So, to preface, I’ve read through several posts about this topic but most were a year old - I’m hoping technology has improved since then. What I’m looking to accomplish is:
I want to use a wall switch, ideally Lutron Caseta, to control (on/off and dim if possible) Hue bulbs.
I don’t have the switches yet, so they can be wired anyway. The lights are currently wired to a traditional (not smart) switch. For this example, there are 2 lights on a single switch.
The reason I want to use the Hue bulbs is both for color/temperature changing as well as being able to turn off single bulbs (via ST) when multiple bulbs are on a single circuit. I currently have the Hue bulbs installed but the switch must always be on, in order to keep constant power to the bulbs.
I don’t necessarily have to use the Hue brand but these are the functionalities I’m looking for.
Do you not combine a smart bulb with any switch, smart or dumb, which controls the current to the bulk. And especially if that’s which is a dimmer switch. You can burn out the bold, the switch, or both.
I really like Lutron Caseta switches, I really like Phillips hue bulbs, I have both in my own home, but I do not have any Caseta switch controlling the current to a hue bulb. I use the Casetas with dumb bulbs, and I use other battery operated switches for the Hues. This works really well, and I can also have a Lutron switch Control group that has a table lamp with a hue bulb as well as the overhead light fixture as long as the Lutron is not directly controlling the current to the table lamp. ( The Hue bulb is set up to follow the Caseta switch through a rule. You can do this with smartthings or with apple’s HomeKit or with an Echo routine)
So everything you describe is possible, but not quite in the configuration you’ve asked about. See the following FAQ (this is a clickable link)
Thanks. I understand the old premise of not mixing smart bulbs w/ smart switches but I was hoping things have changed.
I understand that your solution will work but I don’t like the idea of having different light switches in different rooms. I’d like all of the light switches in my house to be consistent (ideally Lutron Caseta) but I’d like to be able to utilize the features of the Hue bulbs (as mentioned above). Is it possible to install the Lutron switches but not have them affect the current to the bulb (aka, always have current to the bulb) and then have the on/off and dimmer functionalities of the switch talk to the bulbs via ST? That way, the lights would always have current and their on/off, color and dimming would be handled via ST.
That’s possible for most switches, and it is discussed in the FAQ that I gave you the link to. I’m not sure if it’s possible for the Casetas, I’ve never checked, but you can check with Lutron support. I don’t think I would recommend it, though, because if you do that that means that if any part of your home automation system isn’t working, including the SmartThings cloud, you will have no way of turning the lights on and off. That may be against code for certain specific switches, usually the attic.
It will be OK to code for most switches, but still – – do you really want to be in that situation? Smartthings is very cloud dependent. They can and do push out hub firmware updates , typically once or twice a month, which can be neither delayed nor denied, and which will take your hub off-line for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. That’s a long time to not be able to turn the lights on/off. But obviously it’s your choice.
To your point about losing connection. Wouldn’t I be able to turn the lights on/off via the Hue Bridge even if the internet is out? If the Hue Bridge went out too, I guess my only option, at the point, would be to screw in a traditional bulb (since the sockets will always be powered). Is that correct?
So, based on this, it may be possible to use the Caseta switches everywhere, with them not controlling the current to the bulb (power to bulb would always be on) and use the Caseta switches to turn the bulbs on and off as well as dim the bulbs via ST?
I use the Casetas with dumb bulbs, and I use other battery operated switches for the Hues. This works really well, and I can also have a Lutron switch Control group that has a table lamp with a hue bulb as well as the overhead light fixture as long as the Lutron is not directly controlling the current to the table lamp. ( The Hue bulb is set up to follow the Caseta switch through a rule. You can do this with smartthings or with apple’s HomeKit or with an Echo routine)