Last update: What a ride! So I installed a few of these around the house, and had difficulty with them dropping WiFi all the time - to the point where they were basically just regular switches. I left a bad review on Amazon and the etekcity folks reached out to me to let me know there was a new software update. I was skeptical but I installed it and my WiFi dropout problem STOPPED! These are now great switches since they have addressed my only issue. I'll probably pick up a few more now.
This switch was pretty easy to install. The lead wires on the back just get pigtailed into your existing wiring (remove the wire caps, add the new wires, then put the caps back on. It didn't take very long at all.
The box I installed this in has a lot of wiring in it and when you add in the big thick switch, it is really hard to get this thing to fit flush.
The setup process was pretty easy, but I did have to do it twice. It was kind of funny when it failed the first time because it told me to move the device closer to the router.
The button seems to work fine and I set it up with my Google Home in a few seconds. I am able to ask Google to turn this light off and on no problem.
I wish these folks would make a 2 pole switch and/or a dimmer.
I installed two of these in both my bathrooms to operate the fan switch. We leave the fans on and they end up running all night wasting a lot of electricity so it's good to be able to turn these off from anywhere in the house using Google Home.
like the other reviewers say these arr pretty easy to install. The instructions are pretty good. The only thing that I think needs to be noted is:
**** I couldn't get my switch to produce a Wi-Fi network so that I could connect to the switch via my phone. I read through dozens and dozens of reviews and then came across one that said I needed to hold my finger over the power button longer ...for about 15 seconds... Until the Wi-Fi light on the switch started to blink faster. Once the rapid blinking was happening then my phone could see the switch and connect to it and configure the switch.
I had reached out to tech support to ask for help before I found my fix in the Amazon reviews and tech support got right back to me and provided a ton of detail to help!
I haven't really played with the away feature or the schedule feature yet but so far these are working great.
One disconnected from wifi the other day when my router had gone down. One switch came right back up, re-connected to wi-fi, no issues. The other switch stayed disconnected from wi-fi. Simple long hold on the switch till the wifi light blinks rapidly, then use the veSync app to re-add it back. No problem.
**Also - These respond ridiculously fast when triggered from the app or Google home. Other smart devices have a slight delay. I like these Etekcity devices. I'll probably buy more!
I have 6 of these smart switches from Etekcity (I also have 4 of their smart outlets). I am very happy with them.
The pros:
Simple to install.
Easy to connect.
Cool features that are easy too configure.
App is user friendly.
Can share Switch with other App users.
The Cons:
The switch is fat, may not fit in a low profile wall box.
APN Mode didn't always work for me, but Spare Config Mode worked fine and I think is actually faster to connect.
I had no issues installing all of the smart switches. I installed 4 in my house and 2 in an older house. The wires on the switch are more than long enough to connect to existing wiring. It would be nice if it came with different size wire nuts (2 the size it comes with and maybe 2 larger ones). I installed 2 switches into a a 3 gang box. Both the neutral and ground had 4 total wires to connect and the supplied wire nuts were too small. Other than that, no issues at all.
On the first switch I installed, APN mode would not work for me. The ESP-XXXX network never showed up in my list of available networks. I tried turning the WiFi on my phone off and then on again, but it still did not show up. From then on, I just used the Spare Config Mode which worked just fine. APN mode did work on my Smart Outlets, so maybe it was just a fluke with this one switch. I didn't bother trying it on the other switches since I think Spare Config Mode is quicker to connect. For some switches, they connected immediately to my network and others took longer (2 took over 1 minute). Proximity to the router didn't seem to make any difference as my router is upstairs in the center of the house while all of the switches are on outside walls of the house (one is in the garage).
The App is very easy to use. It groups switches and outlets together and shows when the switch/outlet is powered from the list of switches. There is no need to go into the switch's details to find out if it is powered. I have used the Schedule, Timer and Away mode. The Away mode is cool as it varies the time the switch will turn on. If I set the schedule for say 10 pm, it will randomly turn on between 9:30 pm and 10:30 pm. Same with when it turns off. If someone is indeed checking to see if lights are on a timer/schedule, the Away mode may help to through them off a little.
One issue I have run into is for certain times in a schedule just will not turn on. I ran into this with one of my smart outlets. The outlet was set to turn on at 8 pm and turn off at 1 pm. Several times, the lights connected to the outlet were off after 8 pm. I manually turned them on and then they turned off on schedule. After a few days, I decided to change the time to 8:01 pm and the outlet came on as scheduled. I have had the same issue with the switches, just different hours. I also noticed after Day Light Savings Time began last earlier this week, some of the schedules that were working before did not work anymore. Again, I'd have to turn them on manually and they'd turn off on schedule. Oddly enough, after I turned them on manually 1 time, the schedule began working again without me having to change the time. Weird, but no biggie.
