Brand new 😀 Light Switch HS200, Single Pole, Needs Neutral Wire, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Light Switch Works With Alexa And Google Home, UL Certified, No Hub Required , White 😀

4 reviews for Brand new 😀 Light Switch HS200, Single Pole, Needs Neutral Wire, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi Light Switch Works With Alexa And Google Home, UL Certified, No Hub Required , White 😀

1. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   C. Winton – December 28, 2016

   UPDATE 3: It’s now been long enough for me to believe that TP-Link has successfully corrected the problem I referenced in UPDATE 1 below. My units have continued to work successfully for well over a month now, including self recovering once power was restored from a power outage. All have continued to work flawlessly with all of my my Echo (Alexa) devices and I’ve been able to verify I can use the Kasa app to turn lights on and off from anywhere I have internet access on my cell phone.While I’m at it I should note that one limitation for these is that they are strictly single pole (SPST) switches, which means they can’t be installed in place of a 3-way (SPDT) switch . It would be nice if TP-Link offered a 3-way version of the product for those of us who might want to use one with a multi-switch installation.UPDATE 2 (upgrade 1 star): I’m raising my previous 2 star downgrade to a 1 star downgrade since TP-Link finally recognized they had a serious disconnect between their Kasa app and Amazon’s Alexa app (it sure took them long enough). It appears (for now) that they have corrected whatever caused the problem, but I won’t trust their Smart Home devices to retain their settings until my devices behave as advertised for at least a month. After the fix, for a plug I originally named “Back Porch” in the Kasa app and which I subsequently renamed “Porch”, the Alexa app, even after rediscovery, insisted on looking for “Back Porch” from the Kasa app instead of “Porch” until I deleted it from the Alexa app and rediscovered it; i.e., there are still bugs. Otherwise, it’s been so far so good, but I’m not convinced it won’t revert again to the erratic behavior I experience over a period of about 3 weeks, long enough that I was tempted to scrub the whole kit and kaboodle. If TP-Link keeps their Smart Home devices squeaky clean for about the next 6 months, my confidence in them will be sufficiently restored to revert to my original 5-star assessment.UPDATE:1 (downgrade 2 stars): I’m lowering my review from 5 stars to 3 because these simply do not consistently behave. I have become expert at factory reset to get them operating again, but the key point is that I can’t trust them to remain operational for more than a few hours before I get messages from Alexa that a device is not responding, or from the Kasa app that it can’t find the device, sometimes after having set it up just a few hours earlier, and that’s for a plug within a few feet of the my wi-fi range extender. It would appear TP-Link needs a firmware upgrade. I suppose I could replace my wi-fi router and range extender with one from TP-Link, but that seems stupid since my wi-fi works just fine with lap top, cell phone, TV, etc. Make no mistake, these represent a very cool idea, but as currently being sold they are way too finicky.Original review:I have 3 versions of the TP-Link Smart Home technology distributed within my house. Being able to control outlets and switches using them is perhaps the major reason I have that many. This is just one of a number of Smart Home products an Echo can handle. It differs from the plug ins in that you install it permanently in place of an existing manual wall switch. Installation is no different than installing any other wall switch, except this one is smart, at least in the sense that it can be operated by wifi as well as manually. The form factor is actually smaller than that of most dimmer modules, so it should fit in most switch boxes. After installation, you set it up for wifi via the (free) Kasa app (a very intuitive exercise) and from there tie it to your Echo system as a Smart Home product. In the Kasa app you can change the name to whatever you want and then have the (free) Echo app “discover” the new name. Operation is flawless and is entertaining (e.g., “Alexa, turn on the patio light”, where “patio light” is the name you selected for the smart switch). You can operate it manually via the Kasa app, or via Alexa as you wish! You can also program it for automatic operation. Any one of my Echo’s can operate it. It does require reasonable access to your home wifi network to work as advertised. I now have a number of Smart Home products installed, and the software does not seem to have any issues keeping them sorted out (far more reliably than the obsolete X-10 system I used to rely on).Here’s my take on the steps for installation of the switch:1) first turn off the circuit breaker that controls the existing switch (easy to test, since if the switch doesn’t work, the power to it is off);2) your existing switch should be across the “hot” line that supplies power to the load (a lamp or whatever), one black (hot) line for power coming in, and one black line for power passed on from the switch to the load. You simply remove the existing switch, disconnect its two black wires, and use wire nuts to hook them to the black wires for this switch (order doesn’t matter).3) the “return” that completes the circuit is through the “neutral” white line (always present unless you have some really squirrely wiring). You hook the white wire to the neutral line using a wire nut, cutting/stripping the neutral wire as necessary (usually not necessary since most installations will already have a wire nut connection for the neutral line).4) if there is a ground line (a bare wire in the switch box) connect the green line to it using a wire nut (if not, don’t bother, but insulate it using one of the wire nuts or electrical tape).5) turn the circuit breaker back on and verify the smart switch works as a manual switch, then go through the set up procedure.NOTE: 4 wire nuts are included in the package in case your current installation is one with the black wires attached directly to the old switch. A switch plate is included that you have to snap off for installation. The switch has the Decora form factor, so if your existing switch is not Decora style, you will need to use the included plate or pick up one from some place like Home Depot to match your needs.

