with improvements coming out on a very regular basis.

u/navycow · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

since no one actually answered your question... yes it's possible, yes its advisable and this was the stick i used to do it:

https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-CECOMINOD016164-HUSBZB-1-USB-Hub/dp/B01GJ826F8

This stick has zwave and zigbee radios in it.

I started with vera, moved to smart things, then to HA on a pi with a zwave stick, started missing my ONE single zigbee lightbulb and went to a dedicated server with the HUBZ-1 stick.

I don't like how much work i had to put into HA, but i love how well it works when you decide to stop dinking around with goofy useless automations and custom additions. dont go too far down the rabbit hole of home assistant... its really freaking powerful and you could spend a full time job on making it do everything it's capable of.

u/AresX85 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Yes, I use the Aeotec Zwave Stick and have had great success with it (as well as other non-Aeotec products talking to it).

u/rockNme2349 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

The wiki goes over the different home automation protocols. The biggest reason these protocols exist is because a lot of HA devices need to run on batteries, so they need to be extremely power efficient, and bandwidth isn't a big concern for HA. There are some newer devices such as LIFX that just connect to your WiFi, and don't require a special protocol or gateway.

To link all of your devices together, you want a hub that can communicate with all these different protocols. Right now Home Assistant is quickly becoming the dominant player in open source home automation hubs. If you run Home Assistant on your desktop you can immediately connect to any networked devices, such as Chromecasts, and can monitor whether your phone is connected to the network to trigger automations. If you want to talk to one of the HA protocols, you need to buy an adapter, such as the Z-Stick that allows your PC to communicate on the ZWave frequency.

u/ptowndude · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

What you want to accomplish is certainly possible, however, you have a 3-way switch, so you will have to replace both switches. GE makes a 3-way compatible z-wave dimmer switch that I've used in my house that I've been pretty happy with. You will need to install the z-wave dimmer on your load switch (where the hot line comes in) and an "add-on" switch on the other 3-way switch. The photo you posted appears to be of your non-load switch since there isn't a black line connected to the switch, but to be sure you should test the load portion of the switch with a multimeter.

Here's links to the GE switches I use:
GE Z-Wave Dimmer
Add-On Switch

Edit: Upon looking at the photo you posted again, I do see a black line, but I can't see how it's connected to the switch. It's possible this is your primary load switch, but again I'm would test with a multimeter to be sure.

u/brent20 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Is there already existing power wiring for a z-wave switch? If not, you might need to wallmount a battery operated MiniMote or something like that.

If you're not stuck on Z-Wave you might want to look at Lutron's dimmers with their Pico Remote which can be mounted in a low voltage single gang old work bracket and covered with a decora plate for a nice looking wireless install. Same with their connected bulb remote which I'm using for a couple of Cree Connected bulbs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00JJY0S4G/ref=pd_aw_fbt_60_img_3?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1&amp;amp;refRID=86N3WGD52NQ4GTPN2MDD

You'll find the single gang bracket for the Pico Remote in the related items.

Edit: I realize there are a few Z-Wave battery operated buttons, however if you want something that looks more like a lighting controller, something geared more towards a high WAF, I think the Lutron products are your best bet.

u/tv118 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Is there a reason why you're going the bulb route instead of the smart switches? Depending on how many bulbs you get, the cost can get up there pretty quickly. I use Lutron Caseta switches and they integrate well to smartthings and then into google home. I also have 4 downlights with hue bulbs in them for one room. What I did was just wired the power wires behind the switch to always have power to the fixture. At the time, Lutron sold a remote that looked the the other smart switches I installed that could control hue light bulbs. I just put it over the wires with a bracket that Lutron made as well.

u/redlotusaustin · 7 pointsr/homeautomation

If you don't mind going the DIY route, you could probably come in under $100 for parts for the strips:

u/gurase · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I only have a few ZWave devices right now, but I haven't had any issues with speed or reliability with the combo stick. This is the one I have, and it's pretty popular for Home Assistant.

Yes, if the bulbs were controlled via Home Assistant whether it was the UI, automations, scripts, etc, they were great. It just didn't update the state when I used the dimmer, which made most of my automations involving those lights useless (I have it set so a floor lamp connected to a Lutron Caseta plug-in dimmer turns on whenever the Hue lights turn on).

If the light in your daughter's room is a lamp that's plugged into a an outlet as opposed to a fixture, maybe a battery backup would work? I'm not sure though...I know whenever my UPS loses power and switches to the battery, it beeps like crazy, so that might not be much better....

u/hunterstee · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Yep, the Remotec Dry Contact module is absolutely perfect for that.

https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI

You could use any z-wave dry contact module really, just don't try to use a standard z-wave wall switch designed to switch line voltage. If you somehow manage to get line voltage to the millivolt contacts for the gas valve, then you will fry it. But the Remotec one is especially good for this use case because it has extra terminals for the existing physical switch. So you can still use the physical switch to turn the fireplace on and off without it getting out of sync with the z-wave relay. Could probably do the same with a MIMOLite Dry Contact Bridge, but it's also almost $20 more than the Remotec with no other benefit in this case.

