# Lightify and GE Smart Dimmer (best dimmer wall switch to use with smart bulbs?) **URL:** \ **Category:** Projects & Stories\ **Created:** [March 23, 2016, 6:38pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/lightify-and-ge-smart-dimmer-best-dimmer-wall-switch-to-use-with-smart-bulbs/43083 "2016-03-23T18:38:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 2
**Author:** ![JDRoberts](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/smartthings/user_avatar/community.smartthings.com/jdroberts/32/56577_2.png) [@JDRoberts](https://community.smartthings.com/u/JDRoberts)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2016, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.smartthings.com/t/lightify-and-ge-smart-dimmer-best-dimmer-wall-switch-to-use-with-smart-bulbs/43083/2 "2016-03-23T18:49:44Z")
Never put a smart dimmer controlling the current to A dimmable smart bulb. (Dimmable Dumb bulbs are fine) . The two devices will confuse each other and you’re quite likely to either burn out the switch or the bulb. And burning out the switch can cause other electrical or fire problems. There are several other options detailed in the following FAQ. The one that will probably give you the results that you want is to either hotwire the power to the bulbs (this is legal in most US jurisdictions but do check) and add a smart dimmer switches then sending its instructions to the hub rather than controlling the current on the line. This can work very well except that you won’t have any control of the bulbs if your home automation system goes out. At my house, we mostly use voice via echo to control the bulbs (everybody likes this), we leave the existing switches in place with child locks for emergency use, and we added the Phillips dimmer switch as a parallel means of control. This works very well for us, but I don’t think the phillips switches will work for you. Not only are they battery operated, the bulbs have to be connected through the Hue bridge in order for it to work with SmartThings. Anyway, check the FAQ, it may give you some more ideas. The Meanwhile, temporarily replace your smart bulbs with dumb bulbs until you get the switch situation sorted out or you may have some real electrical problems. > [@FAQ: Philips Hue and Other Smart Bulbs - What sort of light switches to use with them? (Long FAQ)](https://community.smartthings.com/t/faq-philips-hue-and-other-smart-bulbs-what-sort-of-light-switches-to-use-with-them/28984/): > > 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? --- _[View the full topic](https://community.smartthings.com/t/lightify-and-ge-smart-dimmer-best-dimmer-wall-switch-to-use-with-smart-bulbs/43083)._