2025 downlights

Devices & Integrations
1

My original kitchen 6" CFL cans are failing, so I’ll need to re wire each can to remove the ballast from the power and just use the 120 V directly. I’ve already replaced the CFLs with LEDs, which works ok, but one of the ballasts has apparently failed, and I’m guessing the others will follow. I’m looking for current suggestions:

  1. I live in CA/USA, so products need to meet Title 20
  2. I would like RGB/W with dimming (e.g. won’t use a single smart switch).
  3. Zigbee/ Matter over thread. Would prefer not to use wifi.
  4. Single/double or six packs of fixtures
  5. Need to be able to splice into existing 120V wiring- not a simple screw in type of retrofit or flat disk will work.

Some things I’ve found:

  1. Xsky Smart Recessed Lighting 6 inch 4 Pack,Dimmer Switch Include, Zigbee 3.0 Light, RGBW Dimmable, Downlight, Compatible with Alexa, Home Assistant, SmartThings,16 Million Colors - Amazon.com Seems like it addresses my needs above, except the quantity is 4.

  2. Another option is: Juno Lighting RB56SC RGBW MW L/SKTWHIP M6 RetroBasics | Build.com?

  3. Juno RB56AC RGBW MW L/SKTWHIP M6 RetroBasics Connect Adjustable LED Downlight, Dynamic Color Red, Green, Blue, White, Matte White, 5-Inch to 6-Inch - Amazon.com
    and

  4. Enjoy At Office: Zigbee 6 inch Smart Can Light, Smart Recessed Pot Light, Dimmable Colored LED Downlights, 1350lm
    Does anyone have experience on these or others that I may not be aware of?

2

If you ever want your lights to work outside of the ST ecosystem avoid Juno.

My Juno lights pair well with ST and Amazon. Very limited functionality for creating rules or scenes.

Phillips Hue would be my recommendation.

I purchased eight Juno wafer lights for $30. If I needed more lights/these were more expensive I would have gone with Phillips Hue.

If you do not need smart lights I would go with a dumb light and remote control.

Juno, Phillips Hue, or China white labeled lights were the only options I found for smart lights.

3

Thanks. Given the number of lights to control, cost and the limits of what Is available, I’m leaning towards the semi dumb light (can dim and adjust CCT only) .Any ideas as to what the best combos for dimming and energy efficiency are?

5

Have you thought about using regular dumb down lights and using a smart switch? Unless you need each light controllable on its own it seems like the simpler economical way to do it.

6

Yeah that’s the approach I’m going with now but realizing that Ill loose colors. The challenge now is that I’d like to be able to dime these. I’ve got other dimmers and some older LED lights that work ok, but not ideal. I’m just trying to figure out if there are some better smart dimmers to use than others and/or which lights to pair with them. I’ve found about 5 lights that could work, so the big guqestion is the smart dimmer switch now.

7

Personally I have used Leviton Z-Wave dimmers, Leviton Wifi dimmers, and Inovelli zwave dimmers and they have all been working well for about 5 years now. The Leviton are my favorite because of the simple rocker dimmer switch on the side of the on/off switch.

8

Current Leviton dimmers and switches also support Matter over Wi-Fi as do the Innovelli devices (but always seem to be out of stock). Eve has also announced Matter over Thread dimmers.

If you plan to stay with ST, I’d shy away from Z-Wave since neither the Station nor any of the TV/appliance hubs support it any longer.

9

I’d forgotten about the new Eve dimmer. When its available, I should check it out. The other Matter ones use Wifi, which to me seems like overkill for a dimmer. Agreed about moving away from Zwave for ST platform. If I don’t like the Eve one (or hear bad reviews when they start shipping), then maybe I go with the Inovelli Zigbee one?