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Mod a Bye Bye Standby Switch

Mod a Bye Bye Standby Switch
Bye Bye Standby make a great range of home automation plugs and switches, but their one major gap is a decent light switch. This instructable will show you how to improve their on-off ceiling switch to make it compatible with regular light switches.

The on-off ceiling switch is a great switch because unlike the many dimming switches out there, this one is straight on/off with a relay, so is compatible with energy saving lightbulbs. The problem with the switch is that it defaults to Off, so when you first power it up, the light is off and you need to find a remote to turn it on. That's OK for the householder who is familiar with it, but not OK for the visitor to the house who cannot work out why the light won't work. A better configuration would have been to have the switch default to on so that your light can behave just like a normal switched light, with a remote override when you want it.

That means the behaviour is now;
Turn on at the wall - light goes on
Turn off at the wall - light goes off
Turn on at the wall and turn off with the remote - light goes off
On at the wall/off with with remote - turns on with the remote, or turns on at the wall by turning off then on again.

The last step isn't perfect, but it's a darn sight better than always off.

WARNING: It should go without saying, but this project involves modifying a switch for mains electricity in a way that the manufacturer does not support. Only attempt it if you are happy with modifying electronics. Also, it will of course invalidate your warranty, but if you didn't figure that out, you really shouldn't be doing this!

 
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Step 1What you will need

What you will need
You will need;

A Bye Bye Standby On/Off in ceiling switch
A 24V DC 10A/240V relay that defaults to on that is the right size, e.g. an Omron G5Q-14-EU 24DC
Soldering iron and desolderer
A drill with a 1mm bit
Screwdriver
Superglue




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4 comments
Jan 3, 2011. 1:15 PMcyberraxx says:
The one thing about this ibble is that after a power cut (not during) the light will come back on. Someting ByeByeStandby haven't thought about.

Also, I may be wrong but it seems like you're basically wiring it to work in reverse. ie:

Original Operation = BBS on standby - Light Off.
New Operation = BBS on standby - Light On.
Dec 27, 2009. 12:56 AMkill-a-watt says:
Nice. Let me point out for everyone that this is a product from a UK supplier, and it's for ~220 volts mains systems.

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