Can i get some suggestions on what device to use to make some LED downlights “smart”.
I have a 4 gang switch. I want to make each smart - connected to Smart Things.
What would be the best way of achieving this? I have seen Shelly Dimmer 2 (but needing 4 works out pretty costly).
Wanting to use Zigbee.
Aeotec Hub.
Many thanks.
Sounds like an interesting project. Are all four lights on the same circuit branch? Or are there multiple branches involved?
What country are you in? The device selection does vary.
Also… Can you take a photo showing how many wires are in the current switchbox? In some jurisdictions there is a limit on what you can have which can make things more challenging. 
And… what specifically are these controlling? Ceiling lights, porch, lights, outlets,? The reason I ask, is that sometimes in a situation like this it’s easier to put an in wall relay in the lamp fitting than trying to fit everything in one box.
Morning
I am based in the UK.
Its a recent new extension build.
3 plate wiring system. Therfore on the switch end there are no neutrals. The ceiling light side there is a live switch return.
Each switch will be controlling x6 ceiling led lights.
I know you can get items such as wifi dimmerable 4 gang wall plate switches, however i cannt seem to find any in matt black finish which i require.
From my understanding, if i use something like the shelly dimmer 2 (at ceiling light end, not switch), i can use the smart feature to turn lights on/off and dim, however it would make the wall plate dimmer functionalty redunant, reducing the features just to a typical on/off switch.
I just realised that my recentlly ourchased samsung q990c soundbar has smartthings hub built in! Great, i have just set it up. I have a few old aqara zibgee devices which i will add in, switches, water sensor, door sensors etc.
If your ceiling lights are GU10 then I would suggest installing Ikea Tradfri GU10 in your ceiling fittings; they are quite reasonably priced.
Some notes:
Your switches should not be dimmers (even on full bright; watch out for push button dimmers)
The switches need to be switched on permanently.
Each bulb will use 0.3 to 0.5w even when not lighting (I switch them off when we go on holidays).
You may have to pair the bulbs in very close proximity to your hub before installing them in the ceiling (I made a short cable for this purpose).
In our extension we have 8 GU10s on two switches (4 each); they are now individually controllable; useful when I am reading, my wife is knitting, or we are sitting at our dinner table.
Just my 10p (also UK based).
Many thanks for your advice.
I already have the lights fitted.
7W downlights SMD LED Dimmable. These are a one unit fitting. No interchangable bulb.
I don’t think there are any solutions to making an existing light smart whilst utilising a rotary dimmer switch. You really don’t want to end up with a configuration where you have to have the light turned on at the wall switch to be able to smart control it as that defeats the point.
Things like a Shelly relay would allow for a switch input so if you placed it in the ceiling with the light and wired the switch wire and return into its switch input you could turn on and off from a rocker switch on a wall plate. You’d have to dim the bulb from the app though (or voice assistant etc). I’d say this is the best compromise.
I’m not sure about the Shelly, but some inwall relays, do retain dimming function at the wall switch through a “Long hold” option on a momentary switch. This has been a popular option with Aeotec zwave in wall dimmer modules, for example. Again, you will need to put the relay near the lamp itself, there won’t be room in the switch box for four of them. But this option works best with momentary refractory switches. It won’t work with rotary dials.
So something like these, which are dumb switches
Then connect it to individual in wall relays that support a “press to hold“ dimming option.
The Aeotec itself isn’t going to help you because it’s zwave, and your sound bar doesn’t support zwave. (Although the original aeotec hub that you mentioned does.)
But at least it shows that this functionality is possible, and the protocol (Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Z wave) doesn’t change that.
From the Aeotec user manual:
Compatible external switches and their use case.
Our Nano Dimmer currently only supports 3 different external Wall Switches:
Nano Dimmer user guide : Aeotec Help Desk
But again, that’s just for that specific model. Different models offer different functionality in this aspect.
Thanka for the reply.
I got hold of a shelly dimmer 2 and have set up a test platform to see how it responds. On the smart side, it does what i need it, on/off, dimmer feature, connect to ST and works fine via alexa.
Only thing i have noticed is a slight (very slight) buzzing when the led light is turned up max. I have tried both no neautral and neutral setup. Identical issue.
