Smart home always on "wired" Switches?

What’s the reason you’re using bulbs instead of switches?

90% of my home are smart lights linked to Alexa. I flip one switch on the daily which is the bathroom fan. All the others are connected to smart lighting. So the switches are always on. I use Amazon Echo or a motion sensor turns them on.

See the FAQ on switches to use with smart bulbs. There are indeed switches which can be installed and do not actually control the current to the bulbs. Start with the short FAQ, and then if you want to read even more details, there’s a link in the short FAQ to the long FAQ. :sunglasses::level_slider::bulb:

Didn’t really answer why you were using smart bulbs instead of smart switches. You wouldn’t have this problem with smart switches.

Exactly! I do NOT have any smart switches. Which is the reason for the question I posted. As my post states, I don’t want battery powered smart switches. I want something that is hard wired like a regular light switch, but stays powered on as to not cause issues w/ my Hue/Sylvania installed smart lighting. As I stated this isn’t an issue w/ me just being in the house. It’s an issue when I have people over because they turn lights on/off.

But smart switches are powered by the mains wiring that they are connected to. Do you have neutral wires in your switch boxes? Is there another reason you prefer smart bulbs?

I have smartened my house with lights that go on with motion and I have NO smart bulbs and NO battery powered switches.

So @Automated_House was asking is there a reason you cannot use wired smart switches instead of smart bulbs?

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Yes, there are hardwired switches, they look just like a regular light switch, but they don’t control the current to the bulb. They work by sending a message to the hub, which then sends a message to the bulb. This is different than the battery powered option. This is discussed in detail in the FAQ that I gave you the link to.

This is an excellent question, and one that is asked frequently, which is why we have an FAQ for it. :sunglasses: See option 2 in the FAQ ( this is a clickable link)

I don’t know about the OP, but the four most common reasons for having smart bulbs instead of just smart switches are:

1). You are renting, and aren’t allowed to use change out the existing switches

Two) you want the color changing effects of smart bulbs

Three) you want to divide a large room into multiple lighting zones without having to wire new branches

And

Four) there are other integrations or app features that you want that are available with the hue bridge but not with Z wave or zigbee smart switches.

Just last week we had someone add yet a fifth: they have a family member who is not neurotypical and they want to be able to disable the Wall switch at certain hours of the day.

I’m not saying any of these necessarily apply to the OP, but there’s certainly lots of reasons why people like smart bulbs for some locations. :sunglasses:

I bought the bulbs first. I didn’t even think about switches at the time. The current LED lighting I had in my home was way too bright and no way to dim it. This was a newly constructed home that I purchased. I also wanted the color lights too! So now I’m looking at the option of putting in the switches. I do appreciate all the replies and help, it’s much appreciated.

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Look for something like the Fibaro or Aeotech In-wall switches. They basically get hardwired in and sit in the box behind the light switch. I have my whole house done with these and threw Hue out the window for exactly your issue.

Those are good devices, but they don’t match the use case that the OP describes. They aren’t any different than putting a regular switch in that spot as far as current goes unless you wire around them as described in the Hue Switch FAQ.

Hello, I am new here to the forum, but it seems to me that if you want the switch to be always on, why not just connect the load to line on the toggle switch and it will always be hot regardless of the switch position. Switch would be there for looks.

That certainly solves the issue of someone turning the current off to the smart bulbs when you don’t want them to, but it leaves no way to use the switch. So most people would use a child lock instead, which then allows you to use the switch underneath in an emergency, but keeps people from turning the power off on an every day basis.

But if you do want to still have a wall switch that works without cutting current to the bulbs, you use a smart switch that has a radio inside that can talk to the hub and is designed to be wired in The same fashion you suggest (this is option two in the FAQ linked to above), then you have a wall switch that will work to turn the bulbs on and off as long as the home automation system is working, but the bulbs will still be drawing current so they can hear the next “on” command from the network. :sunglasses:

I think I’ve found what I’m going to go with. The Lutron Caseta switches look pretty cool. Plus they’ve got a dimmer option at the switch too. Not cheap but then again nothing is when it comes to a smart home. I’ll just have to wait until a sale on them. I really appreciate all the help and suggestions. You guys are awesome.

-Robert

The Lutron Caseta switches are very well engineered devices, and I use them in my own home.

But the Master switch doesn’t solve the problem you’ve described, because it still controls the current to the fixture.

If you’re talking about the pico auxiliary switches, those can do what you want if you are using one of SmartThings’ competitor hubs, like hubitat or I think Wink. But the official SmartThings/Lutron integration does not expose the pico devices, so you can’t have them control your smart bulbs.

There is an unofficial integration which uses another server as a “man in the middle” and it can expose the Picos to smartthings, but the setup is quite complex.

But the regular Lutron Caseta master dimmer switch does control the current to the fixture, so it does not solve your problem.

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Lutron Caseta and “dumb” bulbs would be a good combo

Yes, and it’s one I use in my own home, but it doesn’t fit the use case that the OP started the thread about. If they want to switch to dumb bulbs, then that would definitely be a top candidate in my opinion.

But if they want to stick with smart bulbs and they want a mains-powered switch that doesn’t cut power to the bulbs, they need to go back to the FAQ and look at the options there, in particular option 2. :wink:

Also, FWIW, I don’t think caseta devices go on sale that often (if ever). You kinda have to shop around to find the website that has them at the best price.

That’s what I do, Mark! I also get a military discount at Home Depot. So that helps. But I find deals online and search for coupon codes as well. But I’m going to wait to see what the stuff that Philips is coming out with their “Friends of Hue” products.

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