Adding tech to your garage just makes life a little easier. There’s an array of tech you can add to your garage and a smart switch here and there can be just a start. A smart switch is simply a replacement to a standard wall switch you may use to turn on a light or ceiling fan. They usually install quickly and often do not cost much more than a standard wall switch.
Why do I need a Smart Switch?
In short you don’t need a smart switch, you could always just manually flip a switch and be done with it. There are many things in the world that we don’t “need” but a little tech like a smart switch can just improve life a little bit. I do like being able to use voice commands to make something happen. My smart controller of choice is an Alexa but they all work similar.
Automations are probably the feature I like the most with smart switches. All kinds of automations can be set up from turning lights on and off at certain times to complex conditions. My favorite is dawn and dusk automations since that time changes everyday, the Alexa knows that time and can make things happen at these time.
Another favorite automation is what I call “lights out”. I have an automation that will turn off nearly everything at 11:30pm. This is really convenient if I forget to turn off something after leaving.
Types of Devices
Smart switches usually come in two connection varieties hub and wifi. Wifi switches connect directly to the wifi and communicate over the regular network. Hub devices require a special hub which communicates with the devices while the hub is connected to the wifi. Hubs use a different frequency than wifi to communicate with the device, in some cases hub type devices use less power and can reach further distances. Obviously a wifi device is a bit simpler to install since it doesn’t require additional equipment. I went with wifi for the switches.
Since I am using an Alexa I needed to make sure the devices I am buying are compatible. In my experience most devices are compatible with Google Assistant and Alexa at the same time while Apple Home seems to be separate. Pay attention to this when making a selection.
Brand of Choice
I’ve used a few brands but my recent favorite is Kasa. They are affordable and have performed flawlessly. I’ve used both the smart switches and smart outlets from Kasa. In my garage I have several HS200 switches and one HS210. The HS200 is a single pole switch and the HS210 is a 3 way switch. Both are rated at 15 amps at 120 volts.
All of the devices from Kasa can be controlled through the Kasa app or using something like an Alexa. On occasion one app is better than the other but most of the time Alexa does all the work.
Smart Switch Installation
Most smart switches require a neutral wire at the switch which is uncommon for older construction. The neutral allows the switch to have power regardless of the state of the switch. You may need an electrician if you don’t understand this. Luckily my garage is all wired (by me) with neutrals at the switches. Many localities require neutrals at the switch as part of electrical inspections.
The Kasa switches use pigtails instead of screw terminals. This makes attaching to the lead wires a bit easier with the included wire nuts. The pig tails do add a bit of bulk to the install with the extra length of wire but the switch boxes I used were nice and deep. The wires are color coded and usually match up with standard house wiring. Black=hot, White=neutral, Green=ground.
HS210 3 Way Switch
The HS210 differs in that it is a 3 way switch which means it can be switched at the switch or from a switch at another location. In my case this switch is for the main garage ceiling lights. The HS210 is installed at the side door and a second switch is installed between the two garage doors. This allows the lights to be turned on from either entrance.
The instructions were a little vague with what is actually required here and I bought two HS210 switches when you actually only need one. The second switch should be just a plain wall switch, the single HS210 can control the circuit regardless of the position of the remote switch. Attaching to HS210 switches together gives strange results.
Smart Switch Configuration
When the switch is finally installed and powered on you should open the Kasa app and tap the + to add a new device. Select Device then pick the particular device you are configuring. Follow the prompts in the app and within a few minutes your device should be up and running. Often a software update will be done as the last step in the device setup. A final step in the setup if you are using an Alexa and this is your first Kasa device you should add the Kasa skill to Alexa. This will allow Alexa to interact with all of the Kasa devices you may add.
Automation
The Kasa app has some automation capabilities and Alexa has a bit more advanced automation plus it can control multiple devices even if they are separate brands. I’ve actually found using a little bit from each can allow more complex control. Take a look at some of the screens you can access to manage your devices.
Once you get started with smart devices you can think of more ways to use them. The possibilities are near endless.
Some of my favorite automations are…
- Outside lights on at dusk
- Garage door lights off at 10pm
- Side door entrance light off at dawn
- Garage door lights on for 5 min after 10pm until 6am at motion sensing
- Interior lights and smart plugs off at 11:30pm