Hello! My name is Svetlana, I'm a UX/UI designer working on a design for a smart home app. I want to know about the experience of using any smart home application (be it MiHome, Tuya, Home Assistant, etc.) and your own thoughts. If you have a similar experience and want to help, please write to me in private. Your participation will help me make the product better and understand the needs of real users. I'm looking forward to communicating with you! Thank you.
Hi. So when I had my house build I ran a bunch of stuff, one of which being two pairs of speaker wires to each bedroom and to 4 spots around my living room… Over the years I have used them here and there with different success.. But today they sit in my walls just unused.
I converted all the cat6 or 5e (I don’t remember) over to basically eithernet jacks. The cable coaxial well it’s there but now unused. But I was thinking there has got to be some use for two pairs of speaker wires to each room. Can I make them usb plugs? Not sure so looking for ideas.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this.
Kevin
Need help in finding the right smart switch for my kitchen lights
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Hello,
I have a kitchen light that can be controlled by two switches, using either to turn it off or on. I have been slowly changing things over to be a smart home but this is the first switch I am attempting to install.
I am in a double wide modular home (mobile) that was built in 1994.
At first I thought I would need a 3 way switch but when taking the normal switches apart I realized that was incorrect because the wiring on my switches are different than anything I could find online.
For one a 3 way smart switch requires 5 wires and there are only 2 wires going into the primary switch with 3 wires going into the secondary switch from the primary switch (at least I think the 3 wires connect the two switches together). Images will be attached of the wiring.
There are two wires (one black and one white) going into the first switch and 3 wires (black, white, and red) going out of that and into the second switch (I assume). The odd thing is the red wire going to the second switch is connected to the white wire going into the first switch and the white wire going into the second switch seems to be a bridge wire or a traveler wire. Not exactly sure. You will see what I mean in the images.
I need to know what kind of smart switch I can use in this set up with one remaining a normal switch.
Note that for some reason the images got switched around when uploading them. The image with 2 wires on one side and 3 on the other is what I think is the primary and the image with just 3 wires is the secondary.
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Most switches from GE and Leviton these days are three-way compatible/ready, but you need to use the companion switch of the same brand and product family (I think GE even has a package with the two together in the same box).
However, you should not do this yourself. If you are asking here, you do not know what you need to know to do this job safely, and you need to hire a licensed electrician. Practically speaking, wire color means nothing; while there are standards and conventions, there is no telling if your home was wired to those from the start, or if work done since it was built did not alter the original conditions. Nobody here can safely advise you on the current purpose of each of these wires; it would take testing with a meter or other devices to ascertain how the wires are being used, and then, which terminals on the new switch would be connected to which wires on each end. The voltages present here can, and given the opportunity will kill you and/or burn your home down. The electrician would also be able to ascertain if a neutral is present for the new switch, which many require, and many older homes in North America were built without. If that's the case, you may need to find a switch that does not require a neutral (these are available); so consult the electrician before buying any replacement products.
