Question 1

What exactly is the Simon 82 range?

Accepted Answer

It is a flush-mounted wiring device system from Simon Electric in Spain. A frame holder goes into the wall, then you snap in the mechanism you want per gang: a rocker switch, a push button, a dimmer, a blank plate or a socket. The frames and mechanisms are shared across the 82, 82 Nature, 82 Concept and 82 Detail design lines.

Question 2

Is Simon 82 actually a smart switch?

Accepted Answer

No, and this matters. Simon 82 is a purely mechanical and electrical range. There is no app, no hub, no Zigbee, no Wi-Fi. Simon does make a connected line called Simon Smart / iO, and people mix the two up. If you want scenes, timers and phone control, you want that line, not this one.

Question 3

Will it work on UAE 220-240V power?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The switch and dimmer mechanisms are rated 250V~ AC at 10AX, which comfortably covers the UAE's 220-240V single-phase supply. The platform is CE-marked for the European and GCC market rather than being a US 120V part. Electrically it is correct for Dubai wiring.

Question 4

Will the sockets in this range work with my UAE plugs?

Accepted Answer

No. The 82-range socket modules use the Schuko standard, which is the German two-pin Type F pattern. UAE and British plugs are BS1363 Type-G with three rectangular pins. They will not fit. Wherever you need an actual power point, we specify a compliant Type-G socket solution alongside the Simon switch plates.

Question 5

So which parts of the range can I safely use in Dubai?

Accepted Answer

Switches, push buttons, dimmers, blank plates and the frames themselves are directly and safely usable on UAE 230V circuits. The restriction is only on socket modules, because that is a plug-shape problem, not a voltage problem. In practice most villas use Simon 82 for the light switching and a Type-G range for the power outlets.

Question 6

Does it fit the wall boxes already in my villa?

Accepted Answer

Usually not without work. Simon 82 is built around European-pattern recessed back boxes. Many Dubai villas are wired with British-pattern boxes, which are a different size and depth. An electrician needs to check what is behind your existing plates. If the boxes are wrong, they have to be swapped, which means chasing and making good.

Question 7

Can I retrofit this into an existing villa or is it only for new builds?

Accepted Answer

It can be retrofitted, but be realistic about the mess. Changing back boxes means opening the wall at every plate position, then plastering and repainting. On a new build or a full renovation, where the walls are open anyway, it costs you almost nothing extra. On a finished, occupied villa it turns into a proper job.

Question 8

Do I need an electrician, or can I fit it myself?

Accepted Answer

You need a licensed electrician. This is a mains-voltage device wired directly into your lighting circuits. In Dubai, work on fixed mains wiring is not a DIY job, and doing it yourself puts your property insurance and your safety at risk. Simon also sells it as a trade item, in packs of ten, not as a boxed consumer product.

Question 9

What else do I have to buy to make it work?

Accepted Answer

Less than you might think, because there is no hub or processor. You need the right recessed back box per position, the frame holder, the mechanism for each gang, and a Type-G socket solution wherever a power outlet is needed. That is the whole list. Nothing has to be commissioned or paired.

Question 10

Which app controls it?

Accepted Answer

None. There is no app because there is nothing to connect. Simon 82 switches a circuit on and off, or dims it, through a physical mechanism. If an app is on your wish list, you are looking at the wrong Simon product and we should talk about Simon iO or another switch range instead.

Question 11

Does it work with Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home?

Accepted Answer

No. It has no radio and no cloud connection, so there is nothing for a voice assistant to talk to. If you want voice control of your lighting and you also want this look, one option is smart relays or a dimming module in the ceiling or the DB, with Simon 82 buttons acting as the wall control. We can price that.

Question 12

How does it compare to an Aqara switch we also sell?

Accepted Answer

Different purpose entirely. An Aqara Zigbee switch gives you app control, scenes and automations at a much lower price, but the finish choice is limited. Simon 82 gives you materials, matching frames and a designed wall, with no smart function at all. Buy Simon for how the wall looks, Aqara for what the lights do.

Question 13

Is it worth it compared to a cheap Sonoff or Tuya plate?

Accepted Answer

If your goal is turning lights on from your phone for as little money as possible, no. A Tuya or Sonoff plate does that for a fraction of the price. Simon 82 is bought by people fitting out a villa who want every one of forty plates to look identical and feel solid. That is a design decision, not a function one.

Question 14

Can I mix Simon 82 with Philips Hue bulbs?