Here's a great write-up I found when I did my fireplace:

http://thedataist.com/off-topic-how-to-automate-your-gas-fireplace/

Be aware that you will still need line voltage to the module to power the z-wave radio, and that line voltage and millivolt shouldn't be wired in the same electrical box unless you have one specifically for this purpose that has a divider. I was lucky because my fireplace already had a 120V outlet underneath it for the blower, so the setup was a simple as the instructions I linked to.

I actually took it a step further since that outlet also had a separate wall switch for turning the blower on and off, and I wanted to be able to control the blower by z-wave but didn't care about controlling it with the physical switch. So I also replaced the outlet underneath with an in-wall z-wave outlet, then plugged the power cord for the Remotec into the socket of the z-wave outlet that was not controlled by z-wave to prevent a sort of z-wave redundancy, and the blower into the socket of the outlet that is controlled by z-wave. By doing this I can control the blower with z-wave and no longer with the original switch on the wall, but instead use the switch on the wall as sort of a safety cutoff to completely kill power to the outlet below which of course then kills power to the Remotec and the blower. I just flip that switch off if I'm on vacation or in a time of the year when I don't use the fireplace. Did my best with the wording, but admittedly it's probably still REALLY hard to follow. I can make a diagram if needed.

Then I picked up a z-wave Aeon minimote for 20 bucks and set the buttons to control the fireplace and blower so that guests could control everything without using Google Home or having access to my hub. My fireplace didn't have a remote originally, and the price for all three parts was still less than adding one with the added benefit of being able to tie everything into automatons through my hub(s).

EDIT: Eventually I also want to add a z-wave gas shutoff valve either under the fireplace or for the main gas line coming into the house or maybe both just as an added precaution. Then write an automation that would shut it off if a smoke detector is tripped in that room or anywhere in the house depending on where I put the gas valve(s).

u/HapaHaole13 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

In my example, I believe I would need 3 FLS-PP IP Zigbee ballasts ($55ea), 1-2 RGBW LED strips ($17ea), 3 power adaptors ($17ea), a splitter (~$15ea), and 4 ethernet cable adaptors (~$20 total). Grand total ~$268 on the conservative end + tax.

Or I could buy 3 Hue lightstrips ($90ea), splitter (~$15ea), and 4 ethernet cable adaptors (~$20 total). Grand total ~$305 + tax.

I could save ~$40 or bite the bullet and know that my current ecosystem will work seamlessly with the Hue lightstrips. Either way its not cheap but there are trade offs to going the DIY route.

Please disprove my estimates/theory, I would happily pay less for a setup with equal functionality :)

P.S. I'll add links to the items listed above but I'm on the train commuting in and the wifi sucks :/

u/homeautomazing · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

As others said, most likely you'd add a z-wave dry contact switch like this one if you have a z-wave hub. That's the best solution I know of and you'd be just side-stepping the current RF function. There's good info in the reviews there about how to actually do this as well.

u/mentalsong · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

I don't use a "hub", I use a USB Z-Wave device paired with HomeSeer (home automation software running on a computer). While this isn't a hub in the sense of the word, it works much like one, but has a greater ability to expand.
This isn't the device I use, but this device works with both Z-Wave and Zigbee and may work for your needs (now and in the future):
https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-CECOMINOD016164-HUSBZB-1-USB-Hub/dp/B01GJ826F8

You will need automation software to run this device, HomeAssistant, HomeSeer, OpenHAB are a few of several options.

If you want a hub, buy a hub, I just want you to know about all the options.

u/zergcheese · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

I was thinking about a simple outlet for the TV/stereo but the harmony hub looks interesting. Thanks for the tip.

There's a bit of a problem with the light switch. I was thinking about something like this, but there aren't any available in Germany (The TP link switch costs 100€, instead of $40-50).

u/Leftychill · 1 pointr/homeautomation

TP-Link has a good price on their wifi switches. These work with Alexa via the Kasa plugin but do not connect to any hubs that I'm aware of. I had a good experience with their Smart Plugs until I went 100% Z-Wave for hub compatibility. Either way, these are a decent price. Currently at $39.99 and Amazon even has a $5 coupon to reduce the price futher.

https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-HS200-Smart-Wi-Fi-Switch/dp/B01EZV35QU

u/cheese_stick_mafia · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Thanks! That switch looks great. And I see that the website advertises Nexia compatibility so that's good.

In the picture I posted, the stair lights have 2 switches that control them. Would I get one of these smart switches and one of the add-on paddles?

u/phil_g · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

GE's toggle-style switches (12727, switch; 12728, add-on switch; 12729, dimmer) will fit into an existing toggle setup, but they don't stay up and down like a regular toggle switch does. They're always pointing straight out in the middle and you press them up or down to turn the light on and off (or hold the dimmer up or down to brighten and dim, respectively). They return to their center position as soon as you let go.

I like the decora series a little better (12722, switch; 12723, add-on switch; 12724, dimmer). They have a little LED on them that indicates the current status of the light. The toggle-style switches don't have any indication of whether they're on or off, which is kind of a bummer for outside lights.

One thing to be aware of for the add-on switches: they require a traveler wire, but can only be paired with GE primary switches. The traveler doesn't carry full line voltage; it's just used for the add-on switch to signal the primary when the add-on's been pressed.

u/roggz · 4 pointsr/homeautomation

The best I've been able to find is the Aeon Labs Aeotec Z-Wave Multi-Sensor (DSB05-ZWUS). Note: not the newer models, for which the motion sensor doesn't work outdoor. You'll also need a zwave switch to control the lights (I use a GE 12724).

