I’d like to use one of the soon-to-be-released On/Off switches to control turning our fireplace on/off. I’ve verified that it’s just a normal toggle switch currently, so the on/off should be safe to use there. However, I’d like the ability to lock out remote On commands, since you should really never turn on a fireplace when you aren’t there. But, I’d also like remote Off to still work, because it would allow for shutting off the fireplace if the home alarm is armed or all the presence sensors stop detecting people.
Our fireplace is activated by what looks like a normal toggle switch, but it is not hooked to the AC mains. It’s instead connected to a low voltage relay which does not provide sufficient power to operate a smart switch. You might want to double check yours.
We did automate our switch by using a Zigbee electro-mechanical switch bot fitted over the existing toggle switch and programmed it to automatically go off after two hours or at midnight, whichever came first. I have no programming that allows it to be turned on in an automated way. I of course can go into Hubitat and turn it on manually.
Thank you for pointing that out! While the switch is a standard Leviton switch, I looked up the install manual for the fireplace and you are right, it apparently uses a 3V AC system for that side.
So now I need to find some kind of alternative. Unfortunately a wart hanging onto the physical switch won’t fly with my SO, it has to be something hiding behind the plate. Apparently the maker has a remote control add-on / attachment, so I’ll likely look into that.