Hi everyone! I recently upgraded my home lighting to a smart system on a budget and wanted to share the steps:
Choose affordable smart bulbs: Brands like Wyze or Sengled are great budget options. Set up a smart hub (optional): If you’re going for a cohesive ecosystem, consider hubs like Alexa or Google Home. Install and connect: Replace your old bulbs, connect them to your Wi-Fi, and use the corresponding app for setup. Automate: Use routines or schedules for energy-saving and convenience. Let me know if you’ve tried something similar or have any questions!
These are terrible advices.
All smart lightbulbs has a small router in them, so they all use some electricity while switched off. You can gain some net plus only if you live with people who constantly forget to switch off lights. But you need some presence detector as well. Smart lighting is about convenience not energy usage.
Wifi is the worst wireless standard from energy usage standpoint. Zigbee’s power usage is much less and devices are cheap. Thread and Z-wave power usage also lower than wifi, but devices are a bit more expensive.
Amazon and Google is a privacy nightmare. Home Assistant and Domoticz are two wellknown local first smart home systems.