FabianIt was one of the big topics when the Philips Hue wall switch module was introduced in spring 2021: The integrated battery. Many users would have preferred a fixed connection to the mains, but Philips Hue opted for a button cell. With the CR2450, the power supply should be guaranteed for 5 years. But what does it look like in practice? Feel free to write your experiences in the comments, I’ll write down my impressions for you in this article – and also explain how easy it is to replace the battery.
I put the first Philips Hue wall switch module into operation shortly before the market launch in March 2021 – in our son’s nursery. I mention this because this light switch is perhaps not necessarily entirely representative and is often operated 20 times in an hour.
A few days ago, the Philips Hue app displayed the message ‘Battery level critical’ for this particular wall switch module. Unfortunately, the percentage of remaining charge is not displayed. Unfortunately, the Hue app does not tell you whether the battery will last another 2-3 days, a few weeks or even months. The Hue dimmer switches are a small clue, as they last for almost half a year after the first message. However, before the light switch stopped working properly at night, I replaced the battery in the Philips Hue wall switch module straight away.
And as long as you don’t have to do this every few months, I don’t think it’s a big deal. I fitted the light switch in the children’s room with a new battery in less than 5 minutes. That’s absolutely fine with me.
Step-by-step: Replacing the battery of the Philips Hue wall switch module
- even if you don’t intervene in the electrical installation, you should switch off the fuse for the relevant room
- First remove the rocker and frame of the light switch
- then you can remove the light switch from the flush-mounted box, usually by loosening one of the two terminals with a screwdriver
- then pull the plug out of the wall switch module, making a note of the input used
- Loosen the screw on the wall switch module, slide open the cover and remove it
- the CR2450 button cell can simply be pushed off the circuit board and replaced with a new battery
- Replace the cover, plug in the cable, screw the light switch back on and replace the rocker/frame
Even if it takes a few steps, the hang-ups are usually done quickly. Don’t be surprised if a critical battery level is still displayed in the Hue app afterwards. The message does not disappear immediately, but only after a few minutes. Incidentally, this also applies to all other battery-powered Philips Hue accessories.
At Philips Hue, a wall switch module regularly costs 44.99 euros, the double pack is available for 79.99 euros.
Philips Hue wall switch module
$44.99 / £39.99 / €44,99
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Thank you for this guide. I have a lot of Hue lights and this product could be really useful to me. However, Signify should redesign it so that the battery is not required. I still refuse to purchase this product for this reason.
> even if you don’t intervene in the electrical installation, you should switch off the fuse for the relevant room
In most American homes, we do not have a separate circuit breaker switch (“fuse”) for each room. Instead, a single breaker is shared between many rooms, in a centralized circuit breaker box, which is often badly organized and badly labelled. As a result, when doing any electrical work like this, a non-professional will usually need to turn off power to the entire house, which is very inconvenient.
(Professional electricians usually do not turn off the power, and instead they simply accept the risk of electric shocks. I guess this is more survivable because our system is 120V instead of 240V. I think they are crazy, but this is why I am not an electrician.)
It should be possible to design a Wall Switch Module without a battery if there is a Neutral available in the switch back box to provide it with power. However, in the UK, and perhaps elsewhere, it is not common to have a Neutral, so it is necessary to use a battery to provide power for the module.