Smart Plugs and Table Lamps

I can't see how to make a conventional smart plug work with a table lamp. If someone wants to override the plug and pull on the lamp's chain, it won't turn on. She'd have to reach down to the wall plug and push a button. Or maybe a wireless button....hmmmm

There ya go! I have 2 Leviton plug-in dimmers and a Lutron Pico remote for each. I do all my processing in node-red so I can't advise you on doing it in HE but I'm sure you can.

2 Likes

Yup - once you add a smart plug or smart bulb to table lamp, you need a way for folks to turn it on in a "smart" way - requires a button or voice command.

No way around that. And of course no one wants to reach down to turn on a lamp via plug, so you'll find the lamp get turned off w/its switch and the smart plug is then useless.

Lamps + smart plug or smart bulb = required smart button to control plug or bulb, unless you will consistently use voice.

2 Likes

Yep. Very few of these have load sensing. It’s one of the main reasons I still use Insteon outlets and plugs. I’ve seen one or two Z-Wave plugs and outlets that support that (or at least the older models did) but I cannot recall which ones.

One simple way around the issue is to use smart bulbs with either a separate hub that’s not gonna care much if a bulb disappears from the network when somebody shuts it off, or a Phillips Hue bridge that doesn’t seem to care at all when a bulb disappears. This way you can just turn the bulb off via the hub, and then when someone turns the switch off and back on again, the bulb comes on to full brightness.

1 Like

Buttons are your friend in this case. Unscrew the switch knob, or take the pull chain off if needed. But a Pico on a stand is easier than fishing up inside a lamp anyway.

Not mine, stole this from Google.

You could probably do something similar with other buttons. At one time I thought of making a nice wooden box to hold a button. I cheated though and just used a wall plate with a button mounted to it, adhered some felt pads, and laid the wall plate on the table.

1 Like

An alternative is using voice commands. It may not be friendly to guests but saying "Alexa, turn on family room" from across the room does become pretty natural.

1 Like

How my wife manages it:

Her: "Hey, you (pointing at me), turn on the dining lights.
Me: "Hey Google, turn on the dining lights."
Her: I love home autmation. :slight_smile:

4 Likes

I use Samsung buttons with a simple rule that essentially sets and override variable for the illuminance automations and then if I click the button twice, it clears the override. I also have a midnight clear overrides rule.

Of course, the Samsung buttons are becoming unobtainium these days.

S.

The most recent generation (v2?) was a big improvement on the first, for me. They still have not been 100% reliable, and I had to take one apart and adjust some of the internal parts to make it more consistent. They are (were?) a reaonably effective, unobtrusive, and inexpensive button option.

I have at least 8 of them, and as long as I keep an eye on the batteries, they've been 100% reliable in my home. Having said that, they are all the latest generation, I didn't start buying them until I got my Hubitat in early 19.

I'm going to miss them! If Aeotec raises the prices like indications on some of the other Samsung branded Samjin devices that I've been reading about here, I have no idea what I'll replace them with. I'm certainly not going to buy a Lutron hub just so I can have Nano's (which I think are as ugly as sin! lol).

S.

You're lucky you never used the first gen... [eek!]

I think there are some Xiaomi/Aqara buttons that might be reasonable replacements, but can't remember for sure. l expect the Aeotec "Samsung" buttons will be $75 each and require a $50 annual subscription to be used...

:wink:

Oh man...are you going to get it from the "Lutron Gang" that hang out here... :wink:

1 Like

Them is fighting words! LOL

mob1

1 Like

Oh no, they're here!! Run, run! :sunglasses:

@neonturbo I hear danabw is a secret Lutron hater as well! Besides, I'm not afraid of a:

external-content.duckduckgo.com

I've got a Charger Scat Pack! LOL Oh, wait. The roads are iced over...never mind....I'm armed with...with...PEANUT (plugs) -- lots of them!

S.

2 Likes

I mean... the logic of your automation looks pretty straightforward. Have you had problems with reliability? Often when commands don’t get to the destination, we recommend using more repeaters, but it looks like you’ve got that covered.

5 Likes

Many LOLs!!

OMG...I never saw it until now. I've been demoted to a repeater. Not a switch, or a relay, or even a contact sensor. A repeater. [sigh]

:wink:

1 Like