Smart home automation promises convenience and control—but occasionally, getting everything to work just right takes a bit of extra effort. One of our customers recently shared their experience with integrating a Zigbee 6-Gang Smart Switch using ZHA (Zigbee Home Automation) in Home Assistant, and we thought it was worth highlighting.
The Challenge
After installing the Zigbee 6-Gang switch, the customer noticed that not all six buttons were functioning correctly through ZHA. This is a common issue with more complex Zigbee devices. Since each button on a multi-gang switch sends its own unique signal, ZHA sometimes struggles to interpret them all without a little extra guidance.
The Solution: A Custom Quirk
To overcome the limitations, a custom device handler is created, also known as a “quirk.”
Quirks in ZHA are custom configurations that help ZHA understand how to communicate with less common Zigbee devices or expose all features of a partially supported one.
Once the custom quirk was added and properly configured, ZHA was able to recognize all six buttons individually. The switch became fully functional, allowing the customer to assign unique automations and controls to each gang.
The Result
After applying the quirk, the customer successfully integrated the switch into their smart home setup with no further issues. This story is a perfect example of the power and flexibility of open-source platforms like Home Assistant and ZHA—where the community and customizations can unlock the full potential of your devices.
If you're using a similar switch and facing issues with ZHA, consider checking for existing quirks or creating your own.
You can view the custom quirk and full discussion here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sHkyUhMV02UClRAeAyiv_CF9pTclob7C/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hqwX3Qzk5FT-_Z80FVouGbnuEwKuScRm/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/108oGXg3yUg55ytHWsOdNi-Cx8gV8IGe-/view?usp=sharing