So in some places I want to put smart bulbs but use a switch. So in the cases I am planning on putting a GE on/off switch to match my others and not hook a load up to it. use that switch on/off to trigger my bulbs on or off with ST.
Then I started thinking… Is there a switch out there that would allow me to hook up the lights to it, but not actually switch the wire on and off, just send the on off command to ST, unless I put it in an override mode. That would allow me to easily make the switch work either way. Does anyone know if there is a switch like this?
2nd question to that. In this install method how would I make a hold on the on button brighten the smart bulbs or a hold on the off side of the paddle dimm the smart bulbs?
The question of which which is to use with smart bulbs is a commonly discussed one. The following topic has some ideas that might be of interest. In particular, the battery operated Cooper RF 9500 does allow you to do dimming at the switch without directly controlling the load to the bulbs. So it’s a good option for many people.
The idea of a switch which could be mechanically changed from controlling the load to not controlling the load is interesting, but the engineering is a little tricky. I’ve seen some of those in non-networked switches, but I’m not aware of any in a networked format.
Smart switches work great with dumb bulbs. If you want to use smart bulbs, The easiest thing is usually to just to put a child lock on the existing switch, or if you have aesthetic concerns to put a box over it, and then put a battery operated smart switch or tablet next to it. That leaves the original switch available if the Internet or home automation system goes down, or if you move out, but give you a smart switch for the rest of the time. But different things work for different households.
