Totally get where you’re coming from. My house is from the 1920s and I swear every time I open a switch box, it’s like a wiring time capsule—never know what you’ll find. I tried one of those “no neutral” smart switches in the hallway and it worked for about a week before it started randomly flickering the lights. Gave up and just stuck with smart bulbs outside, even though it means taping over the old switches so nobody turns them off by accident.
Outdoor smart plugs have been the real MVP for me too. Not pretty, but at least I’m not patching plaster every weekend. I do wish there were more options that actually fit these tiny boxes... or at least didn’t cost an arm and a leg. For now, I’m just happy if everything turns on when it’s supposed to and nothing sparks.
That’s interesting about the “no neutral” switches acting up. I’ve been eyeing those, but your experience makes me wonder if they’re worth the hassle in older houses.
Have you found any smart bulbs that play nicely with existing outdoor fixtures? Or do you just swap out the whole fixture when you go smart? I keep debating if it’s better to just stick with plugs and bulbs rather than mess with the wiring at all.I do wish there were more options that actually fit these tiny boxes... or at least didn’t cost an arm and a leg.
I’ve run into the same issue with old wiring—those “no neutral” switches are tempting but honestly, I’ve had more luck just using smart plugs for outdoor stuff. Swapping out the whole fixture feels like overkill unless you’re already doing a reno. Some smart bulbs fit okay in standard porch lights, but I’ve found they don’t always play nice with enclosed fixtures (overheating, weird flickering). For me, plugs and bulbs are less hassle, especially if you’re not ready to mess with the wiring.
Honestly, I get where you’re coming from—those “no neutral” smart switches sound great on paper, but in practice, they can be finicky, especially with older wiring. Here’s how I usually break it down for folks dealing with yard or porch setups:
- Smart plugs are definitely the least invasive. You just plug them in, set up your schedule or automation, and you’re done. No need to mess with the wiring or worry about code issues.
- Smart bulbs can work, but like you said, they don’t always love being in enclosed fixtures. I’ve seen more than a few overheat or start flickering after a few months, especially in those old-school glass porch lights.
- Swapping out the whole fixture is a pain unless you’re already tearing things apart for another reason. If you’re not comfortable with electrical work, it’s probably not worth the hassle just for smart control.
One thing I’ve noticed: if you’ve got a lot of outdoor lights you want to automate together, sometimes a single smart switch (if you can get it to work) is actually simpler in the long run than managing a bunch of plugs or bulbs. Less stuff to update, fewer apps to juggle, and you don’t have to worry about someone flipping the switch and killing power to your smart bulb.
Curious—are you mostly trying to automate a bunch of lights at once, or is it just a couple of fixtures here and there? That sometimes tips the scale for me when I’m helping folks decide which route to go.
Funny enough, I’ve run into the “someone flipped the switch” problem more times than I care to admit—especially with guests or even my own kids. It’s wild how easy it is to forget about smart bulbs until you’re standing outside in the dark, waving your phone around. If you’re aiming for a coordinated look or mood lighting, I do like smart switches when they’re an option, but honestly, smart plugs have been my go-to for quick projects. They’re not as pretty, but they get the job done without a fuss. Sometimes function wins over form, at least outside...
