Problem with Group Bulb Dimmer-2.1

Ok, so I have multiple bulbs setup in a group. When the single group device is turned on and the color temperature is set, it does not pass it on to the individual members (the right value is set for the group device though). If I send the exact same value later, the bulbs actually change as they should. I "think" the issue is that there needs to be a delay before the bulb is sent the color temperature value, too early (before the bulb is on) and nothing happens.

Here's a log, in this example I have seven bulbs (the $4.88 ecosmart deal) setup as part of a group. The last color temperature value the bulbs were set to was 2702. Motion is detected, and due to the time of day, the rule that runs is to turn the group with all seven bulbs on, dim to 50%, and have the color temperature set to 6500. What happened is that they came on (they were at the correct brightness) but at 2702, even though the group device said 6500. Then you can see where I manually set the color temperature to 6500 again, then the bulbs each updated (to 6535, but that's just what they seem to do when set to 6500). Note that log is in reverse time order, most recent at top:

dev:3252020-01-15 03:27:15.596 pm infoMaster Bathroom 4 colorTemperature is 6535°K
dev:3282020-01-15 03:27:15.580 pm infoMaster Bathroom 7 colorTemperature was set to 6535°K
dev:3282020-01-15 03:27:15.532 pm infoMaster Bathroom 7 is on
dev:3272020-01-15 03:27:15.507 pm infoMaster Bathroom 6 is on
dev:3272020-01-15 03:27:15.498 pm infoMaster Bathroom 6 colorTemperature was set to 6535°K
dev:3252020-01-15 03:27:15.469 pm infoMaster Bathroom 4 is on
dev:3232020-01-15 03:27:15.444 pm infoMaster Bathroom 2 is on
dev:3332020-01-15 03:27:15.407 pm infoMaster Bathroom 5 colorTemperature was set to 6535°K
dev:3232020-01-15 03:27:15.399 pm infoMaster Bathroom 2 colorTemperature was set to 6535°K
dev:3222020-01-15 03:27:15.391 pm infoMaster Bathroom 1 colorTemperature was set to 6535°K
dev:3302020-01-15 03:27:15.336 pm infoMaster Bathroom 3 is on
dev:3222020-01-15 03:27:15.323 pm infoMaster Bathroom 1 is on
dev:3332020-01-15 03:27:15.303 pm infoMaster Bathroom 5 is on
dev:3302020-01-15 03:27:15.287 pm infoMaster Bathroom 3 colorTemperature was set to 6535°K
dev:3252020-01-15 03:27:15.183 pm infoMaster Bathroom 4 colorTemperature was set to 6535°K
dev:3292020-01-15 03:27:13.043 pm infoMaster Bathroom Lights colorName is Skylight
dev:3292020-01-15 03:27:13.030 pm infoMaster Bathroom Lights colorTemperature was set to 6500
dev:662020-01-15 03:27:06.143 pm infoMaster Bathroom Sensor is inactive
dev:2642020-01-15 03:26:59.432 pm infoZooz outlet power is 10.6W
dev:2662020-01-15 03:26:59.328 pm infoKitchen Double-Outlet Right power is 10.6W
dev:2652020-01-15 03:26:59.249 pm infoZooz Double Plug-LEFT Outlet power is 0W
dev:3272020-01-15 03:26:39.071 pm infoMaster Bathroom 6 is 50%
dev:3272020-01-15 03:26:39.063 pm infoMaster Bathroom 6 is on
dev:3282020-01-15 03:26:39.016 pm infoMaster Bathroom 7 is 50%
dev:3282020-01-15 03:26:39.003 pm infoMaster Bathroom 7 is on
dev:3252020-01-15 03:26:38.988 pm infoMaster Bathroom 4 is 50%
dev:3252020-01-15 03:26:38.945 pm infoMaster Bathroom 4 is on
dev:3232020-01-15 03:26:38.928 pm infoMaster Bathroom 2 is on
dev:3232020-01-15 03:26:38.894 pm infoMaster Bathroom 2 is 50%
dev:3332020-01-15 03:26:38.856 pm infoMaster Bathroom 5 was turned on
dev:3332020-01-15 03:26:38.817 pm infoMaster Bathroom 5 is 50%
dev:3222020-01-15 03:26:38.803 pm infoMaster Bathroom 1 is 50%
dev:3222020-01-15 03:26:38.760 pm infoMaster Bathroom 1 is on
dev:3302020-01-15 03:26:38.742 pm infoMaster Bathroom 3 is 50%
dev:3302020-01-15 03:26:38.709 pm infoMaster Bathroom 3 was turned on
app:1962020-01-15 03:26:37.996 pm debugBINDING: Master Bathroom Dimmer ON detected
dev:1622020-01-15 03:26:37.936 pm infoMaster Bathroom Dimmer switch is on
dev:3282020-01-15 03:26:37.893 pm infoMaster Bathroom 7 is 50%
dev:3292020-01-15 03:26:37.051 pm infoMaster Bathroom Lights level is 50%
dev:3292020-01-15 03:26:36.998 pm infoMaster Bathroom Lights switch was turned on
dev:3232020-01-15 03:26:36.822 pm infoMaster Bathroom 2 is 50%
dev:3252020-01-15 03:26:36.758 pm infoMaster Bathroom 4 was turned on
dev:3282020-01-15 03:26:36.753 pm infoMaster Bathroom 7 was turned on
app:1962020-01-15 03:26:36.649 pm debugBINDING: Master Bathroom Dimmer.on()
dev:3282020-01-15 03:26:36.643 pm infoMaster Bathroom 7 is 50%
dev:3252020-01-15 03:26:36.614 pm infoMaster Bathroom 4 is 50%
dev:3222020-01-15 03:26:36.577 pm infoMaster Bathroom 1 is 50%
app:1962020-01-15 03:26:36.526 pm debugBINDING: Master Bathroom Lights ON detected
dev:3272020-01-15 03:26:36.476 pm infoMaster Bathroom 6 was turned on
dev:3232020-01-15 03:26:36.398 pm infoMaster Bathroom 2 was turned on
dev:3222020-01-15 03:26:36.347 pm infoMaster Bathroom 1 was turned on
dev:3272020-01-15 03:26:36.308 pm infoMaster Bathroom 6 is 50%
dev:3292020-01-15 03:26:36.229 pm infoMaster Bathroom Lights colorName is Skylight
dev:3292020-01-15 03:26:36.225 pm infoMaster Bathroom Lights colorTemperature was set to 6500
dev:3292020-01-15 03:26:36.208 pm infoMaster Bathroom Lights switch was turned on
dev:662020-01-15 03:26:35.943 pm infoMaster Bathroom Sensor is active

