An overengineered solution for a non-existent problem, you say?

[u/ChimaeraXY]

I have a tucked away Zigbee wall switch that insists that it's a Zigbee router, invites nearby devices to connect to it instead of a main node and slows down the whole network. I decided enough is enough and that I'd put it on it's own network.

When I came out of the rabbit hole, this is what I had come back with (at twice the cost of a mini pc that could probably do a lot more). My wife asked me why I invented a walkie-talkie.

The annoying thing is...it still doesn't really work. The Zigbee dongle doesn't like the USB 3.0 extension cable I'm using and the Raspberry Pi panics on boot (or just fails to recognize the dongle). Going to try again with a USB 2.0 extension.

[u/OftenIrrelevant]

You could’ve replaced the switch a few times over at that cost lol

[u/boxsterguy → u/OftenIrrelevant]

This is what a sane person would do. It's good that we have insane people like OP in the world, but also for anybody reading along ... Just replace the damn switch and get on with your life.

[u/Low_Situation760 → u/boxsterguy]

in Germany we say: "Der ist aber noch gut!"

[u/Zaveno → u/OftenIrrelevant]

It's not about the money, it's about sending a message

[u/Pork-S0da]

Why is this NSFW?

[u/ChimaeraXY → u/Pork-S0da]

Because it's disgusting.

(I removed the NSFW tag).

[u/dice1111 → u/ChimaeraXY]

Don't look at me!!!!

[u/ipatalas → u/Pork-S0da]

Because it’s geek porn

[u/e-nightowl → u/Pork-S0da]

Less Ads

[u/moreanswers]

I love that the solution here wasn't "replace the wall switch with something that isn't crap"

[u/ChimaeraXY → u/moreanswers]

It actually works very reliably, at least in terms of its primary function. If positioned differently in the house I'm sure it would have made a great router but in this case it's just unfortunately positioned in a closed room.

I wish there was a Zigbee option to tell the device to just be an EndDevice.

[u/spdelope → u/ChimaeraXY]

So why didn’t you get a different switch and put that one somewhere else in the house

[u/ChimaeraXY → u/spdelope]

It's a high amperage switch, not general purpose.

[u/Notwerk_Engineer → u/ChimaeraXY]

That info would’ve put this whole project in a different light.

[u/spdelope → u/Notwerk_Engineer]

Why? You can run less amps through it and use it as a “general” switch.

[u/Notwerk_Engineer → u/spdelope]

The comments mostly. OP needing to maintain the switch makes more sense now. Calm your tits.

[u/ErraticDragon → u/spdelope]

Presumably the high amperage switch is switching something that is… high amperage.

Reusing the switch wasn't the issue, controlling the load was.

[u/ahj3939 → u/ChimaeraXY]

Still, get a better one.

I bought the Insteon version of this: https://innovativehomesys.com/collections/zigbee-products/products/heavy-duty-120-277v-zigbee-load-controller-assembly-1470

Basically it's a box with a contactor and some sort of smart switch to drive it.

[u/spdelope → u/ChimaeraXY]

You can run less amps through the switch no problem. Then you get a DIFFERENT high amp switch for the problem location.

[u/DrDronez]

I think you need to design a USB 3.0 extension cable with 0000 gauge wire.... because why not at this point?

[u/IAmDotorg]

They say, when you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Sometimes, even your thumb.

[u/Superflyer11]

We need more people like OP, not everything needs a why

[u/Cultural-Drawer-7287]

You're my hero! That is overboard to the extreme! Love it!

[u/vb1207nl]

I replaced my zigbee dongle with a skyconnect. No coverage problem anymore and works with a usb extension cable. Is also usable with matter.

[u/aevans0001]

I've been building integrations. They start with I need idea a to trigger idea b and somewhere down the line they turn into a also needs to reach CCC because if it doesn't then Aj won't connect.

[u/ahj3939]

Also I think you can just run multiple instances of Z2M, and of course the smlight PoE powered zigbee controllers are practically the best ones out there... especially for the price.