Smart Light Bulbs

[rk911]

i'm considering dumping my old style light timers replacing them with wifi smart bulbs. lots of questions i hope others can answer.

- most of the smart bulbs will be in fixtures that are on timers year round but some of the smart bulbs will be in other fixtures that are occasionally used on an as-needed basis. will the smart bulb also function as a "regular" bulb? will it lose its programming if turned off at the wall switch or fixture? if it holds its programming how long will the bulb's programming be retained when the bulb or fixture is off?

- we have a planned momentary power outage each week when our stand-by generator tests itself under load. will these momentary outages (~5-seconds) disrupt, alter or cancel the bulb's programming? does the programming reside in the bulb or on the PC? the PC at home is on a UPS so there is zero interruption to it.

- i don't care for or need smart bulbs that can change hue or color. prefer soft white especially in the lamps that will see occasional use. LEDs are notoriously harsh. can anyone recommend a brand that's not so harsh?

- do smart bulbs come in 3-way wattages such as 60/100/150 (equivalent)? can i get single wattage bulbs in the equivalent of 25 or 40-watts?

- the upfront expense is ok but i sure don't want to be replacing them often. for those that have them what has been your experience in terms of longevity? not looking to go cheap nor am i wanting to take out a mortgage. looking for good value.

- do the bulbs come with an app for my iphone/ipad? do i program them with those devices or with my PC?

- any other opinions, cautions or words of wisdom would be appreciated.

thanks.

[CA_Traveler]

ScottG wrote:
My neighbor has those. Yes, if the power gets interupted they go nuts and need reprogramming.
In his case he was on vacation in Hi when someone turned the light switch of and back on. The lights flashed for 2 days till he got home.

The Honeywell. Turn the light off and it remains off until the next program cycle to turn it on and vice versa.

Suggest he update his timer.

No, not sure what happens after 4 hours of no power, perhaps it resets to the mfg defaults?

[rk911]

ScottG wrote:
My neighbor has those. Yes, if the power gets interupted they go nuts and need reprogramming.
In his case he was on vacation in Hi when someone turned the light switch of and back on. The lights flashed for 2 days till he got home.

hmmm. thanks.

[rk911]

CA Traveler wrote:
Ohh one second last point - I programmed the Honeywell to turn on/off with a offset from sunrise and sunset. So dumb LEDs and smart switch and I'm a happy camper - er homeowner.

thought about smart switches but most of the lamps i have on timers aren't powered by a wall switch.

[ScottG]

My neighbor has those for his porch lights. Yes, if the power gets interupted they go nuts and need reprogramming.
In his case he was on vacation in Hi when someone turned the light switch off and back on. The lights flashed for 2 days until he got home. :B

[CA_Traveler]

Ohh one second last point - I programmed the Honeywell to turn on/off with a offset from sunrise and sunset. So dumb LEDs and smart switch and I'm a happy camper - er homeowner.

[CA_Traveler]

Ohh one last point - The Honeywell timer switch has a 4 hour backup. It's a capacitor not a battery but who cares? Gen on/off etc no issue.

[CA_Traveler]

Posts indicated the Honeywell switch was the easiest to program.

OK but I ask you what is easy to program a 1" screen with 3 buttons, marginal directions that need a microscope to read?

Well with a copy to Word, Ariel 12 and a little work I'm now a PRO at programming the beast. And with a $137/year cost savings I can belly up to the bar and put up with a lot.

[rk911]

DFord wrote:
Why would anyone buy smart bulbs to use in timer controlled lamps?

The harshness is due to the "temperature" of the bulb. 4000k is neutral. If you want a warmer light, get a bulb closer to 3000k. If you want a bright blue/white bulb buy a 6000k bulb. You need to understand those figures to select the right bulb.

The app on you phone is used to control the schedule on smart bulbs and turn them ON/OFF.

Power outages won't effect the schedule. Smart bulbs (and all smart devices) rely on an internet connection. Lose it and you lose control of the bulb but it will still turn on/off according to the schedule you programmed.

Try a search on Amazon for 3 way LED smart bulbs and the other features you're wanting to know about.

i'm looking to ditch the timers and instead use smart bulbs in those lamps.

[CA_Traveler]

Replace often? With a 50,000 hour life rating who's to know? :@

Upfront costs? Who cares with a 6-8:1 cost reduction. :h

Real example: With a recent neabby car theft I dediced to leave my 6 porch lights on all night. While replacing the switch with a programmed timer I measure the amps - Hold on to your hat - the draw was 0.45A or 54W vs 360W incadescent. Savings hold your hat again - here's the numbers using my last 12 electric bills as a guide.

Incadescents: $161/year
LED's: $24/year

Honeywell timer switch cost about $35 but with the above who cares?

[DFord]

Why would anyone buy smart bulbs to use in timer controlled lamps?

The harshness is due to the "temperature" of the bulb. 4000k is neutral. If you want a warmer light, get a bulb closer to 3000k. If you want a bright blue/white bulb buy a 6000k bulb. You need to understand those figures to select the right bulb.

The app on you phone is used to control the schedule on smart bulbs and turn them ON/OFF.

Power outages won't effect the schedule. Smart bulbs (and all smart devices) rely on an internet connection. Lose it and you lose control of the bulb but it will still turn on/off according to the schedule you programmed.

Try a search on Amazon for 3 way LED smart bulbs and the other features you're wanting to know about.

[CA_Traveler]

I've replaced most higher usage lights with LEDs, not at all smart except for the energy savings which is very smart.

Led's are available in a wide light temperature range. Some look just like incadescaents and others are brighter. After a human adjustment to the ones in the den I now prefer those as the room is much more like daylight. It was an adjustment and now the others are "dim" but DW likes them. :B

I have 3 way LEDs for our living/reading area, price has come down to the point that they are still pricely. Some dimmable LEDs and other non dimmable.

[dieseltruckdriv]

I am using the plain white Philips Hue bulbs, with a hub at my house. They do exactly what you are looking for, and do use your phone to program the times. The nice thing about them is the slight "ramp" up to bright or off, as opposed to off then ON. You can program them to brighten over a set time, like 30 minutes, or just come on at a certain time. They are very flexible. There are cheaper options which I have some, but these are my favorite.