If i disconnect the shelly and wire light direct there is no buzzing. Therfore it is something the shelly is doing.
I have update the shelly firmware to latest.
Anything else i can look into? As mentioned the buzzing is only slight. Just an announce as i kmow it is there now.
Buzzing is an unfortunately all too common issue would light and can come from a mismatch between the lamps, the fitting, or the controller in any combination of those three.
Here are a couple of discussion threads:
I haven’t looked at the specs, but the first thing to check would be if the Shelly has a parameter that allows you to change between the different kinds of dimming.
Thanks.
As mentioned the buzzing is very low level so may be acceptable.
I am going to hook up the shelly dimmer this morning and see how all 6 ceiling led lights behave.
Will also look into the shelly dimmer parmeters you mentioned.
Appreciate the responses to this thread.
So i set up x2 shelly dimmer2 switches, each xontrolling 6 led downlights.
Linked them to a 4 gang standard rocker on/off switch.
Added devices into STs and Alexa routines.
Dimming works perfect. Routines work perfectly.
I am ok woth not having ability to dim via switch. It works as a standard on/off which is fine.
Will be getting 2 more shellys to complete the other circuits.
Thanks all.
If its rotary dimmers you want make some smart Zigbee dimmers that you can attach to any plate. So long as its not 2 way (in which case at one end you need either an on off rocker or a momentary switch)
I have 5 of these. They dim with a physical dimmer, work with the app, pair immediately using stock smartthings edge driver and they are easy to fit.
I used to have dimmer modules in my backbox but they are awkward and big. These things are the same profile as a standard dimmer
They also have the ability to set low and high point brightness.
Can get them on amazon £39 each. Make sure you get the little module with them to stop flickers or odd behaviour
Oh and no buzz.
Ive just seen you fitted the shelly options. Consider the candeo as another option
Care to share amazon link please?
Hi there, I am doing something similar in a new extension. Have 3 four gang switch plates and have used double height back boxes to make more space for modules…
Hoping to use Moes 2 gang zigbee dimmer modules as they seem to be the only 2 gang dimmer modules I could find. Aiming to use retroactive/momentary switches to allow dimming from the switch too.
I have also tested a single fibaro dimmer 2 module.
Moes/Tuya hub comes tomorrow.
To solve the power off problem with gu10 smart bulbs in a different room I am hoping to connect the physical wall switch to a virtual switch. Then when this is turned on/off, the signal can be used to turn the bulbs on/off via Smartthings, whilst keeping the power to the light permanently on.
Sigh.
So I have the smart life hub and have connected the Moes 2 gang dimmer to smart life, and connected SmartThings to Smart Life.
In Smart Life it is one device with 2 different functions/controls - 1 for each gang - giving control over each light switch or gang.
In ST it appears as only 1 device with no way to control each gang individually !
What can I do to solve this ?
Try creating separate On and Off Tap-to-Run automations for each gang in SmartLife. They rerun you SL/ST integration. The Tap-to-Run automations should show up as 4 switches in ST.
They will say connected in ST, but once you operate each switch they will say on and off.
So you will end up with a separate On switch and a separate Off switch for each which is less than ideal.
You can create a virtual switch and use 2 automations in ST to make a single on/off switch for each gang.
Thanks.
I have also found that if I link Smart Life to Alexa then the 2 gang dimmer is imported into Alexa, but 2 separate Alexa devices are also created, one for each switch/ gang on the dimmer !
So after some reading it seems I could also use virtual device(s) on Smartthings to trigger Alexa to control each dimmer separately. Someone has written an edge driver etc to do this.
Not sure which is the best option now.
I may have as many as 10 two gang dimmers in the end to control 20 different light sets. So need to choose wisely somehow.
I like @TAustin 's “vEdge Creator” driver for creating virtual device including Alexa Switches.
Hi sorry. Just seen this……:
Candeo Smart Switch LED Dimmer compatible with Philips Hue, Smartthings and all Zigbee hubs, for dimmable LED/incandescent/halogen bulbs, 1 gang multiway, trailing edge, for smart control https://amzn.eu/d/9lFwrHe
They work awesome. I have 5 of them
