I found this post You Dont Have to Choose Between Smart Bulbs and Smart Switches by computerjunkie7410 who was/is using another hub and a different brand smart switch (Zooz). I’d like to do the same thing, but with SmartThings. That thread is locked so I figured we’d start a new one specific to SmartThings. My intentions are to retain the physical switch for the wife to use but I also want the Lifx + bulbs to always be on at night for the IR illumination to help Blue Iris cameras a little at night.
My Equipment:
- SmartThings Hub
- GE Z-Wave Plus Toggle Switch
- (4) Lifx + BR30
Wiring instructions from user computerjunkie7410’s:
Wiring
- Connect Line and Load with a wire nut and also add a third wire.
- Connect that third wire to the Line hole/slot on the Smart Switch.
- Do not connect anything to Load on the Smart Switch.
- Connect Ground and Neutral to their locations on the Smart Switch.
Questions:
- Is there anything not code compliant about having the bulbs wired to have constant power?
- How would I setup SmartThings to control the bulbs using a GE Z-Wave Toggle like computerjunke7410 did with his hub setup?
- Is there a better way to accomplish this same thing? I was thinking of a webCoRE to turn on the switch at a prescribed time at night and then turn bulbs themselves off (to be IR only at that point) but the delay waiting for the Lifx bulbs to reconnect and turn turn back off would be annoying (and those floods are right on our master bedroom).