2. 

   Rated 4 out of 5

   AlarmGy – January 19, 2018

   I made the jump to a “Smart Home” a little over a month ago after Alexa joined our family. After talking to some friends, doing some research and assesing my needs I settled on TP-Link because of the variety of Smart products they offered, no requirements for a Hub, the lower cost and the ability to control everything from one simple app on my Smart phone and Amazon”s Alexa. I have not been disappointed. After a very short learning curve, I surprisingly found the installation and set-up of all the TP-Link Smart devices extremely easy and intuitive. I have installed several different Smart devices including three different bulbs (LB-100, 120 & 130) depending on the area, as well as, Smart Switches (HB-200) and Smart Plugs. All of it has installed, programed and worked with few problems. The only criticism I have is the Kasa App. I have found it to be a bit bugy at times, but since I use it primarily for programming and setting up new devices and scenes, rather than operationally, it has not been an issue since Alexa handels most of that work. So far, in the six weeks my Smart Home has been in operation I have only had one problem where Alexa and the Kasa app lost communication with most of (but not all) of my TP-Link devices. But after a bit of head scratching I was able to restore communication. So here’s a tip to remember: I first tried rebooting the devices by cycling the power breaker, but that didn’t work. Probably due to multiple devices signaling simultaneously and overloading Kasa. But, powering each device down for a few seconds then back up, and testing it before moving on ro the next one worked without a problem. I also recommend using a different control application. I only have experience with Amazon Alexa, but it also interfaces with Google Home among others. I have found that controlling scenes from Kasa not to be reluable for some reason, while issuing the scene commands to Alexa works 90% of the time, with repeating the command becoming necessary about 10% of the time. But even with an occasional repeated command being necessary, TP-Link devices respond extremely well through Alexa’s control. Plus Alexa is able to easily “group” multiple devices so you can control areas with a single command, or program macro activities that Alexa can perform with a single command. Capabilities Kasa does not have. This is another deficiency of the Kasa app. Without the ability to group devices or run macro routines, it relies on programmed scenes which are very limiting for operational control. So another controlling app like Alexa or Home is essential to the TP-Link Smart Home system. For me, because I have Alexa for operational control, both at home and away, these short comings in the Kasa app are non-issues. But if I didnt have this capability I think I would look to a different Hub controlled platform for my Smart Home lighting and device control.HS-200 Smart Switch: I am a retired electrician, so I found the installation easy. Most DIY homeowners with a basic knowledge of electricity and components should also have few problems with the installation. I found this Smart Switch easy to control and the installation is about the same as replacing a standard light switch. But, a big drawback is not have a dimming capability. To me this should be a no-brainer and i cant understand why this featire is lacking. Because that would makevthis a 5 star product. So before you procede there are a couple of precautions that should be noted. First, you must three wires plus the ground (usually bare or green), and one must be the neutral (usually white) third wire, or the switch simply will not work. This can be an issue in some older homes (and even in some newer ones too). The neutral wire is the “common” wire that runs throughout the house and is common to all circuits. It completes the loop in the circuit from the electrical box to the receptacle. The “hot” (or “line”) wire (usually black) carries the electrical load for that circuit only (usually 15-20 amps max). And finally, the “load” wire (usually black, red, or it could even be white) completes the hot side of the circuit between the switch and the receptacle. To save time and money some electricians when wiring homes “old school” would