Home Automation

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Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

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3 way switched circuit: how to control the lights but keep the outlet hot? (alien.top)

submitted 10 months ago by koch5000@alien.top to c/homeautomation@selfhosted.forum

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So we've just bought a home and the basement switch is 3 way: one switch at the top of the stairs and there's another switch downstairs as you enter from the garage.

The problem: the basement is finished and the living room downstairs only has 2 receptacles and one of them is on that switched circuit along with two ceiling lights.

We have the AV system down there, which is currently wired to said switched receptacle and right now every time I go downstairs and turn everything on to watch something, I unscrew the bulbs to get the lighting set up. When the GF gets to the top of the stairs, she toggles the switches because it's dark and shuts everything down. Argh!

So what I'm looking for is the ability to control the lights from both the upstairs and downstairs switches, but without switching the power at the receptacle. It seems like some kind of smart switch maybe the way forward but been flailing around looking for the right combination.

Seems like replacing the existing switches are the first step, but anyone have any thoughts on the next?

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[–] PuzzlingDad@alien.top 1 points 10 months ago

Have you checked that both outlets are switched? Very often they are wired where only half is switched and the other is always powered. If that's the case, there's nothing you need to do except switch to the other outlet.

If both halves are switched and there is no constant hot in the box, then there isn't much you can do. If the power is turned off at the switched, a smart plug isn't going to be able to function either.

I suggest having an electrician check it for a constant hot and wire that up instead of the switched hot.