Why doesn't anyone make a reasonably priced wired scene controller with multiple buttons like my Picos, Eria Dimmers, and RGB Genie remotes that go in a single gang box? I desperately need them to finalize my Spouse Approval Factor. All of my wireless remotes "go to sleep" and don't consistently work on 1st push if they haven't been used recently. It drives my wife crazy (so in turn drives me crazy). Literally 95% of Spousal Complaints toward my Home Automation hobby is a remote button not working on 1st push. The Picos are the best but still not good enough.
I know that there are wired scene controllers that let you push up 7 times and down 7 times but I wouldn't consider that "normal" nor does it pass the SAF test.
Am I the only one that would buy them? Am I missing an obvious reason why they are not readily available?
@stephen_nutt I guess eBay wink relays are the best bet? Even though they take up two gangs, their mounting box is only one gang. Using @josh integration, you can have 2 local switches and a whole touchscreen that can be used for a dashboard for only about $30. The dashboard won’t say a,b,c,d, it will say whatever you want. I also have an empty security console because I replaced my security system with konnected and used a fire as the console, so I used that to put the buttons in the wall that trigger automations, but I know that is a niche way of doing things (the wall buttons with wires already in place).
If you don’t mind tasmota and soldering, then go with a sonoff. You can’t use a Shelly because gnd connects to 110v. The sonoff will allow for up to three buttons and push /hold on each of them. You can make one button on and off (depending on current state) when pushed and you can make it being held and the other two buttons can run scenecss or automations
Have you taken a look at this? This is what I used:
Unfortunately, the Decorator version (which I prefer) is out of production, and can only occasionally be found on eBay. The curvy version is available, but varies wildly in price from various vendors and over time.
LOL ok one caveat with these, and it probably applies to any mains powered scene controller: My wife kinda hates it. Because the 5 buttons are unlabeled. And I can't figure out a way to label them without it looking terrible. I bought some tiny stickers that say things like "Lights" and "Fan", but I just can't get past how bad stickers look.
A relative has a very fancy, very very expensive control4 system, and he has button/scene controllers all over his house, and I think the buttons are laser-etched with the labels, and backlit. They look fantastic. But I think they were control4-specific button controllers, not z-wave. And WAY out of my budget.
That said, even though my wife hates it, a wall mounted scene controller solved a very real problem for me: A room that is lit by lamps instead of ceiling lights. The lamps are plugged into smart plugs, and I can control them with Alexa, but I really wanted wall-mounted buttons to control the lighting in the room.
Here's what the laser-etched control4 ones look like, but I think they only work with control4, and you can't even buy them. You have to go through a control4 installer. Yuck.
I never even looked at anything Wink. If I could get it easily into HE, that might be a good option if wife approves of look. It would be perfect in our living room.
I am not averse to Tasmota and soldering. I already use a Tasmotized Sonoff Bridge for motion and moisture sensors and 3 Basics along with about 5 Tasmotized NodeMCUs. Do you know if their 8-button remote could be paired to a Sonoff Bridge with the bridge's 16 button options? I assume so. It's battery but maybe it doesn't sleep as much.
The Cooper Easton would be perfect except for the $$$$. DANG!!!!
Thanks everyone for the leads. Time for some more research (aka spend more money on devices).
Lutron does, and they (unlike some other options) would work with Hubitat: their seeTouch Keypads sound a lot like what you're asking for. They require RA2, and they are not cheap, but you can be custom engraved for "free" (if you have the certificate that a new purchase would come with) and they have a variety of button configurations to choose from: https://www.lutron.com/en-US/Products/Pages/Components/seeTouchWallstation
Me? I settle for Picos. If the labels don't match what I want, I'm not afraid of a P-Touch labelmaker (a high-res one doesn't look that bad, though I've seen some attempts that do). I'm not really worried about battery life on these things. Lutron claims 10 years, but even if that doesn't hold up, they're pretty easy to replace and a fairly "standard" size (CR2032) as far as coin cells go. Unlike many Zigbee and some Z-Wave devices, these only do something when you press a button--no periodic "check ins" or battery or temperature reports back to the hub. Therefore, I'd also expect them to last a while.
But if I felt like it was worth the money, seeTouch would be at the top of my keypad list.
Since my original post, I thought I could just use a cheap $20 Android phone I already have in office. I have a tablet on wall in Laundry Room attached to a smart plug. A Tasker profile keeps tablet battery between 30% - 85% and a motion sensor in the room turns the smart plug off then on (or on then off depending on current state) to wake up tablet. My phone in office is is simply taking notifications from Wyze cameras, Amcrest cameras and my Eufy doorbell and passing along to HE so it could be moved anywhere. It too is connected to a Smart Plug keeping battery from dying or over-charging and there is a motion sensor already in room.
Hmmmm, next step is to test functionality and SAF........
Appreciate the list of options in a single post...
I'm coming from INSTEON where I have 3 of the 8-button scene controller with backlights and have been searching for a Z-Wave replacement. The Enerwave and Leviton are both very good replacements but did not see Enerwave on the supported list and I believe the Leviton would require a new hub. By chance has someone written a driver for the Enerwave ZWN-SC7?
