Recommendation for battery powered wall switch?

[simnick]

Background: I live in an older house in the US, with older wiring and lath and plaster walls. As such, redoing wiring is an expensive proposition. I have two lights that are currently pull chain fixtures, that I would like to replace with nicer ones, without pull chains. Rather than run wiring for a switch, I was looking to use my Almond+ and some zigbee hardware.

My current plan was to use a 3 bulb fixture, with 3 cree connected bulbs (already got one to work with my Almond+). But I don't want to use the app/router all the time, so I want a hardware switch to mount on the wall. It needs to be battery powered, and bonus points if it dims, and bonus points if it looks like it is a wired/built-in switch.

Alternate option, but was having a hard time navigating, is a unit that goes in the ceiling to switch the fixture. Then I can buy other types of bulbs. Still need a remote switch though.

[fillibar]

I know this one is z-wave and you mentioned Zigbee... but is this along the correct general path?
http://smile.amazon.com/GE-45631-Z-Wave-Wireless-Controller/dp/B003OUWABU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1424912014&sr=8-1&keywords=battery+powered+z-wave+switch

[simnick]

Sorry, Zigbee or Z-Wave, anything that works with the Almond+. Yeah, that, but ideally with a few less buttons.

[Ohiomedic]

I haven't really seen any with less buttons that are battery powered, but haven't been looking too hard since secondary controllers are not supported yet. I've been looking since most my switches don't have a neutral wire.

[LGNilsson]

These type of devices aren't supported as yet, as they're scene controllers.
Once we've added support for scenes, support for scene controllers will be added.
Z-Wave.me has a two/four button one, but it's made for the European market and I'm not sure it's available elsewhere. It'll be one of the first scene controllers we'll be supporting, as we already have samples of it.
http://z-wave.me/index.php?id=30

Remotec also has an 8 button one coming.

[fillibar]

Good to know I was on the right path at least. Like Lars said there really are not options in this area (yet). Keeping an eye open though...

[dbuttke]

Philips tap switch might do what you want.
It would give you a physical switch. It could interface with the cree connected bulbs using the hue hub which you can find all day long on eBay for ~$50
You can then control the hub from the almond +.

[LGNilsson]

CentraLite has a switch coming later this year http://www.centralite.com/index.php/products/new-products-for-2015 (second product) but I have no idea when or at what cost.
They also have the micro button coming which might do the trick as long as you don't mind using a single button for on/off.

[Ohiomedic]

CentraLite has a switch coming later this year http://www.centralite.com/index.php/products/new-products-for-2015 (second product) but I have no idea when or at what cost.
They also have the micro button coming which might do the trick as long as you don't mind using a single button for on/off.

thanks for posting that. It will go great in a couple places I have the GE link bulbs hooked to a regular switch.

[mparadis]

I'm looking for forward to those centralite pieces, hoping they aren't crazy expensive.

[simnick]

Should this work?
http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/wiring_devices/products/lighting_controls/aspire_rf_wireless/dimmers/aspire_rf_battery_operated_switch_dimmer_rf9500.solutions.wiringdevices!whole_home_solutions!aspire_rf_wireless.html
Although $100 list, looks like it is selling around $53: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004I7YSVI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A33PLCZAV8KG8V

[mparadis]

That is a scene controller I believe. Not yet supported and I can't say for sure that is a z-wave device the description is a little confusing. That said, it would still need to wait until secondary controllers work and then wait and see if that particular one is supported as many devices are slightly different even when the same type of device.

[simnick]

Per the spec sheet / manual, it is Z-Wave Compliant Certified. Well, I ordered one earlier, and I will see if it comes across as a switch or a secondary controller (not sure what the real difference is). Someone already had luck with one of their wired models (http://forum.securifi.com/index.php/topic,2734.msg11882.html#msg11882), so I took that to be a good sign.

Just announced, but not yet sold anywhere, is a simpler model: http://www.cooperindustries.com/content/public/en/wiring_devices/products/lighting_controls/aspire_rf_wireless/anyplace.html
That looks like it might be useful for folks.

[LGNilsson]

I doubt those will work as they're most likely secondary controllers. We'll be adding support for that down the line as I've said, but we need to finish the rules, then the scenes before they'll be supported.
In the meantime, what might be possible to do with some of these is connect them directly to another switch, but that stuff is a bit messy and  a Z-Wave device can't talk to two controllers like this.

[simnick]

I just received it, and yeah, it shows up as "Unsupported device". I am not in a hurry, so I am willing to wait if you think it will get supported later.
Are some switches not secondary controller, and those work, but others (like this one) are? What is the difference?