complete the light circuit by running the neutral to the light receptacle and then run a 2 conductor (plus ground) to the switch. So even though you may have a white and black wire at the switch, the white wire is not a neutral, but the load wire that that completes the hot circuit when the switch is turned on (closed). So if you don’t have 3 wires, one of them being the white neutral, you are out of luck using a Smart Switch. You can control the light however, by using Smart bulbs and then grouping them in the controling app (like Alexa). Another caution is wire management. Standard light switches don’t take up much room, so the original installing electrician had lots of room in the box to stuff extra wire. This is a luxury you don’t have since the Smart Switch is much deeper and takes up most of the box. The new switch also uses leads that are wire nutted to the circuit wires and not terminated on the switch itself. Because of this, it may be necessay to shorten the wires to make room in the box for the extra electronics and wire nuts. My advice is to open your intended switch boxes to survey your electrical wiring BEFORE you order the switches, so there are no surprises when it comes time to install. One last safety precaution. Be sure to turn off the circuit at the electrical panel (breaker box). Also don’t assume that all switches in a multi-switch box are on the same circuit. It is often the case that multiple circuits are in the box. This is especially true when a switch is controling a plug. So check all wires in the box with a meter to insure nothing is hot. Finally, when wire nutting multiple wires it is VERY EASY to leave a wire loose. This can be very dangerous, as loose wires can work themselves free and cause arking and sparking that can damage connected equipment, and worse, start a fire. This is a common cause of electrical fires, and you might not know there is a problem until it’s too late. So to ensure all wire nut connections are tight and secure, tug on each wire at the nut with needle nose pliers. If you can’t pull it loose it should be good to go. Also make sure there are no bare wires poking out of the nuts. The switches use stranded wire so it’s easy to have some stray strands loose outside the nut. So that’s about it. The install is pretty easy most of the time, but if you don’t think you’re experienced enough to do the job safely, put this phase of the job in the hands of a professional. It should be an easy job for any professional electrician, and should not be terribly expensive. Consider it cheep insurance!

3. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Stephen L. – November 3, 2022

   I have had my TP-Link Switches and Plugs installed (depending on the device) since 2016 to 2018. Alexa integration. Easy to turn on and off remote switches (in a detached garage or the patio lights, for example.) I can control them individually, set them on schedule, all the typical good stuff you expect from a Smart Home. Last week, my dining room light switch suddenly did not want to connect with the internet. I tried the typical restart, resynch routine needed with most electronic devices. I poked around various menus, pressed the obvious buttons, etc. No Joy. I contacted customer support. A couple of emails later, problem solved. Not just good (AKA useful and robust) products, but great product support. And yes, the fix was easy. As with many electronic devices, the solution is easy, you just have to know where to look. Once you find that location or solution, a facepalm is often in order.

4. 

   Rated 5 out of 5

   Jeffrey J. Smith – December 6, 2022

   I have purchased many of these single pole switches. They have made life around my house easier. I am constantly forgetting to turn lights off in certain areas of my home. With the Alexa integration, I can always check to see if I have. These were easy to install, though the extra install work I had to do was with my house and the original electrical boxes used which were not deep enough. I didn’t have any issues setting them up, the app is easy to navigate and if you need it (maybe for the first time installing) it shows you step by step install directions.I have a few more rooms I need to add a couple of these to, but all in all it was a great purchase.