Basic Z-Wave Light Switch on Hue Bulbs

Other Devices & Integrations Lighting & Load Control
#1

I know this may somewhat counter my previous post, but hear me out please, this is still partially a mental exercise.

I am stuck with my wife liking the Hue bulbs…therefore I am getting the Hue bulbs. However, if someone shuts off a light switch, the Hue bulb no longer works. If I replace the switch with smart scene switches, and the network goes down, the Hub fries, Vera fries…I have no way to control the lights. Then this hit me…

What if I install basic Z-wave switches in place of my current dimmers (which all have to be replaced anyway). Then when someone turns off a light via the switch (accidently), Vera will detect this, wait a few seconds, turn the switch back on, wait a few more seconds and then turn the bulb off. These may seem stupid on the surface but here is the logic.

If my Vera system is down for any reason, then Vera will not react to the switch being turned off and it will behave intuitively as someone expected it to. If Vera is operating correctly, then Vera will automatically correct the situation.

The only catch I see is if the Hue system is down, then Vera will keep turning lights back on with the inability to shut the bulb off. So I will need to create a new home scene called “Manual Hue” where the scenes do not respond to switch off commands.

Is there anything I am missing?

I am still undecided on using scene switches for control of the lighting through Vera.

#2

You could cover your switch with a light switch guard. It won’t completely prevent someone from turning it off, but it should at least make them realize they shouldn’t mess with it.

#3

Might be practical (and cheaper) but wife wont go for that. We have all decora switches with bronze/copper trim plates. The only reason we are even considering changing the light switches is because they are all non-LED comparable dimmers…every one of them (previous home owner). So regardless of what LED we go with, the switches have to be replaced as even standard LEDs will not operate with the switch at 100%. I’d rather do it right instead of a false resister loading…defeats the purpose of going LED when you think about it.

But thanks.