With a zwave dimmer switch, a zwave motion sensor, and a normal outdoor light fixture, I've set mine up to turn on the lights at 30% brightness at sunset, and off at sunrise. When motion is detected and the lights are already on, I have the brightness increase to 100% for 10 minutes, then back to 30%.

The Aeon sensor is definitely not ideal. I looked far and wide for a better outdoor motion sensor but wasn't able to find one. Others have suggested using a traditional outdoor light that has a motion sensor built in and detect the load increase to trigger an event. I decided not to go that route.

u/danyay · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but the other day I asked a similar question.

I wanted my Hues to be powered all the time so I could always use the Hue app alone to turn them on, or have them return to the previous scene, or all the other benefits that come with leaving the Hues powered.

However, I wanted to replace the Decora switches/dimmers with something that could be used to control the Hues but without cutting power. So my solution is what /u/rittyroo suggested, I purchased a Lutron Connected Bulb Remote with the wallplate bracket and hooked it up to the Hues. It's not designed for them, but there is a Youtube video showing how to set it up and it worked for me no problem.

I still have to actually hardwire the lights to always-on, though I haven't yet because they're three-way switches which are outside of my expertise - I'll be getting an electrician or someone smarter than me to do it. But the system works exactly like I had hoped.

u/attunezero · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

I have a few circuits in my home where I can't easily install remote controllable switches or dimmers. I ended up using hue bulbs in those fixtures and it works great. The hue (white only) bulbs are as low as $13 each at amazon. IMO getting the hue hub and bulbs is worth it. It is reliable and integrates with everything. I also like that I have the option to add some colored accent lights later.

I use these z-wave motion sensors and they work really well. They are small, accurate, also read temperature and brightness, and they don't actually look like eyes as in the marketing pictures.

I run all of this off of Home Assistant on a raspberry pi 2 with an aeotec zwave stick.

u/dakoellis · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Best way I can think of would be to get a scene controller like this or a remote like this or this. Just note that you'll need to use another hub to control them, whether it is Home Assistant with a uzb stick, smartthings, wink, or something else. Other than that, you could stick a cheap tablet on the wall and just have the LIFX app running constantly.

EDIT: I see that is sounds like you haven't actually purchased the LIFX bulbs yet. If that's true you may just want to go with Philips Hue and add a Hue Tap instead. Kinda ugly but it's a much easier setup. Hue is a lot cheaper than LIFX anyway if you want more than 1 bulb

u/colinodell · 4 pointsr/homeautomation

If you like to tinker, you could potentially get a cheaper hub by creating your own with Home Assistant. I'm running it on a spare PC, though it would probably work on a Raspberry Pi 3 just fine.

There are two potential downsides though:

  1. It's not as plug-and-play as ST. Be prepared to spend time customizing, maintaining, and tinkering with things.
  2. You'll need a USB dongle for Z-Wave connectivity. My recommendation would be the ZW090 Z-Stick.

    If you're not interested in that, I think ST would be a great choice.
u/geekofweek · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

I did this a while back with Z-wave dry contact switch and Amazon Echo integration. Paired it with Wink and integrated into Home Assistant. Super easy if your fireplace supports remote switches (aka wall switch).

u/svideo · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

It sounds like we might have similar coffee machines (here's mine). I like to have mine come on an hour before I wake up to give the group head and portafilter time to come up to full temp. The cheap and simple approach would be to plug in one of these and call it a day.

In my case, I'm using a SmartThings hub along with a Z-Wave switch which allows me to schedule the on/off in a little more intelligent manner, while also monitoring power utilization and allowing me to integrate control into additional environments. For example, the Rocket will only turn on if somebody is home at 5am as there's no sense starting coffee for an empty house. I also can control it with the Amazon Echo with "Alexa, turn on the Rocket". Unfortunately I can't say "light the Rocket" yet but I've filed a feature request :D

In this use case SmartThings will work fully local so it should avoid some of the cloud reliability problems people have experienced recently. You could do the same with several other hub or software options available as well as this is a very standard use case.

Good luck, and good coffee!

u/co20544 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

I used this https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI/ref=mp_s_a_1_7 because I had it laying around, and it fit nicely (since I was replacing a simple one gang wall switch).

If I was doing it again today from scratch? Well, I went poking around Amazon, and was depressed that I didn't see anything cheaper or demonstrably better. One useful feature of the module I used is that there's a button on the front that will activate the relay if you don't/can't activate it through home automation

u/burn1010 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

GoControl Z-Wave Isolated Contact Fixture Module - FS20Z-1 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ER6MH22/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TNovDbJHWGZ4R

Items is not currently available but I used it to activate a buzzer via smart things. Worked like a charm.

u/laboye · 1 pointr/homeautomation

The best I've come up with for this scenario is to either:

  • Like /u/Alwayssunnyinarizona mentioned, expand the gang box so you can add both a Z-Wave dimmer &amp; a Z-Wave fan controller (like the GE 12730) side by side. Since you already have the separate fan and light wiring, this isn't too bad. You would need a drywall saw to expand the hole (or a small saw), [optional] tin snips to cut the old box out, a new 3-gang box and wallplate, and patience.

