So I purchase a used Hubitat C8. I am trying to set things up properly so I can continue to use my devices to best suit me. What I have done so far:
Set up Hubitat wirelessly
Linked Hue Hub and added all of my bulbs
Linked Alexa
So where do I go from here? Here are some questions I am coming across as I try to make this transition.
- I want to continue to use Alexa for Voice Controls. Should I be deleteing what I have in Alexa and re-adding them?
- When setting up a dashboard, why can I add the group that I have created, but it is not a functional tile for me to control?
- Do I need to have the hubitat connected via ethernet to be able to control lights if the internet were to go down, or am I good to go with it set up wirelessly?
- When creating new routines, should I continue to do so through Alexa, or how do I go about doing that in Hubitat?
I am sure I will come up with something else, but this is where I am at as of right now
Welcome to Hubitat and the community!
- It depends what you are looking to do. Once a light switch is integrated (linked) with Alexa, it can be turned on/off/dimmed directly through Alexa by telling it to turn on the light (using the name that was setup).
- I’m not sure I understand. If you setup a group in Hubitat, there should be a group device of the same name than the group created, and adding it to a dashboard will control the group.
- Ethernet is better, but it doesn’t matter how you are connected. The hub will always continue to work if the internet is down. However, if you are connected wirelessly and the wifi goes does, than anything that requires the network will stop working (integrations, dashboards, etc.). Zigbee and Z-Wave device automations will continue to function.
- Hubitat has several powerful rules engins. My recommendation would be for you to start with Basic Rules. It has most of the functionality that most users require. If you need to do something more complex, then Rule Machine will provide a powerful interface. Other options are Simple Automations, Visual Rules Builder, Room Lightning and WebCore (to name a few). Each of these have their pluses and minuses and can be added through Apps -> Add built-in app. You can you the ones you prefer, or all of them if you’d like. They are all more powerful than Alexa routines, and are backed-up when the hub database is backed-up.
Keep asking questions - you’ll find that there is a very active community that is always happy to help!
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On the first point, I’m not sure that I fully understand. Devices shared with Alexa will appear there and be usable by Alexa. You will need to add them to rooms as needed and update your routines to use them.
On the second, I’m not sure what’s happening. Maybe someone else can lipe in,,,? Can you add screenshots?
On the third, yes, Hue lights will work. The integration is local, so not using the internet. Local integrations is very important to Hubitat.
- I now see where I need to added the Alexa Skill and I did not see that I needed to click on all the devices that I wanted to be discoverable by Alexa. I will have to go try that next. However, All of these devices that I would link have also been set up on Hue, and linked to Alexa separately. meaning that if I link them to Alexa, I am going to have duplicate devices (I think).
This also brings me to something I was trying, I have a Tuya Smart Scene Switch that I was not able to get working properly through the Moes Hub and Alexa. I have already tinkered with it and I am able to now use it to control some lights. I was doing some reading about using it to trigger an Alexa Routine by creating a virtual switch. Once I create the switch and I checked that I want that switch to be discoverable by Alexa, I don't know how to do that. I asked my Alexa to discover devices, and it said because I have security devices with codes, I need to use the app (weird, because this was never an issue before). I don't know how to go about searching for the virtual switch. I have also seen conflicting reports on this, as some people have said the virtual switch will not trigger an Alexa routine, while others say it will. So before I pull my hair out trying to figure it out, I better make sure it's actually possible.... 
This makes me wonder if I should just remove everything from Alexa and Hue, and just set things up in Hubitat. Hassle in the present, but would it be more beneficial in the long run? I think I read from someone on Redditm(or maybe it was you earlier in the thread... lol) that I don't necessarily need the Hue Hub anymore, and that I can just add all of my Hue Bulbs to the Hubitat because they are Zigbee bulbs?
- I messed with some settings as I was setting up groups and was able to figure this one out. I was creating the group as a dimmer. As soon as i created it as a bulb, I was able to move it onto the dashboard and control it.
Yes, they will be duplicated. However, they are linked to hue which is linked to Hubitat, so they are okay as-is - no need to add them again through Hubitat. There may just be a slight delay for the status to update in Hubitat as I think the Hue integration needs to poll the Hue hub.
You will need to add the “Virtual Switch with Presence”. The “Presence” events will allow an Alexa routine to run, but the Switch events won’t.
I would keep the Hue hub. Hue and some older Zigbee bulbs will not repeat properly, and that will cause some issues with other Zigbee devices if connected directly to the Hubitat Hub. I have all my Hue bulbs on my Hue hub and it works great.
Awesome!
Okay, so maybe this is more of an Alexa question.... BUT I created a virtual presence with switch and added it into Alexa. It is in my device list, but When I go into use it as a trigger a routine when it is turned on, it is not listed in the devices there. Is this just Amazon needing time to update/integrate, or am I doing something wrong?
It is an Amazon thing. "Switch" devices cannot be used as a Trigger for an Alexa Routine. Only Motion sensors, Contact sensors, and Locks can be used as Alexa Routine triggers, IIRC.
So, some use a virtual Switch/Motion sensor or Switch/Contact sensor to be shared with Alexa. This way the switch portion can be used easily on the Hubitat side of things, to cause a trigger of an Alexa Routine.
He did use the Virtual Presence with Switch - As far as I know, those do work, though a virtual motion or contact works for 100% sure.
@johnehlers91, if you want to try one of the virtual motion or contact, I believe there are some that can be installed via the Hubitat Package Manager (HPM) which is a community app that makes it quick and easy to install other community drivers and apps.
Right, but neither Presence nor Switch attributes can be used to trigger an Alexa Routine, IIRC.
You can have an Alexa Routine turn on/off the Switch portion of such a virtual device, which then allow Hubitat to see that as both Presence and a Switch. I used to do that years ago when I used an Alexa Routine for geofence-based presence detection. I found it to not be all that reliable, though.
What was extremely reliable was using Alexa Routines to integrate RING Doorbell Motion events with Hubitat. I used a virtual Motion w/Switch device. This way the Alexa Routine would turn on the switch whenever the Ring Doorbell detected motion, or somebody pushed the button. This resulted in a Motion event being available in Hubitat to be used in any automations I wanted, like turning on the lights during the night.
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I used a virtual lock (no codes) and I was able to use that to trigger an Alexa Routine. Seems to be working okay with the Tuya Smart Scene Remote I am utilizing as well.
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If I have a basic rule in Hubitat using a Third Reality contact sensor, or Tuya Smart Scene Remote to turn on/off lights, will that still work with no internet? Or is it only scheduled routines that will work?
" saying that it is missing attributes. I had this happen with an individual light, I went in and changed things, and then it worked. When I try to change it for the group, I type in the appropriate levels, click save and then it resets the page and the numbers I typed in don't save.
