Seeking Bright Ideas for Dimming Supernova-Like Deck Lights with Hubitat Integration

[DGBQ]

My wife and her brother surprised me by installing white recessed SMY LED deck stair lights, thinking I could work my automation magic with a Kasa outdoor outlet. While turning them on and off works like a charm, these lights are brighter than a supernova at 100%.

I thought about using the SMY LED Dimmer to dial down the brightness, but it has one tiny quirk—it resets to 100% whenever the power is cut and restored by the Kasa outlet. However, if you turn it on and off with the dimmer remote, it maintains the set level. The lights, power source, and potential dimmer are all under the deck. I don’t believe my Bond or Broadlink controllers have the superpower to reach the RF dimmer from inside the house due to double bricks and cement blocks (no wood cladding here, unfortunately).

Running wires from under the deck into the house is a Herculean task thanks to cement blocks and finished rooms. So, I'm on the hunt for a dimmer controller that plays nice with SMY LED deck stair lights and has Hubitat integration. Or maybe there's a genius workaround I haven't thought of yet?

Any bright ideas (pun intended) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[Ranchitat]

I use a Kasa Dimmer on LEDs outside, works for my Jasco rope in the carport .

[DGBQ]

@Ranchitat

I use a Kasa Dimmer on LEDs outside, works for my Jasco rope in the carport .

Thanks, @Ranchitat , for the information on the lights. The driver you're using, I am guessing, allows dimming at the power source. However, with SMY lights, you can't just plug the driver into a dimmable plug, as per the manufacturer's instructions. Dimming must occur between the lights and the power source, similar to how it's done with WLED and LED strips.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[neonturbo]

From that device page:

The deck lights are NOT dimmable. But you can order a LED dimmer from our store to run the lights dimmable in search of it on our website.

@DGBQ

However, if you turn it on and off with the dimmer remote,

I didn't see a dimmer in that product page. Is this an actual handheld remote control or on the LED driver?

[vitaliy_kh]

@DGBQ

Dimming must occur between the lights and the power source, similar to how it's done with WLED and LED strips.

So, use any low voltage dimmer(s) for led strips. It can control single led even it says it is for led strip. Pick one which is compatible with HE.

[DGBQ]

@neonturbo

I didn't see a dimmer in that product page. Is this an actual handheld remote control or on the LED driver?

The dimmer is right beside the remote

The driver is included with the lights

[DGBQ]

@vitaliy_kh

So, use any low voltage dimmer(s) for led strips. It can control single led even it says it is for led strip. Pick one which is compatible with HE.

Agreed, that's why, I said

@DGBQ

So, I'm on the hunt for a dimmer controller that plays nice with SMY LED deck stair lights and has Hubitat integration.

Just looking for recommendations as one does on a community forum.

[DGBQ]

I wanted to follow up on my recent post to share my final solution, which may be helpful to others.

The information provided by some respondents on Amazon who purchased both items based on my questions did not align with my experience. Specifically, I asked, “If you shut off the power with the remote, will the dim level remain when you turn it back on?” and “If you unplug the power supply (the driver), will the dim level remain when you turn it back on?” Some said the first scenario would work, others said it would not, and all said the second scenario would not.

I decided to purchase the dimmer and connect it. My first test involved setting a dimmer level and then turning the lights off and on using the remote. The level remained intact. In my second test, I disconnected the power while the lights were on and then reconnected it. Again, the level remained intact. Finally, I added a Kasa outdoor plug. I left the lights on, turned off the power to the Kasa plug, and let it sit for a couple of hours. When I turned it back on, the level remained intact.

I have been using this setup for a few days, managing the on-off power via the Kasa plug with a webCoRE piston. The result is consistent: the dimmer level remains intact.