Smart switches: types, marking, how to choose and connect correctly

Fastening

The fastening of sockets is carried out for both traditional and new models either on screws that are in the socket or on grips. When tightened, the grips dig into the walls of the socket box.

However, in the design of improved models there are features. The so-called “double tooth” technology is used here.

It allows you to increase the separation force by about one and a half times.

Another difference between a high-quality socket is the presence of a special profile, the so-called “dovetail”. It allows for very easy installation. sockets and switches in blocks.

If you need to connect two or more mechanisms under the same frame, you set the very first one perfectly exactly according to the level of the Pocket Electric electrician, and mount the second and subsequent ones using a dovetail.

As a result, all mechanisms will be quickly and evenly installed in their seats.

Specifications

After you have decided which motion sensor you will install to turn on the light, you need to select its technical characteristics.

In the technical characteristics of wireless models, there is also the frequency at which they operate and the type of batteries.

Viewing angle

The motion sensor for turning on the light can have a different viewing angle in the horizontal plane - from 90 ° to 360 °. If an object can be approached from any direction, sensors with a radius of 180-360 ° are installed, depending on its location. If the device is mounted on a wall, 180° is enough, if on a pole, 360° is already needed. Indoors, you can use those that track movement in a narrow sector.

Depending on the installation location and the required detection zone, the viewing radius is selected

If there is only one door (utility room, for example), a narrow-band sensor may be sufficient. If the room can be entered from two or three sides, the model should be able to see at least 180 °, and preferably in all directions. The wider the "coverage", the better, but the cost of wide-angle models is much higher, so it is worth proceeding from the principle of reasonable sufficiency.

There is also a vertical viewing angle. In conventional low-cost models, it is 15-20 °, but there are models that can cover up to 180 °.Wide-angle motion detectors are usually installed in security systems, and not in lighting systems, since their cost is solid. In this regard, it is worth choosing the height of the device installation correctly: so that the “dead zone”, in which the detector simply does not see anything, is not in the place where the movement is most intense.

Range

Here again, it is worth choosing taking into account whether the room will be install a motion sensor to turn on the light or outdoors. For rooms with a range of 5-7 meters, it will be enough with your head.

Range of action choose with a margin

For the street, the installation of more "long-range" ones is desirable. But look here too: with a large coverage radius, false positives can be very frequent. So too much coverage can even be a disadvantage.

Power of connected lamps

Each motion sensor for turning on the light is designed to connect a certain load - it can pass a current of a certain rating through itself. Therefore, when choosing, you need to know the total power of the lamps that the device will connect.

The power of the connected lamps is critical if a group of lamps or one powerful lamp is turned on.

In order not to overpay for the increased bandwidth of the motion sensor, and even save on electricity bills, use not incandescent lamps, but more economical ones - gas discharge, fluorescent or LED.

Method and place of installation

In addition to the explicit division into street and "home" there is another type of division according to the installation location of motion sensors:

• Body models. A small box that can be mounted on a bracket. The bracket can be fixed:
  • on the ceiling;

  • on the wall.

• Embedded models for concealed installation. Miniature models that can be installed in special recesses in an inconspicuous place.

If lighting is turned on only to increase comfort, cabinet models are chosen, since with equal characteristics they are cheaper. Embedded put in security systems. They are small but more expensive.

Additional functions

Some motion detectors have additional features. Some of them are overkill, others, in certain situations, can be useful.

• Built-in light sensor. If the motion sensor to turn on the light is installed on the street or in a room with a window, there is no need to turn on the light during daylight hours - the illumination is sufficient. In this case, either a photo relay is built into the circuit, or a motion detector with a built-in photo relay (in one housing) is used.

• Animal protection. A useful feature if there are cats, dogs. With this feature, false positives are much less. If the dog is large, even this option will not save. But with cats and small dogs, it works well.

• Light off delay. There are devices that turn off the light immediately after the object leaves the area of ​​​​action. In most cases, this is inconvenient: light is still needed. Therefore, models with a delay are convenient, and even more convenient are those that allow this delay to be adjusted.

These are all the features that might be useful

Pay particular attention to the animal protection and shutdown delay. These are really useful options.

Switches: their types, recommendations for choosing

A switch is a device designed to act on an electrical network by closing or opening contacts.

Varieties of switches

According to the method of action on the mechanism, the switches are: keyboard, push-button, lever, cord and touch.

Schematically, the main design of the key switch is shown in the figure, where: 1 - key to act on the device, 2 - frame (case), 3 - electrical installation mechanism.

Key switch design

For the rest of the switches, the element of pressure changes accordingly: instead of a key, there is a button, a lever, a cord.

