WanderVerse
WanderSwitch · spec sheet

The full file.

Everything our engineering, sourcing, and compliance work produced for this product. Nothing here is marketing — it's the actual document we'd hand a contract manufacturer.

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WanderSwitch — Family Architecture Spec (v1.0-candidate)

Product family: WanderSwitch — in-wall smart light switch + dimmer (1-gang / 2-gang / 3-gang) with Matter-over-Thread, no neutral wire required. Direct replacement for Lutron Caseta dimmers + TP-Link Kasa Wi-Fi switches in the existing-home retrofit market. Revision: v1.0-candidate Date: 2026-04-25 SOP: v2.4

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1. Why this exists

The smart-switch category is a thirty-year-old supply of devices that fail at one or more of four basic things: they require a neutral wire (which ~40% of US pre-1990 homes don't have at the switch box), they tie the household to a vendor cloud (Kasa goes dark when TP-Link servers do), they handle dimming with poor TRIAC waveform discipline (LED bulbs flicker, buzz, or refuse low-end dim), or they put a glowing wordmark on the wall plate.

The category has converged on Matter-over-Thread for interop in 2024-2025 — but the no-neutral incumbents (Lutron Caseta, Inovelli Blue, GE Cync) are either expensive, locked to a proprietary hub (Caseta requires Smart Bridge Pro), or have well-documented EMI / dimming-quality issues with modern LED loads. None of them treat the switch as a household-safety surface (covert duress, audit logging, identity-aware routing).

WanderSwitch is the WanderVerse in-wall control surface. It is UL 20 (general-use snap switches) + FCC Part 15 + Matter cert-gated because nothing else is sellable in this category, and it ships with no-neutral-required line-scavenging power topology so it drops into any existing US single-pole or three-way switch box without rewiring. Pro tier adds 3-gang dimmer + paddle combination (the "media-room replacement" SKU) and hub-grade Thread border-router participation, so a household that buys one Pro can use it to anchor a Thread mesh covering the entire WanderVerse fleet.

The product thesis: a Matter-native dimmer that drops into any switch box without a neutral, dims modern LED loads cleanly, never phones home, logs every state change locally, and offers a covert duress-tap pattern for survivor scenarios where reaching for a phone is not safe.

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2. Product family overview

TierDevice IDForm factorHero featureRetailShip target
**WanderSwitch Std (1-gang)**`WV-SW-1G`Single-gang Decora-compatible wall switch + dimmer paddleUL 20 listed; Matter-over-Thread; no-neutral required; clean TRIAC dimming for LED loads; saffron paddle-edge accent + saffron LED level indicator**$59**2027-Q3
**WanderSwitch Pro (3-gang)**`WV-SW-3G`Triple-gang Decora-compatible — 1× dimmer + 2× paddle switches; hub-grade Thread border-routerStandard + dual on/off paddles + Thread border-router for household fleet anchor + dedicated Cree saffron LED level + status indicator strip**$129**2027-Q4

Hero image alignment

The hero render shows a flush-mount in-wall switch with a Decora-compatible paddle face, anodized matte cream aluminum bezel + paddle, with:

The paddle, bezel, and wall plate share matte cream anodized aluminum across the family — same finish as WanderCO + WanderAlert + WanderDash. The 3-gang Pro tier uses a single wide bezel that integrates the dimmer paddle on the left + two on/off paddles on the right, so the visual identity is "one device, three controls" rather than three separate switches.

Visual identity preserved across the family: matte cream anodized paddle + bezel (matches WanderCO + WanderAlert + WanderDash + Security Trio aluminum surface), saffron LED level/status indicator (family-wide), no exterior wordmark (per task spec hard rule), recessed test button accessible via wall-plate corner cover.