If you turn the group on by sending a CT command, do the lights have the correct behavior? Also, I assume you are using Zigbee Group Messaging. You should be able to drop the "on" command and just send the CT command and/or level to turn on the group.

It might not be the Group app, might be the bulbs. This thread below turned into the weird behavior of those HD bulbs for some.

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Sent the CT command by itself, set to 2702. They did turn on, but the bulbs stayed at the previous value (6535).

My next step is to turn each bulb on individually rather than use groups, and see what happens.

But right now, the bulb status correctly shows what the bulb is currently doing. It's that the group isn't updating the bulb.

I.e. bulb last set to 2702. Group is turned on with value 6500, group has value of 6500 but bulb still shows 2702 (and is indeed that color temp). Send a value again to the group device of 6500, all bulbs immediately change, individual bulb status now shows 6535 (as it should).

Are you using the group app or the switch bindings app? I see the switch binding in there too.

Also, a screenshot is a lot easier to read for logs. Copy.paste is nightmare on the eyes.

Using both.

Settled on a work-around for now. Have a rule that runs if the (group) light is turned on; between a certain time it will wait 0.1s, then set the color temperature manually every 0.5s (twice). Few quick tests indicates it works, but I'll need to wait to make sure it cycles through the different modes correctly.

I have it set to turn all the lights on from 5AM-7AM at color temp 6535 and 20% brightness, 7AM-7PM at color temp 6535 and 50% brightness, 7PM to 10PM at color temp 2702 and 20% brightness, and 10PM to 5AM I have another group that's just three bulbs come on at color temp 2702 and 1% brightness. I had tried an app called Circadian Daylight which was much simpler and did exactly what I described, but the issue was that I had to set a dim level (I only wanted to set the color temp); and it forced that brightness and color temp at all times, not merely when turning on the light (so if my wife decided she wanted cool white at 100% brightness at 7:30PM, she's just out of luck; the Circadian Daylight app would immediately change it right back to what it "should" be).

Well, you can't do that. Not for the same set of bulbs. They are going to be in conflict with each other unless all the devices report the same state simultaneously.

I don't believe that's the problem.

#1. Lights 1-7 are binded to the group switch. The group switch's status is binded to the physical light switch (if the lights are on, I want the light switch to reflect that, and vice versa). The physical light switch does not store the color temp value, just on/off (and also dim setting, I haven't checked if that's in sync, I haven't honestly cared because I don't even use the switch anymore except to turn the lights off).

#2. Lights 4-6 are binded to a separate group switch, and that group switch's status is not replicated to the physical light switch. It also exhibits the exact same issue.