By functionality, switches are:

• ordinary - switches that open the electrical network in one position and close it in the other;
• impulse - switches that provide an impact on the network only when pressed directly, without remaining in this position (for example, a bell);
• through, cross - differ in a large number of connectors and contacts. Such switches close the electrical network in each of the positions and if, for example, two light bulbs are connected, then one switch works in one position, and the second in the other;

Through switch

• dimmers and dimmers - their feature is in regulating the brightness of lighting with incandescent lamps, LEDs, halogen lamps;
• touch, "smart" - these are high-tech modern devices that have a number of special features: they can turn on / off at certain intervals, control the light fluxes without seeing the switch, they are perfectly integrated into the "smart home" system.

smart switch

How to choose the right switch

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a switch is the type of wiring, whether it is open or hidden.If your wiring is open, then the switch must be taken on the invoice (such wiring is in "Stalinist" houses, in villages)

If the wiring is hidden, then switches are suitable, in which the box is “recessed”, and the body is attached with screws.

Before buying, pay attention to:

• mobility of structural elements (in a high-quality device, they can move freely, but in no case should they hang out);
• manufacturer and the presence of a quality mark of this manufacturer;
• manufacturer's warranty (may be on the packaging, or maybe on the passport). A manufacturer that cares about consumer satisfaction always provides a guarantee for its product and accompanies the product with a passport and instructions for installation and operation;
• aesthetic appearance (smooth surface, smooth corners, neat lines);
• the quality of the material from which the switch is made: if soft plastic is used for the case, then your switch will be scratched very quickly and its appearance will cease to be attractive; if the plastic emits unpleasant specific odors, this means that it is made from components that are harmful to health;
• the weight of the switch (in a good device, the material for its manufacture must be of a certain thickness, on which one cannot “save”);
• spare parts of the device (a good product includes fastening devices, there are latches, removable frames, other spare parts).

There are so many modern models, and all have various additional features and elements. For example, models of switches that have a built-in light beacon are in great demand (it unobtrusively illuminates the switch at night, which is very convenient).And, of course, all models have an interesting design, and decorative panels for them are made of high-strength plastic in different colors, and not only plastic, but also wood, metal, porcelain and artificial stone.

Dimmer and Lamp Compatibility

When choosing dimmers, it is necessary to pay attention to the types of lighting devices for which they are intended. Suitable for standard voltage incandescent and halogen lamps

It is only important to remember that when the voltage decreases, the color of the light flux will change.

At low voltage, it has a reddish tint, which is not only unpleasant, but also harmful to the eyes. Suitable for standard voltage incandescent and halogen lamps

It is only important to remember that as the voltage decreases, the color of the light flux will change. At low voltage, it has a reddish tint, which is not only unpleasant, but also harmful to the eyes.

Suitable for standard voltage incandescent and halogen lamps

It is only important to remember that as the voltage decreases, the color of the light flux will change. At low voltage, it has a reddish tint, which is not only unpleasant, but also harmful to the eyes. Suitable for standard voltage incandescent and halogen lamps

Suitable for standard voltage incandescent and halogen lamps

It is only important to remember that as the voltage decreases, the color of the light flux will change.At low voltage, it has a reddish tint, which is not only unpleasant, but also harmful to the eyes. To control low voltage halogen devices (12-24 V), step-down transformers (RL) compatible devices are suitable

If an electronic transformer is expected, it is recommended to give preference to a dimmer model marked C

For regulation of low voltage halogen devices (12-24 V), step-down transformers (RL) compatible devices are suitable. If an electronic transformer is expected, it is recommended to give preference to a dimmer model marked C.

Control devices for low-voltage light sources are usually equipped with mechanisms that smoothly turn on / off

It is important to keep in mind that such devices are particularly sensitive to mains voltage fluctuations, which can lead to a significant reduction in the operating period.

Combined with various types of lamps, devices allow you to ennoble the room, at the same time making it more comfortable. With an attractive design, the switches are also a great addition to the interior.

Dimmers for high-voltage electrical circuits are most often used to control the brightness level of theater halls.

Since there is a significant power consumption in this case, it is important to make sure that the selected dimmer model is designed for significant loads.

In the design of switches with regulators designed for luminescent lighting sources, a special starting device is provided for converting the supply frequency in the range of 20-59 kHz.This allows you to change the value of the current passing through the circuit, which allows you to influence the level of brightness of the lamps.

The basis for the operation of dimmers used for LED lamps is the method of pulse-width modulation. The degree of power of the light flux is adjusted by changing the duration of the current pulses that are fed to the LEDs with an optimally adjusted amplitude. Due to the high frequency of the applied pulses, reaching 0.3 MHz, the flickering of the lamps, which is harmful to vision, is excluded.

To learn about the features of dimmers and their compatibility with various lighting devices, the markings that are applied to such devices allow:

• The Latin letter R printed on the dimmer indicates that it can be used to adjust the light in incandescent lamps with an "Ohm" or "Resistive" load.
• The designation with the letter L allows operation with transformers that reduce voltage and inductive loads.
• The Latin letter C indicates that the device can be combined with electronic transformers (“Capacitive” load).

