I got started in home automation in a bigger way back in 2015 After a Reno (all Early Phillips LED lights, they have their Issues, but the price was right and it’s a big home), stayed Wink for quite a while, changing to Hubitat in protest. I’m no fanatic (even though I want to be) and trend towards “set and forget” rather than complex scene scenarios and so forth.
Our device network is, because of the early entry, a mish mash of device types, early Schlage (my father was the factory manager here in Canada), Full Lutron bridge, Pico, Leviton, Aeotec Repeater 6, you name it. Gone fully Google Home with some voice automation (my life is an open book anyway).
So I have a very simple need I need advice for, and a bigger one.
The simple need is that I am automating our enSuite and the electrician decided to run a separate circuit for the vanity vs a three way (I am familiar with electrical circuits and wiring, just too lazy to re-trace the hot paths to see if I could add it (likely since vanity switch is at the beginning of the circuit).
My goal is to add an occupancy sensor and have dimmable switches with some scenario programming so that we can walk in at different times, have the lighting set to different levels based on time of day (walk in at midnight - only vanity turns on at really dim level, walk in evening - all lights, walk in during the day - no lights (lots of windows)... hmmm is ambient light level sensing a thing?).
(And on top of that I am a cheap do it yourselfer)
So after looking around for a suitable integrated smart dimmer / occupancy sensor switch (GE makes something expense but yet ANOTHER smart universe to traverse), I figure I’m gonna need two smart dimmers and a discreet Z-wave occupancy sensor Talking to each other via Hubitat. Or what do people think?
Next question is choice of smart brand universe. I’m intrigued by Innovelli (and they discuss being natively able to do the pseudo 3-way scenario - although really I am capable of Hubitat Control). I am really satisfied with Lutron so far, seems like the smoothest control out there, and makes my LEDs buzz less. Leviton a bargain and not bad, but the originals made my Phillips LEDs buzz annoyingly (remember there are strings of these bulbs in ceiling pot lights, as opposed to just one).
And the “I do really want to set and forget” part of me is saying “Pick a brand and stick with it.” So, do I experiment and go Innovelli? Do I stick with Lutron and lay out the bucks? Do I ?
To be honest I am the kind of finicky person that doesn’t stop until it’s perfect, and buzzy LEDs annoy me no end (and yes, I guess I could replace the Phillips, but they’ve worked so well at just the right colour temp so far).
Experience, advice, shoulder to cry on anyone?