Accepted Answer

You can, with a caveat everyone learns the hard way. Hue bulbs need constant power, so if someone flicks the Simon switch off, the bulb drops off the network until it is switched back on. The usual fix is to keep the circuit permanently live and control the lights another way, or accept that the wall switch is a hard cut-off.

Question 15

What are the four design lines and how do I choose?

Accepted Answer

Plain 82 and 82 Nature are the standard finishes. 82 Concept is the flat matte minimalist look, popular in modern apartments and villas. 82 Detail adds texture: the Original range covers white, graphite and aluminium, and the Select range covers cast metal and beech wood bases. We bring samples so you can see them against your own wall colour.

Question 16

Can I use it in a bathroom or outdoors?

Accepted Answer

Not directly. The range is rated IP20, which means indoor use only with no protection against water. Bathrooms need the switch outside the wet zone or a properly rated alternative, and outdoor terraces and garden lighting need an IP-rated device. Dubai humidity and summer dust are a real consideration for anything mounted outside.

Question 17

How does Dubai's heat and dust affect it?

Accepted Answer

Indoors, in an air-conditioned villa, very little. These are sealed mechanisms in a recessed box behind a plate. The practical issue in Dubai is construction dust during fit-out, which is why we fit the mechanisms late in the programme and keep the finish plates boxed until snagging is done.

Question 18

Can I just buy the parts on Amazon myself?

Accepted Answer

Some Concept-line parts do appear on amazon.ae's Global Store as cross-border imports, roughly AED 26 to 195 per piece, with one to two weeks from Europe. The problem is stock. Individual part numbers go unavailable without warning, and one double-button item we checked was listed as currently unavailable. You cannot reliably complete a forty-plate villa that way.

Question 19

How do you supply it in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

Through Stable Link in Dubai Silicon Oasis, Simon's stated exclusive distributor for the UAE and Oman. Simon lists the range as a trade item, with RRP on request and packs of ten, so there is no shelf price. We work out your full schedule of plates, get it priced through the distributor and supply it as one coordinated package.

Question 20

How do you quote it and what is the lead time?

Accepted Answer

We start from your electrical drawings or a walk of the villa, count every position, decide gang counts and which positions need dimming, then add the Type-G socket solution. That schedule gets priced through the distributor. Lead time depends on the finish and stock in the region, so we confirm it with the quote rather than guessing.

Question 21

What does the price depend on most?

Accepted Answer

Three things. The number of plate positions, which drives everything. The finish line, since cast metal and wood cost far more than matte white. And how much builder's work is needed, because changing back boxes in a finished villa adds labour and making good. A small apartment and a six-bedroom villa are not comparable jobs.

Question 22

What warranty and support do I get in the UAE?

Accepted Answer

Warranty and technical support run through the authorised distributor channel, Stable Link, rather than through an online seller. That is one of the practical reasons to buy it as a supplied and installed package. If a mechanism fails, there is a local party responsible for it, which is not the case with a cross-border Amazon import.

Question 23

Who should not buy this range?

Accepted Answer

Renters, anyone who wants app control, anyone on a tight budget, and anyone unwilling to open walls. If you are in a leased apartment, or you want scenes and schedules, or you only need three switches changed, Simon 82 is the wrong tool. It pays off on a full villa fit-out where the wall finish genuinely matters to you.

Question 24

Can I add smart control to a Simon 82 installation later?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if the wiring is planned for it now. The usual route is dimming or relay modules in the distribution board or ceiling void, with the Simon buttons wired as inputs. That requires extra cabling and space in the DB, so tell us at the design stage. Retrofitting it after the walls are closed is much harder.

Control type	Mechanical wiring device. Rocker switch, push button, dimmer or Schuko socket module. No app, hub or wireless protocol involved
Gateway / processor	None required. Standalone mechanical mechanism, separate from Simon's connected Smart/iO automation line
Voltage rating	250V~ AC nominal, correct for UAE's 220-240V single-phase mains
Current rating	10AX on switch mechanisms, 16A on Schuko socket modules
Protection rating	IP20, indoor use only
Wiring terminal	Screw terminal or Simon fast terminal, 2.5mm squared cable section admitted
Mounting format	Flush-mounted frame holder plus snap-in mechanism, fits European-standard recessed back boxes, 1 to 4+ gang frames
Socket standard	Socket modules are Schuko (German 2-pin, Type F), not UAE/British BS1363 Type-G. A Type-G solution must be specified separately for power outlets

Simon 82 Architectural Switch Range

What it is and where it fits

Specifications

What to check before you order

Questions about the Simon 82 Architectural Switch Range

Fitted and configured by our Dubai team