Since my Wyze bulbs can’t seem to sync up correctly via the HACS add-on (even with the latest update it still can’t sync the color), I decided to replace them with Sengled Zigbee color bulbs. I got the ConBee II and added the Zigbee Home Automation add-on and everything works great with my wired lamps.
However, with the recessed ceiling bulb sockets that are controlled with light switches, everything works great after initial setup. But once the switch is turned off then things get screwy.
Both the HA and Alexa apps see the switched Sengled bulb, but can’t control it. IOW, I can’t change the color, brightness, or turn off/on the bulb. It still sees it (it’s not “unavailable”) and can sometimes determine the state (but infrequently). Additionally, if I change the settings in the Alexa app (off/on state, color, brightness), after a second or two it changes it back to what it was.
It just seems like the Sengled bulbs (unlike my Wyze bulbs) can’t handle the power disconnect from the switch very well.
Has anyone else encountered this issue? Is this just an issue with these bulbs or is there a workaround?
Zigbee bulbs, and smart bulbs in general are designed to not have the power cut. Full stop.
In some cases you even cause issues in your network by doing so. (kill power to a device repeating for others…). In some even rarer cases I’ve seen the bulbs stop working at all.
Funny enough Sengled specifically designed thier bulbs to Not act as repeaters because people were turning them off and hosing the zigbee repeater mesh… So you won’t kill your repeaters, but the bulbs may act squirrely when they come back if they aren’t able to reconnect to the coordinator when they come back.
If you are cutting power to them and restoring, who knows what your experience will be. I only use smart bulbs where I can maintain power to a fixture. Otherwise I use a smart switch instead.
Look for a switch that can operate in ‘smart bulb mode’ (if you are in the US, Innovelli and Zooz both have devices that do this) and can be set up NOT to cut the power for the load when the toggle is switched. Then you use automation to respond to the buttons and operate your bulb of choice.
If you can’t find one that supports ‘smart bulb mode’ you can take just about any smart switch and wire it so the hot jumps across to feed the load and skips over the switch. Essentially making the switch operate as if it had a smart bulb mode. (note this is not legal in some jurisdictions)
Option three is get a bulb that operates with a remote battery operated switch replacement such as Hue…
My installation of choice if I MUST have color bulbs is smart switch in smart bulb mode. Then group all the bulbs I want to assign to the switch and setup automations to run that light group from the switch.