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blastron posted:I am balking at the pricing on Hue bulbs after summing up the total number of bulbs I would have to buy in order to replace everything I want, since I have a lot of multi-bulb fixtures. It looks like smart dimmer switches coupled with “warm glow” dimmable LED lights might be the way to go, since all I really need is automatic dimming within a room and don’t care about addressing individual bulbs. Does anyone have any recommendations for smart switches (or dire warnings against this course of action)? If you don't need color adjustment, then smart dimming switches are the way to go. They're way cheaper (per fixture, assuming multiple bulbs), and they have the added bonus of not screwing everything up just because someone flipped the switch. I was sold on the Lutron Caseta switch system via this thread. Only have 2 so far, but they work well and I haven't seen many complaints about them. Also FYI, the white temperature adjustable Hue lights are cheaper than the full color bulbs. They also started making higher lumen versions than you can get with the full color bulbs. Be careful though, because Hue recently introduced a cheaper line of smart bulbs that don't do color or temperature adjustment. I do not know if those are dimmable or not.
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Dec 15, 2021 19:40
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blastron posted:I am balking at the pricing on Hue bulbs after summing up the total number of bulbs I would have to buy in order to replace everything I want, since I have a lot of multi-bulb fixtures. It looks like smart dimmer switches coupled with “warm glow” dimmable LED lights might be the way to go, since all I really need is automatic dimming within a room and don’t care about addressing individual bulbs. Does anyone have any recommendations for smart switches (or dire warnings against this course of action)? Inovelli Red Dimmers (z-wave) or Lutron (proprietary, but the best). Buy once, cry once.
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Dec 15, 2021 19:41
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blastron posted:I am balking at the pricing on Hue bulbs after summing up the total number of bulbs I would have to buy in order to replace everything I want, since I have a lot of multi-bulb fixtures. It looks like smart dimmer switches coupled with “warm glow” dimmable LED lights might be the way to go, since all I really need is automatic dimming within a room and don’t care about addressing individual bulbs. Does anyone have any recommendations for smart switches (or dire warnings against this course of action)? Here's the secret: as your first purchase, ONLY get a starter kit. That way when you realize how cool they are, it'll be too late and you'll be like "oh poo poo well I'm already in the Hue ecosystem, so I'm gonna buy more." But for real, light fixtures that you don't care about cool colored sex lights that have multiple bulbs are much better off being swapped with regular ol dimmable LED bulbs and a Lutron Caseta smart switch on the wall. That way you still keep the smart functionality for the fixture and can put it on automation, but you aren't paying $150 for 5 A19 bulbs in your entryway fixture or over your dining room table or whatever. For stuff like landscape lighting or any other place you want colored bulbs, use Hue for those. I use colored A19 in my toddlers' room as a night light, etc. I put 6 colored BR30s and a couple 5/6" downlights in my kitchen because Costco had a good sale (but still expensive!) on them, and we use them for holiday lighting. I'll fully admit that it's really goddamn annoying when kids flip the switch off. I have a Homepod Mini in the kitchen that I use to turn those lights on and off, but I try to pro-actively set automations and have the lights on when I think I'll need them so people don't feel the need to flip the switch. For instance, I turn kitchen lights on at 5:30am, and have them fade off 2 hours after sunrise. And then 30-minutes before sunset, I fade the lights on. All outdoor lights (landscaping, holiday lights) get turned off at 11pm, and all indoor lights turn off at 1am because kids leave poo poo on every night. I also have scenes set for stuff like "movie time" when we watch TV at night. It dims the downlights to 5% and the under-cabinet Hue strips to 20%, and turn off the rest. People get used to just saying "hey Siri, movie time." I use all my Hue automations in the Hue app, and automate my Lutron Caseta switches from the iOS Home app. Henrik Zetterberg fucked around with this message at 19:58 on Dec 15, 2021 |
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Dec 15, 2021 19:50
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Henrik Zetterberg posted:but you aren't paying $150 for 5 A19 bulbs in your entryway fixture or over your dining room table or whatever.
