Need a little help starting "smart lighting"

[Volusia]

I am trying to find a starting point for making our home "smarter." I have two can lights over the fireplace that provides the primary illumination for the living room. Expect to get a Home Pod in the near future. I have been looking at Lutron smart dimmer switch conversion kit. Will it work with the existing bulbs? And, if I understand it correctly, I would not need a hub with this type of system.

Appreciate any direction you can provide.

 

[aristobrat]

Do you have a link for the specific dimmer you're looking at? A quick Google search and everything I came up with did need a hub, but I could have missed something new.

If the bulbs current in your can are dimmable, you shouldn't need to replace them.

 

[TrueBlou]

If you mean the Lutron P-BDG-PKG2W smart dimmer kit then everything you need, including the hub is in the box and it will work with your existing bulbs.

 

[Volusia]

Actually, I was looking at this one: https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wirel...pID=41-FxdKpbGL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Currently have a dual switch configuration with a dimmer on one switch and just a regular switch at the other position. If I understand correctly, I can just loop the second switch and replace the other switch with the lutron switch.

 

[TrueBlou]

Yeah that’s basically it and the kit you’re looking at also has everything you need in the box.

One piece of advice I’d give you for the future though. If you ever install a smart bulb, those don’t like being paired up with traditional dimmer switches. They can behave quite erratically. Indeed if you were to dim a smart bulb with a normal dimmer switch it would probably just switch off if you dimmed it enough.

But that’s just a tip for the future as I say. For now as you’re going the route of replacing switches instead of bulbs you’re fine. I’m sure you’ll love it, there’s nothing quite like getting the lighting level just right, without having to get up from the sofa just after you’ve gotten yourself comfy

 

[cyb3rdud3]

I'd forget about those switches and just get a Philips Hue starter pack. That is your two lights sorted

 

[sargein]

Lutron HomeKit switches work great. Highly recommended! I much prefer them over Philips Hue Lights..