Hello Inovelli Friends,
I am about to take my first steps into smart home accessories. I am very interested in buying some white series dimmer switches to be used in the Apple Home app, but I want to confirm I understand their function properly. Please let me know if I my assumptions below are accurate:
Dimmer Mode With Dumb Bulb
If I single tap the top button it’ll turn the light on.
If I single tap the bottom button it’ll turn the light off.
If I long press the top button it’ll raise the brightness.
If I long press the bottom button it’ll dim the brightness.
All of this can be controlled at the switch itself, the Apple Home app, or with Siri via HomePod?
This switch is compatible with any LED bulb with dimming capabilities?
Smart Mode With Smart Bulb
(probably a Nanoleaf bulb)
If I single tap the top button it’ll turn the light on.
If I single tap the bottom button it’ll turn the light “off” (bulb light is off but full power to the bulb continues).
If the smart bulb is turned “off” via the switch, I can still turn it back on via the Apple Home app/Siri/HomePod? And from there it can continue to be turned on or “off” either at the switch or the Home app/Siri HomePod?
Dimming does not work with smart mode/smart bulb because Matter/Apple Home/Whatever doesn’t yet support the binding necessary to accomplish it?
Aux Switch
This pairs with a Smart Dimmer Switch, will appear in the Home App, and can perform all the same functions of the smart switch it is paired with in a multi-way setup, but it is cheaper than the smart switch and allows you to avoid paying for multiple smart switches in a multi-way set up?
On/Off (Coming Soon)
Smart Dimmer switches will only work with lights. Smart Fan switch will only work with ceiling fans. But this forthcoming On/Off switch will work with both lights, fans, and anything else?
Smart Mode With Dumb Bulb?
I don’t anticipate this ever happening, so mainly just curious what would happen here? Ha. What if A smart bulb and a dumb bulb are on the same switch?
Pretty much yes, although an Apple user will have to comment on the control capabilities with Home, Siri and HomePod.
The switch will be compatible with most mainstream dimmable bulbs; however LED bulbs are not universally acceptable for all smart switches. The switch has trailing edge capability which should support the majority. But you can’t say “all”.
With the switch in the Smart Bulb Mode, it will be constantly powered and physical presses of the paddle will not affect i.e turn on or off) the wired load. You will have to use automations to control the light from the switch.
Since you will be using the SBM, the bulb will never be turned off by the switch. It may be turned off by a paddle press/automation, but technically the hub is turning the bulb off. The bulb will remain powered, so whatever apps/hub are capable of addressing the bulb will still work.
Re dimming/binding, yes, not yet supported. Hence the use of automations in lieu of binding.
The Aux is physically wired to the Dimmer, not paired in the since of a wireless connection. It will perform the same tap operations as if done at the switch. You won’t see it in any app, as it doesn’t have a radio. It communicates by wire with the dimmer and simply instructs the dimmer to mimic whatever you did at the Aux.
Thank you so much for taking the time to help! Still wrapping my head a bit around the Smart Bulb Mode, but I think I mostly understand and will likely plan on buying a batch of the White Series Smart Dimmer switches. So glad I found out about Inovelli since I was on the verge of pulling the trigger on Leviton.
Got it, thanks.
Yes, I suppose I meant the light would be “off” (emphasis on the quotation marks, ha), as in while the bulb is still receiving a load, it is no longer emitting light; as opposed to the bulb being off-off where it is not receiving a load and therefore not emitting light.
So, when in Smart Mode if someone presses the bottom paddle, the bulb’s load will be unaffected but the bulb will stop emitting light as a result of the paddle tap triggering an automation. And if they tap the top paddle, the bulb will once again emit light. Regardless of the state of the bulb emitting light as a result of the paddle being interacted with, the state of the bulb’s light emissions can still be controlled/changed in the Home app.
I think we are on the same page despite the slightly confusing language required, ha.
Understood.
I’m not sure, actually, ha. I don’t currently have plans for switches that will be controlling anything other than my lights, but I wanted to understand the options for making my purchases as versatile as possible.