ST and Hue, how you solved the issue?

I have hue integrated into ST.
My problem is if the switch is off Hue bulb can not be reached. I installed a zwave switch to control hue bulb. But How can I combine hue and zwave switch to work in pair ?

Is there any other solution (not hue tap, expensive) ?

Has anyone solved this problem ?

Set your zwave up as a dummy switch. Meaning wire it so it gets the power you need, but you will need to connect the wires behind the switch is well so it’s constantly getting power to the light fixture. Your zwave will not control the fixture, it will control the bulb.

I removed the switches :smile:

Anything that is controlled smartly no longer has a switch it has straight power.
(unless of course the switch itself is smart :wink:)

Does that mean -

Connect

z-wave - neutral to white wire
z-wave - line to black wire
z-wave - load to nothing
z-wave - ground to ground

then tie line and load of bulb fixture together.

This way I can use z-wave switch which does not have neutral wire , right ?

In ST how do you set dummy switch to operate hue bulb ?

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Yes. That should work.

In the mobile app, you can use “The Big Switch” smart app (found in the convenience category) and use your switch as the “When this switch is…”.

Switches controlling my Hues are inexpensive, non-load-controlling Intermatic CA5100’s. These switches do nothing other than to send Z-Wave On and Off events.

I used to use apps like BigSwitch and DoubleTap, but the latter was not so reliable. I’m now using HAM Bridge running on a Mac Mini server to control all of my Hues from SmartThings, Indigo, iRule, and Tasker. This is much more versatile than the current, rather limited integration offered by SmartThings

Thank you all !!!

I kept the switch and wired it so it is always on. Then in ST setup the Big Switch app so when the switch is turned on/off ST will turn on/off the Hue lights. The only thing that kills it is if I turn on/off the lights with the hue app so I avoid that. My wife likes having the switch. She likes the automation part of ST but does not always want to spend the 10 to 45 seconds pulling out her phone and turning off lights.

However there is a 5 second delay sometimes because of the of the hub to cloud to cloud to hub process. But that I can live with.