I use HA to control my blue 2-1 switches using a custom automation for the different button presses. I recently purchased an aux switch (Inovelli branded fwiw) with the hope that I could mirror this same functionality to the aux switch by essentially having the same switch but without connectivity and an LED bar to save some money in my double gang installations. I’ve got the aux switch hooked up to the blue, looking at events in HA I do not see any distinction between presses on the blue switch and the aux switch. I understand it is not a separate device, but the first feature on the product page advertises custom automations for the various aux button presses and I’m not understanding how I can accomplish that if there is no distinction between the two switches’ events.
Here are logs from me pressing up once on the blue, then the aux, then up twice on the blue, then the aux:
Check Parameter 123. By default what you are looking for is turned off. 2.14+
Parameter 123 - Aux Switch Unique Scenes
If you have your Blue Series 2-1 switch setup in a multi-way setting with an Auxiliary Switch, you can choose to have your Aux switch have different scenes than your Blue Series 2-1. In other words, if you have a scene where you double-tap your Blue Series 2-1 switch to activate a bedtime scene, you can double-tap your Aux switch with a different scene (ie: Movie Scene). The default is 0, which disables this feature and has the Aux switch mimic the Blue Series 2-1 switch (ie: double tap scene on the aux = double tap scene on the Blue 2-1).
Range, Default, Size & Firmware Version Implemented
Range: 0-1
0 = Disabled (ie: Blue Series Switch Multi-Tap Scenes = Aux Switch Multi-Tap Scenes)
1 = Enabled (ie: Blue Series Switch Multi-Tap Scenes ≠ Aux Switch Multi-Tap Scenes)
Default: 0
Size (Bytes): 1
Firmware Version Implemented: 2.14+
@javascriptjames89 parameter 123 was added is 2.14. It allows you enable/disable having different scene numbers when triggered from the aux vs the Blue 2-1.
I apologize- I was expecting the label to be Aux Switch Unique Scenes and did not check the hex. Thank you very much.
I want to create an automation in HA which can differentiate triggers between 2-1 Blue and Aux Switch so that they can have different actions. Aux Switch Scenes is enabled, but I’m still having issues receiving distinct events from the Aux Switch.
When I Press Up Once on the 2-1 Blue, I see a clear event in the logbook:
Dining Room Light Switch Press - Up event was fired
I can use this event out-of-the-box when creating automations by setting the trigger to the Device->Event Name (please see pic below).
When I Press Up Once on the Aux Switch, I see this event fire in the logbook:
Dining Room Light Switch Move To Level With On Off event was fired with parameters: {‘level’: 254, ‘transition_time’: 40}
But I’m not sure how to respond to this event in an automation, as it doesn’t populate the Trigger select dropdown:
Moreover, when I do a double/triple/quadruple/quintuple press on the Blue 2-1 switch, I see a clear event. But I do not see any events for double/triple/quadruple/quintuple press on the aux switch:
This may be a stupid question but worth asking: is the traveler the only connection between the aux switch and the blue 2-1? I want to ensure I haven’t missed something vital, as not getting any double/triple/etc events at all is concerning.
If you just have a line load and traveler connected to the Blue 2-1, then you are wired for a non-neutral configuration. In a non-neutral configuration, the Aux switch must be provided a hot connected to the neutral terminal not a neutral. So unless I am misunderstanding, it does not sound as if you have wired the Aux correctly.
That being said, if you do not have a neutral at the 2-1, how did you get a neutral to the Aux?
Thanks- this is very helpful. I’ll try connecting the blue 2-1 to neutral tomorrow. At first I tried the aux switch without a neutral and wasn’t getting any signs of life. After looking at diagrams, I thought it likely needed a line or a neutral to function, so I connected the neutral to the aux switch unaware I should also connect the blue 2-1 to neutral for this work.
I’d recommend that you consult with a licensed electrician to ensure you are wired properly. I don’t get the sense that you have a good handle on how these should be wired.
When you install an Inovelli smart switch, you either have a neutral or a non-neutral configuration. You don’t pick this, you wire for what you have. You stated that the Inovelli doesn’t have a neutral connected, so since it’s working, that suggests you have a non-neutral configuration. So you can’t add a neutral to this!Theoretically, you don’t have a neutral in that box anyway, and if you do, it’s not the proper neutral for this switch leg.
If you do have a non-neutral configuration, the Aux gets a hot, not a neutral!
My house is wired with neutrals available and I have them hooked up to almost all my switches. I was under the impression the neutral was not required, so I did not hook it up to this specific switch as it seemed to functioning correctly.
You’re right, I don’t have a solid understanding of lighting wiring.
When you install an Inovelli smart switch, you either have a neutral or a non-neutral configuration. You don’t pick this, you wire for what you have.
This is the part that’s throwing me for a loop- I thought there are 2 configurations: 1 with a neutral for houses that have a neutral and one without that siphons power from the line to power the switch in the absence of a neutral wire. I guess I still don’t understand the “you don’t choose this” part, so I’ll do some more discovery.
All houses have a neutral (in US, grid connected systems); however not all locations that have switches installed have a neutral present. If a electrician installs a switch, he or she could install a 14/2 (2 wires) romex from the light fixture down to the new switch location. This would be called a switch loop as the power would run down one wire and up the other to “loop” it back to the light to turn on. Open the switch and the power stops at the switch. Other electricians could run a 14/3 (3 wires) romex and have the same up and down “loop”, but it would have another conductor to bring a neutral down. Depending who wired the house, some electricians start at the switch when bringing the line from the panel; others start at outlets or light fixtures and it depends what you get…
Thank you, very informative. All my switch locations have neutrals present, they are white individual wires bundled in a wire cap, separate from the romex wires.
I don’t mean to reject the advice of those who know more than me on this subject, but I really believe this issue is not related to the wiring, but instead a software issue or a fundamental misconception of functionality of the aux switch. I’ve connected the blue 2-1 switch to neutral so that now both blue 2-1 and aux switch are both connected to neutral. The behavior is the same.
If the aux switch is expected to trigger events like “Double Press Up - Aux”, why don’t I see those populating the select list of triggers on the device when creating automations in HA? I want to confirm the functionality of the aux switch: the product page advertise a scenario of using the aux switch to trigger different actions based on the type press on the aux switch.
There is a disclaimer that reads “We’ve tested on…Home Assistant”. I’m looking for more details on the HA implementation. The advert seems to be clearly talking about unique events coming from the aux switch…“the Blue Series switch will detect the multitaps that this switch send”. Is this only the case when the aux switch is set to mirror to blue switch? I’m very confused how this advertised scenario could be describing a situation where the aux switch is just the extension of the paddle of an existing switch and not capable of unique triggers between the blue switch and aux switch.
To reiterate, my goal is to have 1 blue switch and 1 aux switch in the same location in smart bulb mode. I want to trigger separate automations for a double press up on the blue switch vs a double press up on the aux switch. Is that not what’s being advertised in this picture?
Well good news and bad news. In ZHA I can trigger scenes from the aux with Aux Switch Scenes disabled. When I enable Aux Switch Scenes I cannot get any scenes to work. Basic on/off does work. Tagging @EricM_Inovelli.
The good news is that it does work in Z2M. I can see the events bylistening to msg.payload.action in NodeRed. That means it’s a ZHA bug and not a firmware issue.