  • If you have the spare cash, Insteon makes the Fanlinc, which you can hide in the canopy. You could then add an Insteon KeypadLinc. Of course, the gadgets themselves are expensive, and you'd need to add an Insteon modem to your HA setup if you don't already have one. That said, it's as elegant as you'll get without modifying that box.

  • Finally, you could hide a micro dimmer and fan controller in the canopy and use an in-wall scene controller to make your HA hub command them. Not as elegant and more points of failure, but it'll get the job done.
u/HtownTexans · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Your wall switch should definitely still control it if you turn it off and on again. Personally, That light is stupid though and you are better off with a regular light and changing out the actual switch for something like this. I know you said it was a mistake but if you are still in the return phase i would definitely return for a normal light and get the switch i recommended. That way you can app control or control it like usual. The only thing about the switches is you NEED a neutral in the box.

u/Dizzleus · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I followed these instructions https://imgur.com/a/2gJxj using a GoControl FS20Z-1 z-wave dry contact switch bought on Amazon. I had a small change in the setup where my fireplace model differed from the writeup https://imgur.com/kwFJ8j1 I then paired it with Wink 2 hub and IFTTT and it worked great. But I've switched hubs to Hubitat Elevation hub which ties directly to Google Assistant. I love it. I have retained the original switch on the wall, AND have app and voice control over the fireplace.

Watch out, you're going to get the boo birds in a few posts telling you that you should NEVER automate something that can burn your house down. For that reason I have a rule in my hub to automatically turn the fireplace off after 30 minutes no matter what. This way I also don't let my wife run up the gas bill :).

u/tri-crazy · 1 pointr/homeautomation

You could look into a RaspberryPi and the Pi version of the HomeSeer controller software. If you have a little time the software plus a Pi only costs a little more than a SmartThings. Otherwise I use SmartThings and I have really liked it so far.

As far as switches if you do not mind mixing brands this is what I do. Anywhere I have a dimmer, a 3+ way switch, or have the need for scenes I use HomeSeer. If I just have a regular switch I don't need to do anything fancy with I use GoControl switches as they are a bit cheaper if you look at the other sellers.

For the garage I use GoGoGate because I wanted to ability to give others access. I have seen others on this sub use these GoControl Garage Openers with contact sensors to verify open/closed.

I would also look into doing fan control

Depending on the size of your house and how many switches you are replacing this could get you pretty close to your $1k budget. You may need to add cameras later on. Also in your future endeavors I would look into EcoBee/Nest for temperature control.

u/skillfullyinept · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Yes, I have this working with my smart things and the non dimming one would work as well. As I understand it, the slightly more expensive ge ones are self reporting - meaning when you physically switch it, it updates the hub. GE Z-Wave Smart Dimmer (In-Wall), 12724 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-62LxbDYY3DQS

u/egoods · 6 pointsr/homeautomation

Thought I would share since this is a pretty recent development, and I was about an hour away from installing this at my vacation rental property... For those interested, The GoControl z-wave garage door opener will work with a Smart Things hub and is officially supported.

Pretty pissed that I won't finish the automation install at this house this weekend but really glad I didn't was a whole bunch of time installing this!

u/haworld · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Amazon had the garage door sensor but its now unavailable, they are the only seller currently, but we will have it available on Amazon Prime in a couple weeks. We have a few units coming in today so once we get the listing complete, it will be available there in our store.

We will have the other items as well, we ordered yesterday but it may be a week or two for them to get in, Linear is pretty slow shipping.

u/kronicoutkast · 24 pointsr/homeautomation

I wanted to control my 240v AC unit too, ended up buying this:

Aeotec Heavy Duty Smart Switch, Z-Wave Plus Home Security ON/OFF controller, 40 amps record electricity consumption https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MBIRF5W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_nDbYAbHW5DMFN

I got an extension cord that would work for my AC unit and spliced in the switch. You could splice it into the cord from the AC if you want to.

Worked fantastic last summer.

u/traCkready · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

Might I ask what is keeping you from using an entire switch replacement? Not sure what country your in, but there are plenty available on Amazon.

Installation isn't hard per say, but if you don't feel comfortable its certainly not worth electrocuting yourself or having a fire hazard. It mostly involves cutting power off at the breaker, confirming power is off at the switch, removing the 3 wires from the existing switch and moving them over to their appropriate location. Now, many z-wave switches require a neutral wire, depending on the age of your residence this may or may not be an issue. If you do have a neutral wire it won't be connected to the existing switch, you will likely have to unbundle it from the back of the receptacle box.

This is a on/off zwave switch, it sounds like you are using phillips hue bulbs in the receptacles. In this case you don't want a dimmer, the dimming is done internally on the bulbs circuitry
http://www.amazon.com/GE12722-Z-Wave-Wireless-Lighting-Control/dp/B0035YRCR2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1454264957&amp;amp;sr=8-2&amp;amp;keywords=z+wave+switch



This is a dimmer zwave switch, this would be good for incandescent bulbs, some dimmable cfl and LED bulbs will work but you will likely need to look at compatibility. Some dimmable cfl/led don't play well with certain switches, you might get inconsistent dimming performance, buzzing or flickering as most common side effects of a poorly matched bulb.
http://www.amazon.com/2gig-WD500Z-1-Z-Wave-Dimmer-White/dp/B00E1OVFAK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1454264957&amp;amp;sr=8-4&amp;amp;keywords=z+wave+switch


Edit: Adding a few Amazon links for example w/ explaination

u/saunjay1 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Need a little bit more information. Do you have 2 wall switches to control the fan/light separately? Does your fan have a remote control? Do you have a hub, or are you looking for a hub-less solution?

