NEC 2017 210.70(A)(2)(2) requires a wall-switch controlled lighting outlet for exterior lights. I'm debating whether making the switch or the lighting fixture controlled by Alexa has any merit. Even if it is desirable, is it allowed?
Alexa and exterior door light
- Thread starter Geber
- Start date
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Shouldn't be a problem as long as the switch can be controlled at the door.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
I don't know how that would work, myself being very new to this Alexa stuff. We have two devices with WIFI links to the Amazon Echo controller, each plugged into a receptacle outlet, each having a lamp plugged into it. We say, "Alexa, turn on plug one," and that light turns on. How would Alexa communicate with an exterior light that gets its power from a hard-wired circuit via a wall switch?
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Replace the hardwired switch with a Lutron Casseta switch. It is Alexa compatible.
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
hbiss
EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
- Location
- Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
- Occupation
- EC
Did you know that you can re-name the default "plug one" name to anything you want?
"Alexa, turn on the lamp".
-Hal
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
I tell Alexa thank you sometimes. Just to be polite.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
Saying "thank you" is not enough. You have to first state the name.I tell Alexa thank you sometimes. Just to be polite.
I just did a test. I first said, "Alexa, what is the time." After "her" reply, I said, "Alexa, thank you." Then Alexa said, "You're welcome. Your kindness really gives me a charge."
- Location
- Wisconsin
- Occupation
- PE (Retired) - Power Systems
I have a cheap 'smart' switch from Best Buy, it still has mechanical contacts as well. Now I have outdoor house lights that are on an 'astronomical' timer that never needs adjustment for daylight saving.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
Our outdoor lights above the garage door are LED with photosensors built into the bulbs themselves. We leave the wall switch (inside the garage) on all the time.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
I have her set so i can give a follow up command without the wake word.Saying "thank you" is not enough. You have to first state the name.
I just did a test. I first said, "Alexa, what is the time." After "her" reply, I said, "Alexa, thank you." Then Alexa said, "You're welcome. Your kindness really gives me a charge."
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
How, please?
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Thank you.
Eddie702
Licensed Electrician
- Location
- Western Massachusetts
- Occupation
- Electrician
OMG my GF does that it drives me nuts!!I tell Alexa thank you sometimes. Just to be polite.
petersonra
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern illinois
- Occupation
- engineer
Because your GF is polite?
winnie
Senior Member
- Location
- Springfield, MA, USA
- Occupation
- Electric motor research
When my kids learned 'Alexa, tell me a fart joke....' sigh
Back to the OP, there are lots of 'smart switches' on the market. Use one that Alexa can control and you meet code and have automation.
Downside is that both Amazon and the maker of your switch and whomever can hack their protocol end up knowing the state of your front door lights.
Jon
Back to the OP, there are lots of 'smart switches' on the market. Use one that Alexa can control and you meet code and have automation.
Downside is that both Amazon and the maker of your switch and whomever can hack their protocol end up knowing the state of your front door lights.
Jon
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
What I say to machines can't be repeated in a forum. And ever since I started working at IBM a few decades ago, I've called each computer I've dealt with a "machine". IBM went out of its way to not talk about computers as if they were human. For example, data wasn't kept in memory, it was kept in store.
A technicality in another post: as I read it, overhead garage doors don't have to have a light near them, so how it's controlled is entirely up to the installer.