A special badge, indicating the admission of lighting adjustment, is also placed on fluorescent and energy-saving lamps.

Panel

The front panel is fastened with latches. For dismantling and mounting it back, it takes no more than 3 seconds.

Just pry it from the side with a screwdriver and pull it out with your fingers.

There is even a designation in which particular places you need to pry with a screwdriver.

In the same way, put it in place, pressing down and snapping into place at the attachment points.

True, if a fake comes across, in which the elasticity of the plastic deteriorates over time, these latches from a plus can turn into a minus.

After a couple of years, when dismantling, you can forget how they initially snapped into place, and inadvertently break them.

Traditional fastening of the front panel requires a longer dismantling. You will have to unscrew the mounting screw, and maybe even more than one.

And if you do such an operation quite often, then it is quite possible to spoil the thread. After that, you will have to change not the socket, but the entire socket.

If you plan to use sockets and switches even at the stage of finishing work, then it is better to choose mechanisms with protective covers.

They, firstly, protect the products during transportation. And secondly, they allow you to paint the walls, stick wallpaper even without dismantling the front panels.

Side effects

Alas, the switches "without zero" have them, and are noticeable, as a rule, when the lighting is turned off. These effects and how to deal with them are described in detail in a separate article Flickering: Illuminated Switches and Smart Plugs. So let's just list them briefly:
- dim periodic flashes (or flicker) of lamps;
- quiet ringing / squeaking / itching of the switch circuit.
In both cases, this is most likely to be solved by choosing the right shunt.

Also, problems can arise if “zero” is not taken from the same branch as the “phase” (especially if RCDs are used in your house - special protective devices).

In addition, "zeroless" chat messages are slightly more prone to problems (for example, spontaneous switching on and off of the light). The solutions are also quite unexpected: for example, for a number of touch switches, it is necessary to desolder the quartz of the radio frequency part of the circuit.Moreover, sellers with Ali themselves advise such a “refinement”.

The best manufacturers of premium sockets and switches

The high price of switches and sockets is justified by the excellent quality of such products. It has an extended service life, a wide range of classic and original products, a variety of designs and high performance.

Top manufacturers produce both standard switches and sockets, as well as models with improved characteristics.

ABB (Asea Brown Boveri)

5.0

★★★★★
editorial score

97%
buyers recommend this product

Asea Brown Boveri was born from the merger between the Swedish manufacturer ASEA and the Swiss Air Force.

The combination of the precision of the Swiss and the pedantry of the Swedes allowed them to produce high-quality products of various configurations.

Sockets and switches ABB combines stylish design and high quality raw materials used for production.

The main material of switches and sockets is traditionally plastic in white, beige, silver, black and other colors.

The brand also produces various decorative overlays for metal and glass. The materials used are impact-resistant and UV-resistant.

Advantages:

• Variety of designs;
• Decorative overlays;
• Presence of blind switches;
• Devices for vertical and horizontal mounting;
• Quality manufacturing materials.

Flaws:

There are no dimmers.

ABB brand products are in demand both among ordinary users and in large enterprises. Stylish sockets and original switches emphasize the status of home owners and are a good addition to a modern interior.

Makel

4.8

★★★★★
editorial score

90%
buyers recommend this product

The Turkish company Makel uses German technology in the manufacture of its products, ensuring the durability and reliability of sockets and switches.

The product line is represented by products made in a classic design. Products are made in light shades, which makes them versatile and quite suitable for classic and modern interiors. The design is dominated by soft, rounded shapes.

A small selection of designs compensates for the high quality of goods. Impact-resistant plastic does not attract dust and is easy to clean - dirt does not eat into the structure of the material.

The body is made of fire-resistant plastic, and the contact group is characterized by good response and durability.

Advantages:

• Universal design;
• The presence of interchangeable decorative frames;
• The presence of dimmers in the range;
• Multi-module sockets;
• The presence of sockets for TV, PC and phones.

Flaws:

• A small assortment of each type of product;
• No color patterns.

Makel has long been known in the Russian market and has a reputation as a reliable manufacturer.

DKC

4.8

★★★★★
editorial score

90%
buyers recommend this product

The Russian company DKC is known for its products not only in Russia, but also far beyond its borders. There are more than 1000 positions in the product catalog of this brand, among which switches and sockets take pride of place. And although they are not the main field of activity of the company, they are still in demand among buyers.

The brand produces plug, telephone and computer sockets, switches and additional accessories: covers, plugs, decorative panels.The main advantage of the products is the high quality of materials, characterized by a long service life.

Advantages:

• Brand popularity in Russia and abroad;
• Variety of types of sockets;
• Availability of additional accessories;
• Excellent quality of materials;
• Relatively low price.