If you have 2 switches, I agree with /u/PSYKO_Inc, with only one change. I'd use a fan control switch to also have speed control of the fan. That switch is z-wave though, so you'd need a hub or controller.

u/DavidAg02 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I think you're on the right track... only thing I would change out would be to use the GE Z wave fan controllers instead of the Bond.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PYMGVVQ

You'll still be able to control fan speed remotely with SmartThings and whatever voice assistant you decide to go with.

EDIT: Also, unless you absolutely have to have Alexa... the Ecobee 3 lite is a much better value and a lot less bulky on the wall. And cheaper...

u/SkittlesX9 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

All good man. There is this also. GoControl/Linear GD00Z-4 Z-Wave Garage Door Opener Remote Controller, Small, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M75TEIU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FxyTzb8594QSS

Good luck either way

u/pomokey · 4 pointsr/homeautomation

Lutron makes their caseta wireless switches that come with the pico remote, or you can buy them separate. You can even mount the remote in a switch box to make it look like a real second switch.

The switch and remote work by themselves without a hub, but a hub can be added later for more control.

Technically it's not z wave, it's lutron clear connect, but it works with the wink hub, or you can buy the lutron smart bridge, and then get it to work with Vera or smartthings.

u/he_who_lurks_no_more · 1 pointr/homeautomation

You can put an Aeon Labs ZW078-A https://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-White-V3-26-AL001/dp/B00MBIRF5W

I use one of these on my Electric car charger and it works perfectly. Added bonus is it meters the power so you can report on how much heating the driveway is costing you

u/aliasxneo · 1 pointr/homeautomation

If you're looking to use openHAB, I would start by consulting the supported hardware list: http://www.openhab.org/features/supported-technologies.html

However, don't let that dissuade you from trying other technologies as I've typically never run into issues finding a round-about way to integrate my devices.

For a Z-Wave stick I would recommend Aeon's: http://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-Aeotec-Z-Wave-Z-Stick/dp/B00X0AWA6E

If you just want to toy around with Z-Wave devices and not break the bank, I would recommend starting with turning something on/off using a wall plug: http://www.amazon.com/Aeon-Labs-DSC06106-ZWUS-Z-Wave-Energy/dp/B007UZH7B8

I'm not an Aeon rep, I just happen to know both of those products take very little time to get working on openHAB and tend to work flawlessly with it.

I would start there and then decide how much further you want to go with automation.

u/andrewtheandrew · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I'm confused what you want. The GE z-wave switches work as a relay regardless if the light is on or off. It is a toggle panel so it is never "up" or "down". If you want to use the manually just click the top for on, or the bottom for off. All z-wave switches are pretty much like that. They click either up or down and then return to center. They don't disappear from the network just because the light is off. Are you saying you don't want the switch to turn the light off? Surely I am missing something here.

Why bother having a switch at all if you don't want it to control power to the light? That is what a switch does. It controls power to the circuit it is installed on. What else would it be useful for if it doesn't turn a circuit on or off?

Example:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0035YRCR2/

u/c1arkbar · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

[on/off switch ](GE Lighting Control On/Off Switch, Z-Wave, In-Wall, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12722 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035YRCR2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_N.QGybF1J18NP)

[dimmer](GE Smart Dimmer, Z-Wave, In-Wall, 12724, Works with Amazon Alexa, 12724 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B006LQFHN2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_JaRGyb67MY877)

Here you go. You can switch the items on those pages to find the toggles as well as fan controls etc

u/prideofpomona · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I had undercabinet florescent with power coming directly into them, and I replaced them with a combination of led strip lighting, diffusers and individual power supplies. Then I changed the switch to a GE z-wave. Here's a list of the products I used:

Power Supply: ($14 x 3)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017R17YQC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

LED Lights: ($8) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HSF64JG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

Diffusers: ($26)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PJSUZSK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

Zwave Switch (now they are $38, but I got some on clearance for $21)

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Required-14291/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1519156674&amp;amp;sr=8-2-spons&amp;amp;keywords=ge+zwave&amp;amp;psc=1

All in all I replaced lighting under the three main cabinets and the total cost was under $100. I'm not sure it was the best way to do it, but it works! For my application dimming wasn't what I was looking for, but I think you could swap out some parts for the dimmable versions.

u/TRDeadbeat · 1 pointr/homeautomation

The GE or HomeSeer dimmers will work just fine. I personally use the GE ones. Make sure you get the Z-Wave Plus ones though... they can be enabled through a device handler in ST to enable double tap (so can the HomeSeer switches).

https://www.amazon.com/GE-Wireless-Lighting-Required-14291/dp/B01M1AHC3R/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1517504684&amp;amp;sr=8-4&amp;amp;keywords=ge+z-wave+plus+switch

or

https://www.amazon.com/New-Model-Wireless-Lighting-Wall/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1517504684&amp;amp;sr=8-5&amp;amp;keywords=ge+z-wave+plus+switch

Again make sure it's the Z-Wave PLUS model. Even within those links, picking a specific switch might get you the non-plus.

