Smart Light Suggestions

[Spinny]

Anyone got any experience or suggestions regarding smart light brands and smart downlights ?

Need to finalise and buy for our open plan room. Ideally zigbee or zwave but willing to look at wifi. Dimming for sure, CCT, good lumen output.

[Kelvin]

This isn’t answering your question but do you really need the individual downlights to be smart rather than just the lighting circuits? (Assuming that’s what you mean) You’ll likely control the lights a less than you think once setup and automated. 

 

Our lights are mostly controlled centrally in Loxone. For the downlights in the open area 4 x 4 grid) they are organised as 4 separate lighting circuits all mains dimmable (I use three dimming settings - fully bright, 60%, and a nightlight setting) For all the other downlights  they are just by room. I chose different colour temperatures to suit the room the downlights were in so warmer for the living area, cooler for the utility room etc. Where I needed more individual control I just used Philips Hue bulbs largely because I already had a shedload of them so wanted to re-use them. I have track lighting in the TV Room which is also where my desk is so the lights directly above my desk are Hue GU10 bulbs so that I can vary the brightness and colour temperature. All of the external lights are Hue bulbs on four separate lighting circuits per house elevation. It’s slightly less elegant to use in Loxone as you need to use Loxone and the Hue app but it’s all automated now so I never need to really use either app. I assume you’re using Home Assistant so it’s very easy with that. 
 

My garage/workshop isn’t part of the Loxone system directly (it is through Matter in a limited way) I used Shelly relays to switch the lights and various door sensors and motion sensors I already had controlled by Home Assistant with an SMLight POE ZigBee coordinator (highly recommended) 

[Spinny]

I agree Kelvin and have had extra lighting circuits and deep or double back boxes put in at the switches for relays. That is why I am looking for ceiling downlights that...

(a) Are dimmable or take dimmable GU10 bulbs

(b) offer a high lumen output - i.e. more than the 350-400lm a lot of GU10 and smart bulbs or smart downlights seem to offer - my ceilings are 2.62m high and with age there are times when bright lighting is welcome for tasks - and with dimming you can then chose any level downwards as desired

(c) Offer some form of CCT as per the usual higher kelvin in the day and lower kelvin in the evening pattern, and for temp control to match other lights in the same area. Smart CCT control seems ideal, physical CCT switches behind the ceiling, or swapping bulb temperatures much less so

(d) Baffling seems desirable to reduce glare, but then in some areas a wider angle of light to give general lighting.

(e) Plaster in lights look contemporary and we have put some baffled GU10 ones in one room already, but high lumen GU10 bulbs with CCT don't seem to be on the market.

(f) Adjustable (tiltable or scoop downlights) needed for some areas for flexibility and highlighting pictures

 

Many people seem to just plonk in an array of off-the-shelf cheap fixed downlights, but when you start looking at lumens, CRI, beam angles, plaster in, adjustable - and then want smart too, it seems to get more difficult.

Edited Sunday at 11:05 by Spinny

[Kelvin]

In the TV Room I use GU10 bulbs that have an adjustable beam angle. They push in and out to vary it between 24° and 35°. Works to light up the pictures on the wall or spread the light cone. The GU10 bulbs are from Aurora, Megaman, and Philips (master series for what it’s worth), all dimmable and vary in light output from 375lm to 459lm. Where I needed varying colour temperature I used Hue GU10 bulbs (400lm) The rooms are more than bright enough on full and I wouldn’t want them any brighter. I only use full brightness when cleaning the floor anyway. 
 

I found lighting the vaulted living room the hardest to do. 

 

The companies I used for lighting were:
 

https://www.modernlightingsolutions.co.uk

 

https://www.ultraleds.co.uk
 

https://www.glowlighting.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20623605482&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20623605482&gbraid=0AAAAADMrSi0wTm1hTjB0kA1sFDeRRKaJw&gclid=CjwKCAjwz5nGBhBBEiwA-W6XRM_PagthUXkyDr8xPOi_Y1E1TsdTXHUzQ0G8R3tU3y8w-_C4TFembBoCCDoQAvD_BwE
 

https://lumierehome.co.uk

 

https://www.keslighting.co.uk/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16298962484&gbraid=0AAAAADN3H7k_VqROvR-bGEh6G4Z76MlNP&gclid=CjwKCAjwz5nGBhBBEiwA-W6XRJXLAmzia9r7xxMAf0jjNpmxQ-vCoFDCmvWqOQRyT_13CjFqn-qTxRoCxmgQAvD_BwE

https://www.ledbulbs.co.uk

 

 

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/?ad_position=&source=adwords-tlc&ad_id=388450449108&placement=&kw=tlc direct&network=g&matchtype=p&ad_type=&test=finalurl&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=207957677&gbraid=0AAAAAD-6GhluCawCTTUukum8zze2yKu6D&gclid=CjwKCAjwz5nGBhBBEiwA-W6XRNAE7eF6h5IZFyJPI3vuaAQgG3Rm1IoL72AsGwlnjB3jxeKlzUXltBoC_B8QAvD_BwE

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

Edited Sunday at 12:17 by Kelvin

[Mike]

Based on a suggestion by @Carrerahill from a couple of years ago, I've bought Tridonic GU10 modules (700lm, CRI 92, choice of 12° / 24° / 36° beam angles & 2700K / 3000K / 4000K temperatures) and Faro Fresh downlighters (plaster-in, adjustable angle, anti-glare recessed bulb position). Tridonic do more powerful modules (up to 1,500lm) but, from testing, the 700lm model is more than adequate for me.

 

However they're not smart - they'll be controlled by dimmers (with a set switch-on-brightness + manual dim or brighten); 2 separate circuits in the living room so far but I may divide one to make 3.

 

You also don't get dim-to-warm. That's not a problem for me as I don't like warm lighting (except in an old cottage); 4000K on a dimmer is my ideal.

 

Edited Sunday at 12:11 by Mike