Smart Lighting on recently built home

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FlyingPete

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#240216 27-Aug-2018 10:49

Hi all,

Just after some opinions on smart lighting for a new home.

We have just purchased a new property that has the same sealed unit LED based down-lights throughout the whole home. I have confirmed that they all have dimmable drivers.

At my current circa 1980's property I am using Hue bulbs in several rooms and have a couple of their wall switch style remotes as well. None of the existing bulbs I have are going to be any good in the new property unless they are used in desk lamps or other freestanding lights (most are bayonet).

The switching gear in the new house is PDL iconic that among other things supports Bluetooth dimmers (cost currently unknown).

As I see it I have several options:

- Install BlueTooth dimmers - not really keen on this as its a PDL app and not sure how good and suspect they may be a bit clunky

- Replace downlights in rooms seeking automation with Philips Aphelion Downlights (Cost $70-80 each) - We stay with familiar system, adds colour temperature options

- Install Philips Hue compatible dimmers - not how this will work or what product to use, cost unknown

- Look into other lighting automation systems as most of existing Philips Hue kit requires replacement anyway.

What we like about Philips Hue is it well supported now and familiar to everyone in the house, I have played with other systems over the year and were all quite clunky, including the original Philips Hue.

Thanks!

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#2079596 27-Aug-2018 11:06

Following as also interested.

davidcole

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#2079605 27-Aug-2018 11:22

Doesn't PDL have some other smart system where teh switches are smart. (Hmm https://www.pdl.co.nz/Trade/Ranges/Products/Smart-Homes-and-Buildings/NERO looks very much like an aeotec smart switch and aeotech multisensor 6...... Also this is a bit light on detail; https://www.pdl.co.nz/Home-Owner/Products/Products/Smart-Home/Learn-About-the-Smart-Home )

Not keen on the bulb solution, as it means the switches are essentially redundant and can't be used.

Zwave is a good solution....but would be quite expensive to control an entire house (at $90 - $140 per device, some controlling two circuits).

Of course a logical question is do you need all of them controllable?

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worzel

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#2079610 27-Aug-2018 11:29

If you are happy with doing a bit of tinkering/ configuration yourself and have a little knowledge of linux one option to consider is an open-source home automation controller. This could allow you to pull together components from more than one system. You should be able to control another brand dimmer (if a driver available) with your Hue remotes.

For example, Home Assistant (https://www.hass.io/) can run on low-end linux computers (including a raspberry pi ), and talk to many different systems including Philips Hue as long as they are all accessible over your home network (eg wifi). You can also add automation and control everything with a web browser, and you can add custom control panels.

Bluetooth dimmers would not work unless they had a LAN gateway. Sorry, I can't recommend a dimmer as I'm currently only using custom-built. See https://www.home-assistant.io/components/#light for the devices compatible with Home Assistant.

There are several similar systems, but I've only played with Home Assistant so far. The configuration does involve editing text files on a linux computer, so if you are not happy with tinkering at that level, it may not be the system for you. You can get a feel for the tinkering involved by looking at the following pages:

https://www.hackster.io/robin-cole/hijack-a-hue-remote-to-control-anything-with-home-assistant-5239a4

https://smartyhome.io/using-a-hue-dimmer-remote-with-home-assistant/

https://www.reddit.com/r/homeautomation/comments/58zwgw/controlling_nonhue_devices_with_my_hue_dimmer_and/

FlyingPete

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#2079616 27-Aug-2018 11:40

davidcole:

Not keen on the bulb solution, as it means the switches are essentially redundant and can't be used.

Agreed, that is a last resort for me, both from a cost and switch perspective. It has always grated on me that the existing switches become redundant and if anything become a nuisance as people unfamiliar with the system still use the wall switches

davidcole:

Of course a logical question is do you need all of them controllable?

No not even half of them.

01EG

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#2079701 27-Aug-2018 13:37

May be check Belkin Wemo Switch and Dimmer, I use Switch works fine for me and has a lot of integration and Dimmer looks good too(see Amazon or Belkin website)

kryptonjohn

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#2079740 27-Aug-2018 13:51

01EG:

May be check Belkin Wemo Switch and Dimmer, I use Switch works fine for me and has a lot of integration and Dimmer looks good too(see Amazon or Belkin website)

I don't think you can get those anymore in NZ or AU.

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phrozenpenguin

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#2079748 27-Aug-2018 14:06

Keep your existing (new and already installed) lights and add a Z-Wave dimmer behind each switch that you want to control. You can then turn on/off with switch as per "normal" and you can also use an app, or controller, or Home Assistant etc to dim the lights.

Likely what I'm going to do at some point. A Z Wave dimmer is about the same price as a LED dimmer to install/control from the switch when I looked.

01EG

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#2079785 27-Aug-2018 15:26

kryptonjohn: I don't think you can get those anymore in NZ or AU.

Yep, not anymore, but if you want it so desperate, I guess you can buy it in other countries, ;) just check it supports 220-240V, I don't think so there are much different between NZ/AU and other countries.

kryptonjohn

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#2079786 27-Aug-2018 15:27

01EG:

kryptonjohn: I don't think you can get those anymore in NZ or AU.

Yep, not anymore, but if you want it so desperate, I guess you can buy it in other countries, ;) just check it supports 220-240V, I don't think so there are much different between NZ/AU and other countries.

Ok - the other thing I wondered was whether the size fits our NZ flush boxes - do they just screw into them as is?

FlyingPete

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#2079787 27-Aug-2018 15:28

Some good options here, going to look into z-wave a bit, also already got a utility Raspberry-Pi running so can leverage that if required.

01EG

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#2079789 27-Aug-2018 15:29

kryptonjohn: Ok - the other thing I wondered was whether the size fits our NZ flush boxes - do they just screw into them as is?

Perfectly fits.

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davidcole

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#2079838 27-Aug-2018 16:17

Personally I prefer zwave. Means the physical switches still do their job, and the state can be overwritten but the computer.

Then if you tire of the switches, they can be changed.

Nzengsaif

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Fusion Automation

#2079853 27-Aug-2018 16:46

We don’t do electrical installs but I can do some free cost estimates to control the switches using Aeotec dimmers/switches (based on previous projects). You can send me a light schedule to contact@fusionautomation.co.nz

Cheers

timmmay

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#2079854 27-Aug-2018 16:49

What's wrong with the lighting already there? Surely keeping it is an option?

FlyingPete

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#2079914 27-Aug-2018 18:37

timmmay:

What's wrong with the lighting already there? Surely keeping it is an option?

Nothing :) But we can build it bigger and better!

My goal is to avoid replacing as much as possible though, and the vast majority will remain unaltered.

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