

Old dimmer switches cause modern smart bulbs to experience all kinds of errors from disconnecting to having a “strobe light” effect. They need this connection in order to receive commands from your smart devices. This is because they are doing more than just lighting your room.Įven when your smart bulbs are “off,” they are still using electricity to stay connected to your smart home system. Smart light bulbs are “always on” and require a constant stream of power. This is the old way of dimming light bulbs that doesn’t match with our modern light bulbs. This dimmed the light by giving the bulb less electricity to work with. Lowering the switch also lowered the power going to the bulb. Your old school wall dimmer switches worked by lowering or increasing the power of the electric current heading to your light bulb. You normally can’t dim a smart bulb in the traditional sense. Can You Dim Smart Bulbs?Ī smart bulb dimmed down to 1% brightness, used as a night light. It would make sense that Hue and Lutron Caseta should work well together, but there are a few things to consider about this pairing. While other companies have been scrambling to release their own versions of the LED smart bulb, Hue has remained several paces ahead of the pack with their suite of smart devices. They offer everything from smart light bulbs to modular smart LED strips and all the accessories you’d ever need to make the most out of this tech. They are very focussed on excelling in this particular arena. Hue makes smart lights and smart light accessories.

Their products reflect this niche dominance. This brand has positioned itself as the industry leader in smart home lighting. Hue is the go-to choice whether you are creating the ultimate gaming experience or you just want to be in total control of your home’s lighting. Philips Hue is the flagship brand for smart lighting. However, if you feel comfortable enough to tackle such a project, you’ll need a couple tools.How I got started with smart lighting: a starter kit and four E14 candle bulbs.

Lastly, if you’re not comfortable with doing electrical work, then have a knowledgable friend help you out or hire an electrician to do it for you. Otherwise, you'll have a hell of a time trying to squeeze all the wires inside the box along with the switch itself. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure your junction box is plenty deep. Secondly, one of the first things you’ll notice with Caseta switches is that they're much larger than a traditional light switch, because it needs to house all of the extra components that make it “smart”. Luckily, most houses use plastic junction boxes indoors, but in the off chance that yours are all metal, keep an eye on the wireless performance of the light switch.
#LUTRON SMART SWITCH APP INSTALL#
First, it’s generally not a good idea to install a smart light switch in a junction box made of metal, which can interfere with the wireless signal. Check your local regulations before continuing.īefore you even consider getting a smart light switch, there are a few things you’ll want to keep in mind. Also note that it may be against the law, code, or regulations to do this without a permit in your area, or it might void your home's insurance or warranty. There’s no shame in getting someone else to do the actual wiring for you if you lack the skill or knowledge to do so, but just know that you do this at your own risk. Warning: This is a project for a confident DIYer. So if you live in an older house where your light switch boxes don't have neutral wires, you're not out of luck like you would be with other products (like Belkin's WeMo Light Switch). What makes Lutron's offerings so great is that the switches themselves don't require a neutral wire to install. You can also spend a bit more and get the starter kit with an extra dimmer switch. The company's starter kit is a great way to dip your toes into the smart light switch arena, as their $100 kit includes the hub, a smart dimmer switch, and a little remote to control the switch from across the room. Smart Light Bulbs: Which One Should You Buy?
