Philips Hue WiFi lighting set up - what do you have?

AndyBoBandy

Pictures,.....

copacetic

Waiting on a couple of GO units myself, and picked up a bulb which is a kind of interesting sub set of hue white features. Click it on and off to set different light levels. A bit like hue tap with a normal light switch and cheap bulb. Potentially nice for some applications

Orion

Stoner wrote: »

But they have the power and the feet on the same side.

If you unplug it and have it working from batteries, the light stands up properly on the moulded side feet. The power lead is in the middle of these two feet and won't let the lamp stand probably on its side when plugged in

I have the power lead angled so it's standing on the feet and the cable goes behind it - works out fine.

davo2001

Got a notification from amazon for £10 of any qualifying order of £50 or more for today only. Applies for items dispatched and sold by amazon only.

Use the code "BIGTHANKS" in the gift cards and promotional discounts at checkout.

This would reduce the starter pack to £140.

Cabaal

davo2001 wrote: »

Got a notification from amazon for £10 of any qualifying order of £50 or more for today only. Applies for items dispatched and sold by amazon only.

Use the code "BIGTHANKS" in the gift cards and promotional discounts at checkout.

This would reduce the starter pack to £140.

Feck it, bought myself a go.
It'll be used for something

phantom_lord

Bought B22 bulbs, and then realised the sockets are B15, can't seem to find that specific adapter anywhere? Anyone know if I can get one? None on ebay or Amazon, may have to just return the bulbs on amazon and get E22 Bulbs.

BoardsMember

Optimus Prime wrote: »

To be honest i didnt even know you could turn it on by touch!

Do you mean the on/off button on the bottom?

Optimus Prime wrote: »

3 Hours i think it is ? i haven't tested it myself yet, personally i love it, it throws out great light. its better than the blooms for sure.

Yeah, 2-3 hours.

Some posted hereabouts that the brightness is reduced by a certain percentage when running off battery, but I have not noticed that.

How do you turn on/off by touch? Do you mean the button on the back of it

Cabaal

phantom_lord wrote: »

Bought B22 bulbs, and then realised the sockets are B15, can't seem to find that specific adapter anywhere? Anyone know if I can get one? None on ebay or Amazon, may have to just return the bulbs on amazon and get E22 Bulbs.

Amazon.de seem to have some
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lamp-Socket-Adapter-Converter-Bayonet/dp/B00IYJ89G6/

[edit]
Nevermind, the picture seems to be B15 to B22 but the description is not

Dr_Colossus

davo2001 wrote: »

Got a notification from amazon for £10 of any qualifying order of £50 or more for today only. Applies for items dispatched and sold by amazon only.

Use the code "BIGTHANKS" in the gift cards and promotional discounts at checkout.

This would reduce the starter pack to £140.

Thanks, thinking of getting a starter kit for the past few weeks but £140 is still not enticing me. What do they normally sell for when on sale? Not in any rush to purchase so will hold out for better.

davo2001

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Thanks, thinking of getting a starter kit for the past few weeks but £140 is still not enticing me. What do they normally sell for when on sale? Not in any rush to purchase so will hold out for better.

The lowest it's been according to camelcamel is €132.

http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Philips-Ambiance-Wireless-Lighting-Starter/product/B01K1WP7Z4

EDIT, Sorry, that's the E27 starter kit.

The B22 doesn't look like it's ever been reduced on amazon.co.uk anyways.

http://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/Philips-Ambiance-Wireless-Lighting-Bayonet/product/B01LF9G9HC

noel100

125sterling on bt shop
http://m.shop.bt.com/category/networking,smart-home,lighting/11315#Paging

Optimus Prime

The go was 47 sterling two days ago, it's been like that for two weeks. Pity it went back up the day this 10 off came out. Might go back down again tomorrow!

AndyBoBandy

Optimus Prime wrote: »

The go was 47 sterling two days ago, it's been like that for two weeks. Pity it went back up the day this 10 off came out. Might go back down again tomorrow!

It's a sign from the gods telling me I don't need one!!

Optimus Prime

Andy i cant believe you dont have one! they are great, honestly, ive a fair bit of hue stuff now in nearly all my rooms including two blooms and the light strips and these are really worth it. the light off them is great. dont kid yourself... its only a matter of time ... haha..

AndyBoBandy

I'm sure I'll eventually get one, but theres literally nowhere I could put one without it being very obvious!! which I just don't want/need at the moment, all my hue lights are either hidden, or in regular light fittings/shades, and thats the way I like it.
my bloom is behind the TV in the master bedroom, and it throws out more than enough light.

Also, the fact its got a battery has no interest to me at all, I could have one, and it could remain plugged in for 2 years before I decided to unplug it and use it portable, by which point the battery could be useless (surely it cant be good to have a rechargeable battery plugged in for months/years before you actually decide to use the battery?)

Optimus Prime

I was thinking id never use it unplugged either to be honest, but since i got it ive had it on the mantle over the fire in the sitting room and on the table when eating dinner. its pretty cool, the main reason im happy with it though is the amount of light it throws out compared to a bloom.

bk

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Also, the fact its got a battery has no interest to me at all, I could have one, and it could remain plugged in for 2 years before I decided to unplug it and use it portable, by which point the battery could be useless (surely it cant be good to have a rechargeable battery plugged in for months/years before you actually decide to use the battery?)

Most well designed electronics will stop charging the battery when full and bypass it when running.

