Budget smart light test - do they actually work??

I’ve been using smart light bulbs for a little while now and my experiences have been varied. In this video I’ll show you the setup process for some GU10 LED smart bulbs and explain some of the problems we’ve run in to.

IMPORTANT UPDATE: I would recommend avoiding these TCP 'smart bulbs'. Since making this video most have stopped working. Sometimes they'll disconnect for no reason and can't be controlled at all. Resetting doesn't always work. I note that the app hasn't been updated since May 2023, which in itself is worrying.

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#lighting #lightingdesign #diyhomedecor

[GosforthHandyman]

IMPORTANT UPDATE: I would recommend avoiding these TCP 'smart bulbs'. Since making this video most have stopped working. Sometimes they'll disconnect for no reason and can't be controlled at all. Resetting doesn't always work. I note that the app hasn't been updated since May 2023, which in itself is worrying.

[Jax-]

Thanks for a very interesting video! I've resisted smart products in general as many of them appear to be solutions in search of a problem rather than something useful.

As an IT person myself I always think of the saying "Remember the S in IOT stands for security" (as in there is none 😢)

[johncoles]

Honestly, I have a lot of smart tech throughout our house but they require a good foundation. Having lots of devices connected to consumer/ISP grade wireless routers tends to yield poor results. Having bulbs controlled over the internet can also be a big issue (with latency, connection dropouts etc). Generally I would recommend something like Hue or another Zigbee based bulb so that it is separate to your IT infrastructure. For best results look to manage the wireless frequency to avoid interference.

[DarrenRBrown]

Brilliant video…

You do the stuff I’d love to do if I had the time / patience!

Well done - really!

[darrenjones]

I use Philips Hue and haven’t used a light switch for almost five years. Control and automation runs on the Hue Bridge, so no problems if internet access is lost. I’ve got motion sensors all round the house and have automation to do things like turn a light on if I get up late at night but set to dim red.

[RB-xgvz]

We’ve got the hive ones in a few rooms like the bedrooms, landing, front door, lounge…generally the pendant type ones we want to be able to dim, switch on/off remotely. 99% of the time they work perfectly.

[petercsontos]

Hi Andy, we've got Philips Hue smart bulbs at home and they just work very well, I can warm recommend it.

[TomBailey-oj]

Ikea smart bulbs are a really good option for a simple plug and play smart lighting setup. They have a physical controller which you can use to dim/change colour which doesn't rely on wifi, but if you want to get more complicated you can connect them to a wifi controller and control via app etc. PS love the channel Andy!

[andydriscoll]

My dad is an electrical engineer, and he always said it’s not a bulb, they go in the garden, that’s a lamp and it goes into a light fitting.

[WoodworkJourney]

As someone that has mobility issues we have smart bulbs in most rooms in and out of the house, and Google assistants in a number of rooms as well and they’re all extremely helpful.
I agree with other comments about the routers, I originally used TP Link bulbs and each one connected to the BT router which was problematic.
I’ve now installed a Philips Hue hub and run mostly INNR bulbs with that, although still got a few of the old ones and LED strips kicking about.
I think Google home devices have gone downhill so contemplating switching to Amazon, but otherwise we love having useful ‘smart home’ stuff - although I’d never trust it for locks! But our security cameras and more can all run on their own hubs (less stress on the router) as well as tie in with the whole system which is useful.

TL:DR - individual bulbs suck, but stuff running on its own hub can be very useful IMO

[ziqfriq]

I have installed a number of Philips Hue bulbs and dimmers, and have not in the least experienced the unreliability issues Gosforth Handyman did. I'd say they have been at least 99% reliable. Once in a while things are spotty but in general they behave exactly as dumb devices do: turn on the switch and the light turns on, operate the dimmer and the light dims, turn them off and they go off (no pulling breakers). In order to adjust things like color balance you have to go to the phone app (which I don't particularly like) but otherwise the devices just work. They use a Zigby network, not the Wi Fi directly. One bulb can "talk" to another and relay your commands without them all having to be near the router--or in this case, the "Hue Hub". I suspect the kits are quite a bit more expensive than what is shown here, but a lot cheaper than hiring an electrician.

