Are you doing anything with Hue?

matt100 · 6 Feb 2018 at 09:54

Proc said:
So instead of using Hue motion sensors are you using the Smarttings hub with cheaper sensors to achieve this?

Yes.. in fairness I didn’t know Philips even did sensors.

mattyg · 6 Feb 2018 at 10:20

Maybe not cheaper!

I use a mixture of Smartthings, Fibaro and Aeotec sensors. The Aeotec ones can be plugged in to provide live data and they dont have batteries to run out.

I have them dotted around the house controlling my lights but also as a back up to the alarm.

Proc · 6 Feb 2018 at 11:23

Ok so was thinking going down the Hue route for light sensors, but starting to think the Smarttings/Xiaomi may be a better option. A i can add different sensors and plugs to it for control with Google Home.

matt100 · 6 Feb 2018 at 18:24

The beauty with smartthings is it’s ecosystem agnostic so yeah you can get hue sensors but I doubt they’d work with smart plugs and thermostats and doorbells etc

matt100 · 10 Feb 2018 at 13:41

Just a heads up.. most of the smartthings sensors are reduced at the moment.. they're supposed to be on 3 for 2 but several retailers have just gone with a straight 1/3 discount so you can get the movement sensors for £20

Salty22 · 10 Feb 2018 at 18:33

If anyone sees the light strips cheaper then £69 let us know, need one more to finish my light setup for the bedroom.

I got one of the dimmer switches yesterday, absolutely brilliant

Proc · 10 Feb 2018 at 23:42

matt100 said:
Just a heads up.. most of the smartthings sensors are reduced at the moment.. they're supposed to be on 3 for 2 but several retailers have just gone with a straight 1/3 discount so you can get the movement sensors for £20

Cool will keep an eye out, managed to pick up a Smartthings hub from eBay so on the look out for sensors etc now.

howler · 5 Mar 2018 at 08:59

Anyone know where you can buy filament style smart bulbs:

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-m-li/choose-a-bulb/ledclassic

matt100 · 5 Mar 2018 at 09:58

howler said:
Anyone know where you can buy filament style smart bulbs:

https://www.philips.co.uk/c-m-li/choose-a-bulb/ledclassic

They're not hue lights. I've never seen smart filament bulbs.

howler · 5 Mar 2018 at 10:10

Ah what an idiot! I assumed because I saw them on the Philips site while googling that they were Hue!

What are my options for controlling a lamp that takes this sort of bulb? Presumably I need a smart plug of some kind to turn it on and off?

matt100 · 5 Mar 2018 at 10:15

yeah that'll be your only option, smart plugs and no dimming.

Or something like lightwaverf and smart light switches may give you access to dimming I think.

howler · 5 Mar 2018 at 10:23

Any advice on which smart plugs are best, I have google home as well

There seem to be so many on Amazon with quite mixed reviews

matt100 · 5 Mar 2018 at 13:49

Smartthings will work with both but are pricey, next down there's TP Link as big brands.. Given the savings for the smaller brands I guess I'd be tempted but a plug is not necessarily something you want to mess with

Salty22 · 6 Mar 2018 at 18:07

Driving me mad that the light strips havent had any price cuts, thats the last thing i want now

CapitalOne · 6 Mar 2018 at 18:44

howler said:
Any advice on which smart plugs are best, I have google home as well

There seem to be so many on Amazon with quite mixed reviews

I have energenie ones, quite reasonable price and work very well. You can also use thier eTRVs on the same hub and coupled with nest these are excellent.

matt100 · 6 Mar 2018 at 21:12

CapitalOne said:
I have energenie ones, quite reasonable price and work very well. You can also use thier eTRVs on the same hub and coupled with nest these are excellent.

Slightly off topic.. how do the trvs work with nest?

CapitalOne · 6 Mar 2018 at 22:12

matt100 said:
Slightly off topic.. how do the trvs work with nest?

You set them to “follow” the nest, so when you set nest to 20c the eTRVs follow suit. I don’t think it’s very tighly coupled and just matches the temp set. Our house is hotter upstairs than down and it works a treat.

HTH

matt100 · 7 Mar 2018 at 07:48

CapitalOne said:
You set them to “follow” the nest, so when you set nest to 20c the eTRVs follow suit. I don’t think it’s very tighly coupled and just matches the temp set. Our house is hotter upstairs than down and it works a treat.

HTH

So specific radiators turn themselves off when they get to the nests target temperature even if the nest isn't there itself?

CapitalOne · 7 Mar 2018 at 08:01

matt100 said:
So specific radiators turn themselves off when they get to the nests target temperature even if the nest isn't there itself?

Yes.

So my setup - I have eTRVs on 3 bedroom radiators upstairs which was always "hotter" than downstairs. Turn the Nest downstairs to 20c, and each eTRV winds itself up/down to a target of 20c. Downstairs takes longer to get to 20c, which previously meant upstairs got too toasty, now, as Nest downstairs winds up to 20c and upstairs reaches 20c earlier, all the eTRVs wind down to keep at 20c. Hope that makes sense!

ETA - obviously the heating has to be on for this to work, so it won't make a difference in the summer, I'm looking to get wifi controlled aircon for then.

matt100 · 7 Mar 2018 at 09:40

CapitalOne said:
Yes.

So my setup - I have eTRVs on 3 bedroom radiators upstairs which was always "hotter" than downstairs. Turn the Nest downstairs to 20c, and each eTRV winds itself up/down to a target of 20c. Downstairs takes longer to get to 20c, which previously meant upstairs got too toasty, now, as Nest downstairs winds up to 20c and upstairs reaches 20c earlier, all the eTRVs wind down to keep at 20c. Hope that makes sense!

ETA - obviously the heating has to be on for this to work, so it won't make a difference in the summer, I'm looking to get wifi controlled aircon for then.

Yikes.. that's exactly what I want (3 floor townhouse, Nest on bottom floor) and I was thinking I should have perhaps gone with Hive or Tado or something.. might have to invest here.

Typical I find out after winter just did its worst