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Home Assistant is open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first.
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Home Assistant can be self-installed on ProxMox, Raspberry Pi, or even purchased pre-installed: Home Assistant: Installation

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Physical user interface (lemmy.world)

submitted 4 days ago by Test_Tickles@lemmy.world to c/homeassistant@lemmy.world

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I am fairly new to home automation and I am looking to add a few physical wall switches to devices that don't have a specific wall switch of their own. I have a couple rooms where I want to put a light on a smart bulb/plug/relay but want to be able to turn the light on/off via a physical interaction at the door, like a normal light switch.
The only solution I see right now is to expand the hole for the existing light (ceiling fan actually) switch, add another smart switch that doesn't actually have a load, and then set it up so if that switch is turned "on/off" then I have a automation that triggers the smart relay.
But that seems like gross overkill. I honestly don't care about cutting holes or wiring stuff up, but somehow paying full price for a smart switch and then using it as nothing more than an alternative user interface for yet another smart device seems really wrong.
Currently I have several kaso/tapo switches installed and have been looking at some smart relays/plugs/bulbs to turn on a lamp, or trigger the light on the fan separately from the fan itself.

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[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 1 points 4 days ago* (last edited 4 days ago) (1 children)

I just took some Zigbee buttons and stuck em on the wall. I rent though, so I can't mess with the wiring. Works well. I have Zigbee bulbs so I just put little 3D printed covers on the real switches to keep the power going to the smart bulbs.

But can't you get a smart switch with physical controls? What tech do you use to control your lights/switches/relays? Zigbee? WiFi? Matter/Thread?

I'd do something like this: https://a.co/d/022pOcJo if I could. (Not recommending this brand... Didn't research it.)

WiFi ones exist too but I wouldn't want to permanently install WiFi smart home stuff. If you're going this far invest into a Zigbee or Matter over Thread radio. It works great with Homeassistant.

[–] Kirk@startrek.website 1 points 4 days ago (4 children)

I also just want to add the batteries in most of those zigbee buttons last on the order of years

[–] GreatAlbatross@feddit.uk 1 points 2 days ago

I haven't had a single zigbee button need a battery replacement yet.

[–] Test_Tickles@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

That's great news. One of my fans came with a remote years ago. The remote uses this special little 12v battery that is both expensive and incredibly short lived.

[–] aksdb@lemmy.world 1 points 3 days ago

There are Zigbee buttons that don’t even need batteries. They produce the necessary energy to send a signal from the energy you put into clicking them. Incredible stuff out there.

[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 1 points 4 days ago

Yeah I got the Third Reality ones, they take AAA batteries instead of the coin cells that most take.