Hey everyone, I’m at my wits’ end trying to find a solution for my lighting situation. So, I have a room with five ceiling lights controlled by a single switch. We recently divided the room, and now I need to control three lights on one side separately from the two on the other. Unfortunately, rewiring isn’t an option for me. What I want to do is keep the lighting circuit always on and control it with two smart switches that don’t look out of place (something like normal rocker switches that you’d find in any home so that guests won’t have a hard time using them). It’s been tough finding a switch that pairs directly with individual bulbs without needing a hardwired switch on the circuit, which would control all five lights. The closest I’ve come across is the RunLessWire Hue Click, but I don’t own any Hue products. Ideally, I’d find a nice battery-powered WiFi switch that can work with two or three smart bulbs within Apple Homekit. Does anyone have suggestions or recommendations?
Just a thought, but if you’re investing to split a room into two, why not invest a bit in getting the lighting right? It seems like you’re trying to avoid the fundamental task of properly setting up your lighting.
@Brendan
I have to agree here, it seems like a temporary fix to a permanent problem. There’s usually a way to adjust the wiring without a major overhaul.
@Brendan
It’s my own home and I’ve decided it’s not worth tearing into the walls. I was hoping for a simpler tech solution, hence why I’m asking here in the forum.
Charlie said:
@Brendan
It’s my own home and I’ve decided it’s not worth tearing into the walls. I was hoping for a simpler tech solution, hence why I’m asking here in the forum.
I get that, but sometimes the right way is the straightforward way. Maybe consider just getting it over with and hiring an electrician to properly separate the circuits?
@Brendan
The construction is finished, the walls are sealed, and I’m really not up for tearing them open again. I installed all the new wiring myself for the new wall, including outlets. The lights are connected in a way that doesn’t lend itself easily to splitting without significant disruption. I was really hoping someone here might know of a smart solution that doesn’t involve more drywall work.
@Charlie
It sounds like you’re setting yourself up for more trouble down the line by looking for a workaround. Smart home tech is great, but it’s not a miracle fix for fundamental issues like this.
Brendan said:
@Charlie
It sounds like you’re setting yourself up for more trouble down the line by looking for a workaround. Smart home tech is great, but it’s not a miracle fix for fundamental issues like this.
We’ll see. I still think there’s a smart solution out there.
@Charlie
Well, good luck. You’ve got some exploring to do. Just be ready for the possibility that you might end up needing to do things the hard way after all.
Brendan said:
@Charlie
Well, good luck. You’ve got some exploring to do. Just be ready for the possibility that you might end up needing to do things the hard way after all.
I appreciate the input, but let’s stick to helping find a smart tech solution, which was the point of my post.
@Charlie
Fair enough. If I come across something that fits your needs, I’ll be sure to let you know.
Brendan said:
@Charlie
Fair enough. If I come across something that fits your needs, I’ll be sure to let you know.
Thanks, that’s all I’m asking for.
ruthjohn said:
@Charlie
You might be overlooking simple solutions like ZigBee remotes that can control smart bulbs and don’t require much power.
That’s an interesting option, I’ll look into ZigBee. Thanks!
Chart said:
Zooz switches could be what you’re looking for. They act as scene controllers and can be paired with smart bulbs to manage different lighting areas separately.
Zooz switches look promising, thanks for the tip! Looks like they might give me the flexibility I need.
You could go with Phillips Hue bulbs for each group of lights and control them with a battery-powered switch. Here are some links to get you started.
Devon said:
You could go with Phillips Hue bulbs for each group of lights and control them with a battery-powered switch. Here are some links to get you started.
Hue bulbs are great but consider the cost. You might find cheaper options like Ikea’s smart lighting solutions, which are also quite good.
@Willa
Good point on the cost. I’ll compare Hue and Ikea before making a decision.
If you’re open to different tech, consider setting up the switch to always stay on and use micro modules for each light, controlled by a keypad. Not the cheapest, but very effective.
Oscar said:
If you’re open to different tech, consider setting up the switch to always stay on and use micro modules for each light, controlled by a keypad. Not the cheapest, but very effective.
Looking for something simpler, but I appreciate the detailed suggestion!
Sounds like you want to bypass traditional wiring entirely. Have you considered smart bulbs with scene capabilities? You could set them up so each group operates independently through an app or a smart home system.