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Dec 15, 2021 19:51
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WhiteHowler posted:Hey, stop automation-shaming me. I've shamed myself as well 
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Dec 15, 2021 19:55
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well the real trick with Hues used to be buying lots of Costco starter packs and throwing the included bridge in a closest. it was the cheapest way to get hues before the price got spiked up As for switches. I've loved my Inovellis, but my Zooz also seem great for the price
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Dec 15, 2021 19:55
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Henrik Zetterberg posted:It’s funny that buying a Caseta starter kit is cheaper than just buying a dimmer or two and Picos separately. I’m going to have a stack of hubs by the end of replacing everything. If you are ending up with extra Caseta hubs, any interest in offloading one? Because of the colors I'm using (primarily ivory in the house) the starter kits aren't really useful for me, or I'm getting some random starter kit where the price is way marked up beyond the prices of the individual components. Also, with or without hubs, is it possible to get two switches to trigger each other? I've got a set of backyard lights powered by/switched in the garage, and another set of lights powered by/switched in the house. I don't think there's ever a case where I'd want one set of lights but not the other, I'd really just want either all the lights on, or all the lights off. Is that something I can do (and without breaking Motoronic's very good rule of not doing automation that only works with a phone)?
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Dec 15, 2021 20:15
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Hi! I just found this thread after frustrating myself. I figure maybe you guys can help me maybe?BonHair posted:I have recently decided that I want to have more stupid poo poo in my home and have invested in a Phillips Hue bridge and a couple of other Hue products. This is working fine. I also managed to connect my IKEA trådløs bulb to the bridge. Because it's this apparent success, I decided to buy some Ledvance bulbs, which I expected to work with the Hue bridge. And they loving don't. I can connect to them with the Ledvance app no problem, but I cannot find them from the Hue app. I have tried disabling 5ghz WiFi. I have done various and numerous resets of the bulbs and I have tried to read up on ZigBee. Both the bridge and the bulbs should be ZigBee LL compatible. The bulbs seem to have two "unconnected" modes: fast blink and slow blink. The Ledvance app can connect when they are fast blinking no problem. But the Hue app cannot see them under any circumstances.
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Dec 15, 2021 20:17
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FISHMANPET posted:If you are ending up with extra Caseta hubs, any interest in offloading one? Because of the colors I'm using (primarily ivory in the house) the starter kits aren't really useful for me, or I'm getting some random starter kit where the price is way marked up beyond the prices of the individual components. Absolutely. PM me. Just cover the shipping and it's yours. I don't think you can have switches trigger each other, but you might be able to get a Pico to control 2 switches? https://support.lutron.com/us/en/product/casetawireless/article/product-selection/The-Pico-Remote quote:The Pico remote can be paired to more then one dimmer/switch in the app. You can always edit the Pico remote after paired to the app to accommodate this type of programming. To do so tap on the Pico remote as displayed in the "Device" area of the app, then select "Edit Device", then "Devices" and simply check off the devices you want the Pico to control and select "Save". Keep in mind that if the Pico remote is paired to multiple devices it will control them all at once with no way to separate control individually.
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Dec 15, 2021 20:36
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Yep, you can have the Picos do multiple things if necessary. I wish the motion sensors would allow for variable timeouts per device, but unfortunately they share the one time setting across everything attached to it. I might have missed a reply but did anyone have a good BR30 recommendation that played nice with the PD-5NE / other Casetas? Henrik were you looking at a few options here?
