Combining Phillips Hue with dumb lights and a smart dimmer (UK)

[Grubl3r]

Hello,

I am planning to get some Phillips Hue lights for my new home – but I don’t plan to have all lights in the house to be smart. I do want however to have a smart dimmer for every room.

I am pretty sure I can use a smart dimmer in conjunction with a Phillips Hue – but the Phillips would not be able to be turned on if the smart switch is off, since it will cut power to the Philips. However I wonder if there is perhaps a smart dimmer out there that will work better with the Philips Hue in such scenario. Any suggestions?

Basically I want to be able to have the most flexibility when combining a smart bulb like Phillips, dull lights and some sort of smart dimmer.

[JDRoberts]

There are many ways of handling this scenario. We even have an FAQ for which should answer most of your questions.

But the first thing to know is that you should not put your smart bulbs on any dimmer, either smart or not, which regularly cuts current to the bulbs. The inrush current when power is restored can, overtime, damage the radio in the bulbs, making what are already very expensive bulbs just that much more expensive.

Instead, as you will see from the user guide for all the brands of smart bulbs, the bulbs should be left on power at all times and then they will decide for themselves how much current to draw. This both protects the radio and solves the problem you mentioned because the radio always have power to hear the next “on” command.

there are number of different possible solutions, again, detailed in the FAQ:

FAQ: Philips Hue and Other Smart Bulbs - What sort of light switches to use with them? (Long FAQ)

Thinking on a big move to Hue lights, the real question is - what switches to use with them? If they’re all automatable via ST and other devices, do I really want to put them all on controllable switches too? There’s the advantage that I can arrange to ensure those switches are on so that the the Hue bulbs would be too…but it also leaves open the ability for folks to just turn them off and leave them off. Hmm. Thoughts?

[Grubl3r]

Thanks a lot for the reply.

I get it now, and it makes sense. In fairness I was looking around the
house, and the two places where I want such dimmers for start are in the
dining room and the living room. Both places have a set of 6 small built-in
LEDs. I would then use the Phillips Hue for stuff such as a desk light.

I had a look at the FAQ but I wonder if much has changed since it was
published. I am particularly interested in a smart dimmer that is available
in Europe to use with those dumb LEDs.

[JDRoberts]

The FAQ gets added to all the time with new posts in that thread, so as long as you’re reading the whole thread you should be up-to-date.

As far as UK options, there are a number of choices. Not so many all-in-one switches as there are in the US, but there are a couple of brands as long as you have a neutral wire at the switchbox (in the UK that’s the blue wire).

However, even if you don’t have a blue wire at the switchbox, there are still options. One of the most popular is to use one of the in wall Micros, like Fibaro, Aeotec or Qubino. Some models do not require a neutral. These go behind the switch, so you can use a large variety of switch styles with them. These are available both as on/off switches and as dimmers.

Have you had a chance to look at the UK lighting FAQ? There’s a lot of information there.

VFAQ: Lighting Control Options for UK SmartThings

There are many forum discussions of possible lighting control options for the UK. Before we get too theoretical, I just wanted to do a quick recap of the options that are available right now for those in the UK. 1) Choose one of the inside-the-wall micro relays from the official compatibility list and have it installed on the circuit where there is a third wire. Even if there isn’t a third wire in the switchbox itself, there’s still one on the circuit somewhere. It may be at the ceiling fitting, it may be somewhere else in the wall, but it is there. https://www.smartthings.com/uk/compatible-products [image] If you want to add a new faceplate to create a push button “momentary switch,” you can modify many switches to work with the in wall relay. Plastic button front plates are quite…

There are also a number of existing threadS from UK members discussing various specific lighting projects. Some are in the UK section of the forUM and some are under projects.

@anon36505037 has done his whole house with Fibaro lighting and can probably answer more specific questions.

[Grubl3r]

Thanks @JDRoberts.

@anon36505037: I’d love a moment of your time to ask for a good smart switch/dimmer for a set of dumb lights.

I wonder if the Wemo smart dimmer is any good?

[Grubl3r]

@anon36505037

For a UK install I’ll always reccomend the Fibaro Dimmer 2 micro modules, you get to choose your own standard faceplates and get tones of configuration options.

That will be my choice then!

I’ve been looking into these. It is basic a module that you install behind the dimmer faceplate, is it not? Now as for the standard faceplate, can it also be a dimmer?

[Grubl3r]

@anon36505037

No, needs to be a binary input (on/off) not a dimmable input.

If you use a regular toggle switch, you cannot controll the dim level from the switch, only the app.

If you use a momentary (retractive / push-to-make) switch, you can do the following:
[…]

Ugh… I know what you mean but that feels a little clunky. I wonder if there is an alternative, like a Wemo that does not suck?!

[Grubl3r]

@anon36505037,
You know what. I will! But I wonder, though if I have better dimmer control with some sort of app?

[Grubl3r]

@anon36505037
Cool. But I can also use Amazon Echo to dim the lights, right? If I can then I am pretty much sold. Couldn’t ask for more

[Grubl3r]

@anon36505037
Last thing if I may… Where would should I order the Fibaro Dimmer 2 micro modules from?

[Grubl3r]

@anon36505037

If you don’t have a neutral at the switch or you’re switching a total load less than 50W you should also buy a Fibaro Bypass 2 module… might not be needed and can be sent back if not, but PIA not having one at hand when you do need it.

Now you lost me . What should I ask my electrician for? I have analogue dimmers at the moment (temporary) but I can have it replaced with the right, most appropriate switch (i.e. the retractive). As for the rest I am lost.

[Grubl3r]

@anon36505037,
You’ve been a great help, thank you! Any chance I can see this manual before I order?
EDIT: Yes, I found them here.

I’d like to know more about your experience with the Wemo, though. I have been reading raving reviews about the new Wemo dimer.

[Grubl3r]

Thanks. The manual is indeed useful to understand the product better before I go on buying it. I wonder though if you had any experience with the latest Wemo Dimmer switch which was released this year. I have been reading good things about it and I wonder if your bad experience was with a previous model. Is just that the idea of having a physical dimmer is enticing!

[Grubl3r]

Wow… Shocking! Well you convinced me that Wemo is a no-no.