#3. Everything else is working exactly as expected. All seven (three if the middle of the night) lights come on immediately (no popcorn effect) and are quickly dimmed to the correct level if not already. Color temp is the only issue.

For whatever reason, my testing shows that if the color temp is sent at some point later (I'm assuming once the bulbs are actually on, I'm not quick enough to personally send an ON signal and then a color temp signal before the bulbs come on), it will work. So that's what I have Rule Machine doing; once the group light comes on, wait 0.1s and then send (twice) the color temp setting. I'll update if something goes horribly wrong.

Thanks for the suggestions.

It doesn't matter what you believe. You cannot have bulbs in a switch binding and in a group. It will not work correctly.

I'll admit I'm only a few months in and am still learning the ropes. I'm not trying to be dense, but I need to know exactly what you're saying.

If you're literally saying that I cannot have a bulb be in a switch binding and in a group binding, then I don't. I have bulbs in a group, and the GROUP (not the bulbs) are what's binded to the switch. So...crisis averted?

Also, two groups are exhibiting this behavior. One group IS part of a switch binding. One group is NOT part of a switch binding. There is an overlap of bulbs and groups though (bulbs 1-7 are part of one group, bulbs 4-6 are part of another).

I plan on setting up some more groups, so I can try replicating with a different setup. Tomorrow perhaps.

Why? LMAO. What if you change both? What are bulbs 4-7 supposed to do. You'll have to wait for one of these folks from the "groups of groups" crowd. I say, devices should never be part of more than one group. If you want to control all of these, control both groups. But that's just what I would do.

These are the Ecolink bulbs right? Try using the Generic RGBW driver instead of the CT driver. I had a problem with an unsupported CT device a while ago and it only worked when i used the Generic RGBW driver in CT mode. So, I would give that a shot. But these bulbs are not on the officially supported list, so there's no guarantee they work the same way others do.

There are seven lights in the Master Bathroom. 1-6 are above the double sink (we only use the right sink, that's semi-important later). 7 is above the bathtub. Most of the time we have all seven bulbs on. Middle of the night, I only want the least amount of light needed. Since we use the sink on the right, any additional nightlight I put in there is in the wrong spot (toilet is next to the right sink, the sole outlet is at the opposite end). So...lights 4-6 are the right three bulbs above the double sink, i.e. the three that are above the right sink. Those three at 1% gives just enough illumination to do one's business and wash up, but not quite enough to apply makeup and what-not. They're so dim (and yellow) that they don't help me to wake-up, which is exactly what I want at 3AM.

Now, 5AM-7AM...I'd love to get some google calendar integration on that one. I don't want bright white until 6:30AM UNLESS my wife goes to work that day. She gets up before 5:30 and needs brighter white light for makeup purposes (and to help wake up). Whenever I get bored, I'll see if I can poll my calendar; set all the lights for cool white at 20% at 5AM on days that she's working, and keep using just the three at 1% until 6:30 for all other days.

Bulbs are the Home Depot Ecosmart (not Ecolink, or EcoSomethingElse I keep trying to type into google search). Already set to Generic Zigbee RGBW Light.

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Did you hit configure after changing the driver?

You can explain all day why you have bulbs in two groups. Personally, I don't think that's the best way to set it up as it causes confusion. What happens if you adjust group one, then group 2 then group 1 again. the bulbs in both groups will be in group 1 settings even though I might want group 2 settings. Instead of having bulbs in 2 groups, if you want all the lights on, turn on both groups. That way, they are always independent. Doesn't mean you can't control them at the same time.

This would be the one instance when a group of groups would make sense.

Seems like he should be using scenes.

I didn't hit configure after changing the driver, because it's initially setup with that driver.

Think I figured out what's happening. Nothing to do with the groups. Sending the CT directly to the bulb will wake it up, but not change the CT value. It only responds to the CT value after it's powered on. Not sure where to go from here. Perhaps take the generic driver code and rewrite for this bulb, removing the color stuff (since it can't change color, only color temp) and make sure the CT is sent after bulb confirms it's powered on (or at least wait a split second after turning it on to send). Workaround still working, so I'm not sure how far I want to pursue this.

Thanks again.

Did you try the Generic Zigbee CT bulb driver too?

I don't recall seeing that before, but I definitely see it now with a (dev) notation next to it. No go, same behavior. I'm working on switching the other bulbs over to that and see how they act in a group.

Individual bulbs now report to Alexa that they are not color capable, however a group still says they are (even setup a brand new group with another three bulbs I setup just now...bulbs are CT only, but the group they're in is color capable). Ah well.

You saved first and then hit configure after changing the driver?

Groups are always color lights, even if they only contain switches.