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Dec 15, 2021 20:45
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Nah, I stupidly put Hue in all my BR30 fixtures because shiny toy
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Dec 15, 2021 21:01
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Henrik Zetterberg posted:Nah, I stupidly put Hue in all my BR30 fixtures because shiny toy  unnecessary Hue crew
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Dec 15, 2021 22:47
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blastron posted:I am balking at the pricing on Hue bulbs after summing up the total number of bulbs I would have to buy in order to replace everything I want, since I have a lot of multi-bulb fixtures. It looks like smart dimmer switches coupled with “warm glow” dimmable LED lights might be the way to go, since all I really need is automatic dimming within a room and don’t care about addressing individual bulbs. Does anyone have any recommendations for smart switches (or dire warnings against this course of action)? INNR bulbs are very compatible with Hue hub and were aroun half the price of hue the last time I checked. They don’t do everything as nice as the hue bulbs but they’re ok
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Dec 15, 2021 22:55
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Is there any way to crosslink Google Assistant into something like Home Assistant? I see there is a third-party API, but I can't find much information. All my stuff works great with Google Assistant but I can't find anything compatible that will integrate everything that work great with Google Assistant on something dedicated to home automation for control. Current smart setup is 8 Google Displays, 3 Dyson Fans, 3 Sanoff fan controllers using eWeLink, 7 Google audio devices, 1 HomeKit compatible outdoor 3 plug switch, 8 Lutron Caseta dimmers, 2 Smartlife compatible power strips, 3 Smartlife compatible switches, 5 Govee RGB lights and 4 Dakboards, 2 Wyze locks, 8 Wyze Cameras, and 1 MyQ garage door opener. I am sure I am missing some stuff. And yes, the Wyze cameras are going to be replaced with a Ubiquiti system, but it's going to be a multi-thousand dollar project running a lot of wiring, moving our fiber, new NAS, closet rack, etc, etc that I am probably going to have to take days off to supervise so I am kicking the can. Honestly I am probably missing some stuff. My point is, all of this works PERFECTLY with Google Home, our primary control are the Google Displays, but I would like to have like a few tablets dedicated to something like Lovelace, maybe plug some stuff into the Dakboards (They will run anything with JSON or a webview), but I can't find everything that supports all my srmart devices. Three Olives fucked around with this message at 04:23 on Dec 16, 2021 |
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Dec 16, 2021 04:21
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Three Olives posted:Is there any way to crosslink Google Assistant into something like Home Assistant? I see there is a third-party API, but I can't find much information. Google Assistant integrates into Home Assistant just fine. (It's certainly easier if you pay the 5/mo for the Nabu Casa service, but it is possible to do without, just more complex.)
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Dec 16, 2021 05:16
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Kalman posted:Google Assistant integrates into Home Assistant just fine. (It's certainly easier if you pay the 5/mo for the Nabu Casa service, but it is possible to do without, just more complex.) I read that, my impression was that was for integrating Home Assistant devices into Google Assistant, not integrating Google Assistant devices into Home Assistant, but that whole page is very dense and I do see some information about syncing states, so I may be very wrong on that.
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Dec 16, 2021 05:22
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Three Olives posted:I read that, my impression was that was for integrating Home Assistant devices into Google Assistant, not integrating Google Assistant devices into Home Assistant, but that whole page is very dense and I do see some information about syncing states, so I may be very wrong on that. Ah, I misundestood. That's non-trivial. If you want to bring Google Assistant devices into Home Assistant you're probably looking at something like Assistant Relay and a bunch of REST templated sensors/switches in Home Assistant. Or you could do the easier thing, which is to move most of your devices over to Home Assistant instead and just use the integration to control the HA devices via your Google displays. (The Google audio devices are supported via Google Cast integration, and the displays similarly.)
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Dec 16, 2021 05:44
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Kalman posted:Or you could do the easier thing, which is to move most of your devices over to Home Assistant instead and just use the integration to control the HA devices via your Google displays. (The Google audio devices are supported via Google Cast integration, and the displays similarly.) Yeah, I would do that, except a good portion of essential devices integrated into Google Assistant/Home have no Home Assistant integration. I mean, everything works FINE with our Google Displays, that are located in every room in our house, it's just the interface is not great. I mean, it's fine, it's husband approved, it's just nothing on the level of Lovelace.
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Dec 16, 2021 05:51
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FWIW every device you listed appears to have support from HA. Google, Caseta, HomeKit, MyQ, and Dyson integrations are built in, the eWeLink devices are supported by the integration SONOFF released, the Smart Life devices by the Tuya integration, Govee requires a custom integration, but that's easy, and Wyze requires a custom integration that uses an unofficial API so they could break it at any time. (Dakboard just appears to be a display/touch device, but has a HA integration so it can display HA devices also.) It would take some effort, for sure, and may not be worth it to you.
