by ericmark »
Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:36 am
The "Smart" light which I have would work, but not cheap, you need to swap both switches and you have a master and slave unit plus a hub, so MiHome Energenie Code MIHO043 is a pair of switches, so £35 for pair of switches and £48 for hub if you want to connect to phone, tablet or PC.
And then you need to use one of the recommended bulbs, it uses dimmable bulbs as they should allow the small amount of power to flow through the bulb to work the switch, with BA22d and E14 bulbs they have worked well, but with GU10 some times there is a flicker, and with G9 had to add a capacitor as well or bulb flashed, and again they some times flicker. I have 5, 3 have been no problem, 2 causes problems, all down to bulbs used.
Basic fact, electronics need power to work, and wifi needs more power than other wireless so wifi comes from hub not switch so less power needed in switch, so although there are units which don't need a neutral they are not as good as those which use a neutral and cost a lot more.
Also watch Santander Stan advert it is what actually does happen, we may laugh but it is what at least my Nest Mini tends to do, say hay google switch off radio 4, and it replies switching off 5 switches and your lights go out, we got 5 for Christmas as our radio reception is near non existent, it is like having 5 young children, "I don't know how to do that yet." is a common reply, in some ways good it has not worked out how to change heating levels, it can tell me what rooms are set at, but lucky not worked out how to change them.
So yesterday had phone call at work from wife, tumble drier will not work, can you switch it on, she has given up with hello google, now it's hello Eric and I have to get out phone and switch sockets back on.
She has found the broadcast command, so it's hello Eric make some coffee, believe me, these units are not labour saving for man of the house, one for the woman.
