Suggestions for exterior switch and controllers (remotes) -- Zigbee, Z-Wave, or even Lutron

I'm looking for suggestions for exterior, battery-powered, flush-mount "switches" (scene controllers? remotes?). Note that these are not physical switches, and will not be attached to any wiring.

I've got both Zigbee & Z-Wave repeaters near each of the "switch" locations, so either protocol is fine.

I've got 3 existing remote switches (wireless remote control switch ip67, 433Mhz) that are mounted outside to manage a string of exterior lights (< 15A). They are cheap, fast, and reliable, and I had hoped to control them with HE via a Broadlink RM Pro+, but the Broadlink IR & RF controller doesn't support the rolling code ("encryption") used between the switchplates & the receiver, so they've got to go.

I'll probably replace the existing receiver with something like an Aeotec Nano, mounted inside the junction box for one of the lamps.... but it seems to be hard to find a good outdoor-rated remote controller that looks like a switch.

Has anyone used Lutron Picos outside -- for example, on a vertical wall with almost no wind/rain protection?

I don't understand what you are looking for? An outdoor outlet to control a load, like this:

Or are you looking for a button device like a pico remote?

Why do you need an outdoor controller? To meet code, outdoor switches have to be behind a protective cover, like this:

image

You could put any switch or button device you wanted inside a protective cover like that. It seems you're looking for two different devices. If you use the GE outdoor plug, you can control that from any dashboard or any other controller device you want.

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Close...but the load consists of hard-wired, permanently-installed outdoor lights, so the actual switch (wireless receiver) would ideally be mounted inside the junction box for one of the fixtures. That's not too hard to find. The junction box itself is reasonably well protected from the elements, and is outdoor-rated, so I'm not terribly concerned about putting a Aeotec Nano (or similar) inside.

Yes, I'm looking for outdoor-rated remotes that will function as the physical switch.

Yes, I'm looking for two different devices -- a device that will switch power upon receipt of a radio signal and multiple remote controllers that can send that signal via the Hub.

If the 'switches' are actually battery-powered remotes and are IP67 rated, not really switching line voltage, then I'm fine installing them outside of a weather-sealed enclosure. Those 'switches' are the things that people must operate in the dark, while it's raining, while wearing gloves, holding bags of groceries, etc....they should be as easy to use as possible.

Not sure of your exact use case but I had put an Aeotec remote in my wife's car so she could turn lights on . . . Now that we are almost fully Lutronized, I noted that Lutron has a mount for the Pico that will clip to a sunvisor. As it turns out, we never use these because our motion detectors are good enough (and there are enough of them) that the lights are on when we need them.

Any button device is not going to hold up well in the cold outside except for doorbell type devices like the button on the Aeotec doorbell 6. Otherwise, they are going to get cold and lose battery power and also get water inside them. I don't know of any IP67 rated button devices that are z-wave or zigbee. I still don't understand your use-case. You currently have remotes mounted to the outside of your house? I've never heard of anyone doing such a thing before. I would think you would want the remote inside to change the lights, not outside. If someone is coming up the walkway in the dark, after they get to the door is too late to turn on the lights. Outdoor pathway lighting is usually on from dusk till dawn or on a motion sensor.

Perhaps you meant to say something like "Any button type device that I'm aware of" rather than such a definitive and provably incorrect statement.

The 3 switches I've got have been outside, in Philadelphia, for over a year. The batteries are fine, and none have suffered water damage.

I could simply say that it's not your house, but I'll try to expand your world-view just a little, and hopefully provide some enlightenment into the concept that someone may want to do things in a way that you don't understand...

One of the current remotes is located just inside a walkway that comes off a fairly busy sidewalk. This allows us to control lighting over a narrow & uneven brick path, where a motion detector would have a tremendous number of false alarms from pedestrian traffic.

The other remotes are in locations that we feel are similarly convenient for the physical layout and our typical exits and entrances.

We do not want the outdoor lighting on from dusk till dawn, and a motion sensor is inappropriate, which is why I gave specific details about the current equipment and my intent to replace the controls one-for-one with devices that can be activated through the Hub, not a general question for people to tell me how to do something different when they don't know the layout or use-case.

Then why change?

Before buying the Aeotec Doorbell 6, I did a search for weeks trying to find a zigbee or z-wave button that is outdoor rated. If you can find one, then my hat is off to you because I spent hours trying to find one. They don't exist.

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Please look at the first post again. Here's a clue...read the 3rd paragraph. Notice the part about not being able to control the existing lights through Habitat?

Thanks, that is helpful.

I was considering doorbells-as-remotes.

I said that 2 hours ago.

I'm not 100% sure these will work for your use case but the Flic buttons (At least gen 1) are IP44 rated to be used outside.

I saw in another post where a someone connected a conventional wall switch to a contact sensor. This could all be placed inside a outdoor rated enclosure.

Mike

This is partially protected - it's the switch for my carport lights.