As far as wattage, you should be fine. Standard switches will do up to 600w, that's 10x60w bulbs on a single circuit (or 6x100w) assuming incandescent bulbs, power usage goes WAY down with LED bulbs.

Your biggest problem is going to be getting all of your switches to fit into the wall... they're quite big. I'd recommend jumping neutrals and line if you can from switch to switch, instead of trying to add to the bundles (i.e. neutral into switch 1, then out of switch 1 to switch 2, etc...). If you're not comfortable with wiring you should have an electrician install them.

u/glonq · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

If you can stretch your $50 budget to $83, then you can get one smarthings hub and one GE outlet

I did this a couple weeks ago. Easy to set up; works great.

u/meshmeld · 4 pointsr/homeautomation

I would get an Aeon Z-Stick Gen5. I have one and it works (so far) i got a few devices connect. So far so good.

They are fairly low cost, and support ZWave Plus (I have a few sensors that are zwave plus).

Note it is the WHITE ONE. The black ones are the S2, they work great as well. But no zwave plus support, spend the extra 4-5$ for the current gen.

u/joshiness · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I agree with everyone else, any speakers you want and connect it to the dot. what kind of light strip do you have? Or are you looking for one? Amazon has the Sylvania one on sale right now.

https://smile.amazon.com/SYLVANIA-ZigBee-Starter-SmartThings-Assistant/dp/B00R1PB80I?sa-no-redirect=1

Great thing is you can buy a cheap Chinese Led strip to extend it for cheap, just make sure it's a 5 pin strip.

If you are looking for a zwave controller I would go with the Fibraro micro controller:

https://smile.amazon.com/Fibaro-Micro-Controller-Z-wave-Strips/dp/B00P1N68FW?sa-no-redirect=1

Of course you would then need a hub. I personally use smartthings but if you are more technically inclined and want everything to stay local you can use it with HASS, you'll just need to pick up a zwave/zigbee stick.

u/Nightmare507 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Yeah I would recommend z-wave and zigbee devices. You can pick up this USB Stick that works with both protocols and set up a Homeassistant server. The good news is home Assistant is open source and already has over 600 components. So you can use just about any device out there. Other options exist for this as well such as OpenHab and HomeSeer if you want to check those out. If you want to learn a little more about Homeassistant check out BRUH Automation on YouTube.

u/chaosdude78 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

For my apartment, I you utilize two solutions to almost solve this problem. Neither one is perfect but for controlling rooms with only hue bulbs I use the hue dimmer switch. Those work nicely because the plate they come with is about the right size to replace a regular switch, but they only control Hue bulbs. For other rooms that have other lighting solutions, I have attached some Aeon Minimotes to the wall. In those rooms, I don't have light switches that need to be in any position, but you could always rewire them to bypass the switches and build some custom mounting solutions for the,

u/DesignFlaw06 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

If you want something to work with the Wink Hub, you can go with a GoControl Z-Wave Add-on. https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Linear-GD00Z-4-Z-Wave-Controller/dp/B00M75TEIU You can add it to any garage door you'd like. I installed mine, using a SmartThings hub, and it seems to work pretty well.

u/AviN456 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Assuming your existing dumb switch doesn't control fan speed, you'll just need two standard z-wave/zigbee enabled smart switches. I use the GE12722 Z-Wave Wireless Lighting Control On/Off Switch.

If you want to be able to control the fan speed from the wall, you could use the GE 12730 Z-Wave Smart Fan Control, you will just no longer use the pull chain fan control (if your fan has one).

u/mrwebguy · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

OP Delivers and sorry for the delay. Thanks to /u/maxwellsearcy for reminding me!

  • Dresden electronic ballast (Zigbee)
  • 50/50 4 Conductor Light Strip Connectors
  • Phillips Hue Dimmer Switch
  • Supernight 50/50 24V lights

    Now, cut the plugs off one side of the lights and off the power supply. Match the wires up on the Dresden ballast with RGB+ on the LEDs. Carefully strip away the outer shielding on the power supply cord and then strip the tiny wires on the inside of the power supply wire. Put those into the power screw points on the Dresden. Plug it in and test. It should come on a solid color.

    Now that you have it working, go into your Hue app and scan for new lights. You will see 2 lights pop up for every Dresden ballast you configure. Once it's done scanning, click them in the app and make sure they flash. One of them will NOT flash and you can safely delete that one.

    That's it!
u/chiefbighorn · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I'm using ones purchased from Amazon (http://amzn.com/B00JJY0S4G) or Home Depot (http://goo.gl/eZKEkK). You can control the dimmer from the remote and from the (Wink) hub. Neat setup. Looks like you can get the dimmer module without the remote from Amazon (http://amzn.com/B00KLAXFQA).

u/sidoh · 1 pointr/homeautomation

These zwave minimotes are pretty nice. They work well with SmartThings. Also like them because they're rechargeable.

I also use a bunch of hacked dash buttons.

u/MrHaVoC805 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

You could get these two devices and be able to control the fan and light independently with variable speed control and dimming capability.

  1. Fan Switch:

    https://www.amazon.com/GE-12730-Z-Wave-Smart-Control/dp/B00PYMGVVQ

  2. Light Control:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IRQC7O6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

    Both of them can be controlled via Alexa or through the UI on whatever hub you choose.