My main motivation, like Gosforth Handyman, is to avoid old work wire pulling. I think the ability to adjust color temperature according to time of day, potentially improving sleep patterns, is nifty, though I haven't implemented it yet. I am not interested in colored lights for parties or houses of ill repute. I am even less interested in having my lights beat in time to music, or talking to some eavesdropping smart home hub to control the lights. I keep control local, no Internet. I'm under no delusion this is 100% secure but am willing to accept the risks for the benefits.

Honestly, if my experience were like this video, I would take out the bulbs, throw them away, install the switches and dimmers and pull the wires (then hire someone to patch up the walls because I'm not good at that kind of work).

[marksaddler]

Have I missed the projector 8:31 installation or has it not featured in a video yet?

[arnoldrimmer]

I know others will have mentioned this but home assistant with a zigbee network is probably best bet. Although the real power of home assistant is you can have a combination of WiFi / zigbee whatever else all integrated within a single system. All open source, all locally managed so don't have to worry about who has your data. I just bought a £70 low powered mini PC to run it all off.

I'm still pretty basic in my use but I've got lights that come on during sunset, sensors on my doors to know when people are coming and going, scenes for my living room dependent on what I'm doing. Plus temperature and humidity monitors scattered around for tracking heating effectiveness. It would be a great way to automate your co2 meter and extractors in the studio - could even build in levels of warning if co2 continues to rise (ie alarms, push notifications on phones etc).

One of the best products I've come across are candeo zigbee dimmer switches, look normal and turn your lights smart (although obviously can't change colours). Similarly sonoff zbmini2 extremes are incredible bits of kit that you can put behind existing light switches to make them smart - without needing a neutral or a battery. Still feels like magic.

[Tinker]

À perfect example of something I wouldn't dream of buying.

[vkrb]

There is 'smart' and 'too smart' !! I can't imagine them having a use in my house and I am perfectly happy to have changed everything to LED and if we want mood lighting we have candles!!

[KelamHB]

TL:DR: I bought smart GU10's 2 years ago, had issues at first, but upgraded my Wi-Fi to a Mesh and Now they work perfectly.

About 2 years ago I bought some Lepro GU10 bulbs from Amazon, 6 to be exact for the 6 spot lights in my bedroom.
My specific setup was to control them via google assistant and I can honestly say they were worth every penny!

Initially I had some terrible Wi-Fi pairing issues, but about 6 months later upgraded my wifi to a mesh network.
Since that upgrade I've not had any issues with input latency or random drop outs, which was an issue prior to the upgrade.

Taking that in-mind, before this Wi-Fi upgrade I had one BT Router, in a central location and that struggled.

Edit:-
Yes I installed a Mesh Network to cope with my copius amount of wifi devices, which now sits at around 30-40.
No i'm not suggesting you NEED a mesh network but if you get a good deal I'd recommend for just general use around the house.

[jakeii]

I've got some dim to warm bulbs from Elesi/Soho lighting, which work with a normal (LED) dimmer. They get warmer as they dim and that's it, no smart nonsense inbuilt and they work amazingly! Although no app/wifi control obviously.
I think the only way to go smart is with smart switches, I may go for some Lutron RA2 switches eventually myself as I've heard great things although quite pricey.

[browney]

I've had hue since 2017, around 30 bulbs and no complaints. I've got some other smart items that aren't big branded and they too have intermittent issues.

[ChrisLiss]

Hey Andy, first time commenting - love your videos btw. I use Kasa smart bulbs and plugs by TP link and they’re great, but I don’t think they have GU10’s in their range sadly.

[emrankhanlearnwithme]

When you turn the main switch off and on does it turn back on at full power or the last dimmed stage you had it at?