WiFi Pool light switch

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Rattus Suffocatus said:
I am partial to TP-Link Kasa switches. One of my neighbors uses two of them for the pool lighting and they have very good wifi range. It will be what I use at completion. As for finding the neutral.... It's the white wire always on a 120V circuit. The hot is usually black or red but neutral is always white.

By the way I also use Sengled zigbee lights with their cheapo hub for smart bulbs. The TP-Link switches are more reliable to respond but both are fine.
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I have a Kasa in the bathroom and emailed them about using it for a pool light..They said as long as it's in a water tight box shouldn't have any issues
 
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Rattus Suffocatus said:
I have had a Kasa (Non dimmable since my lights cycle through modes with the switch) switch in a waterproof box that I added to the side of the Intermatic Panel and it's been fine for months. If you hook it after the GFCI, then even if it does get waterlogged it will trip the GFCI. You might end up being out $20 for the switch if that happens but it's safe nonetheless. I am sure you can figure out a way of waterproofing the waterproof box to keep that from happening. :) I would guess that in a waterproof box it is code compliant, but that, I am sure is up to interpretation. TP-Link would probably argue otherwise but if it makes it a couple of years, it will likely be obsolete by then and the cloud turned off anyway...
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Will the dimable Kasa work if you’re lights are dimable? I’m trying to find something to wirelessly control 2 pentair microbrites that are controlled by a light switch in a outdoor plastic box. This seems like a perfect solution if I can make it fit in the plastic box.
 
Isnoface said:
Will the dimable Kasa work if you’re lights are dimable? I’m trying to find something to wirelessly control 2 pentair microbrites that are controlled by a light switch in a outdoor plastic box. This seems like a perfect solution if I can make it fit in the plastic box.
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If they are controlled by a phase controlled standard dimmer, then yes. I have a Hayward LED and that would be a no for me, I just use the relay type. But for a standard halogen, I think if it is within the current/power limit of the Kasa (I don't know offhand) or for a LED style that can use a standard dimmer sure. I have one Kasa Dimmer on a light in my master bedroom and it dims a dimmable LED bulb just fine.

Put the Kasa into a good plastic (for the wifi) outdoor grade box and it should be okay. Don't put it in a metal box or inside of an Intermatic metal box -- it won't have any wifi range.
 
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By the way, I settled on Kasa's for the switches and plugs and Sengled for bulbs. I ended up with a couple of Amazon plugs in a "deal" and they are the only ones I wouldn't recommend m(they lose connectivity CONSTANTLY). The Kasa's are a little more expensive than the other Chinese ones, but I hope they will be around longer. All of these smart switches need another account that is connected to Amazon Alexa (or Google if that is your thing) and I really only wanted to have a couple of outside cloud accounts for security and just to have it be easier to keep track of.

The Sengled bulbs can also with with a Philips Hue hub, so that double covers me if Sengled goes bye bye....
 
Rattus Suffocatus said:
Don't put it in a metal box or inside of an Intermatic metal box -- it won't have any wifi range.
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I installed a Kasa HS200 in a metal Intermatic box and it works great. I was prepared to remove it assuming it would not receive a Wi-Fi signal, but it has worked flawlessly for a full year without losing connection. I have about 12 Kasa TP-link switches and plugs and have had no issues with any of them.
 
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Wyze is
Rancho Cost-a-Lotta said:
I installed a Kasa HS200 in a metal Intermatic box and it works great. I was prepared to remove it assuming it would not receive a Wi-Fi signal, but it has worked flawlessly for a full year without losing connection. I have about 12 Kasa TP-link switches and plugs and have had no issues with any of them.
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How did you do it? Can you post a picture?
 
I just wired up my Hayward color logic lights and was planning another conduit run for a switch in the pool area.

So with one of these WiFi switches I can cycle the color choices from my phone? Right now it is connected to my aqua rite system so power is being turned on and off from there.
 

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Rancho Cost-a-Lotta said:
This is the style box I have. I installed the switch in one of the lower slots.

The switch controls my pool/spa lights.
View attachment 139242
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That's the same box I have, I don't understand how you mounted a switch to the bottom plates?
If you get time can you send me a picture? Thanks in advance, I have seen those slots and never understood what they do :(
 
You remove the knock-outs to expose standard switch slots. Ignore the "spa/pool" labels. I removed dual switches which controlled the two functions separately and replaced with the single Wi-Fi switch.

20190519_092638.jpg
 
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Well mine didn't work worth a crud when it was in the box. Probably the stupid chicken wire marshmallow (stucco) walls here.

Mine is single gang and the timer is never going to ever be hooked up. Where the original switch was I tried the Kasa and it was extremely unreliable. So I mounted it in a plastic box on the side and it's been 100% ever since. Where the hole is now I have a 115V digital timer for the SWCG which HOPEFULLY I will finish installing this weekend.

It does use wiring for the antenna, so it could vary by whatever it is hooked to, but if you have issues putting it in a plastic box will fix it.
 
markayash said:
That's the same box I have, I don't understand how you mounted a switch to the bottom plates?
If you get time can you send me a picture? Thanks in advance, I have seen those slots and never understood what they do :(
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Decora style switches fit if you punch that out and then drill a couple of holes for the mounting screws.
 
My concern is my box is full and I don't remember being that much room behind the cover but will look tomorrow..I have a mechanical timer for the pool lights but hard to set it to "8:30" like the rest of the lights but I have tweaked it close enough :)
 
markayash said:
My concern is my box is full and I don't remember being that much room behind the cover but will look tomorrow..I have a mechanical timer for the pool lights but hard to set it to "8:30" like the rest of the lights but I have tweaked it close enough :)
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There was quite a bit of room behind the cover in mine. If you want to do the digital timer like mine, but for the lights instead, it's about ten dollars less than the Kasa switch.
 
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Rattus Suffocatus said:
Well mine didn't work worth a crud when it was in the box.
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I was surprised it worked myself. I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but it demonstrates the quality of Kasa TP-Link switches. I've never had an issue with any of the Kasa products or the app.
markayash said:
My concern is my box is full and I don't remember being that much room behind the cover but will look tomorrow.
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There's plenty of room behind the panel to accommodate the switch, but you might need to rearrange some wires.
 
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