    Hope this helps!
u/jhobbs74 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

There are a ridiculous number of options, but based on my bedroom:

A 52" Haiku H series with SensMe (HA integration) in a dark finish wood, with satin nickel base, on a level 9' ceiling, with a light fixture, and wall switch is $1315.00.

Or you can go to Amazon and buy a more sensible fan for $100-$300 dollars, and set up most of the same rules using a multi sensor and a z-wave fan control.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PYMGVVQ?keywords=Ceiling%20fan%20z-wave&amp;amp;qid=1458787380&amp;amp;ref_=sr_1_2&amp;amp;sr=8-2

u/OldGuyGeek · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Try TP-Link. About $ 28 as well but very good and compatible with just about everything. Of course the dimmer is a bit more expensive.

&amp;#x200B;

Switch: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EZV35QU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1

&amp;#x200B;

Dimmer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079775ZZQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1

&amp;#x200B;

The user guide and other PDFs are in the description.

&amp;#x200B;

I've had 3 regular switches and 1 dimmer installed for about 2 months now.

u/IKROWNI · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

&gt; So, what are my options if I don't want this internet connected / PC controllable?

That seems like an odd question. What exactly do you mean you don't want it internet connected? Do you just mean you don't want to have to rely on the cloud services. In other words do you just want to be sure your HA system will continue working if your internet goes out?

If thats the case i would go with a

raspberry pi

https://www.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Complete-Starter-Kit/dp/B01C6Q2GSY/ref=sr_1_2?s=pc&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1483394601&amp;amp;sr=1-2&amp;amp;keywords=raspberry+pi

A zwave usb stick

https://www.amazon.com/Aeotec-Aeon-Labs-ZW090-Stick/dp/B00X0AWA6E/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&amp;amp;ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1483394649&amp;amp;sr=1-1-catcorr&amp;amp;keywords=zwave+usb+stick

And then from there just start grabbing some zwave switches/outlets

You can choose whether the system is accessible outside of the network while still having access to the system through your phone/tablet/pc/switches/remotes from in the home.

u/SurfNC02 · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

You have a lot of options. Easiest would probably go with a hub like a Samsung SmartThings hub and get zwave door/window sensors.
For the garage door you could use the GoControl outfit kit https://www.amazon.com/GoControl-Linear-GD00Z-4-Z-Wave-Controller/dp/B00M75TEIU

The fireplace gets a bit tricky depending on how the control is. Most newer homes with gas logs are on a milivolt system, meaning the switch on the wall that opens the gas valve doesnt actually have power, its just a signal wire. For this case you need to get power to that switch location which could be as easy as tapping into the lines of an adjacent switch. You need a Zwave dry contact swtich. https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI

u/superflypmp · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I've read that in so many reviews. Ideally, I'd like to set it up exactly as you describe, but instead of training my dogs to utilized said button, I'd like to control it via zwave. Did you have to hack it to hardwire buttons into it, or does it provide contacts for such options?

Would such a relay: https://www.amazon.com/Remotec-Zwave-Contact-Fixture-Module/dp/B00913ATFI/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;qid=1448130400&amp;amp;sr=8-3&amp;amp;keywords=zwave+relay
have worked in your switch setup?

u/--bohica-- · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

You'll also need a z-stick to manage the z-wave network.

edit: some more detail, sorry. I use an off-the-shelf hub myself, but to the best of my knowledge you'll need a z-stick to act as your primary controller. Plug this into OpenHAB or HomeAssistant and they'll interact with the network through the z-stick.

Also, you can get a comparable door sensor from Monoprice for much less.

u/Alwayssunnyinarizona · 1 pointr/homeautomation

What you want is [12724] (https://www.amazon.com/GE-Z-Wave-000-Watt-Incandescent-12725/dp/B006LQFHN2?th=1)

Fan control and light dimmers are very different. Fan control starts power high and lowers from there, light dimmers start low and dim up. This is important when it comes to not burning out a fan motor. You want to make sure you have them straight.

u/A5HRAJ · 1 pointr/homeautomation

You'll have to connect separate switches for the motor and the light. This may require installation of a larger wall switch electrical box (e.g. if you have a 1-Gang box, replace it with a 2-Gang box) and/or
running additional electrical wire to the fan from the wall box.

I've only seen two options for controlling fan motors: the GE 12730 or the Leviton VRF01-1LZ. There are a bunch of options for the light, but the HomeSeer HS-WD100+ seems to be the current favorite.

u/Noob911 · 5 pointsr/homeautomation

This one works great for me. I have it set to remind me if the garage door is left open longer than 15 minutes during the day, or if it is open at all after bedtime. it will auto close at certain times of the night, and when I set the house alarm...

u/inoright · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

If you are eventually going to get more home automation products, than I’d suggest getting a Smartthings hub, and some [GE smart dimmers](https://www.amazon.com/New-Model-Wireless-Lighting-Wall/dp/B01MUCZA1C/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_60_bs_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1&amp;amp;refRID=0QQMBN11VJPV61HY9D3P
). This is what I have and it works fine with my Harmony remote.

u/JCMonkeyballs · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

Here is the guide I used to do this last fall:
http://thedataist.com/off-topic-how-to-automate-your-gas-fireplace/

Here is a link to the relay you will need:
Remotec Zwave Dry Contact Fixture Module https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00913ATFI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_NFlDzbMX9NS25

Good luck!

u/calley479 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Most old dimmers would make my lights flicker or buzz... and this was back when only incandescent bulbs could be dimmed. It's not anything to worry about, but it's definitely annoying. It really depends on the type of bulb as some are worse than others.

