How to automate home lighting?
- Introduction
- Selection criteria
- Simple solution for a single set of lights
- Automating multiple light switches or outlets
Introduction
Most home burglaries happen during the day between the hours of 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM when homes are not occupied. An effective indoor light strategy can create the illusion of occupancy to help deter thieves.
Outdoor lighting also helps deter crime during the evening hours. A major study conducted in New York revealed that outdoor lighting can reduce crime by 39% at night. But that is assuming you remember to turn on the lights. But don’t forget to turn them off in the morning, otherwise it’ll look like you are on vacation!
Let’s talk about some easy and cost effective ways to automate lighting in your home.
Selection criteria
Looking online for different automated lighting solutions can be a bit overwhelming. There are many different technologies and manufacturers all claiming to be the best solution. Let me help you narrow it down by examining a few different selection criteria that were important for me.
| Criteria | Why this matters? |
|---|---|
| Single point of control | If you want to change the lighting strategy, how many points of control have to be reconfigured? (How many things do you have to mess with?) |
| Recovers after power outage | If there is a momentary power outage, will the strategy recover? This is particularly important for extended absenses, vacations, etc. |
| Works without internet | If the property has no internet, or maybe the internet is not reliable, will the automated lighting be reliable? |
The solutions described below satisfy all of these criteria.
Simple solution for a single set of lights
If you are only looking to automate one set of lights there is a very simple solution that satisfies all of my selection criteria. I opted for this solution on a rental property where I only wanted to automate a set of outdoor lights that were controlled by a single switch.
- Aware of solar timetable and can automatically switch lights at sunrise and sunset
- Customizable 7-day schedule, if you want different behavior on different days
- Multiple modes - manually control your lighting or let the ECONOswitch run automatically on a programmed schedule
- Rated for up to 15 amps (1800 watts of electrical load)
- Settings persist for up to 4 hours after loss of power (as stated in user's manual)
Don’t be confused by the word “solar” in the name. They are referring to solar timetable, which just means when the sun rises and sets. As part of the setup process, you will program the switch with the current date, time and also your approximate geographic location. And it does all of this without using the internet.
Let’s talk about the switch’s electrical rating of 15 amps. That is a lot. Most homes have 15 amp circuit breakers. So this switch can easily handle any normal residential load. 15 amps is enough to power dozens of lights.
Automating multiple light switches or outlets
Particularly if you are interested in making your home look occupied while you are away, you will want to be able to automate multiple sets of lights. Let’s delve into the details.
Device connectivity
There are three competing technologies for home automation device connectivity: WiFi, ZigBee and Z-Wave. When you search the internet for clarification you will find a lot of articles evangelizing one over the other. Let me try to present an unbiased comparison to help you make your choice.
| Technology | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi |
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| ZigBee |
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| Z-Wave |
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Based on the facts and my experience, Z-Wave is my first choice, with ZigBee being a close runner-up. I insist that any hard-wired device be Z-Wave.
Devices
There are a lot of devices that can communicate via Z-Wave. Locks, automatic curtains, sprinkler controls, fans, etc. But let’s stay on topic and focus on the ones that control lights!
Z-Wave hardwired switch
A Z-Wave hardwired switch will look and can operate just like a normal light switch. But the difference is that it is also remotely controllable by the smart home hub.
- Looks and can operate as a nomal light switch
- Can also be operated remotely via Z-Wave
- Leviton is a very well respected American electrical equipment brand, important when you hard wire into your home
- Rated for up to 15 amps (1800 watts of electrical load)
Z-Wave outlet switch
If you want to control specific indoor lights or don’t want to use a hardwired switch, there is also an outlet switch solution.
- No electrical wiring required, just plug it in!
- Operated remotely via Z-Wave
- Can also be operated manually with a small switch on the side
- Rated for up to 15 amps (1800 watts of electrical load)
Smart home hub
You will also need a Z-Wave capable smart home hub. This is what controls all of the networked Z-Wave devices in your home.
Aeotec Smart Home Hub
Aeotec makes one of the easiest to configure smart home hubs on the market. It is a very popular hub at the moment.
- Supports Z-Wave, ZigBee and WiFi
- Automations are processed locally, works even when the internet is down
- Easiest way to make your home a smart home: Wirelessly connect and control a huge range of smart devices - over 5,000 are available from dozens of brands - including voice assistants, lights & switches, speakers, cameras, sensors and more
- Control via App or Voice: Monitor and control connected devices, and run automations, using the Samsung SmartThings app on Android, iOS, and iPadOS, or voice user interfaces Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant
Hubitat Elevation Home Automation Hub
If you are more tech savvy and want a lot of capability and flexibility, I recommend Hubitat’s solution. I have had my Hubitat C5 (an earlier version) since 2019 and have been consistently impressed. I set it up and literally didn’t touch it for years. It just works.
- Supports Z-Wave, ZigBee and WiFi
- Automations are processed locally, works even when the internet is down
- External antennas for increased range and reduced RF latency
- Certified to work with Google, Alexa, SmartThings, Matter, Wi-Fi, Z-Wave Plus, and ZigBee protocols. Not compatible outside of North America.
- A powerful suite of built-in automation apps for basic and advanced home automations, with no need for programming or coding skills. A free iOS and Android mobile app lets remote control and monitor your devices remotely—no subscription required
The Hubitat hub is highly customizable. You can even write your own custom automation scripts, although it is certainly not required. The default automation routines covered everything I needed.
Controlling your Z-Wave smart home hub with Alexa
Although I want my regular lighting schedule to be able to operate without the internet, I also like to be able to control them via Alexa at times. All of the Z-Wave smart home hubs I listed are Alexa compatible. What this means is that if you want, Alexa can tell your Z-Wave smart home hub to turn on or off the lights. I use this functionality so that when my Ring camera detects motion, some of my indoor lights turn on for a short period of time. Fancy, huh?
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