Button + Light

[split hollow]

Hey folks, I’d like to put a light next to the kitchen bins and make it start blinking every Sunday evening, to remind me to take out the bins, until I press the button to indicate I’ve done it. Does anyone know of an off-the-shelf zigbee button/switch that has a light built into it? I’ve just bought one from Sonos, which has a faint light that flashes when pairing, but it doesn’t look like I can control it from HA. Alternatively I’ve considered making it myself with an Esp32 but I imagine it would be quite bulky, especially to make it battery-powered.

[eager cape]

doees it have to be zigbee? you mention esp32 which would be wifi anyway so is that fine?

if wifi is fine

M5Sack make the ATOM Matrix ESP32 Development Kit
links here and here

its got a button and a led grid on it

between esphome and homeassistant it would be easy enough to do what you want. however its not gunna be battery friendly

[split hollow]

Thanks! Sure, wifi would be fine, I’m just used to these battery powered ones being zigbee and assumed better battery life there

That looks great though, thanks a lot!

[split hollow]

That one doesn’t look battery powered, but I will look around for one that is on that company’s website

[eager cape]

yeah esp wifi stuff is generally not gunna be battery friendly.

although you could add a generic usb battery to it but i am not sure how long it would last

seperating the button and light elementss would mean you could use a low power zigbee button then put a hard wired light/bulb in above the bin or something

[split hollow]

Yeah I want one in the bathroom as well though - general habit reminder - and there’s no power source in uk bathrooms :😔

[eager cape]

i am also in the uk, and yeah i feel ya. "shaver" sockets are starting to become more of a thing here but in older houses without the wiring for it its gunna be a pain

[round bloom]

There is power as all bathrooms have lights, it's just a question of ensuring you follow building regulations and the zoning in bathrooms. You could just use a smart light in the bathroom ceiling and adjust color depending on notification - you may be able to find a ceiling light that has a white main light and RGB LED ring around.

I should add that a lot of bathrooms in the UK also have Expelair's which would have power. Many off those have a timer circuit so they come on with a light switch but stay on for a bit after the light is turned off - this means they have a continuous live connection. You could tap into that power although you would need to check the power draw / fuse ratings - should be fine to add an AC to 5v transformer for powering a low power device.

[split hollow]

Thanks @round bloom that’s a fair point, and interesting idea with smart bulbs! I actually bought some TRADFRI RGB bulbs only to find that the lights in my ceiling aren’t replaceable bulbs but are integrated fixtures, presumably to be insulated from moisture. So not only would the bulbs I bought not work (not sure I’ve even seen integrated smart bulbs like this), but I’d need an electrician to replace them 😫

I should also mention that I rent my flat, so am a bit limited regarding deep alterations

[split hollow]

Actually, I've just realised that I don't really need constant wireless connectivity—I just need to be able to program it (set a schedule), which I could even do with a wired connection. From that point on, it could operate without connectivity. I imagine that would save a lot of battery life.

[round bloom]

Can you upload a photo of the intergrated fixture? I find that a bit strange in the UK as most would have some form of replaceable bulb.

Unfortunately you are in the trap of a rental property since you will be limited with the changes to you can make (and probably should make).

[split hollow]

Sure @round bloom

(It was a real challenge to pull it out further, so I stopped to look for some videos and research it a bit, and that’s how I realised it was an integrated fixture. I’d love to be wrong about that though!

[round bloom]

@split hollow I'm surprised you couldn't pull it out further since those downlights should only be connected by two wires.

They are IP44 rated so are suitable for Bathroom Zone 2 which means they must be 0.6m outside the bath and shower area. I did google the model number and saw that DL indicates a basic downlight (DDL would have been dimmable) which tells me they won't have any special wiring just standard live / neutral.

I can recommend the Zigbee based Gledopto GL-D-007P (https://www.downlights.co.uk/gledopto-anti-glare-rgbw-recessed-led-downlight.html). These are wider than than your existing downlights and hence the holes would need be made slightly larger - an advantage since it will mean you can cause minor damage to the edges of the ceiling when pulling the existing lights. My other reason for this recommendation is that this model also runs on RF frequency so you can pair it with a control that will work even if HA or your Zigbee network is down.

If you are comfortable you don't need an electrician to change the downlights as you are basically replacing like for like. However, this is mains voltage, so warnings should be considered.

Of course, you could use other light fittings, you just need to ensure they are at least IP44.

@split hollow Forgot to mention that I did note you saying you were in a rental, so you should ask your landlord - but I do not see why a landlord would object to this work as it is in essence replacing a lightbulb. You can also suggest to the landlord that the choice of a wider diameter bulb is so that any damage caused pulling the old fittings will be redundant due to cutting a slightly larger hole.