Newer LED bulbs may humm similarly when dimmed though some will blink. I have several completely quiet ones but I also have several that say they are dimmable but don't dim that much until you get down to 40% and they definitely hum past that. Though the buzz isn't nearly as loud as I remember incandescent bulbs with x10 dimmers. I'm using the GE zwave dimming wall switches.

Check the reviews of any bulbs you're interested in and make sure others mention how well they work with dimmers. I have a handful of "dimmable" bulbs that will dim, but start blinking or buzz when they get low. But I got them because they were cheap and didn't do my research.

u/AnAffableRobot · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I've used GE smart switches all around my house and been happy with the result. This is the basic type, but the whole product line works with SmartThings.

I don't have an alarm/siren, but the list of officially supported devices includes a couple of different options for sirens.

u/Raider1284 · 3 pointsr/homeautomation

These ge switches/dimmers are awesome and will work directly with smart Things, so no need for stupid additional controllers: https://www.amazon.com/New-Model-Wireless-Lighting-Wall/dp/B01MUCZA1C

With smart zwave switches you can use regular LEDs or bulbs for all of your lights.

u/bloodytemplar · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

By "GoControl," I think you mean this? GoControl sells several Z-Wave accessories that are actually just rebadges of Linear, not just the garage door openers. :)

I have two of those, those mine are the "Iris" branded ones from Lowes (again, same manufacturer - Linear). They look like this in the app. Tap the green icon, they open and the icon turns yellow. Tap the yellow icon, they close and turn green. They can be controlled by SmartThings monitoring, CoRE, etc. There's actually a "Door Opener" device type that they register as.

Does that answer your question?

u/TaylorTWBrown · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Almost! The lutron stuff is a bit confusing. They have their pico/caseta line (which you don't want), and their connected bulb line.

You want this, this, and this. Of course, you'll also need Zigbee bulbs (Osram Lightify, GE Link, etc) and a compatible hub, such as Wink. If you'd like, you can get a second remote and keep it beside your bed.


Hope this helps!

u/computerjunkie7410 · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Sure u can. U just need a zwave dongle like Aeotec Z-Stick Gen5, Z-Wave Plus USB to create gateway https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00X0AWA6E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6q0SAbXGTH2H7

u/ambww4 · 7 pointsr/homeautomation

This ballast makes cheap LED strips integrate into your Hue setup. It works perfectly with mine. Check the Amazon comments for details. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NMSQ4QQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;amp;psc=1

u/FrenchyRaoul · 1 pointr/homeautomation

Thank you for taking the time to reply, every bit of help is appreciated.

Maybe you can clarify. I have two GE 12724's. Just focusing on the 'master', near the breaker first- I only have three connections and ground, not four. If you look at the second picture here, the fourth connection is covered, and says 'no 120V'.

Secondly, and less importantly, can I used a second 12724 as a slave? I can always replace it later on with an aux switch, I'd just like to have light for the time being at least. Worst case, I do have a manual three way I could toss in for the time being too.

Lastly, god forbid I made the connections incorrectly, are these switches prone to burning out with swapped line and load, or do they simply (and I imagine more likely) just not work?

u/SufficientYear · 1 pointr/homeautomation

If found this this but it's $200. Not ideal. But they do exist so maybe you can find one cheaper somewhere.

&amp;#x200B;

Edit: Also this, which is a smart switch not a plug so you'd have to be comfortable installing it, or paying for someone to install it. Again, not ideal.

u/xenokira · 1 pointr/homeautomation

I was just coming here to make a simialr post about the GE 12724. I just installed the dimmer switch this morning to control an outlet that provides power to two floor lamps. Each floor lamp has a Cree 60W equivalent bulb. Fortunately, these products seem to be a bit more stable together. In my situation, the bulbs are completely off when the switch is off, and stable at full power. In between off and full power though, I see some interesting results--This ranges from some flashing to stepped brightness transitions (rather than smooth). I was really hoping this switch would function the same as the plug-in dimmer module I picked up last weekend (which works perfect with the same bulbs), but no dice.

Here are the products I was referring to:

GE 12724

Cree 60W Equivalent LED Bulb

Leviton Plug-in Dimmer Module

Looks like Leviton makes some dimmable switches that are supposed to be compatible with LED bulbs. I've got GE/Jasco on/off switches installed and I don't want to have mixed switch styles... :-/

Leviton Dimmer Switch for LEDs &amp; CFLs

u/beepee123 · 2 pointsr/homeautomation

My cheap/old garage door opener (Genie screw drive) has a bunch of exposed screw terminals for switches. One terminal opens/closes the door, one terminal toggles the light. They will work with any pushbutton switch, so anything that could drive a relay would work.

The door position sensors are just open/closed switches as well, so it would be really easy to wire it to anything that has a few i/o pins.

... so yeah anyway just get something like this and check the compatibility list:
http://www.amazon.com/Linear-GD00Z-4-Z-Wave-Garage-Controller/dp/B00M75TEIU