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

allybhoy

Ok, so kit arrived yday, all my fittings were B22's and the pack i purchased were E27's, so flew out to Ikea after work and purchased a few packs of converters, also purchased a large floor lamp whilst there, set up the sitting room using two bulbs in the main fixtures and the newly purchased floor lamp and also set the lightstrip behind the couch. Setup took a matter of minutes, there was a few updates to install but it was extremely simple and intuitive, set the standard app up on tablet and mine and the wife's phone and had a good play around with it. Also downloaded a few other apps and had a brief look but couldnt find anythin amazing. Apps i tried were Huemote \ ambee\ lightdj\ onswitch\yeti. If anyone knows of any decent apps, preferably free, id be grateful if you could share.

Surprisingly, my OH absolutely loved it, i thought she might think it was a bit of faffing about and unnecessary but once i gave her a brief overview and explanation she was playing around with scenes for ages. We have only done the sitting room at the moment, but she was already talking about kitting out the bedroom next...and then the kitchen.

One thing i was worried about was what happens when the kids come down in the morning on their own and the lights are on at the physical switch but off on the app, but a cool feature is that when you turn the physical switch off and back on it comes on as a standard bulb which is very handy.

Had a small play around with Siri \ Google Assistant but not a huge amount. ill have a better play around with this at the weekend as the kids love Siri for some reason so id say they will knock a bit of craic out of it.

Also, we just set the 2m lightstrip up temporarily, but i dont think the light emmited from it is particularly strong or perhaps its in the wrong place. We moved the couch out from the the wall by a foot or so and just set it down behind it, there is a large bay window above the couch and i think there might be a bit of light bleed from the window even at night time with the blinds down, but yeh, i think ill need to move this to get the best illumination. Ive seen vids on youtube were guys mount them in the celiing with trunking etc but im not sure about that.

AndyBoBandy

allybhoy wrote: »

One thing i was worried about was what happens when the kids come down in the morning on their own and the lights are on at the physical switch but off on the app

You can add sensors to the set up to deal with this (or Hue Dimmer Switches)

I've a sensor in my kitchen, and as soon as I turn at the bottom of the stairs in my hallway (24 feet away from the sensor), it picks up the movement and turns on the kitchen lights (2 light strips & 10 GU 10 colours).

Welcome to the Hue club.

irelandrover

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

You can add sensors to the set up to deal with this (or Hue Dimmer Switches)

I've a sensor in my kitchen, and as soon as I turn at the bottom of the stairs in my hallway (24 feet away from the sensor), it picks up the movement and turns on the kitchen lights (2 light strips & 10 GU 10 colours).

Welcome to the Hue club.

If you start adding sensors to the system you'll be hooked forever.

They are the best thing about the Hue system for me.

AndyBoBandy

irelandrover wrote: »

If you start adding sensors to the system you'll be hooked forever.

it's got me, Hook, Line & Sinker

35 bulbs
6 Dimmers
2 Sensors

:D:D

irelandrover

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

it's got me, Hook, Line & Sinker

35 bulbs
6 Dimmers
2 Sensors

:D:D

only 2 sensors?
I have
14 bulbs, 2 light strips, 1 go, 1 aura.
and i have 4 sensors

AndyBoBandy

of my 37 bulbs (I keep losing count), they consist of 2 light strips (1 with 3off 1m extensions), 6 white only bulbs, 1 Lux bulb (original white only), 9 colour bulbs (mixture of E27 & B22), 2 White Ambiance B22's, 4 White Ambiance GU10's, 10 Colour GU10's, 1 Bloom

I've about 4 spare white only's, and a spare light strip with 4off 1m extensions!

allybhoy

I presume the sensors require an outlet for power?

irelandrover

allybhoy wrote: »

I presume the sensors require an outlet for power?

no, they are battery powered. They added functionality to them recently. The one in my living room measures the light and turns on teh lights when it dips below a certain level.

AndyBoBandy

Same with the dimmer switch, Philips reckon the battery will last 2 years with regular usage (I've some installed well over a year now and they all still work fine)

AlC74

Hi Guys,

I recently purchased some Hue kit which I'll be setting up in the next week or two. One thing I'd like to do is replace the ceiling lights in the living room with colour bulbs, probably E14 or GU10 but I'm having trouble finding a fitting that I know will definitely fit the bulbs. I was looking at this on Amazon (product: B01J88QBO8, can't post a link) but it looks like the candle bulbs would extend beyond the shade.

Anyone any suggestions for a nice modern ceiling fitting that they know would work ok with colour E14 or GU10 or any tips for buying one with confidence that the bulbs will fit short of going in to a shop and trying a bulb?

