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[Solved] How to detect the position of a dumb wall switch? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago) by clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works to c/homeassistant@lemmy.world

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My nightstand lights are connected to a surge protector plugged into a Zigbee smart plug plugged into a dumb wall outlet controlled by a single dumb wall switch.

I have the smart plug set to default=On, so the wall switch works fine, and I can also turn the lights off from my phone or via an automation. All good so far.

What I WANT is to be able to turn the lights ON without getting out of bed, and irrespective of the position of the switch.

I tried putting a second smart plug in the switch-controlled outlet and making an automation to toggle the surge protector's smart plug when the switch's empty smart plug powers off/on via the wall switch, but it looks like it's not simple to detect a Zigbee device "disappearing". I found some integrations that detect zigbee devices disappearing, but those seemed more for running health checks to detect and repair moved devices than for live detection.

Any suggestions?

Edit:

Looks like a relay behind the switch will be my best bet. Thank you all!

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[–] Godnroc@lemmy.world 9 points 5 days ago (2 children)

So, I've been looking at Shelley's smart switch modules which actually get wired in behind the light switch and use it as an input to control the smart switch. It involves simple wiring, requires a neutral in the switch box, but would give you control from either the switch or otherwise.

For me, it would let me control the lamps in my apartment and not show anyone that I had made all the switches smart.

[–] mhzawadi@lemmy.horwood.cloud 3 points 5 days ago (1 children)

Shelly relays are amazing, you wire the load and switches to it. Making a dumb light smart

Here in the UK we don't have a neutral wire the light switch, so I have a shelly in the light fitting

[–] Godnroc@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

Oh, that's genius! I know a light I had to skip making smart because it didn't have a neutral, but putting it in the light is a great solution!

[–] clay_pidgin@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 days ago

That looks like a good option, thank you for the tip!