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3. Why no neutral required (the headline architectural call)

US wall switch boxes built before ~1990 typically do not carry a neutral wire — the switch sits on the line side of the load, and there is no return path for a switch's onboard electronics to draw operating current. Modern smart switches solve this in one of three ways:

1. Require a neutral (Kasa, Lutron Maestro standard) — eliminates the install market for ~40% of US homes; they install but won't power up 2. Leak current through the bulb when "off" (older no-neutral switches) — causes LED bulbs to glow / flicker / chatter when the switch is off because they're not getting zero current 3. Line-scavenging topology with leakage capture + buck-boost storage (Lutron Caseta, Inovelli Blue, our path) — actively switches the AC line at zero-cross to harvest a few mA of operating current during the AC half-cycle that's not powering the load, stored in a small electrolytic + buck-boost feeding the MCU rail

Decision: WanderSwitch uses line-scavenging topology with the STMicro L9961 line-scavenging IC + STMicro T1235H TRIAC for the dimmer and standard zero-cross relay switching for the on/off paddles. The L9961 captures ~5-15 mA from the AC line at zero-cross, charges a 470 µF electrolytic, and feeds the TI TPS65086100 PMIC + nRF52840 MCU through the buck-boost rail (the PMIC handles voltage profile variance from line scavenging the same way it handles LiSOCl2 cell voltage variance in WanderCO).

Trade: line-scavenging draws a small "always-on" current from the line even when the switched load is off. This is invisible to the user (~0.3 W standby per switch) but is the price of no-neutral operation. Documented as the no-neutral compatibility envelope in §6 + COMPATIBILITY.md §C.

LED-load compatibility envelope:

This envelope is validated empirically across Philips Hue / Cree / GE Reveal / Sylvania / Feit / IKEA Tradfri / Lutron LED-engineered bulbs at DVT (see _VALIDATION-AND-SENSOR-EXPANSION.md §B for the test matrix). No-neutral validation is a HARD GATE before customer ship.

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4. Identity-aware operation

Per Standard 0 (survivor / identity-aware modes), WanderSwitch ships with three identity-aware features by default. None are marketed as "panic features" — they are presented as advanced options in the companion app.

4.1 Covert duress-tap pattern (3 quick taps = silent panic mesh broadcast)

4.2 Local audit log of every state change

Every paddle press, dimmer-level adjustment, app-originated state change, and Thread/Matter-network-originated state change is logged locally to NOR flash with timestamp + originator + new state + (if app/network) authenticated user identifier.

4.3 No light-pattern telemetry leaving the device

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5. Architecture

5.1 Family platform (shared across both tiers)

BlockPartNotes
MCU moduleNordic nRF52840 (Thread + BLE 5.3)Reused from bridge_full + router_pro_v2 + router_standard per parts.db; chosen over ESP32-S3 for low-power Thread + RAM headroom for line-scavenging duty cycles
MCU alternate (Pro Thread router)TI CC2652R7 (Thread + BLE 5.3)Dual-source per parts.db; Pro tier may ship CC2652R7 in a Thread-border-router-favored revision once Nordic vs TI Thread stack maturity is confirmed at DVT
TRIAC (dimmer phase control)STMicro T1235HSnubberless TRIAC; 12 A / 600 V; standard residential dimmer power-stage choice
Line-scavenging ICSTMicro L9961Captures operating current from AC line; output regulated to TPS65086100 input rail
Zero-cross detectorSTMicro VIPER22A or equivalent + opto-isolator MOC3023Zero-cross detection for clean phase-cutting at TRIAC gate
Saffron LED level indicatorCree CLM3C-AKA (saffron)Per parts.db: 8 LEDs vertical strip on dimmer paddle edge; reused from bridge_full + router_standard + WanderCO
LED driverTI TPS92518Per parts.db: multi-channel PWM; reused from security_trio + WanderAlert + WanderCO
Secure elementNXP SE051Role token + survivor-pattern flag + audit-log encryption key + Matter device-attestation cert; reused from medical_tricorder_family + security_trio
Flash NORMacronix MX25R 8 MBAudit log + Matter cluster state + OTA
PMICTI TPS65086100Per parts.db: multi-rail; handles line-scavenging variance (analogous to WanderCO LiSOCl2 voltage profile handling); reused from WanderAlert + WanderCO
Test buttonAlps SKRH + custom recessed capReused from WanderAlert + WanderCO
Tamper switchOmron D2F-01FReused from WanderAlert + WanderCO
Thread/BLE antennavia nRF52840 chip antennaInternal — RF-clearance zone per Nordic ref design

