Hue compatible LED strips - Dimmer control? Advice?

Posted on
Thu Apr 18, 2019 10:01 pm
eightball offline
Posts: 49
Joined: Oct 17, 2011

Hue compatible LED strips - Dimmer control? Advice?

Okay, here's my scoop:

1. Using a bunch of Osram Tunable White LED strips as both under cabinet and cove lighting in my kitchen.
2. Controlling with a couple of Dresden Elektronik - Phoscon FLS-CT lp - which are Hue compatible.
3. Have a Insteon Dimmer 'system' I pulled from our old place.

I did a sort of 'proof of concept' of this idea in the fall and was able to control the Dresden Elektronik modules in Indigo via a Hue Bridge. I anticipate that I'll build a couple of kitchen scenes that deal with the color temp/brightness of these strips. I don't really like how clunky the color temp. in-wall dimmers are so I'm not going that route but I still want to have some kind of "light switch/dimmer" for these.

Here's my question:

4. What's the best in-wall "dimmer" to control a hue compatible light? I say "dimmer" because this is really only a trigger. The dimming is being handled by Dresden units so this is really just a wall trigger, right? What are people using?

Again, not concerned with controlling color temp from these just on/off and brightness.

I'm going to need a few separate zones of control. My fallback is just to link this to a 6 - button insteon but wondering if there's something better out there.

Any suggestions? (also if this isn't clear - feel free to ask questions)

Thanks in advance for any guidance,

Anthony

Posted on
Thu Apr 18, 2019 11:10 pm
nsheldon offline
Posts: 2469
Joined: Aug 09, 2010
Location: CA

Re: Hue compatible LED strips - Dimmer control? Advice?

Hi Anthony.

I only have experience with INSTEON dimmers and the Hue Dimmer switch, so my suggestion may not be the best, but it seems to me that the INSTEON dimmer switches like the 6 and 8 button ones are some of the most flexible controller options out there. In combination with my free Dimmer Extender plugin, which allows you to create triggers in Indigo for INSTEON start dim, stop dim, start brighten and stop brighten messages, you could trigger Hue Lights plugin Start/Stop Brightening and Start/Stop Dimming actions for your Dresden modules. When I had INSTEON dimmers (I don’t now as I left them in place when we sold the last house), this is what I did. Being able to order custom etched button kits for the 6 and 8 button dimmers from Smarthome also gave the INSTEON dimmers a more high end look than simply sticking printed labels on top of switch buttons.

Having said that, the Hue Dimmer switch might be a decent alternative. Not as many options as a 6 or 8 button Dimmer, but you can still trigger events based on singe-tap and button hold events for each of the 4 Hue Dimmer buttons through the Hue Lights plugin.

Posted on
Fri Apr 19, 2019 6:37 pm
eightball offline
Posts: 49
Joined: Oct 17, 2011

Re: Hue compatible LED strips - Dimmer control? Advice?

Thank you. (I'm always amazed at how quickly (and thoroughly) you respond)

Since I have the insteons I'll probably start there. Good to hear about the Dimmer Extender plugin - I'll look up the info and read some posts on that.

Once I get stuff installed I'll likely be back with more specific questions/problems.

Cheers!

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