Question

I have a small gas fireplace that is turned on/off by a wall switch. I was going to replace the switch with a smart switch, but when I removed the old switch, it just had some low voltage cat 5 wire connected. I guess there's a transformer in the attic somewhere? Does anyone know of a smart switch that will work with Smart Things that could be used to have Alexa turn on/off my fireplace? There's not any 110v ac handy.  

Answer 1

Have you checked under your fireplace where the switch wires come into it? If you have a blower you probably have 120 under there. You can use a dry contact relay powered by the 120 and switching the LV. Remotec makes a good relay. Just did this recently.  

Answer 2

It is very likely a simple switch that controls the voltage from the thermocouple. There is no transformer.  

Answer 3

I wonder if it was a thermostat. or was wired to support one. That's how our propane fireplace was wired.  

Answer 4

Alot of gas logs are millivolt

Answer 5

It’s a low voltage contact closure you can’t put a smart switch on it. Pull your fireplace apart and see if there’s power down there. You need 110 at the fireplace (blower motor should have it), a plug in appliance module, and a Furman PS-REL.  

Comments

@carrasco @menesson you can add a dry contact for the low voltage side. You still have to get power to the relay but maybe that could be done on the fireplace unit itself and run the dry contact in parallel with the low voltage wall switch

Answer 6

Thanks everybody! I don

Answer 7

Thanks everybody! I don't have a blower so no a/c under the fireplace. So I'm going to have to figure out a way to get power there or use the third reality light switch mentioned above. I wonder if you can use the switch manually after you install the third reality switch?  

Comments

You can use switch manually but not directly, only through Third reality.