Hi all,
Does there exist an outdoor flootlight that is ‘smart’?
So I can configure it/get notifications/switch it directly on/off/etc via my smart phone?
I am just about to replace my old halogen unit and for the life of me cannot find a smart flood light anywhere, and loathed to buy another crappy replacement.
–I found plenty of talk on these forums around flood lights but they appeared to be US-centric.
Cheers
You can make your old one smart by connecting a z-wave relay into it, like the Fibaro, then you can turn it on/off and get notifications with SmartThings. And update the bulb to an LED one.
As Alwas says - you an use the motion detection to trigger a relay.
Note that if you change to an LED bulb or fitting some of them can be hard on the relay and your RCDs.
LEDs are not resistive and on start up they can briefly use vastly more current than their rating which can arc on the relay and burn it out or make it stick. The same inrush current can trip RCDs.
Google “Fibaro inrush current” for a bit more info
Really depends what you want… however what I have been tempted to do recently is to take my old unit (which is a standard PIR sensing unit) is to use 2x remote relays…
1 which controls the power to the PIR (normal wiring as per instructions), and one which controls power straight to the light (most of the time, the feed to the bulb can be found inside the wiring box so easy to tape into, just need to use a 3core + earth cable… you mileage may vary depending on light unit…).
This way you can turn on power to the PIR and use it as normal for security, and the 2nd relay to over ride the PIR and have the light on all the time… or both off to turn the light completely off!
For the PIR sensor relay, you could get one which has a power meter built in, write a little smartapp which will alert you when the power jumps up past a specific amount to alert you when its on.
All true, but it’s also true that many people use the fibaro and other in wall relay successfully with LEDs. It depends very much on the specific load on the device. You just have to look at the device specs.
Also, the newest Fibaro model, the 213, does not have dry contacts, so it doesn’t run into quite the same issue with inrush current that the older 212 did. But it also requires a neutral wire.
So how does this work can. Personally I’m m happy for it to be timed on only. And want the motion to work dumb as I can’t rely on ST. It’s pitch black sometimes in my garden.
I want it that motion will activate it.
Or my front door opening, garage door opening/closing or I’m home.
Motion will keep it on as needed.
I will then set rules for if I’m home then front door closes turn off. Or when goodbye turn off.