For years I have had an X10 device installed in my main electrical panel and it controls the soffit plugs used for my Christmas lights. Well, this year it finally died. Being as it was powered by the AC coming into it and getting its control signal over that AC connection it was an ideal solution.
Now, what do I do.
I don't think that an RF solution is the answer as the attenuation of the metal box around the breakers is just to much to overcome.
My needs are now:
controller to be ac powered.
capable of 20 amps max. (this is probably way overkill. 10 would do).
interface will connect to a bridge on the wall.
Note the electrical panel is mounted between two studs and covered with drywall except of course the part where the cover sits.
Also the wires coming in and out of the panel are totally covered by finished drywall.
I'm all ears for suggestions to solving my Christmas challenge.....
Merry Christmas.
Not sure what that means… but my initial thought was that you could probably replace the X10 device by a Shelly 1. It is small enough that I assume it would fit in the same spot as you had your X10 device. The Shelly 1 will be powered by the curent from the panel and I suspect that the Wifi will not have any issue reaching it in the panel - that is one thing that I would be concerned about.
I don't know of any product that will do exactly as you describe, but it seems to me that a Qubino Flush 1 Relay Module Qubino Z-Wave Plus Flush 1 Relay Module ZMNHAD3 - The Smartest House) might give you similar capability if installed in the individual outlets you want to control, as you noted, it might not work in the panel, and I don't know how many soffit outlets you're working with, so it might not be practical.
Another option might be (if you had access) to install a junction box above the panel, and insert a Zwave or Zigbee light switch of sufficient load handling capability in-line.
A Zooz, or GE switch would seem suitable for this purpose, unfortunately, without cutting the drywall (Low WAF with that for sure) -- this is a bad option.
Final suggestion...do you have an attic? If so, is the wiring for the soffit outlets accessible from there? If so, again, you could use a Zigbee or Zwave switch (as above) wired into a Junction box mounted somewhere in-line, and well above the insulation.
One of the Zooz Zen16 or Zen17 relays might work in this situation too.
After looking at several options I decided that since the lights are only up during the Christmas season I would plug one of these in each soffit socket:
It only cost me $50.00 for four of them and they do the job for the short period of time they will be up.
I plugged them in and they all paired immediately.
Merry Christmas.