One nice thing about the App is that smart switches and outlets can be shared with other users. I installed 2 switches for my in-laws. They were using those timers that screw into a light socket. They worked ok if no one accidentally turned the switch off. The smart switches are much more reliable, plus they can be on for as long as I need them on. The screw in timers had a 6 hour limit. I setup the app on my father's-in-law smartphone and setup his own account. Then I shared his switches with my account so I could make sure they worked properly since we live 800 miles apart. Very cool feature.
I am very happy with my switches and I am glad to see Etekcity is coming out with three-way switches and dimmers, although I haven't been able to find them on Amazon yet.
My wife and I have different temperature requirements. She uses many blankets and turns on a ceiling fan. I prefer no ceiling fan and only a few blankets. More than once have I woken up at 2AM freezing, but not wanting to get out of bed to turn off the fan. Last night when my wife woke up hot at 11 she asked Alexa to turn on the fan. When I woke up at 3AM I asked Alexa to turn off the fan. We were both happy!
As other reviews have mentioned, this will work in places where there are multi-gang switches, and both of them will fit (Width) in a 2 gang box with a standard faceplate.
There are far more pros than cons in this setup.
Pros:
Relatively inexpensive.
I already had a lot of Etekcity devices, so I was familiar with setup, pairing, and joining to my smart devices.
Came with lots of wire. I actually needed to cut them down to fit it into the depth of my 2 gang box.
Cons: The only real frustration I found with it was pairing it to my Alexa. I already had a VeSync account, and it was already paired to my Alexa. The VeSync app saw the switches as soon as they were installed, and my Google home saw it as soon as it was in the VeSync app. I had to remove the Vesync integration in my Alexa app and re-install the skill, at which point the new devices would show up as smart home devices in my app.
All in all, this seems to be a great product, we'll see how well it does with longevity.
This was a perfect solution to my outdoor lighting plan. I wanted my backyard deck and side garage door lights to automatically turn on at sunset and turn off at sunrise. I already am using Etekcity smart switches to control my Outdoor Christmas lights (garage plug), front window Christmas lights and Christmas Tree, and four bedroom window Christmas Candles. So adding two more Etekcity smart light switches made perfect sense.
To make installing easy, I preconfigured each light switch using an old computer power cord to power up the light switches from my easy chair. The included wirenuts made it easy to temporarily hook up the light switch matching up the black line, white, and green wires. I used the last wirenut to cover the black load lead for safety. Once powered up, I switched my smartphone wifi to use the 2.4Ghz only and proceeded to setup and test the Etekcity smart light switches. I used a marker and wrote #1 or #2 on the switch body that goes in the wall later. This made it easy to know what switch controlled which light. Once each switch was properly configured and tested, I was ready to proceed with installation.
Next, with the help of a family member, I determined what circuit breakers controlled the two outdoor lights. Cell phones makes this real easy. I added to the breaker labels which light it controlled to make future electrical work easier.
With the power off, I removed and discarded the old light switch and plate. In one electrical box it was easy to determine what wires were the line and what wire was the load. The line had three black leads connected to a single wirenut whereas the load only had a single black lead. Fortunately both electrical boxes were deep boxes so there was plenty of room to stuff all the wires into. The second light switch electrical box was more challenging as there was no indication of which black lead was line verses load. After disconnecting the old switch and separating the white and black wires, I temporarily powered up that circuit and used a volt meter to determine which set of wires were the line. After turning off the breaker, I finished hooking up the second smart light switch. Its nice that the leads from the switch are long and that each wire is labeled on the back of the switch. Its real easy to get the wall plates off of the new switches if you start at a corner and slightly bend the plate to pop off the wall plate from the switch.
I used a small level to make sure each switch was properly leveled up before tightening the screws and snapping the wall plate on.
Electrical work is not for everyone so if your not comfortable working with electrical wiring, asked someone to help or hire a professional. Take your time and be safe and in the end you can show off your work to friends and family!
I love the look and I love these smart switches.
The only negative is that unlike the Etekcity smart plugs, these Etekcity light switches do not have energy monitoring.
Feature Product
- CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE: tap your light switch on/off from your phone via the free vesync app. Setting schedules and timers cuts down energy costs and keeps your family on a healthy routine
- WORKS WITH ALEXA AND GOOGLE ASSISTANT: Issue voice commands while you're cooking or have your arms full!
- PREMIUM QUALITY: The switch's solid construction and stable connection ensures that once it's installed, it returns online, even after a power outage/network interruption. Watch our step-by-step video and installation instructions to get set up! Reference all product labels for clear guidance.
- NEAT & PRATICAL DESIGN: Pure white surface and standard size fits your home perfectly. You can even turn on/off the Wi-Fi and power light indicators in your app. No worries about the bright light in the night. The wires are adjustable. It's long enough to fit a deep junction box. You may shorten them with pliers if you get a shallow one, which will do no effect on the performance
- COMPATIBILITY: make sure the light switch you replace has 4 wires (ground, load, line, neutral). This light switch is a single-pole switch with a 15A/1800W max load, NOT compatible with the 3-way switch and neutral wire is required. Note: A 2.4Ghz network required. Up to 2-year warranty & lifetime customer support
Description
Specification: Size: 4.13 x 1.75 x 1.75 inches Ac voltage: AC 120V (50/60Hz) Maximum Ac current: 15A Maximum Ac power: 1800w Note: A secured 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network is required. Neutral wire is required.