5.2 WanderSwitch Pro (3-gang) — additions

BlockPartNotes
Thread border-routerSame nRF52840 with border-router firmware rolePro tier ships with Thread border-router enabled (Standard ships Thread end-device only); no extra silicon; firmware role + cert path
Additional paddles2× Decora-compatible paddle assembliesSame paddle tooling as Standard; 2× tactile switches
Status LEDCree CLM3C-AKA (saffron)Per parts.db: extra LED strip on the 2-gang side; same Cree CLM3C-AKA part
Larger PCBA4-layer custom 75 × 60 mmStandard is 4-layer 35 × 60 mm
Thread router-grade Flash NORMacronix MX25R 16 MBLarger to support border-router routing tables + child-device cert cache

5.3 What WanderSwitch does NOT have

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6. Compatibility envelope (LED loads + box geometry)

6.1 Switch box geometry

6.2 Load type compatibility (validated empirically at DVT)

Load typeStandardPro
Incandescent / halogen ≤300 Wgreengreen
LED dimmable ≥25 W (resistive eq.)greengreen
LED dimmable 5-25 Wgreen (most brands)green (most brands)
LED dimmable < 5 W single bulbyellow — install guide recommends parallel bulb or Lutron LUT-MLC dummy loadyellow — same
CFL dimmableyellow — most brands flicker; use LED insteadyellow — same
Resistive heater (non-motor load ≤1500 W)green via on/off paddle (non-dimmer)green
Motor / fan load (PSC motor only)yellow — Pro on/off paddle only; not on dimmeryellow
Universal (electronic low-voltage / magnetic low-voltage transformers)yellow — most ELV/MLV transformers compatible; verify per manufactureryellow

6.3 Three-way / four-way wiring

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7. 3-tier alert escalation (mapped to WanderAlert / WanderCO family)

WanderSwitch is not a primary life-safety device — it does not detect CO, smoke, or flood. But it participates in the WanderVerse mesh as a leaf node + (Pro) Thread border-router, and it can originate identity-aware alerts.

Level 1 — Advisory

Level 2 — Warning (covert duress-tap pattern)

Level 3 — Service / safety

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8. Compliance summary (per `COMPLIANCE.md`)

CertStatusNotes
**UL 20 (general-use snap switches)**red blockerHARD GATE — required for sale; no waiver. Cert ~$25-40k per tier (bundled lab visit)
**UL 1472 (solid-state dimming controls)**yellowRequired for dimmer SKU; bundled with UL 20 lab visit; ~$15-25k delta
**FCC Part 15 B (unintentional radiator)**red blockerTRIAC dimming generates wide-spectrum EMI; requires Class B compliance; ~$8-12k cert
**FCC Part 15 C (Thread + BLE 2.4 GHz intentional radiator)**greennRF52840 module passthrough + per-product re-cert
**CSA C22.2 No. 42 (Canadian general-use switch)**yellowBundled with UL 20 lab
**EN 60669-1 (European household switch)**yellowRequired for EU sale; bundled with CE RED
**EN 60669-2-1 (electronic switch / dimmer)**yellowRequired for EU dimmer sale
**CE RED + UKCA**greenBundled with FCC + EN test data
**Matter cert (CSA / Matter Alliance)**red blockerRequired for "Matter-certified" claim; ~$15-25k cert + per-product attestation; HARD GATE
**Thread certification**yellowBundled with Matter cert path
**RoHS / REACH**greendeclared
**Bluetooth SIG**greenBLE 5.3

Total cert v1: ~$80-130k (UL 20 + UL 1472 + FCC + CE + Matter + Thread + Bluetooth SIG, both tiers bundled).

