# remote switch



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

GE Zwave


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

If I responded, >>>>>>>>>>>>>>


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

There are a million products but I think I'd go with the Lutron Caseta. I like that it's usable just for wireless switching without the network / smartphone integration. It's selling well, from a major manufacturer, so it probably won't disappear next year. The products are easy to find, decent pricing / selection / quality. The manuals / documentation are excellent. Learn this one product and you'll be able to do a lot of useless lighting tricks.


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## rdevarona (Feb 23, 2010)

There really are a ton of options now to do this. I would suggest looking at any of the Alexa or Google Assistant compatible switches and dimmers. A quick search on Amazon shows over 2,000 results. I ended up using the Enerwave switches and dimmers from Enerlites in my own house.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

Lutron bridge


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## CTshockhazard (Aug 28, 2009)

*I'd probably help you...*

...if I wasn't such an asshole.


:vs_cool:


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## Easy (Oct 18, 2017)

splatz said:


> There are a million products but I think I'd go with the Lutron Caseta. I like that it's usable just for wireless switching without the network / smartphone integration. It's selling well, from a major manufacturer, so it probably won't disappear next year. The products are easy to find, decent pricing / selection / quality. The manuals / documentation are excellent. Learn this one product and you'll be able to do a lot of useless lighting tricks.


I totally agree Lutron Caseta switches are excellent. I have a few switches that I bought on e-bay that I can control with apps on my phone or with Alexa. I only bought them because they were very cost effective and I just wanted to try them out. They work just fine but ... One problem, none of them will work if you have a strong wifi password. What I mean by that is they wont function if you use any special character in your wifi password. example 123abc password is fine but !23(bc is not possible. They dont require a hub or any kind of access point so that might also be something to consider. Lutron Caseta even works well as a remote wireless switch with out a bridge but you won't have any access to them via the app unless you have the bridge. Spend the extra money and go with Lutron switches. Another type of switch I have played with is the Defiant model #24780 and it functions well using the Defiant app and does not require a bridge. They come with a cable that tethers to you smart phone for programming. Timer functions and so forth but you can also turn them on and off with your phone.


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## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

Be careful supplying smart house products to your customers. Some of these devices are dependent on the manufacturer of the device operating their web server. They turn into expensive dumb devices without the server backend. Lowe's shut down their Iris smart hub service a few years ago. Some of the devices could be used with another hub. Others became paperweights. Best buy is shutting down the servers for their insignia smart devices next month. Those are all going to become useless dumb devices after then.
For just a few devices and a basic system, lutron caseta devices with their smart hub will work beautiful. They are a bit pricey though. 
In my own house, I use zigbee and Z-Wave devices from a handful of manufacturers with a Samsung SmartThings hub. Boatloads more things can be customized and you're not tied to one specific device manufacturer. GE and Leviton switches and dimmers are readily available the big box stores. Zooz Z-Wave switches are half the cost of those and you can normal three-way switches for the other end.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

I guess I should elaborate. He wants to turn some outside lights on as he pulls up on his boat. not sure if he would have wifi or not.


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

sbrn33 said:


> I guess I should elaborate. He wants to turn some outside lights on as he pulls up on his boat. not sure if he would have wifi or not.


Long story short, if he wants to do it with his phone, you'll need a bridge, which is a network device that talks to the electrical devices. For example, the Lutron bridge talks to the Caseta switches and Pico remotes. 

If he wants a remote that works like a garage door remote, you can just set up a Pico remote to work a Caseta switch, no smartphone, no wifi. But he has to be within range before it will work.


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## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

sbrn33 said:


> I guess I should elaborate. He wants to turn some outside lights on as he pulls up on his boat. not sure if he would have wifi or not.


If he needs to do with his phone, either the devices need to be connected to the internet directly via Wi-Fi or through a compatible smart hub /bridge. His phone will have to have internet either Wi-Fi or through his cellular carrier.
They make Bluetooth switches, but I would not use one for this application. Bluetooth range is stupid short and requires bidirectional communication before it will work. By the time he gets his phone connected and the lights on, he will already be fumbling around with a flashlight trying to tie his boat down cursing you out.
If you can live without the phone control, lutron caseta switch with a Pico remote in the boat will work. He should get decent range as long as there isn't much steel in line with the switch. Lutron advertises 30 ft range, but I've read reports online of almost 1000'


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## jbl (Mar 24, 2017)

I'm using sinope technologie work great


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## MHElectric (Oct 14, 2011)

Hmmmm....

Big brother is watching...


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## Easy (Oct 18, 2017)

JoeSparky said:


> If he needs to do with his phone, either the devices need to be connected to the internet directly via Wi-Fi or through a compatible smart hub /bridge. His phone will have to have internet either Wi-Fi or through his cellular carrier.
> They make Bluetooth switches, but I would not use one for this application. Bluetooth range is stupid short and requires bidirectional communication before it will work. By the time he gets his phone connected and the lights on, he will already be fumbling around with a flashlight trying to tie his boat down cursing you out.
> If you can live without the phone control, lutron caseta switch with a Pico remote in the boat will work. He should get decent range as long as there isn't much steel in line with the switch. Lutron advertises 30 ft range, but I've read reports online of almost 1000'


Lutron puts out some great products. I swear by them. The Pico remotes do have a real good range on them as long as it's line of sight as you mentioned. I hate using access points or gateways, they are not always reliable especially when you start adding different ones for solar monitoring or WiFi cameras. IMO .. Phone apps suck as well. Alexa works surprisingly well but no one seems to like them much because she cant hear well from long distance and as some say she listens to everything you say.


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## Superman (Mar 19, 2019)

Lutron Caseta


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## joe-nwt (Mar 28, 2019)

If the cell phone thing is not going to work, I would suggest

https://www.se.com/ca/en/product-range/60642-harmony-xb5r/

Wireless, batteryless, just mount a push button on the boat and your set. I've used one so far, the push button has great range even without the antenna for the receiver.


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