2 Stars - Installaation
3 Stars - Ease of use
5 Stars - Functionality
I like this brand the best, but it is not without flaws. I have tried several others and find the features to not be as good. These are the most reasonably priced, but I also like the features the best of all.
They work well, but you have to fiddle with them, especially initially. They seem to disconnect themselves from the network fairly often. I will see that one is not connected in the app, it will be grey’d out but still functioning as programmed. If it still works just ignore that is appears offline and check at a later time and it will have “healed” itself.
I had one switch that I had to contact support about. They requested that I hanged it out and they would replace. Before I got a chance to change it that next weekend it fixed itself. It went from not staying connected to the network and completely dropping off as if it had never been installed to functioning perfectly. I have no clue, but I am happy it works.
I have 4 of the wall switches and 12 plugs. They have all been glitchy occasionally, but i have tried other popular brands and have found this brand to be the best.
The switch is large and apparently only comes in white, therefore if you put it into a 2 Gang or 3 Gang box it won’t match the other switches’ color if not white. Usually people have almond color switches in their house. It’s not too hard to install but would be nice if it were a bit smaller on the depth measurement. The instructions in the VeSync app are accurate but the paper instructions leave out the step of temporally joining the “switches own network” to then be connected to the users own network. I had trouble getting the switch to use Sunset/ Sunrise setting when applied after having specific times for on and off at first for a few days. Customer support responded by email and I did what they said and it worked. I bought plugs as well and one of those just went offline one night and the network LED light on the plug started blinking. It dimmed on the app and was unusable. Unplugged it - replugged it - and it started working. What if you weren’t home??? I have updated VeSync App but unsure how to update software on or in switches and plugs if even possible. Network setup is slow but works OK afterward.
I have 2 of these installed and just ordered another one for my rental home. It's great being able to turn on/off the lights for my guests before they arrive and after they leave. Make sure your firmware is up to date and you won't have any issues after setup.
Update: So I was able to get in touch with VeSync Support. Looks like the issue I was having was resolved in a firmware update. I wasn't aware of the feature in the settings of the light switch. Steps to get it working, reset the device, set it up and reconnect it to the wifi, then immediately update the firmware in the settings. Works great now.
Not too happy with these smart light switches. I installed them at my home with no issues. I love how they have colored and labeled wires on the back; made intall a breeze. The part that I can’t rely on is the WiFi. I connect the switches to my WiFi through the app and only moments later it disconnects and the WiFi logo starts pulsing. The app shows the 2 lights I installed but I can not control them. Occasionally they reconnect and then they quickly go offline again. I would not recommend if you are a tech guy like I am. They will only drive you crazy because you can’t use them in the app.
I love these switches! However, I do have a disclaimer. These switches have four wires… One white, one green, and two black. When I took apart my wall switches, I discovered only three wires. My house is a brand new build, so it’s not like it was all the wiring. There were no instructions with the switches. However, I did jump on the website and found a YouTube video. It was very helpful. I installed two of the six switches I bought. One worked and one didn’t. I could not figure out what I had done wrong. I did give in and called an electrician. He told me the only thing I had done wrong was reversed the two black wires on the new switch. These were still something I could have easily installed myself. I just gave up a little too quickly and was a little apprehensive concerning electricity. Once these were wired in, they were super simple to get connected to the Wi-Fi and the app. I already had the wi-Fi plugs from this company, so that’s why I ordered the switches. I’m very happy I did it.
It’s a reliable company. The package received on time and it’s nicely packed. All the instructions are very clear. First read all the instructions. Most important is to switch off the power from the switch board and ensure that it’s off. Buy a simple touch tester or proximity tester that detects the voltage and current. The installation is simple and as you can see that I was able to replace the kitchen light switch. You may to cut the wires if they don’t fit in the socket. I didn’t have to cut. I folded them nicely and inserted in the box. The WiFi setup is simple and easy. I was able to add it to my Alexa. I have WiFi smart plugs for all other rooms. The kitchen and dining rooms light has switches, where I wanted smart WiFi switches. I got this two pack for low price compared to other expensive. Also I wanted to integrate it with my Alexa. I can control the light from my iPhone and Alexa.
It’s included in my daily home lights schedule. I setup the schedule to trim on and off early morning 6:30 to 7:30 and in the evening 5:30 to 11:30. It’s been working fine for more than a month now. The touch switch works great to turn it on or off. Or I can ask Alexa to switch on or off also. It’s a great product. I will definitely suggest to go for it.
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