Flaws:

No unusual designs.

Although the DKC brand is not a narrowly focused manufacturer of switches or sockets, its products deserve the attention of buyers who are looking for special electrics.

What it is?

A smart socket is a device that is an advanced electrical socket that monitors the status of the electrical equipment connected to it. It allows you to remotely control your electrical appliances from a distance thanks to a smartphone and special software, set the time to turn on and off the device, control voltage, monitor the duration of the socket and many other functionalities. Smart sockets provide a huge range of various functions and tasks for their application.

If you live in an apartment, it can be used for any electrical appliances, the main thing is to take into account the maximum allowed power of your outlet.

You can connect household appliances to it, starting from an iron (which you don’t need to worry about now if you forgot to turn it off) and ending with an air conditioner (it’s so nice to go into a chilled apartment in the summer heat, the air conditioner will turn on automatically using a smart socket), turn on the ventilation remotely , lighting, heating or heat water using a boiler.

You will be able to control the operation of appliances, for example, keep dangerous electrical appliances turned off (electric stove, washing machine, heaters, iron, etc.) while you are away from home, thereby ensuring the safety of your children and the general safety of your home.

"Smart" sockets can perform exactly the same functions in your country house or in a private house, where their functionality is even more extensive - controlling outdoor lighting, watering, turning on video surveillance. If your smart plug model is equipped with temperature control functions (they are equipped with a thermal sensor), you can separately connect air control sensors for smoke (increase fire safety), humidity.

You can control the watering of your garden or garden from the comfort of your own home, simply turn on the smart plug and it will turn on the irrigation system. Some use them as indicators for opening automatic doors or to set off an alarm.

And also this is the optimal device for monitoring the state of the power grid, electricity consumption, a reliable assistant for those who save electricity. As you can see, the possibilities of using "smart" sockets are extensive. Every day they are only expanding, in various models you can find the necessary set of functions for your requirements.

Interaction with other devices

The autonomy of a smart device depends on its design features. Wi-Fi devices can work directly from a smartphone without the use of any additional devices.

When connecting a smart switch, it is advisable to use fairly deep sockets. This will allow you to conveniently lay all the connected wires and the device itself.

At the same time, to regulate the operation of devices operating on the ZigBee or Z-Wave protocols, an additional product is required - a controller that acts as an intermediary between the switch and the smartphone.

The same control device is also used to store user programs, for example, information about the time of automatic on / off lamps. At the right time, the controller transmits the necessary signals to the lighting fixtures, which guarantees the implementation of the specified algorithms.

With the help of modern technologies, it is possible to establish an interacting network consisting of a number of smart devices. The consumer has the opportunity to set the switch to turn on the light on the signal of a sensor that is triggered when the doors are opened.

In turn, turning on the lighting in the room can affect the start of other household appliances, such as air conditioning.

Smart appliances: pros and cons

For devices that can be controlled using smartphones, there are undeniable advantages:

• for their installation, it is not necessary to lay a special dedicated branch of electrical wiring;
• they allow you to regulate the operation of light sources, as well as other devices centrally from one place;
• as a control point, it is possible to use smartphones, tablets, computers, as well as remote controls;
• smart devices contribute to a significant reduction in electricity costs - according to the calculations of American scientists, the savings can reach 42%;
• devices have a wide range (up to 100 meters), while the signal freely passes through various obstacles, such as walls;
• for their functioning, a weak current is sufficient, which will not harm a person even if the system is damaged.

The main disadvantage of smart switches is the need for an Internet source.

For the convenience of users, a number of models are equipped with an additional radio control function. This allows you to use them even in case of difficulties with access to the World Wide Web.

Mounting errors

To avoid errors when installing switches, observe the following rules:

Before installation, always turn off the power to prevent short circuit and damage to the device.
Install and remove the glass front panel on a de-energized mechanism.
Make sure that the front panel does not rest on one side of the wall and is strictly parallel.
Apply power to the touch switches when each line is under load.
Put the front glass panel on the switch immediately after installation so that the sensor does not collect dust.
Do not press the sensor without the panel!
If there is construction dust on the switch sensor, wipe it with a dry, clean cloth.
Be careful when working with electricity.

Now you know about the advantages of touch switches, the principles of their design and connection. Modern switches will make your home stylish and comfortable, and if properly installed and handled, will delight you for many years.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

General information about the machines is disclosed above, and from interesting videos you can learn about the intricacies known only to professionals.

How the machine is arranged and works:

More about thermal ratings - analysis of the table:

Read the label with a specialist:

The marking applied directly to the body of the device helps to choose and connect the home electrical protection device correctly.The ability to decipher the symbols and correctly determine the characteristics will help in the future with the independent installation of a new circuit.

Have something to add, or have questions about decoding markings of circuit breakers? You can leave comments on the publication and participate in discussions. The contact form is in the bottom block.