Cover for existing light switches?

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DJF3
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Cover for existing light switches?

Post by DJF3 »

Hi,

One thing I like about KAKU (click-on-click-off) is the fact that you can switch locally - without servers or software. So if all fails you can still switch lights.
Now that I'm getting close to having 10 Philips Hue lights in my house I would like to
start using "wall switches" to control them, but not switch them off completely (as the computer would not be able to control them anymore)

-> the current wall-switches already control the Hue lights, but when switched off they are not visible anymore
-> If I remove the current wall-switches and replace them by RF switches that trigger Homeseer to control the Hue lights there will be a significant impact if HS goes down, network is down etc.

So what I was thinking:
1. replace the current wall-switches with ones that are as flat as possible
2. Put a small cover on top of those switches (so I can't easily turn them OFF, taking them out of the RF network
3. Put a wireless switch on top of that to switch the Hue lights

In case of emergency I can always take of the RF switch, the cover and use the normal switch to control these Hue lights.

Q1: What could I use for #1: extremely flat/small, but traditional wall switches?

Q2: What could I use for #2: a cover that sits on top of #1?
Akatar
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Re: Cover for existing light switches?

Post by Akatar »

in case of an emergency you can always use any smartphone with the hue app to controll the lights?
mvdarend
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Re: Cover for existing light switches?

Post by mvdarend »

I've got something like that in the living room. I removed the 'normal' switches and replaced them with very small switches like this one which fit inside the box.
Image
On top of this I have a thin plank of word painted white with Z-wave switches.

It's pretty ugly when the cover is off, but it's only for emergencies (which I haven't had yet :))

You could also create a thin wooden 'box' to cover the existing switches, they usually only stick out about 8-10 mm.
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