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9. Manufacturing + service summary

Ambassador assembly (Standard 1)

Per-unit production tests

7-year parts (no battery reconciliation needed — line-powered)

Service plan (per `SERVICE-FLOW.md`)

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10. Revenue + social-impact integration

60/30/10 Community Pool flow (Standard 5)

Per canonical revenue split:

Donor-sponsored kits (HAVEN safehouse + LGBTQ-housing)

Grant-fundable

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11. Feature inventory (Stage 0 sweep)

Hardware features

Software features

Operational features

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12. Risk register

#RiskSeverityMitigation
1UL 20 + UL 1472 cert delays beyond 2027-Q2redLab booking 2026-Q4; reference unit ready EVT
2No-neutral line-scavenging fails LED-load compatibility for sub-5W LEDsredValidated empirically across 8 LED brands at DVT; install guide documents <5W edge case + LUT-MLC workaround
3TRIAC EMI exceeds FCC Part 15 Class BredSnubber + ferrite + careful PCB layout per `THERMAL-EMC.md`; pre-scan at EVT; respin path budgeted
4Covert duress-tap pattern rejected by survivor advisoryredDV-advocate + LGBTQ+ DV-survivor + UL human-factors panel veto rights pre-EVT
5Matter cert delay (CSA / Matter Alliance throughput)yellowEngage early 2026-Q4; allow 6-month cert window
6Nordic nRF52840 supplyyellowTI CC2652R7 dual-source qualified at DVT (per parts.db)
7STMicro L9961 single-source for line scavengingyellowAlternate: discrete line-scavenging topology with custom controller (board respin if needed)
8Engineering hire timeline slipsredShared EE/FW pool with WanderAlert + WanderCO + Security Trio
9Thread border-router (Pro tier) interop with non-Apple/non-Google fabricsyellowTest against Apple Home + Google Home + Amazon Alexa + Home Assistant + SmartThings + WanderNode Hub at DVT
10Identity-aware audit log subpoena risk in adversarial DV scenariosyellowAudit log encrypted with SE051 device key; export requires user consent; legal counsel review of subpoena response policy

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13. Conflict register

Resolved per DECISIONS.md D-SW-001 through D-SW-010. Key conflicts:

No software conflicts with existing WanderVerse specs.

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14. Marketing language gate

Words we DO use:

Words we do NOT use (per task spec hard rules):

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15. Ship discipline

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16. Ambassador + Community Pool integration

(verbatim from _TEMPLATES/_community-pool.md + _ambassador-signature.md + _seven-year-parts.md):

How the money flows

Every sale of a WanderSwitch SKU is divided three ways:

Ambassador signature mark

Every WanderSwitch unit carries an etched aluminum tag inside the back box (visible only at install + service):

At any board-level service event, a second signature is added beneath the first. Provenance accumulates.

Seven-year parts (no battery reconciliation needed — line-powered)

Every spare part for WanderSwitch is available for 7 years from generation EOL, via Ambassador network, at cost + 10%. Year 8: every manufacturing file is published (STLs CC BY-SA 4.0; firmware source CC BY-NC-SA 4.0; schematics + assembly instructions).

What "parts" includes:

What "parts" does NOT include:

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This spec is the source of truth for the WanderSwitch family. Companion docs (DECISIONS.md, BOM-platform.csv, BOM-modules.csv, BOM-normalized.csv, CONFIGURATOR.md, COMPATIBILITY.md, SOURCING.csv, DFM-DFA-DFT.md, THERMAL-EMC.md, COMPLIANCE.md, GUIDE.md, HW-FW.md, SERVICE-FLOW.md, GATE.md, STL-OPEN-FILES/README.md, _VALIDATION-AND-SENSOR-EXPANSION.md, _COMPETITIVE-AUDIT-2026-04-25.md, _MANIFEST.md) elaborate; this spec governs.