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Thread: Smart Lighting

  1. #1
    DF VIP Member MHP's Avatar
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    Default Smart Lighting

    Just seeing if many of you are using Philips Hue or any smart lighting in general. I'm running a first gen Hue bridge, two blooms and three RGBW light strips off of three Dresden FLS-PP lp wireless ballast units. These are all used for accent lighting but I want to make all my lighting smart at minimal cost. The easiest way would be to use wireless light switches to control conventional lighting but there seems to be problem with UK lighting wiring not having neutrals to the switch. LightwaveRF seem to have got round this problem but I cant find any info compatibility.

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    DF VIP Member flipper321's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Been looking into smart lighting but not yet happy with any solution I've found.

    LightwaveRF works without a neutral as they are dimmers not switches. Depending on your setup that would mean ensuring all your bulbs are dimmable. It's also a one way system which means messages are not confirmed - worth looking into, may or may not make a difference depending on your use case.

    Other than rewiring or at least more complex wiring Philips Hue or similar bulb replacements is the only other choice.

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    DF VIP Member MHP's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    What about Fibaro dimmer modules, they seem to be UK wiring compatible and reasonably priced but I'm not sure if you need to purchase a separate (expensive) bridge.

    http://www.fibarouk.co.uk/new-produc...baro-dimmer-2/

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    DF VIP Member MHP's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Just took the plunge on a Fibaro dimmer and bypass module and some momentary/retractive switches. Looks like the Fibaro kit is SmartThings compatible so I'll need a Samsung hub as well.

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    DF VIP Member crazyal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Have Philips Hue Bridge 2.0 with 8 bulbs in the house all happily talking to Amazon Echo. Ones upstairs are controlled by an Amazon Dot in our room. I am only using the white bulbs at £12.99 each, not bothered about colour bulbs (yet) + they are expensive.

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    DF VIP Member DavidF's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Mi-Home works in uk. Energenie stuff i think is also part of mi-home and also works without neutrals. Lighwave RF works without neutrals too but Im sure I have heard negative reports aka continued development is slow/non existent.
    If you want really cheap but still elective why not try the very basic sonoff - Available from ebay/amazon/aliexpress you can get them for about £8 inc postage - they fit in behind your light on the switch wire and neutral - dead easy (Well im a spark so it would be but certainly doable for a careful diyer TURN THE BLOODY POWER OFF FIRST) - these then work with android/iphone app which connects to the cloud and allows you to control your lights. You can control ANYTHING with one of these in line up to 10 amps/2200watts. So for the price the possibilities are endless really.
    More new build houses are being wired with a neutral at the switch which will obviously open things up a lot more for the smart home tech.
    Last option is to get a 3 core from each light to each switch - a job for an electrician really - or the determined DIY...i suppose lol

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    DF VIP Member Nathz29's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    I've done a few light wave installs for people, they are reasonably good, but as pointed need a neutral for anything that's isn't the dimmer switch.
    I've been toying with the idea of getting fibaro kit and a Vera controller but been to busy to get to it yet.

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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    If you are already running hue why bring another technology into the mix?

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    DF VIP Member MHP's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Quote Originally Posted by beerman View Post
    If you are already running hue why bring another technology into the mix?
    Cost. I currently have 30+ GU10 LED down lighters at home. It would cost a small fortune to replace them with Philips Hue GU10's and you don't really need individual smart capabilities per fitting. The best way to do this is to keep your existing dumb lights and make their switches smart.

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    DF VIP Member MHP's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidF View Post
    Mi-Home works in uk. Energenie stuff i think is also part of mi-home and also works without neutrals. Lighwave RF works without neutrals too but Im sure I have heard negative reports aka continued development is slow/non existent.
    If you want really cheap but still elective why not try the very basic sonoff - Available from ebay/amazon/aliexpress you can get them for about £8 inc postage - they fit in behind your light on the switch wire and neutral - dead easy (Well im a spark so it would be but certainly doable for a careful diyer TURN THE BLOODY POWER OFF FIRST) - these then work with android/iphone app which connects to the cloud and allows you to control your lights. You can control ANYTHING with one of these in line up to 10 amps/2200watts. So for the price the possibilities are endless really.
    More new build houses are being wired with a neutral at the switch which will obviously open things up a lot more for the smart home tech.
    Last option is to get a 3 core from each light to each switch - a job for an electrician really - or the determined DIY...i suppose lol
    I don't think the Mi-Home and LightwaveRF kits are Z Wave or Zigbee enabled so controlling them with an Echo or Google home is going to be difficult. The Sonoff seems pretty cool and it looks like it can be flashed to work with Z wave but does it need a neutral at the switch?

  11. #11
    DF VIP Member DavidF's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Quote Originally Posted by MHP View Post
    I don't think the Mi-Home and LightwaveRF kits are Z Wave or Zigbee enabled so controlling them with an Echo or Google home is going to be difficult. The Sonoff seems pretty cool and it looks like it can be flashed to work with Z wave but does it need a neutral at the switch?
    It would need a neutral at the switch BUT you can install these up in the ceiling inline with each light - The very simplest explanation is the Switched Live and Neutral that actually wires into your existing light fitting just gets broken by this device. Especially easy if you are doing spotlights or any other type of recessed lighting....equally easy on any other type of light fitting though.

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    DF VIP Member Nathz29's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    You can get a 433Mhz dongle for a Vera controller, it will work with light wave, so it should also work with sonoff, although there will be no status fed back, but if is just on off it shouldn't matter

  13. #13
    DF VIP Member MHP's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Quote Originally Posted by DavidF View Post
    It would need a neutral at the switch BUT you can install these up in the ceiling inline with each light - The very simplest explanation is the Switched Live and Neutral that actually wires into your existing light fitting just gets broken by this device. Especially easy if you are doing spotlights or any other type of recessed lighting....equally easy on any other type of light fitting though.
    Okay that makes sense. I'm guessing you lose control at the switch if the Sonoff is set to off though?

    Quote Originally Posted by Nathz29 View Post
    You can get a 433Mhz dongle for a Vera controller, it will work with light wave, so it should also work with sonoff, although there will be no status fed back, but if is just on off it shouldn't matter
    The Sonoff comes in two versions, one RF and the other WiFi so there shouldn't be a need for the dongle.

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    DF VIP Member DavidF's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    @MHP you would set your switch to on and then control your light by way of Sonoff. If you then switched your light switch off you would over ride Sonoff. That would be the way I would personally install this.

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    DF VIP Member crazyal's Avatar
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    Default Re: Smart Lighting

    Akimba - clear some space in your PM box...

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