#Zigbee Lighting + Switches

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

quick mortar
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I am planning some smart homification in the UK.

Lighting wise I am planning to get IKEA TRÅDFRI dimmable zigbee smart bulbs (https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tradfri-led-bulb-e27-1055-lumen-smart-wireless-dimmable-white-spectrum-globe-80545691/).

As these are Zigbee routers/repeaters, I understand I should change the switches for them, as otherwise the Zigbee network will be disrupted every time a light is turned on or off.

So I found this Zigbee smart dimming switch: https://www.electricsandlighting.co.uk/products/second-fix-junction-boxs/click-smart-2-gang-smart-dimming-receiver. Is this what I need to avoid the above disruption to the network?

If so, once both the bulb and switch are installed, will they be in sync (e.g. the dimming switch will actually dim the bulb)? And in HA will I have the option of controlling either the switch or the bulb to change the lighting?

Side note, I am planning to get other Zigbee routers, like smart plugs/sockets.

woeful shadow
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It would be better to get the smart light switches. We have hive light bulbs and every time we use the switch, the bulbs disconnect from Hive and HA.

dawn folio
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lightbulbs have a bad rep as repeaters

quick mortar
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Sadly I already have the bulbs. I could return/gift them, but want to understand how to make them work [edit: I meant work as non-disruptive zigbee routers] first before deciding

dawn folio
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you can use them, they just wont be reliable as repeaters. you just toggle the power switch five times with a pause of a second between each toggle and they go in pairing mode, they speak plain zigbee

desert timber
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@quick mortar i have a similar setup, ikea light bulbs with zigbee switches( rodret ones ikea sells, are cheap and work fine)... you can also pair them directly to the light bulbs and will make your life easier (check binding)

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i decided against one of the ones like you say, cause if you are in an old house like mine you may discover there is not enough space in the switch to put it...

idle wadi
wise musk
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Generally though, I try to avoid smart bulbs unless it’s a plug in lamp of some sort. I vastly prefer smart switches for hardwired lights/fixtures.

acoustic laurel
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i vastly prefer the decoupled wall switches along with smart bulbs as i really like the ability to control color temp and hue, not just brightness.

in my bedroom all lights will come on at a very yellowish hue (almost red for color bulbs) and low brightness 30 minutes before the alarm time set on my phone. then gradually go to full brightness and cold/white light reaching max 5 mins before the alarm.

bulbs are the bulk of routers in my network and have been stable. a mix of osram and ikea.

i set up zigbee groups of bulbs using z2m and bind my switches directly to the groups in addition to the coordinator. no automations needed for the ordinary switch functionality.

desert timber
desert timber
tropic plume
idle wadi
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After 6 hours of trying I managed to get it connected using normal batteries lol

quick mortar
quick mortar
desert timber
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yes...

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ikea ones are decent and not that prices

potent socket
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If you want to keep your normal light switches you can use smart relays. These are installed behind the light switches, a bit of rewiring has to be done (by an electrician!). Most nowadays have a decoupled mode, means they don't cut electricity, just send a signal to home assistant that the switch was pushed/toggled and with an automation they can be linked to control the ZigBee lightbulb. I have Sonoff Mini R4 Extreme relays in my home. These are available in WiFi, Matter or ZigBee. Shelly also has such devices. Just don't buy tuya ^^

quick mortar
potent socket
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I use WiFi Relais. If the zigbee network goes down, I can still with an automation turn decoupled mode off as a fallback. And as I flashed them myself with ESPHome, I also programmed a fallback mode when the WiFi goes down 😬

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dimmers are for dimming conventional lightbulbs I suppose. In that case not suitable for smart LEDs. You should check that before you buy those.

quick mortar
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It sounds like there is no way to get a tradition switch + whatever relay to properly manage the smart LED, and that the option which provides the most functionality is the IKEA RODRET separate switch

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And in hindsight the best plan might have been:

  • dumb dimmable bulbs
  • smart relays

But I need to make one part (bulbs or relays) dumb for this to work

potent socket
quick mortar
acoustic laurel
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you don't really want a dimmer. it should just power on/off. the smart bulbs need full power. the important feature you want is that the relay should be able to detach its operations from the input from the wall switch. just report the wall switch press events

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since the wall switched in my very old house are rather awkwardly placed i just leave them permanently on and have installed plain wall switches by the doors.

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because of that i have no recommendations for suitable switches for you

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one option is of course to install a pure zigbee relay in the box and cover it with a wall switch you like

scarlet flare
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I have been trying desperatly to get a Sonoff Zigbee switch wired correctly. I am in the USA, and the instructions and wiring diagrams are not clear at all. I have even had an electrician over here to help and still no luck in getting it to work. Sonoff support has been exchanging emails with me for a couple days and are not helpful at all. The keep sending me a video of how to wire it with a switch not in the USA and one that only has 2 wires in the wall, lol. They also have not been able to answer a simple question about if it would work with a 3-way. I would like to use these devices as it appears to be a great product and function ONCE installed.

Anyone have any luck? Any advice or even a clear 'how to'?

potent socket
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try with the R4 extreme, those have mains power between S1 S2 and can be wired with changeover circuits, the old ones are limited to only 5V on S1/S2

scarlet flare
scarlet flare
potent socket
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are cables in the us color coded?

acoustic laurel
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that is your switch hanging there i presume

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the leftmost seems to be ground, so i think you just leave that connected as it is

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i am no electrician, but it looks to me like the black wires are your "L". We don't have "N" and "L" where i live. Just two "L". 😄
So I think the black wire furthest from the camera should be pulled out of the switch and go to LOut. The one closest to the camera also pulled out of the switch and go to LIn.

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hopefully that cluster of white wires are then your "N", and one of those also goes to the same place as that black wire from the switch into the wall.

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you would need a wire from that cluster into one of the NIn on your switch

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and finally you can use two new wires to hook your wall switch into S1 and S2

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does that make sense compared to the videos?

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please consult with your electrician again 🙂

potent socket
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if you don't have a neutral wire, you would need a different relay switch, there are ones that don't require neutral