Creating a Scene With Dimmable Devices - Alexa Integration

Devices & Integrations
1

I’m trying to create a scene/routine/mood in my Den. I will be asking Alexa to turn it on. My problem is that all of the devices are dimmable and I don’t want it turned on to 100%. I want them at various levels. Under various setups, I can get it to happen, but Alexa always wants to set all of them to 100% or Alexa doesn’t know how to turn the Den “off”. Can someone give me the best setup? Thanks

2

I’m doing this with some Hue lights. You set the scene there in Hue, including all color and luminance choices, and save it… then you Discover on Alexa, and then integrate that scene into an Alexa scene

3

Or if you don’t use Hue, set up the scene in the SmartThings app and then discover as @Glen_King said. You’ll be able to set the exact level of bright desired for each light.

4

Are you trying to create a scene or routine? Are you trying to create it in ST or in Alexa app?

If you are trying to create a ST Routine, the Amazon Alexa app will show that as a scene. An ST routine can have a dim setting in increments of 10%.

Depending on what things you have in your ST Routine, Alexa may not be able to run that. Alexa can control ST Routines beyond what Amazon will allow if you use a community developer created app like askAlexa or Echosistant.

If you are trying to create an Alexa Routine in the Amazon Alexa app, then Alexa will show that as a Routine. A Routine created in the Amazon Alexa app can set a dimmable bulb to turn on at any percentage from 2% to 100%. They are having issues getting 1% to work correctly. But an Alexa created Routine has less options than a ST Routine will have.

I run a good morning routine created in the Amazon app. It turns on three dimmable Cree bulbs to different levels. One bulb is set to turn on at 12%, one at 10% and the bedroom bulb at 2%. It can be set on schedule or by voice activation.

5
  1. Create Scenes using the SmartThings App. These allow exact dim level and colors to be specified.
  2. Create a Routine for each Scene that does nothing but Activate the Scene.
  3. Allow Alexa to access your Routines. (It calls them Scenes).
6

Thanks gang for all the quick replies. I’m going to start by following tgauchat’s suggestion. I don’t know what version of Alexa the others are using, but mine does not discover ST scenes. It was also verified to be a flaw when I did a google search.

So this is what I’m trying and more details. As I said, this is my DEN and it has an adjacent BAR (which I don’t want to activate). I’ve created a scene in ST that turns on 4 dimmables (various levels). I’ve created a ST routine that activates the ST scene. Viola! It works! Except, when it want to turn it off. “Alexa, turn the DEN off” results in “Sorry, DEN doesn’t support that.” Without coming up with cleverly worded routine phrases (I’m accused daily by my spouse of “changing” things), how can I turn DEN off? Thanks

7

tpip, creating a ST routine will be my last resort. I’m trying to set various levels and ST appears to only set the GROUP at the same level.

I’d be happy enough with using Alexa scenes but she doesn’t appear to SAVE level settings. She’ll turn on the scene at the last level use for each device.

Thanks

8

Yes ST only allows grouping and the dimming is in 10% increments. Using WebCoRE should be able to do what you want.

Using the Amazon Alexa app, try creating a Routine instead of a scene. Does Routines appear on the Alexa right above Smart Home?

9

What country are you in? Not all features have been rolled out everywhere.

10

Why last resort?

The combination of a SmartThings Scene (pretty simple and powerful feature!) and a “trivial SmartThings Routine for each Scene”, gives you instantaneous access to these Scenes in Alexa!

Furthermore, you won’t be depedant on Alexa to activate these Scenes/Routines. You can tap them (in the SmartThings App or ActionTiles), or you can call them from Smart Lighting and other SmartApps!

11

My location is in the US.

Yes, creating a ST Routine and having it call a ST Scene (which I can set devices to various levels) works as an Alexa routine! Beautifully, I might add. BUT! She won’t turn it off with the same call. “Turn DEN on” works but “Turn DEN off” does not. This is the help I’m looking for. What can I setup in ST or Alexa that will shut off my ST “DEN” routine.

I understand that I can make my devices sing and dance through ST, but the point of a Smarthome in MY home, is not to be tethered to my phone and have to tap my way to Smart. I want Alexa to do the puppetry.

Thanks again

12

Scenes (& Routines) don’t have an “off” option. They aren’t designed to. SmartThings does not keep track of the State of Things prior to activating a Scene or running a Routine.

A Scene should not be called “DEN”; well: You can call it whatever you want, but the purpose isn’t a “room”… It’s a scenario. e.g., movie watching, dinner time, reading, games night, bed time, intermission, …

Should Scenes have been designed with “off” functionality? This was discussed extensively 3 years ago. It’s just too complicated and unnecessary.

You don’t need “off”; you just need any alternative Scene to Activate!