I agree with Eric – I’m not following what things you are attempting to bind, and my initial reaction too was that you likely have conflicting actions.
I think the best way to approach building the group you want to bind to a Blue is to start with the (older) Groups & Scenes app – build it there following Eric’s steps earlier in this thread. That can be the end of it – simply use that Group ID to bind to a Blue.
You could migrate that Group to RL by using RL’s built-in G&S migrator/converter – that’s what I did for all of my “old” Groups, since I wanted to move everything over to RL
If you do that, then just think of that RL instance as a basic Group, like the old G&S app. You may very have a separate RL instance involving those very same devices that you use for managing mode-based, motion-based, or time-period-based lighting etc – that’s fine. The one RL instance is a more robust automation, and the other RL instance is just a simple group that you can use for binding.
ETA – the one place I use binding is in our bathroom – my Blue is bound to 2 Hue bulbs. I have one simple RL instance that’s just built as a group for those two bulbs. It’s set to the CT value we use most of the time in bathroom, and 100% brightness. I use that RL’s Activator ID to bind to the Blue.
I have a much more convoluted RL setup for the bathroom involving motion, humidity, etc. I actually use the my previously-mentioned RL group’s Activator Device as the main device in this other more complex RL setup - works like a boss.
I’m just trying to understand how this works so I can then think about when / how to apply it to solve real world needs. In the simple example of just using a group and setting the ID in the bindings - what is the point of the the hub if the point of ZGM is to let the devices command each other without the hub? If you just stick any matching ID in the zigbee bindings on the devices should it work or is the “Group” on the hub actually needed and playing some role? The only way I can imagine this works without the hub is if the act of creating the group reaches out to the switches and sets the group ID. It must be doing this because in Eric’s example he only added the binding to one switch. Otherwise it would seem there is no point to the group other than as a unique number generator.
I tried to experiment on my own and unfortunately I’m unable to get it to work in even the basic example shown above. I created a new group with only 3 blue switches in it. I enabled ZGM for the group. I added the group ID to one of the switch’s bindings and it does not turn on / off either of the other 2 lights. I tried adding the ID to all 3 switches’ bindings as well.
This is what is happening. The hub has to create the group on the zigbee network. The group is assigned a number by the hub. After that is done, the group exists on the network even if the hub is not involved anymore.
Not sure what is going on there. I tried again and the process works for me. Can you PM me the logs (after enabling them all on the switch) when you are binding the switch to the group? Also, there were some driver changes over the last few days so you might want to make sure you have the latest one. Does the group work? If you go into your devices and control the group “virtual device” does it control all the switches?
Just to clarify, Eric – I can’t do what you’re describing if I’m using the Hue hub, right? Right now, I have a Hubitat, the Hue hub, and about 20 Blue switches installed. I’ve configured the Blue switches to control all my Hue bulbs through the Hue hub using the Hubitat Button Controllers app. For me to do what you’re describing, I have to remove all the Hue smart bulbs from the Hue Hub and control the bulbs directly from Hubitat/the Blue switch bindings, right?
-Hank
I’m trying to remove all the bindings I created in trying to get zigbee groups working with 3 blue switches + Hubitat because I could not get anything resembling consistent behavior. Even though I have cleared all the binding params and saved preferences a number of times, two of my switches say they have 2 bindings and the other says 4. The problem I’m having is I’m trying to turn on all the lights using a room light scheme from one switch but one of them is often times going on at the prescribed level and then immediately going to 1% (a setting that is nowhere in my automation). I’m suspecting the bindings may be causing weird behavior which is why I’m trying to remove them. Any advice would be much appreciated!
Hi there. Thank you @EricM_Inovelli for taking the time to write this up and add screenshots.
I’m unable to get this to work, but there is a lot of missing info/pitfalls I believe I’m falling into.
First question… Here you show the “Select dimmers for group” as being a group of hue bulbs and innovelli Blue switch groups… Do I need to first group my hue bulbs with this “Groups and Scenes” app, and then select them as a dimmer again? And should this grouping include or exclude the master switch which receives the group ID in step 5?
Next, your screenshot is of an existing group… if you are creating a new group, you are asked “Select group device type” as Bulb, Dimmer or Switch. What should we be selecting, and are there exceptions when we should select something else?
Lastly, how does this Groups and Scenes compare to your Zigbee Bindings app? Will on/off, and dimming be propagated across all dimmers included in the Group? Will multiple dimmers display the same dim level on their status light bars? Or do I need to create a group for the dimmers on a 3way circuit and a group for the hue lights (paired directly to Hubitat), and include each group in each dimmer switches “Group Bind # 1” and Group Bind # 2".
Also, are there settings I must do on the master dimmer switch to ensure it will send these commands? I have the master switch set in Smart Bulb mode and the rest as such:
I’ve tried both Zigbee Bindings app and this Groups and Scenes, and neither works. I’m at my wits end for using Inovelli products, but you’re the only ones that do direct zigbee bindings for Hue lights and I NEED this to work.
I just put all of the individual devices into a group with the Groups and Scenes app and then bind the inovelli switches to the group number that gets assigned.
You can use the Zigbee bindings app if you want to do a one-to-one binding. Like from a single switch to a single bulb. Group binding usually works better though so you will probably just want to use it.
As long as you are controlling the group then everything will line up. Since you bind the switch to the group, when you control the switch, it will keep everything in sync as well. If you individually adjust a bulb, it will no longer be in sync.
I think of this as the highest capability that is shared by all of the devices. They all share “switch” and they all support “dimmer”, but not all of them support the "bulb (color, temp, etc.). So I set it up as a dimmer group.
But if I create a new Group that has the Blue 2in1 and the Bulb Group, but as dimmers, I still can’t get the bulbs to mirror any of the Physical inputs from the switch.
That was just the name of the bulb. Sorry for the confusion. I just named it that to remind myself that I was going to use it in my group binding test. I only have one group with all of the devices individually in it.
I would go into the Zigbee Bindings app and “unbind” everything that you bound and then delete the app. Then create a single group with all the desired devices in it and bind to that group number with the Inovelli switches.
Then I’m really lost. I’ve got 3 rooms, 3 groups of CT bulbs, and 3 Blue 2n1’s. One room, one set of bulbs and one switch. I’ve been at it all day, and I can not for the life of me get the Blues to turn the bulbs on/off when in Smart Bulb Mode.
I’ll go unbind everything and start from scratch.
EDIT: I see that unbinding suggestion was for someone else. While my last post was for my 3rd room, and my 3rd attempt, and I did not use the Zigbee Binding app for this room. I will go an do that for either Room 1 or 2, as I think that is one of the variables I played with.
I am not sure it matters if you select devices from different groups as long as the group “type” is set to dimmer. It must be something in the Hue driver that makes it available in the dimmers drop down that isn’t in your bulbs, but I don’t think that part matters.