Can't say if this is well designed or not, but I'd assume it is.

Stoner

bk wrote:

Most well designed electronics will stop charging the battery when full and bypass it when running.

I'd imagine that this would simply copy how an emergency light operates, it's only charging when the load on the battery indicates it needs it,

garion

davo2001 wrote: »

Yeah i have it set to the max but struggle to get anything past 12ft.

I've another one on the way so i can use that as a comparison i guess.

I just installed my first sensor on the upstairs hall and it's only getting about 6 ft when over a doorway at the end of the hall! I've now positioned it on the ceiling pointing down in the middle of the hall and it gets about 5 ft each side of it (so approx 10 ft. in total) - still not as good as I thought and nowhere near 16ft+.

Any tips for increasing the range? Any Hue apps that (somehow) show you the optimum placement for the area it's placed in?

Might need to invest in another sensor for the other end of the landing!

garion

I just installed 4 GU10's in the hallway in a section that has 5 spots in total. I obviously don't want to have a single light on constantly so I've disconnected the GU10 bulb that's current in it and pushed the connector up into the ceiling.

Is there any problem with leaving a GU10 connector "unconnected" in the ceiling? If the switch is on full time, will the unconnected light be a fire hazard if it's not connected to a bulb or does any current pass through it if a bulb isn't connected to it?

Sorry if this is a really stupid question by the way, I'm not one for electrics and just want to be on the safe side.

AndyBoBandy

garion wrote: »

I just installed 4 GU10's in the hallway in a section that has 5 spots in total. I obviously don't want to have a single light on constantly so I've disconnected the GU10 bulb that's current in it and pushed the connector up into the ceiling.

Is there any problem with leaving a GU10 connector "unconnected" in the ceiling? If the switch is on full time, will the unconnected light be a fire hazard if it's not connected to a bulb or does any current pass through it if a bulb isn't connected to it?

Sorry if this is a really stupid question by the way, I'm not one for electrics and just want to be on the safe side.

If it was installed correctly, there should be no issues at all, no electricity will be flowing, so nothing should get warm

AndyBoBandy

You can set the sensitivity of the sensor in the Hue app.

mine picks up movement at 24 feet (I just measured it). its in the kitchen above the back door, pointing towards the kitchen to hallway door and into the hallway, when I go down stairs and swing around the stairs into the hallway it turns on the lights (24 feet away from the sensor (probably 25 feet when you factor in the elevation of the sensor)).

It must be the sensitivity setting!

garion

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

You can set the sensitivity of the sensor in the Hue app.

mine picks up movement at 24 feet (I just measured it). its in the kitchen above the back door, pointing towards the kitchen to hallway door and into the hallway, when I go down stairs and swing around the stairs into the hallway it turns on the lights (24 feet away from the sensor (probably 25 feet when you factor in the elevation of the sensor)).

It must be the sensitivity setting!

Yeah I thought that too but sensitivity is definitely set to high. I'll play around with it again tomorrow by increasing the angle etc.

Bored Accountant

I have to say I regret the day I found this thread. I've just wanted to go mad on amazon since. I've already planned where I want to place a bunch of light strips around the house.
But, I went small to start off and just ordered a Hue White Starter Kit with 2 E27 & Bridge and also a dimming kit with one blub.

I just couldn't justify going for the colour bulbs (yet). The OH would kill me if she what I was spending on these (just in new house & planning a wedding so probably meant to be saving!!). She also hates technology so I just need to drip feed these into the the house and get her used to using them.

AndyBoBandy

Bored Accountant wrote: »

But, I went small to start off

We all started off small!

irelandrover

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

We all started off small!

We are remodelling the attic into a bedroom. My wife suggested that we should just go with Hue bulbs straight away. So now i actually have permission to go shopping for Hue products.

It'll feel weird not having to sneak them into the house.

jones

I'd love to do the whole house in the Hue's. The white ambience are amazing i couldn't justify them all over the house though (i have the upstairs landing decked out in them)

Bored Accountant

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

We all started off small!

Ha I know and thats the problem. My plans keep growing every day. What are the bulbs like for outdoors or would it just depend on the casing they are in?

I was thinking that I could put a sensor at the front gate and when somebody is driving in lights could turn on up along every couple of seconds to light up the way, and then turn off when they brake a sensor at the top of the drive and then lights at the house come on.
My drive is only about 30 meters so completely overkill but still would be cool. Although the dog would probably ruin it running around outside.

AndyBoBandy

Bored Accountant wrote: »

Ha I know and thats the problem. My plans keep growing every day. What are the bulbs like for outdoors or would it just depend on the casing they are in?

I was thinking that I could put a sensor at the front gate and when somebody is driving in lights could turn on up along every couple of seconds to light up the way, and then turn off when they brake a sensor at the top of the drive and then lights at the house come on.
My drive is only about 30 meters so completely overkill but still would be cool. Although the dog would probably ruin it running around outside.

I've a white bulb outside in a porch light, and it works fine, though it's full of cobwebs now, it's survived about a year in the elements,

I'm not sure how a sensor would fare, it would need to be protected I'd say

paulbok

Does anyone find the white light out of the colour gu10's not that great?

Have 3 in my kitchen on a central ceiling lamp and even though they are positioned to point at the counters, I find the light poor enough and am relying on the kitchen counter lightstrip when doing anything of note at night time.
Possibly need an additional bulb but would have expected 3 to be enough as it is not a big kitchen (3.2 x 3.7M & low ceiling))