Installing an Eve EU smart switch into a NZ situation

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BlinkyBill

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#272475 26-Jun-2020 15:51

I want a Homekit smart light switch, I wonder if I could install an Eve EU switch safely here?

Before you suggest it, I don’t want a smart bulb solution as the lights are fancy filament bulbs that are designed to suit the industrial vibe of the property, rightly or wrongly. So just like some comments about wiring EU switches into a NZ house.

Thanks in advance.

Zorg2000

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#2513119 26-Jun-2020 17:22

A quick google appears to show 120V 15A max. So based on that short answer is no.

davidcole

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#2513134 26-Jun-2020 17:32

You’d be better to get any other type of light switch available over here and supported by homebridge.

Though activeautomation, while selling zwave, which would be too expensive for just one switch, might have a homekit relay. They do have the fibaro homekit sensors but hadn’t looked for homekit relays as I tend to buy their zwave ones.

I think there’s someone in oz that has certified either a sonof or shelly1. So that would be usable here only if you buy from them. Those will be able to integrate with homebridge which allows non homekit devices to show up

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SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2513180 26-Jun-2020 17:47

davidcole:

I think there’s someone in oz that has certified either a sonof or shelly1. So that would be usable here only if you buy from them.

The Shelly 1 and Shelly 1PM are now certified in Aus/NZ.

davidcole

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#2513184 26-Jun-2020 17:50

SirHumphreyAppleby:
davidcole:

I think there’s someone in oz that has certified either a sonof or shelly1. So that would be usable here only if you buy from them.

The Shelly 1 and Shelly 1PM are now certified in Aus/NZ.

Where can we see this? Not sure how that certification works?

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2513186 26-Jun-2020 17:52

davidcole: Where can we see this? Not sure how that certification works?

There is a Geekzone thread here.

BlinkyBill

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#2513895 28-Jun-2020 13:47

Zorg2000:

A quick google appears to show 120V 15A max. So based on that short answer is no.

you are looking at the US version. EU version is 240v.

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BlinkyBill

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#2513896 28-Jun-2020 13:49

Thanks for the comments above, but I was after advice around wiring in EU switches.

Zorg2000

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#2514120 28-Jun-2020 20:07

BlinkyBill:

Zorg2000:

A quick google appears to show 120V 15A max. So based on that short answer is no.

you are looking at the US version. EU version is 240v.

Sorry my mistake. If I am looking at the right one this time it says:

Input: 230 V~ 50 / 60 Hz
Max. 5 A / 1150 W

Let me preface this with I am not an electrician, but it appears that in this scenario the 5A could be a problem being that most residential lighting circuits in NZ are 10A, meaning in an overload situation the 5A light switch is likely to 'pop' before the 10A fuse/circuit breaker. It could depend on how old the wiring is and how many lights you have on the one circuit but it should work it's just if you are willing to take the risk.

I checked the Fibaro Apple HomeKit Single Circuit On/Off Switch and that is showing as 8A continuous which is 80% of the 10A. I think most fuse/circuit breakers are rated like this also i.e. a 10A fuse/circuit breaker is 10A max and usually only 8A continuous. I'm happy to be corrected if I am wrong.

If you are set on Homekit integration Fibaro could be an option, a bit expensive in my opinion and probably not what you are after in terms of an EU style switch but available locally.

The key for you I guess is trying to search for 230-240V 10A.

Good luck. 👍

Handle9

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#2514137 28-Jun-2020 20:40

There isn't a technical issue really but there is a liability issue. Any permanently installed electrical device needs and SDOC and for smart devices probably C-Tick (I haven't looked at the regs for a long time).

Without an SDOC a sensible electrician won't install it and you could have insurance issues if it caused a fire.

Zorg2000

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#2514143 28-Jun-2020 20:54

Handle9:

There isn't a technical issue really but there is a liability issue. Any permanently installed electrical device needs and SDOC and for smart devices probably C-Tick (I haven't looked at the regs for a long time).

Without an SDOC a sensible electrician won't install it and you could have insurance issues if it caused a fire.

ECP 51 - New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Homeowner/Occupier's Electrical Wiring Work in Domestic Installations (NZECP 51:2004)
If you are the owner of a domestic electrical installation that is for your own private use, you can do your own electrical wiring work. If you not have an appropriate electrical qualification, and you are planning to carry out electrical wiring work, you are required by law to do the work “in a workmanlike manner”, in accordance with this Code, without payment, reward or koha. Only a licensed electrical worker can carry out work on another person’s home or do work for payment, reward or koha.

But yes it would be an interesting argument with your insurance if the item you installed was deemed to be at fault.

Handle9

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#2514144 28-Jun-2020 21:00

Zorg2000:

Handle9:

There isn't a technical issue really but there is a liability issue. Any permanently installed electrical device needs and SDOC and for smart devices probably C-Tick (I haven't looked at the regs for a long time).

Without an SDOC a sensible electrician won't install it and you could have insurance issues if it caused a fire.

ECP 51 - New Zealand Electrical Code of Practice for Homeowner/Occupier's Electrical Wiring Work in Domestic Installations (NZECP 51:2004)
If you are the owner of a domestic electrical installation that is for your own private use, you can do your own electrical wiring work. If you not have an appropriate electrical qualification, and you are planning to carry out electrical wiring work, you are required by law to do the work “in a workmanlike manner”, in accordance with this Code, without payment, reward or koha. Only a licensed electrical worker can carry out work on another person’s home or do work for payment, reward or koha.

But yes it would be an interesting argument with your insurance if the item you installed was deemed to be at fault.

Who installs the device is irrelevant - if you can't demonstrate compliance with AS/NZS 3820 (or other relevant standards) it's not legal to install

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SomeoneSomewhere

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#2525608 19-Jul-2020 13:54

We don't do the 80% thing here - that's a US rule. If it's a 10A circuit you can load it right up to 10A if you want. Some newer houses will have 6A protected lighting circuits, due to a bit of revised guidance around protecting cable, particularly in thermal insulation.

Dimmers usually have a thermal fuse or other systems to cut the load if they overheat, as they're usually only rated for 3-500V - a 10A SSR and heatsink is big. I wouldn't expect that to be the case, or reliable, on a relay device.

You will also probably need to cut and patch holes and get EU size boxes, and all that jazz.

'Wall switches' are declared high-risk articles, not merely DMRAs, so an SDoC or demonstrated compliance is not enough. They need to have actually been specifically approved by worksafe or EESS.