Should I disable Christmas virtual switches?

💬 Lounge
1

I have several virtual switches used only for Christmas projects. Should I disable them until needed?

2

Only you can answer this. :slight_smile: They don't do anything on their own if you don't do something with them. So the question is: what are you doing with them?

Are you using them in any automations (or manually changing them in some way that would cause something to actually happen)? If not, it just sounds like more hassle. If so, then that's one way you could prevent unintended automations from running in response to their events.

3

I don't think virtual switches matter to anything.
I have 2 Xmas ZW switches that I leave plugged in all year round so as to not disrupt the mesh.
I used to exclude them and pack them away with the tree but that proved more troublesome.

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4

I replaced my few seasonal z-wave/zigbee plugs with WiFi ones for the same reason. I pack them away with the associated lights and cords. No mesh concerns. I have a few outdoor smart plugs for a bird bath heater and some patio lighting that are local WiFi for much the same reason.

5

I have an ENABLE rule and a DISABLE rule for my holiday outlets, so that the devices get omitted from many reports for most of the year.

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6

I was not sure if they contributed very much to my HE overhead, even though I don't do anything with them at all until Christmas time. It sounds like I can just leave them alone. Thanks.

7

That's what I'd do! Disabling just stops the driver (or app) code from running. But with a virtual device (and one that doesn't create any scheduled jobs, which this one doesn't except for the auto-off feature when needed), that's only going to happen if you run a command. Since you aren't: no difference.

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8

Remember, disabling a ZW device does not remove it from mesh activity.
Don't remove the device from power if you want your mesh to stay intact after disabling.

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9

Yes. As discussed elsewhere, I am going to replace all of my Christmas devices with WiFi so that I can remove them and store them with my decorations and not have to worry about my mesh. I was specifically asking about disabling virtual devices/switches on my hub and how that might affect overhead.

10

I believe disabling a virtual device just causes it to ignore events.

11

Not just that:

(See also: Devices | Hubitat Documentation)

But, again:

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