Hi
I am trying to understand how I can use my Red Dimmer Switch in a 1-way with Philips Hue bulbs? I do have a SmartThings hub. Is there a particular way that I need to do in the ST new app to:
Control the lights with the dimmer functionality
Use scene control on the physical switch to set light temperature and dimmer setting
Not an immediate need but something I’d love to do in the future as I’ve got a bunch of Red Dimmer switches and unused hue bulbs. My wife loves the Hue Bulbs and Smart switch and j was wondering how I could use the red series switch in a 3-way where one of the ends has a dumb switch.
I’m not using Hue, but I don’t believe you’ll be able to control the bulbs directly, as they are Zigbee, and may or may not be controlled through the Hue bridge depending on you you are configured. That being said, you ought to be able to control them via scenes, as you alluded to. So whatever you can presently do via a ST scene you can trigger via the switch.
Basically, on the switch you will disable local control (which keeps you from cutting the power to the bulb by flipping the switch) and turn on Smart Bulb Mode, which makes sure that the dimmer constantly provides full power to the bulb.
At this point, on, off, dim levels, color or whatever else you do is done via a scene. So you set the scene up in ST and then trigger it via the switch, which is not a scene controller only.
Here is an article that elaborates on scenes in ST:
@Rohan312 I don’t use any red dimmers with Hue bulbs, and I’m a Hubitat user, but the process is probably very similar. As @Bry mentioned, you’ll want to disable local control, turn on smart bulb mode, and make sure the power-return state is on. In my particular instance, I have my Hue bulbs integrated through the Hue Bridge which also requires that integration to be enabled w/ associated devices.
From there, my go-to method is Advanced Button Controller. Here’s an example of how I control my kitchen island lights (which I have going to different colors in the evening) to ensure that the switch they are associated with always operates like a normal light switch no matter what state they are starting in (the wife/guest acceptance mode), plus the first global scene control I have attached to a double tap up or down.
(Ignore my commands to turn on the switch… When I originally set this up I was paranoid about making sure that the relay was always on even though I have no way to turn it off.)
You can use Button 8 PUSHED (switch held up) and Button 8 HELD (switch held down) to set temperature/color and ramp up/down respectively to fake in a normal dimmer switch. Anything more advanced than that, and you can add custom logic via RM4 using the button push/hold as trigger events as I do when I have lights controlled by timers that I also want operable from a switch.