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Dec 16, 2021 06:03
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Kalman posted:FWIW every device you listed appears to have support from HA. Google, Caseta, HomeKit, MyQ, and Dyson integrations are built in, the eWeLink devices are supported by the integration SONOFF released, the Smart Life devices by the Tuya integration, Govee requires a custom integration, but that's easy, and Wyze requires a custom integration that uses an unofficial API so they could break it at any time. (Dakboard just appears to be a display/touch device, but has a HA integration so it can display HA devices also.) I didn’t realize the eWelink and SmartLife were superseded by other integrations, they are completely essential and we’re stopping from even considering. I’m super busy right now with work but I get a week off soon so this may be a project worth tackling for that period. Stupid question, is there like a service that I can pay to help me figure this poo poo out? Three Olives fucked around with this message at 06:22 on Dec 16, 2021 |
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Dec 16, 2021 06:13
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I still need to route it into home assistant, but I'm very impressive with okead tradfri. Very cheap, and for like $90 cad I have a hub, switch, 3 warmth changing bulbs, and 2 smart outlets. Very good value for money
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Dec 16, 2021 06:45
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Wiz is a decent alternative to hue thats cheaper. They are owned by phillips also, so just an alternative brand. No clue why they dont just fold then into hue but whatever. The app is okay - i like the hue app better but i run it all through alexa so most of the time it doesnt matter. Each bulb connects individually to wifi instead of running through a bridge so in theory that could cause an issue i guess, but ive got 15 or so and no problems yet.
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Dec 16, 2021 17:00
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BonHair posted:Hi! I just found this thread after frustrating myself. I figure maybe you guys can help me maybe? I tried changing the ZigBee channel of my Hue bridge, which made me lose the connection to my Trådfri bulb. And now I can't reconnect to it at all. Can anyone talk me through connecting it, or recommend a guide or something? My Google skills just tells me to use the Hue app to search and reset the bulb by flipping the switch 6 times, which didn't work.
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Dec 16, 2021 19:12
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Re: integration chat, I recently discovered Home bridge as a decent... Bridge app to use with Home assistant. The nest integration is sweet and gives me access to protect presence detection and nest sensors as well. The plugin ecosystem looks pretty good as well.
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Dec 17, 2021 01:35
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Goddamn, even with the Caseta PD-5NE ELV+ dimmer my lights still buzz like crazy, even after setting it to ELV vs MLV with 2x 5.5W E12 LEDs from their compatibility tool. Driving me batty!
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Dec 17, 2021 19:29
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Considering sprinkling a few Lutrons throughout the house, if I already have a Zwave network up and running, do I still need to get the Lutron hub to be compatible with it or just install and fire it up? The one below caught my eye. https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wirel...79&sr=8-10&th=1 I have a bunch of Shellys that I've been meaning to install but after having a tough getting my Christmas tree on the other side of the house to reach the Zwave network, I thought having a few built in light switches would make a lot of sense since I am using some of those Zwave plugs linked earlier solely to stretch the network over there and it's still unreliable! Thanks in advance.
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Dec 19, 2021 15:18
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You'll need a Lutron hub; there are often starter kits that include one for a good deal.
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Dec 19, 2021 15:31
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Less Fat Luke posted:You'll need a Lutron hub; there are often starter kits that include one for a good deal. Thanks, will it contribute to building out the Zwave mesh in my home or operate on its own and just interface with it?
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Dec 19, 2021 15:49
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TraderStav posted:Thanks, will it contribute to building out the Zwave mesh in my home or operate on its own and just interface with it?
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Dec 19, 2021 15:52
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Less Fat Luke posted:The latter, it's on a separate network entirely. It's very solid though, the hub in my place is in the basement and it works instantly with lights that are super far away. Got it, awesome. Probably keep the Shellys for the simple stuff and use these where I want Dimmers. Doesn't help the issue with getting the network extended for the Zwave plugs, but maybe I'll just get a few more of those plugs and throw them around arbitrarily as relays.
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Dec 19, 2021 16:01
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Nice! Keep in mind there's also dimmer switches that are Z-Wave natively too if you don't want to have a separate Lutron hub, like: https://inovelli.com/red-series-dimmer-switch-z-wave/
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Dec 19, 2021 16:15
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DaveSauce posted:
Hue is a choice. Hue is life. Edit: I’m impatiently awaiting the new 4K hue TV thingie. I really want that functionality, but balked when I read about the picture quality impact of the old device. Step it the gently caress up, Philips.
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Dec 19, 2021 16:16
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Henrik Zetterberg posted:Goddamn, even with the Caseta PD-5NE ELV+ dimmer my lights still buzz like crazy, even after setting it to ELV vs MLV with 2x 5.5W E12 LEDs from their compatibility tool.
