I have 20+ Inovelli Blue switches configured in smart bulb mode controlling Hue bulbs. My home is backed up by a Cybertruck using the Tesla PowerShare Gateway V3.
During a power outage test, when the PowerShare system takes over, I notice the Hue bulbs on these circuits begin flashing rapidly. Voltage readings taken at the switch show:
- Neutral to Load: ~0V
- Neutral to Line: 119V
- Line to Load: >180V!! or nearly 0V depending on probe orientation
If I reset the switch via the air-gap, the bulbs return to normal and voltage readings stabilize.
This happens on multiple circuits with Inovelli Blues in smart bulb mode. It seems like the switch enters an undefined state during the switchover, possibly outputting phantom voltage on the load side and confusing the smart bulbs.
Has anyone seen similar behavior during backup power transitions or with inverter-based systems? Any firmware fixes or recommended wiring workarounds?
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Yikes at the 180V, I wouldn’t continue testing if that’s a real reading! It sounds like you have a potentially dangerous issue with the wiring if the voltage that high on a (presumably) standard 15A circuit. How is the PowerShare tied into your breaker panel?
I’m not surprised that you may be seeing some brownout issues on the failover but it seems like something more insidious may be going on.
Are these switches on a MWBC?
PowerShare is the service equipment. It’s installed between the meter and the original main panel and now carries the neutral–ground bond.
The original “main” panel was converted to a subpanel: neutral and ground are isolated there (bonding screw removed), with neutrals on an isolated bar and grounds on the grounding bar/enclosure.
These lighting circuits are standard 15A single-pole with one neutral per hot. I don’t see any MWBCs in the house at all.
ChatGPT (which I promise I’m not blindly trusting) says the 180v might be phantom voltage. I’m grabbing a LoZ meter tomorrow.
FWIW, I see similar behavior on one(!) Undercabinet led light fixture on a Jasco Z-Wave dimmer. When I switch from grid to backup on my Tesla Batteries, the light essentially strobes off/on until I hit the switch to off, and then back on. I’ve never figured out why.
S.
My new meter in LoZ mode shows 50v neutral to load.
With load floating/open? It seems like there might be a neutral wiring issue if you’re measuring 50V like this. You’re sure this neutral isn’t shared?