Thanks
Al

AndyBoBandy

AlC74 wrote: »

Anyone any suggestions for a nice modern ceiling fitting that they know would work ok with colour E14 or GU10 or any tips for buying one with confidence that the bulbs will fit short of going in to a shop and trying a bulb?

Any fitting that says its GU10 or E14 will do (only thing to watch is for GU10 fittings that are clclosed and have a retaining ring to hold in the bulb as the colour GU10's are slightly bigger than regular GU10's

AlC74

Thanks Andy. Are the colour E14 bulbs not longer than usual? I don't want them extending past the shade in the fitting I linked to.

Al

AndyBoBandy

AlC74 wrote: »

Thanks Andy. Are the colour E14 bulbs not longer than usual? I don't want them extending past the shade in the fitting I linked to.

Al

I haven't had hands on a Hue E14 bulb yet, but they look quite similar,

Here it is next to an E27 Hue bulb (it's actually quite big)

AlC74

Ok, cool. Might give it a try so. Cheers

AndyBoBandy

Some super deals on Amazon Prime right now

Starter kits -£90
Single colour bulb - £22.50
Sensor - £17.50

TitianGerm

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

Some super deals on Amazon Prime right now

Starter kits -£90
Single colour bulb - £22.50
Sensor - £17.50

GU10 double pack £26 as well.

I tempted to pick up two sensors.

Optimus Prime

You can only buy one of each from what i can see

uck51js9zml2yt

I bought a new lamp recently and its the smaller narrow bulbs with the pointy top. Upshot is the standard connection is too wide.

Edit:

Just checked....they are candle bulbs

Any suggestions??

Cabaal

Picked up a sensor, idea is to control bathroom or landing or both with it,
One I have in the utility room is seriously useful

Would have picked up the spots only for my hallway lights aren't GU10...stupid person that installed them!

AndyBoBandy

Cabaal wrote: »

Picked up a sensor, idea is to control bathroom or landing or both with it,
One I have in the utility room is seriously useful

Would have picked up the spots only for my hallway lights aren't GU10...stupid person that installed them!

I have 2 sensors already, sent really know where I'd put a 3rd one, but for that price, I'll happily let it sit in its box in my cupboard until I find a use for it!

AndyBoBandy

emmetkenny wrote: »

GU10 double pack £26 as well.

They are the White Ambiance GU10's, of which I have 4 on my landing, and they are very good

TitianGerm

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

They are the White Ambiance GU10's, of which I have 4 on my landing, and they are very good

I need five for my kitchen but they are a bit expensive to get before the deal. I wish I could buy three packs at the sale price :pac:

AndyBoBandy

Just ordered a sensor, B22 colour bulb, and a twin pack GU10 white ambiance bulbs.

The colour bulb will replace one of the 2 remaining white ambiance bulbs I have in the centre lights in the master bedroom & the living room.

The GU10's might be the first 2 of 6 required to replace standard LED GU10's in the attic.

The sensor, I'm sure I'll find a good home for it, maybe a bathroom.

AndyBoBandy

emmetkenny wrote: »

I need five for my kitchen but they are a bit expensive to get before the deal. I wish I could buy three packs at the sale price :pac:

get 2 and hold on to them, and just keep an eye on the price on Amazon.

AndyBoBandy

Optimus Prime wrote: »

You can only buy one of each from what i can see

which is a pity, as I have not much desire to put 6 Hue GU10's in my attic, which is only a guest room, but if I could buy 3 twin packs at that price, I'd have snapped them up, instead I've only got 2 and I don't know where I'm going to put them!

TitianGerm

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

get 2 and hold on to them, and just keep an eye on the price on Amazon.

I have them in my basket

AndyBoBandy

emmetkenny wrote: »

I have them in my basket

I've just ordered 2, and have no idea where to put them!

Uriel.

I bought 3 colour gu10s recently and unfortunately they don't fit into the fixing... They recess is not deep enough and they stick down.... Grrr.

But there's plenty of options in this sale... Pity I'm broke....

AndyBoBandy

Uriel. wrote: »

I bought 3 colour gu10s recently and unfortunately they don't fit into the fixing... They recess is not deep enough and they stick down.... Grrr.

You could always change the fittings to allow them to fit.

There is a type of GU10 fitting where the holder and the electrical connection are 2 different parts, independent from each other. and the space for the bulb is only limited by the amount of space between the ceiling, and the floor above it, which in 99.99999% of situations should be more than adequate

I'm guessing you have something like this, where the space is limited, and a Hue GU10 colour won't fit. A Hue GU10 White
Ambiance will fit though as they are identical in size to regular GU10 bulbs

TitianGerm

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

I've just ordered 2, and have no idea where to put them!

I've two Amazon account so I've four and two sensors. Also have a Canary Cam but not sure if I'll bite on that