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Dec 19, 2021 16:26
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I ran some 24V LED strips under cabinet but didn't think about the dimming before I got it installed. Other LED strips I have are always on and have Zigbee light link or whatever to change. I use the hue app for them since they're RGBW but this is just warm white. Right now this strip setup is Line voltage --> Inovelli Zwave dimmer --> this LED driver --> 24V to the strips. If I dim at the light switch, the brightness of the LEDs doesn't change until the supply gets so low the LEDs get cut off. I asked the vendor and they said if the dimmer uses a TRIAC it should work with this setup but the Inovellis use a MOSFET. Any idea what I can use to allow for physical controls that will switch and dim this light but also remote to Home Assistant for scheduling? I have ZigBee/Z-wave networks no problem.
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Dec 19, 2021 16:38
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Less Fat Luke posted:Nice! Keep in mind there's also dimmer switches that are Z-Wave natively too if you don't want to have a separate Lutron hub, like: Oh nice those look cool. Hope they don't buzz, but just ordered a bunch to try out. Thanks!
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Dec 19, 2021 17:07
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Less Fat Luke posted:Have you tried a few different low voltage lights? I found that the compatibility matrix has some that still flicker. I settled on some Philips MR16s that finally have no flicker. Alternatively the transformer running the lights could be the culprit, I have no idea how easy it is to swap and what a good one would be though. Yeah, I’ve taken so many trips to HD/Lowes’s this week and I’m getting real sick of spending money on E12 bulbs that I only use in one fixture, haha. I finally wandered off their list and I put some GE ultra bright 7.5W/100W eq ones in there with the ELV switch. They seem like the “best” so far. If I turn them straight on, they work fine. The problem comes when I dim them from off/low to high. Right around the 40% mark they start to buzz, and get louder as I go up, then eventually they flicker and turn off until I hit off on the switch. Where would the transformer be? It’s a ceiling fan, so in the fixture? In the ceiling? I’m about to say gently caress it and throw an incandescent bulb in as 1 of the 2 to get the load up. Henrik Zetterberg fucked around with this message at 21:09 on Dec 19, 2021 |
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Dec 19, 2021 17:51
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The transformers I've seen (with very limited experience) are in electric boxes behind blank plates above the wall switches where they connect to. edit: like this  Also there is one switch I have driving low voltage lights with one of these blanks above that opens to just the space behind the drywall, and I have no idea where that transformer would be :| One would hope that electric code says that they have to be accessible like in this picture though. Less Fat Luke fucked around with this message at 18:21 on Dec 19, 2021 |
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Dec 19, 2021 18:17
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Ha, yeah definitely none of those. I wonder if it’s up in the fan box in the ceiling. That would cross my threshold for giving a poo poo and probably will just replace one of the LEDs with incandescent.
Henrik Zetterberg fucked around with this message at 20:09 on Dec 19, 2021 |
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Dec 19, 2021 19:49
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hi i'm a dumbass who's never posted here and wanted to ask about some smart lock advice if that's cool? i have a family member who has been having medical problems that involve them needing people to come help them get up from the floor. they live in another city, and i've been having to drive down there to unlock the front door to let in the firemen and whatnot. so i'm wondering if there's a good smart lock solution for this kinda thing? i think what i would want is: simple as possible to use on the inside of the house, cuz i'm sure he won't wanna have to learn anything. i'm thinking a retrofit kit that goes onto the existing deadbolt maybe? something i can control via internets from another city. i have a PC or a phone, his house has wifi i just installed. if they make ones that can be controlled by a landline phone somehow that might be cool too? i guess it would be nice if it plugged in so i don't have to worry about batteries? neither of us really have/use any smart speakers or assistants or whatever so i don't really need that, or any fancy smart home hub, i think. cheap would be nice sorry if those are unreasonable demands, i haven't researched this much but i thought maybe this thread would know a lot more. thanks for your time. hopefully this doesn't sound super callous, i just want dude to be able to get the actually trained help he needs and faster than our current situation, ie not having to wait like a half hour for me to get there before we can even call services.
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Dec 20, 2021 07:24
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Light Gun Man posted:hi i'm a dumbass who's never posted here and wanted to ask about some smart lock advice if that's cool? Could also consider a (dumb) code lock for this use case - just something where a 6 digit passcode unlocks the door; set one code that he can use, and another that the emergency folks use and change the emergency one after each use?
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Dec 20, 2021 08:36
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