I'm a recent HE/Z-Wave user... I have a situation in my Master Bedroom Closet which I'd like feedback from the community. I'm giving some thought to installing a motion sensor in the closet so the light will come on when someone enters but my question is around control of the light. As you would expect, there is a light switch on the wall outside of the closet. As I see it, I have two options:
Replace existing light switch with Z-Wave light switch
Replace the light with a Z-Wave controllable light bulb and leave existing light switch in the ON position
What is not obvious to me is why would someone opt for option #2 or what reason would make this the better choice?
I would use the smart switch if possible. They are better all the way around, except maybe cost.
The issue with the second way is that people are going to bump the switch, or just from habit constantly flip the switch. And then it screws everything up. I have a closet where I did this smart bulb method (I had the extra bulb just laying around) and months later I still seem to turn the switch off in my morning daze. Admittedly this is the less expensive and less intrusive way to make this light smart, but it is still annoying.
The other way the second method is better is if you are renting, somehow cannot mess with the wiring/switch, or the switch is not in a good place and you want to somehow rectify that.
Why motion and not a contact sensor? If you are standing in the closet too long, or it can't see you because of clothing, you will likely get inconsistent results. As long as it has a door, and as long as you keep the door closed when not in use, a contact usually makes more sense in this application.
Thanks for the feedback... since we don't plan to move anytime soon, the switch it is. Also, I had not given any thought to a contact sensor, great idea. Looks like I need to do more homework.
Totally agree about the deal at Smartest House... that's why I purchased the HE C7 with the free Zooz ZEN26 switch (looks like its going to replace the closet switch)
Given that your use case is a closet, I probably wouldn't do it here, either (except for any of the reasons above). But in general, people seem to forget that some of us like color temperature (or color, though that's more just for fun IMHO) control that, for the most part, only smart bulbs can provide. That's my primary reasoning for using bulbs "instead of" switches.
And by "instead of," I mean mostly "in addition to." With a modern smart switch and a capable hub like Hubitat, there's no reason you can't use both: either a battery-powered remote device like a Lutron Pico or Lutron Aurora can go on top of the existing switch wiring (hardwired or flipped to on) or a Z-Wave CentralScene switch like a Zooz or Inovelli Red or Black can go directly in the wall like a regular switch (or a smart switch, which they are) but with (at least) local control so they don't flip the load on/off but instead send scene (button) events to the hub where you can do things like control the smart bulbs in a logical fashion without any of the disadvantages switches normally introduce in this situation.
But...yeah, an option that is inherently intuitive and probably cheaper (certainly cheaper than doing both!), go with just a smart switch or dimmer wherever you can it if it meets your needs.
Forgot about that use case. But in a closet, probably not needed. I only have a couple dedicated color bulbs. I use LED strips and smart controllers to do my color effects. One example below.
I always wonder how people power this sort of stuff. The struggles of an older house, I don’t have an outlet under the vanity to easily power led strips that way.
I didn't have one there either until I installed one. Luckily in both bathrooms there is an outlet directly to the side of the vanity. I just had to punch a small hole in the in the vanity wall, fish about 3 foot of wire up to the existing outlet, and put in a new box and receptacle. It took longer to get myself wiggled into the vanity than to do the actual wiring.
@neonturbo It took my wife about a week after I did the closet to ask about strip lighting in the master bath. Gonna need to hide this from her or my list will never stop growing!
I only use one z-wave switch that is in the basement. The reason I use bulbs is that this house was built in 1921 and then rewired with a breaker box and new wiring maybe in the 80's. Most of the wiring goes to the light box in the ceiling and then they split the load to the switch and I have no neutrals in the light switch box. It is not worth my time to run new wiring when I can just use a bulb. It is just me and the wife, it took a lot of training but she does not flip switches anymore.
Why motion and not a contact sensor? If you are standing in the closet too long, or it can't see you because of clothing, you will likely get inconsistent results. As long as it has a door, and as long as you keep the door closed when not in use, a contact usually makes more sense in this application.
I use motion sensors in all our "clothes" closets and contact sensors for things like the linen closet. One nice thing about the motion sensor is if you accidentally leave the door open a little the light will still go on/off. In terms of timing, generally you can adjust based on personal preference. I use 10 minutes for my wife's "walk-in" closet and about a minute for everything else. My daughter has a "walk-in" nook in her room, no closet so the motion sensor works great there. I make sure to have it disabled during the evening hours.
In my house, my "Great Room" has two arrays of pot lights. "Front" and "Back", arranged along the long edges of the room. Unfortunately, the way we use the room is to make it a logical TV Room, and a Fireplace Room. Half of each "front" and "back" array of lights is in each virtual room. So, I use Hue BR30s in my pot lights, and created virtual rooms that can be lit and dimmed separately. I use illuminance based lighting for the most part, with samsung buttons to override the state when I want to watch TV or just sit in the dark for some odd reason.
Unlike others, I find "color" to be gimmicky, other than sometimes switching from 'daylight' to 'warm white' that is, so I tend to buy the "less expensive" hue bulbs for my use case.
Generally though, I always prefer dimmers and switches to bulbs.
That's my primary reasoning for using bulbs "instead of" switches.
