Aeotec Heavy Duty Smart Switch Gen5

Homeowner Summary

The Aeotec Heavy Duty Smart Switch Gen5 is a hardwired Z-Wave switch for high-power equipment — the kind of loads a plug-in smart switch can't handle, like water heaters, well pumps, and large motors. It switches the load on and off and reports power use back to Shipshape, so SAM can monitor heavy equipment the same way it monitors plugged-in appliances. It handles loads up to 40 amps.

Because it wires directly into your electrical system, a Heavy Duty Smart Switch must be installed by a licensed electrician. This is not a homeowner install. This guide explains what the device does and how it's wired so you understand the equipment in your home; the actual installation is a professional job.

⚠️ Electric shock hazard. Only qualified installation and maintenance personnel should wire or open this device. It must be installed behind an air-break switch / circuit breaker, with the circuit powered down and locked out during work.

How It Works

The Heavy Duty Smart Switch sits between your circuit breaker (the "AC Power" side) and the equipment it controls (the "Load" side). Inside are heavy-gauge terminals for both sides, a relay rated for high current, and a Z-Wave Plus radio (Aeotec Gen5). When Shipshape or you switch it, the relay opens or closes the circuit to the equipment; it also measures power draw and reports it over Z-Wave.

Key components:

• Action button — used for Z-Wave inclusion/exclusion and to turn the load on or off manually.
• Status LED — shows device status; blinks slowly and constantly while unpaired.
• Terminals — two groups: mains power connects to AC Power, the equipment connects to Load.

Wire sizing: use AWG10 wire for loads under 32 A, and AWG8 wire for loads above 32 A. Device current must not exceed 40 A.

Installation (Licensed Electrician Only)

The high-level wiring sequence — performed only by a qualified electrician with the circuit de-energized and locked out:

1. Switch off the air-break switch / breaker and confirm the circuit is dead. Lock and tag it off if it's out of sight.
2. Mount the switch on a wall in a ventilated area with good heat dissipation.
3. Remove the shell, strip the wires to length, and crimp on the correct wire terminals (AWG8 or AWG10 by load).
4. Connect mains live lines to L1/L2, and Neutral and Ground to N and GND; wire the equipment to the Load terminals. Tighten all terminals firmly.
5. Ensure the device has access to protective earth (green/yellow) and front-end short-circuit protection.
6. Power on and add it to the Z-Wave network using the Action Button to enter inclusion mode (see your gateway's instructions).

To factory reset the device, see Factory Resetting Aeotec Devices.

Maintenance Guide

• Don't open or service it yourself — only a licensed professional should work on a hardwired switch.
• Keep it ventilated. It must be installed where heat can dissipate, away from open flames and direct heat.
• Stay within 40 A. The device must never carry more than its rated current.

Shipshape Integration

The Heavy Duty Smart Switch lets Shipshape monitor high-power equipment — water heaters, pumps, and similar loads — that a plug-in switch can't handle. SAM watches the power signal for anomalies (a water heater drawing abnormal current, a pump that stops running) and can alert you, and an offline switch is flagged so the equipment it controls doesn't go unmonitored. For lighter, plug-in loads, see the Aeotec Smart Switch 6.