Sengled E21-N1 - faulty bulb or that is how they work?

JamesTX10 · January 12, 2022, 1:24pm

I have an E21-N1 that I am not sure if it is working as expected or not. I have some Basic Rules that set the level and color temp when modes change. That is the only place where I am setting the color temp.

The current state looks good. Color Mode is CT the temp and level are all as currently set by my Basic Rule. If I turn the bulb on from the devices page or the motion rule

80% of the time the bulb will start as blue and then quickly change to the set color. I have tried the Segled Element color plus, basic RGBW and advanced RGBW drivers with the same results.

The logs only show on/off for the device

As this is a new bulb and my first from Sengled, is this normal or do I have something configured wrong or is the bulb bad?

erktrek · January 12, 2022, 1:35pm

What driver are you using?

JamesTX10 · January 12, 2022, 1:41pm

I have tried the Sengled Element color plus, basic RGBW and advanced RGBW drivers with the same results. I am currently running the Sengled Element Color Plus drive which is what it defaulted to when discovered.

erktrek · January 12, 2022, 1:42pm

You did remember to hit "configure" when you changed the drivers right? That sometimes trips me up.

JamesTX10 · January 12, 2022, 1:45pm

Yes.

erktrek · January 12, 2022, 1:46pm

I also assume you tested turning off pre-staging as well?

JamesTX10 · January 12, 2022, 1:50pm

If I turn off pre-staging color and level, save, configure. The bulb still does the same thing of turning on blue and then going to the set color. My mode rule that sets the color and level also turns it on rather than just setting the CT and level when pre-staging is disabled.

erktrek · January 12, 2022, 2:54pm

I am testing this with one of my Sengleds in my office and am not seeing this behavior. I am using Node-RED so it's different than using RM - the commands come in via Maker API. Hopefully it will give you some ideas.

This is my device page:

And for giggles this is my test sequence ("rule")...

I am setting the color using setColor command and providing all the HSL values. I do not need to turn the bulb on when doing so. Also changing between color and CT works as expected. For CT I just set the temperature and the bulb turns on or changes from color to CT.

I did notice that if the level is different then there seems to be a weird behavior where it uses the previous level and seems to change after the color changes so you get a slight brightness change after the color change itself.

JamesTX10 · January 12, 2022, 3:30pm

Thanks for testing. I tried several more drivers and sometimes the color will come on as expected but the majority of the time it comes on blue first. I also tried resetting the bulb and re-paring it with no change. I am going to see about getting a replacement.

erktrek · January 12, 2022, 3:34pm

One other thing you might want to try is adding a Maker API app in HE and using that to test changing the bulb via direct browser call..

erktrek · January 12, 2022, 3:47pm

Here are the maker commands you would paste into your browser and maybe temporarily bookmark them for quick testing.

http://[Hub Address]/apps/api/[Maker App ID]/devices/[Device ID]/on?access_token=[secret access token]
http://[Hub Address]/apps/api/[Maker App ID]/devices/[Device ID]/off?access_token=[secret access token]
http://[Hub Address]/apps/api/[Maker App ID]/devices/[Device ID]/setColor/{"hue":0,"saturation":100,"level":100}?access_token=[secret access token]
http://[Hub Address]/apps/api/[Maker App ID]/devices/[Device ID]/setColor/{"hue":26,"saturation":100,"level":100}?access_token=[secret access token]
http://[Hub Address]/apps/api/[Maker App ID]/devices/[Device ID]/setColorTemperature/2900?access_token=[secret access token]

You have to replace all the stuff in [] with your specific Hub values of course..

JamesTX10 · January 13, 2022, 5:48pm

Maker API has the same results. I found that the CT value changes what the start color is.

CT 2300 - Starts as Red then goes to 2300
CT 2800 - Starts as Green then goes to 2800
CT 4500 - Starts as Blue then goes to 4500

Amazon delivered another bulb this morning for testing and it is doing the exact same thing.

Any other ideas?

erktrek · January 13, 2022, 5:54pm

I'm kinda stumped... unless it's a firmware issue (bulb or HE - I'm on 2.3.0.124) or I maybe have a different device and not realize it? Also I do have transition time set to ASAP not that that should make any difference..

weird..

PunchCardPgmr · January 13, 2022, 6:13pm

Curious, if you turn the power to the bulb off. Wait a sec, then turn the power to the bulb back on does it behave the same?
Trying with the bulb set to ON
and try with the bulb set to OFF
...before you de-power it.

Just curious if it goes through that same flash of blue.

--------Addendum---------
Looking at mine, always kept in RGB mode, same driver, never get any "pre-flash" color.
Wonder if it is indeed something to indicate the CT mode & temp, as your test showed different for each.

erktrek · January 13, 2022, 6:39pm

I guess I missed the fact that power was being cut to the bulb?
I bet THAT is the issue.. Apologies for wasting your time with this!!!!

I don't ever physically turn any of my smart bulbs off...

Navat604 · January 13, 2022, 6:44pm

I have this very same blue color issue with one of my bulb. I found out using color temperature bulb and set level (CT) in automation was causing this weird behavior. I changed all my automations to set color (RGB) to avoid this issue.

PunchCardPgmr · January 13, 2022, 7:07pm

No, no, I don't think he said that. I was just asking to see that behavior.

I think this is likely the key.

erktrek · January 13, 2022, 7:16pm

But interestingly I am not getting this behavior on any of the three sengleds in my office - at least doing it via Maker either Node-RED or by direct browser links.

From the links I posted - I am doing setColor with hsl values and setColorTemperature calls NOT setLevel though...

edit1: I'd really like to figure out what the difference is..

edit2: Just tested with Alexa and my den lights (8 Color+ BR30s + 2 A19s) - no odd color behavior before changes.

edit3: Not that this should make any difference but my Zigbee devices are on a C-5 not a C-7..

JamesTX10 · January 13, 2022, 9:17pm

I was not cutting power to the bulb before only ZigBee control. If I cut power while on or off, when powering the bulb back on it comes on RGB and then goes to the set CT by visible action. Logs do not show any color-changing event.

So is this a bulb issue, driver issue, hub issue, or just the way it works?

Currently, this defeats the purpose of an RGBW bulb if the W cannot be accessed without hitting the RGB first.

@erktrek that looks like a different bulb
I am on a C7 2.3.0.124

@Navat604 Do you have a map of CT to close to RGB settings?

erktrek · January 13, 2022, 9:51pm

Okay cool but... both my table lamps in my den are also sengled.. here's the model..

nr633

The trick with these are I have them grouped and ZB messaging turned on. Also using Alexa to change the bulb color and everything works as expected. I might try and do the direct maker call and see what happens.