Wifi enabled lights / switches (phone, colors, lighting, standard)

[BelairProspect]

The Nest programmable wifi thermostat has worked really well for years. Great value add and highly recommended.

We are in the process of purchasing about 16 dimmers and 60 LED bulbs / lights.

Has anyone tried the various wifi enabled devices for these and do they actually work, or is the technology too premature?

Worth the added expense?

Thanks.

[bellmark]

Sounds like your interested in X10 or zwave to control switches.

I've used X10 in the old house.

In our new place, we had about 25 new LED (recessed) lighting added. To simplify things and to get through permit approvals I did everything with traditional switches.

Over the winter I will try switching out to Zwave.
Since its done at the switch, its not really too big of an extra expensive (not having done it at the start) as there are really only 3 or 4 LED switches to be updated. I'll also be swapping out a few traditional switches, which were already existing.

Anyway.... X10 sends signal over the wire. Decades of successful use.

Zwave is newer and sends signals via RF. a few advantages I see are:
- there is a multiple signal acknowledgement back and forth to make sure there are no erroneous switching. I had a problem with this using X10, but in another thread others jumped on me saying they never had a problem
- Being RF it can send signals to battery operated devices directly... such as a thermostate or digital door lock. When we got a digital lock for the new house I paid the extra $40 to get the zwave. I believe I was told that X10 now has a wireless component.
- - Battery operated security switches... windows.


Check out: Z-Wave : Home control
Google X10

and make sure they both support the devices you'd want to control.


lastly... more specific to your question... When googling LED lighting it seems no matter the scenario people have bumped into problems with dimmer switches. I've had no problems, but I do have a concern, and some research to do.. regarding what switches are best for zwave.

[davebarnes]

Pick one.
Have some fun with it.
Be prepared to scrap it all in a few years as the technology is changing rapidly.

[BelairProspect]

Originally Posted by bellmark

Sounds like your interested in X10 or zwave to control switches.

I've used X10 in the old house.

In our new place, we had about 25 new LED (recessed) lighting added. To simplify things and to get through permit approvals I did everything with traditional switches.

Over the winter I will try switching out to Zwave.
Since its done at the switch, its not really too big of an extra expensive (not having done it at the start) as there are really only 3 or 4 LED switches to be updated. I'll also be swapping out a few traditional switches, which were already existing.

Anyway.... X10 sends signal over the wire. Decades of successful use.

Zwave is newer and sends signals via RF. a few advantages I see are:
- there is a multiple signal acknowledgement back and forth to make sure there are no erroneous switching. I had a problem with this using X10, but in another thread others jumped on me saying they never had a problem
- Being RF it can send signals to battery operated devices directly... such as a thermostate or digital door lock. When we got a digital lock for the new house I paid the extra $40 to get the zwave. I believe I was told that X10 now has a wireless component.
- - Battery operated security switches... windows.


Check out: Z-Wave : Home control
Google X10

and make sure they both support the devices you'd want to control.


lastly... more specific to your question... When googling LED lighting it seems no matter the scenario people have bumped into problems with dimmer switches. I've had no problems, but I do have a concern, and some research to do.. regarding what switches are best for zwave.

What's the make and model of your LED dimmer switches (non-wifi)?

[nkull]

I use Z-Wave in the house - I have not done any switches yet but will be very soon as I am waiting for my contact to get me Light Almond colored switches made by GE. (for some reason the mfg. only provide WHITE ones to consumers, other colors have to come from contractors)

I use it right now for monitoring (doors / windows) and my deadbolts (I use the Schlage "Touchscreen" deadbolts).

I have a Vera controller for the setup. I am getting also getting a Trane XL624 XL624 Home Automation Thermostat Control | Programmable, Touch-Screen Thermostat and Control| Trane) thermostat which is also rather difficult to find, only available through authorized installers. Read the reviews when it comes to thermostats as they can cause a great deal of damage if they malfunction.

My setup is in infant stages now, but I can already tell I'm going to love it. I can also control everything that is connected via my cell phone from anywhere I have an internet connection.

[Nonesuch]

Home automation for light switches is mature technology, and the replacment switches are compatible with all lightbulbs, current and future. Individually addressable light bulbs is an interesting concept, not sure how practical it is, though perhaps it does address the various LED dimming issues that crop up.

X10 is the old 1970s technology, pretty much superseded by Zigbee, Zwave, UPB, and Insteon. Of these, only the last has full backwards compatibility with X10.