Looking for 2 gang switch module (no neutral)

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1

There's an element of "...and the moon on a plate" here, but as part of installing smart lighting through a new house I'm looking for a module that:

  • Works off 220V (UK)
  • Doesn't need neutral (which probably means it'll be a dimmer)
  • Fits behind a switch (we can't easily locate/access the appropriate wiring in the ceiling)
  • Works with toggle switches (we have matching faceplates throughout the house, and the style doesn't have momentary switch options)
  • Is 2 gang (it'll need to fit behind a single width socket, and 2 separate devices may not be fittable).
  • Has working Hubitat drivers

Has anyone come across a device that ticks all (or failing that, most of) those boxes?

TIA, Ian

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Zigbee Rotary Dimmer Module – SAMOTECH :grey_question:

I have three of them hooked up to Zigbee2mqtt :slightly_smiling_face:

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I'm in UK and use Fibaro Dimmer 2 for all of mine and mainly use momentary switches but have a few set for standard toggle. Equally Aeotec or Qubino do similar in Z Wave (it depends whether you're looking for Z Wave or Zigbee). As you say they're generally a dimmer when you need a module without neutral. With the Fibaro ones, the driver works fine and although it's fairly basic I temporarily switch out the driver to 'Basic Z Wave Tool' (I think that's what it's called) to manually send any advanced parameters (such as forcing it to treat the light as non dimmable/switch only)

The only other PITA is adding to your tick list 'supports S2 encryption' if Z Wave. Ideally you want to be including them with security set to 'none' and if you do use the Fibaro Dimmer 2, the SiLabs SDK forces it to be included with S0 (chatty) security as that's the highest it supports. If it supports S2 you get an option to include without security. You can avoid tarting on with a USB stick and Z Wave Controller software if you get an S2 compatible model.

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Thanks - as it turns out I have two of them myself, swapped in behind the faceplates of existing dimmer switches; they are nice little things. :grin:

Unfortunately for the use I'm enquiring about the lights themselves aren't dimmable, so a rotary switch isn't really appropriate (I've no issue with a dimmable module behind the existing toggle switch plate - I'll just ignore its dimmable capabilities!).

5

Thanks for the recommendation - after my reply to @autolog this'll sound like a broken record, but...yes, they're good and I already have half a dozen Dimmer 2s installed in the loft for upstairs lights (removed and brought across from our previous house - worked immediately when repowered!).

The main problem with these for this use is their size - previously it was a significant pain chiselling out spaces for deeper back boxes to get a single Dimmer in, and in the new house it's a double switch (in a single width socket) that needs control adding. I'm not even sure the wall's thick enough to get 2 Dimmers behind the socket, and doing so would be something of a last resort!

(That space restriction wasn't at all clear in my OP - have updated it to make that clearer.)

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Gotcha. I went around mine putting 47mm deep boxes in everywhere. That was no stress at all in the plasterboard walls but a pain in the block/brick ones, trying to do it without needing to patch. I think most of the modules are similarly sized. For Zigbee the Sonoff ZMINIL2 (on Amazon) needs no neutral, is just 13 x 43 x 20mm so you might be able to get two in. And they're well priced at £24.99

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Ta - they'll be getting serious consideration (I can think of a few other places they'd be a good fit too).

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