Combine two light circuits with Claro switches

[fredman]

Hello,

I want to start using smart switches and one of my use cases is a room with two lights which are each on their own circuit with independent switches. I would like to add smart switches that would then control both lights together. Can that be achieved with just using Claro switches or do I need to use something different?

[Joy L.]

Hello, thanks for joining the Forums. In order to accomplish this a Pico remote will be required; two hard-wired smart switches cannot talk directly to each other to combine control of multiple different zones of lighting. However, one Pico remote can communicate simultaneously to as many hard-wired RF devices that are within its range for joint control, and the Pico can be mounted on the wall like a switch using the Pico wallplate adapter bracket model PICO-WBX-ADAPT. So, you'll still need two Claro Smart Switches, one for each light, but then they can be joined using a single Pico for simultaneous control. Hope this helps!

[JaxFLBear]

I do something similar using an automation setup in the Apple Home app. In my primary bedroom, I have two bedside lamps. One is plugged into an outlet that's controlled by a Caseta Wireless wall switch and the other is plugged into a Wemo smart plug. The automation is set that when the Caseta wall switch is turned on, the lamp connected to the smart plug is also turned on. There is a couple second delay before the smart plug is turned on since it takes a bit for the status of the caseta switch to update in the home app. A second automation is required when you turn off the caseta wall switch to turn off the smart plug.

[fredman]

Hello, thanks for joining the Forums. In order to accomplish this a Pico remote will be required; two hard-wired smart switches cannot talk directly to each other to combine control of multiple different zones of lighting. However, one Pico remote can communicate simultaneously to as many hard-wired RF devices that are within its range for joint control, and the Pico can be mounted on the wall like a switch using the Pico wallplate adapter bracket model PICO-WBX-ADAPT. So, you'll still need two Claro Smart Switches, one for each light, but then they can be joined using a single Pico for simultaneous control. Hope this helps!

Would I only be able to control both lights via the Pico remote? Or would each Claro also control both lights? I was thinking of adding a Pico remote in a different location of the room.

I do something similar using an automation setup in the Apple Home app. In my primary bedroom, I have two bedside lamps. One is plugged into an outlet that's controlled by a Caseta Wireless wall switch and the other is plugged into a Wemo smart plug. The automation is set that when the Caseta wall switch is turned on, the lamp connected to the smart plug is also turned on. There is a couple second delay before the smart plug is turned on since it takes a bit for the status of the caseta switch to update in the home app. A second automation is required when you turn off the caseta wall switch to turn off the smart plug.

I am thinking of adding Home Assistant, so I should be able to do the same there, thank you.

[Joy L.]

Hi fredman, yes only the Pico will control both lights using this configuration; each Claro Smart Switch will only control the lights to which they are separately wired.