Smart Bulb Mode Optimization Thread

Yeah, I think for folks are trying to keep the bulbs in sync with the switches (using associationGroup 3), then basicSet 0x00 and multiSet 0x00 would be important.

Personally, I don’t use Smart Bulb Mode since I can replicate the exact same behavior by disabling local control and keeping remote control enabled. Just want to ensure that if remote control is enabled and Smart Bulb Mode is disabled, I can still turn off the switch via zwave (i.e. the changes you’re looking to make would only apply to Smart Bulb Mode).

Actually, is that all Smart Bulb Mode currently does? Disable local control and enable remote control?

I would suggest the following target behavior…

When SBM is on, the switch/dimmer’s relay is always at 100%. The dimmer’s switch_multilevel exists purely virtually, affecting z-wave associations but not the actual power flow.

For times when you actually want to kill the power, that could be done two ways. One would be by pulling the airgap switch. The other would be with a configuration parameter. With the switch_multilevel being totally decoupled from the load control, you ideally need a way to still override the load control. And a config param would be it.

Result is any control to the smart bulb should go to the switch. In the hub you basically just hide the smart bulb, and always send control commands to the switch.

I have been away for a loooooong time and just look at all the excitement I’ve missed. I am so pleased to see so much development in this area (and the configurable button delays…)!

My $0.02… as a Hubitat user, I would want to sync my dimmer switch driving some assortment of smart bulbs (be they ZWave, ZigBee, WiFi, Thread, ACN, DMX…) to a hubitat “group” device. This gives a layer of abstraction that nicely aligns with what the dimmer switch is capable of communicating both to the user and the controller. It is a convenient 1:1 in that the dimmer switch logically controls the group and the group then drives the lights contained within it. I even could imagine using the LED bar to optionally give a “hint” of the color chosen for the group or perhaps time of day for the circadian rhythm folks.

Late to the thread, but I have been one of the most vocal individuals on this feature and this is 99.99% effective at killing my needs on this issue.

Only because I can NEVER be 100% satisfied (of course), something has to keep me coming back to these forums!

Edit: The z-wave command to level 0 turning the switch off (If I understand it correctly) is unfortunate. When I set the switch into SBM, I never EVER want the power to be cut unless I yank the air gap.

MAYBE allowing a specific scene or something (like enabling manual control via 8 config clicks then toggle down, which already does that) that only I know could cut the power, but for now if I automate any switch to off (bedtime) then it cuts power to the bulb and my mesh is screwed. Right?

FYI I believe @EricM_Inovelli said this behavior can be changed in driver. I can’t find the post at the moment.

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Found it:

I’ll cede to the others above describing the need, but sacrificing a safety feature in a smoke/CO2 incident (actually I think the OPPOSITE is safer, where I enable ALL lights to 100% when there is smoke detected, as I did in STHM actions for smoke) in order to enable automations to turn off the switch without turning off the load is an easy choice for me.

Can you help me understand this better? Taking a z-wave device offline (out of the mesh) is never recommended and is 99% of the reason this entire debacle started. There is no reason ever that any communicating device (z-wave/zigbee/wifi, etc.) should EVER be taken offline, it should instead be commanded off (level 0). From my perspective.

Almost, right now if you set the dimmer level to 0, the switch turns off and kills the power to the bulb, taking it offline.

This update should allow toggle down or setting dimmer level to 0 to turn off the LED bar (or to full bar at whatever brightness is in said parameter) and the smart bulb (level 0), while keeping both online and the mesh intact.

We are adding this in the next firmware release (basicSet & SwitchMultilevel will not turn off the load).

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Yes yes yes yes yes!!!

I’m using Home Assistant with the new zwavejs2mqtt - I have the dimmers controlling stepped loops using Node Red. For example if I double tap the switch up, it designates the dimmer to work with specific set of smart bulbs (most of my bulbs are running Tasmota, but I have a few zigbee bulbs), I then use the dimmer up/down to increase/decrease brightness in 10% increments that change every 400ms. I would like the ability to send the current “percent” to an Inovelli switch parameter via MQTT so it’s reflected on the LED. I hope that makes sense! Hopefully that can be done via a firmware upgrade.

Side note - in the same setup, I use the config button to switch the dimmer between color temperature and brightness control. Works like a charm!

My $0.02:

If you’re going to change LZW31-SN Smart Bulb in 1.52+, I’d like to see an option that would give the functionality that “Disable Local Control” combined with “Smart Bulb Mode Enabled” and “Power on level 99” gives in 1.48. In short, I am just looking for scene controllers that always provide power to the smart bulbs (unless I pull the tab or set switch “off” from Hubitat).

Thanks.

I would love love love to be able to use my aux switch to trigger scenes on the connected Inovelli switch (mine is LZW30-SN). However, I would settle for just being able to turn on/off the smart bulbs using the aux switch. My aux switch currently does nothing, and the spouse is not happy about it.

hi @EricM_Inovelli, Has the firmware with this functionality been made available yet?

Thanks!

+1

Will all the good stuff being discussed through this post regarding SMB be also applied to LZW36?

I have noticed that the SetLevel() command updates the LED strip, but not a connected bulb. Is this a limitation or something that was just not yet setup? StartLevelChange() and pressing the paddles does work as intended.

Some details:
I have joined an Inovelli bulb with a Red series dimmer, with SBM turned on and though it took a bit of time to setup, it now works great! I moved to firmware version 1.52 in order to ensure that my bulb stayed constantly on (It is connected to the load). I am using the following drivers:

Inovelli Dimmer Red Series LZW31-SN v21.3.10
Inovelli Bulb Multi-Color LZW42 v20.4.16

This is with association from the dimmer to the bulb right?

Are you using Group 3 association (Multilevel Set)? Group 2 (Basic Set) is not forwarded

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Yes. I setup a Group 2 and a group 4 association.

Ah! I didn’t realize that! Thanks!

I will add a Group 3 association. Should I remove the Group 2 association?

General consensus is just ground 3 and 4 so I would remove grp2.

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Group 2 is used by On/Off switches (non-dimmers). If you have a mix of switches and dimmers you’ll need associations for both Group 2 and Group 3.

Also, if you have rules in the hub that send BasicSet(on/off) commands then you may need Group 2 for that also.

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