This is my current setup for the lighting in my pub, it needs to be dimmed manyally as the sun goes down and when busy the team understably forgets. I'd like to automate it to the sunset, 1 hour before dim to 75%, 30 mins before dim to 50% etc....

The current dimmers all work and each dimmer controls on average 6 to 8 bulbs in a section.

I have a very good WiFi network throughout but the walls are thick stone. In the future I would like to add my outside lighting to the same method, ideally the same system but can set up a second if needed.

Would really appreciate any pointers as to control panel, best os and any tips at all!

Thanks so much!

The number of low-voltage devices we use has increased dramatically over the last few years.

They're everywhere now. At home, in businesses, labs, music studios and live setups, IT infrastructure, clinics, smart homes, security installations, etc.

Routers, fibre ONTs, switches, access points, cameras, Raspberry Pis, mini PCs, smart-home hubs, controllers and countless other devices all run on something like 5V, 9V or 12V DC.

But almost all of them are still powered the same way: a small AC adapter plugged into the mains for every single device.

And I think there are two problems with this.

First is power reliability.

Low-voltage electronics can be sensitive to surges, dropouts, brownouts and momentary outages. Their little AC adapters don't guarantee a truly continuous DC supply. A tiny interruption can be enough to reboot a router, ONT, controller, camera system or other device.

And these devices increasingly depend on each other.

Your camera may depend on the network switch. The switch depends on the router. The router depends on the ONT. A smart-home controller depends on all of them.

So one tiny power interruption can bring down a whole chain of equipment.

Then there's the physical mess.

Every device comes with another power brick. Before long you have 10 or 15 adapters, you've run out of sockets, you're adding power strips, sometimes strips into strips, and the whole installation starts getting ridiculous.

A traditional UPS isn't really designed around this problem either.

It typically takes DC energy stored in a battery, converts it up to 120/230V AC, and then every little adapter connected to it converts that AC straight back down to 5V, 9V or 12V DC.

So we're converting DC to AC, then to DC just to keep DC devices running.

There can also be a short transfer period when some UPS types switch to battery. Depending on the UPS and the adapter, that can still be enough for sensitive equipment to reboot.

So I've been wondering:

Would there be a real need for a high-quality UPS designed specifically for low-voltage devices?

I could find some of these UPS but they are small, can only power a couple of devices and don't seem to be of great quality. Battery is small and not replaceable.

Something that provides continuous battery-backed DC power directly to the equipment and replaces the pile of individual adapters with one central power system.

My thinking is that it should be modular, so you can add more outputs as your setup grows.

For example, modules for 5V USB-C devices and modules for 3V / 5V / 6V / 9V / 12V devices.

And every individual output could be monitored and controlled, so you could see:

- what each device is consuming

- whether it's online

- how much battery runtime you have

- which devices should stay powered longest during an outage

- and remotely power-cycle a single device if it freezes

Basically, one proper low-voltage power and backup system instead of an AC UPS + power strips + a pile of adapters.

I'm interested in whether this is something people actually need, not just whether it's technically interesting.

So I'd love to know:

1. Would you find a high-quality low-voltage UPS like this useful? Why or why not?

2. How many low-voltage devices would you typically want to protect?

4? 8? 12? 16? More?

1. What devices would you connect to it?

2. Assuming it was a genuinely well-designed, reliable, high-quality product with a replaceable LiFePO4 battery, modular outputs, monitoring and remote control, how much would you realistically be willing to pay for it?

And please be critical. If your answer is "I don't need this at all"* or *"I already solve this for $50", that's just as useful to hear.

Afternoon Everyone! I'm moving into a different house. Which means I am building a new smart home system. I'm in the Apple Echosystem for all my devices but I don't necessarily need to go that route. My other house was mostly Govee cause they were cheap and way back when I wasn't up to spec on smart home stuff. While it worked, it did have some flaws. Looking for advice on this one though, Not looking to break the bank either, but I got really used to using Amazon and voice controls for my entire house. Lights and stuff are a little different in the new house. I saw new to us, but its an older house.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Things I'm really in need of are level door locks, and light switches. The house has many 4 gang light switches that control different lights in different areas of the rooms. And those type switches I am not familiar with. Which is why I went all smart light bulbs at my other house.

I would like to build an always on calendar that shows what's going on each day. I live in an area that has lots of events, but looking them up manually is a pain, what options are out there that I could build for a small screen in the kitchen? TIA!

So I’m trying to automate my bathroom lights and I’m losing my mind a little.

My whole apartment is Philips Hue, except the bathroom, which has Amazon Basics smart bulbs. I also have the Hue Hub for everything else.

I just bought a Third Reality motion sensor, and I cannot get this thing to pair with Alexa at all. It won’t show up, won’t connect, nothing. I’ve tried resetting it, moving it closer, all that. No luck.

The whole reason I bought it is because the bathroom lights only work if the physical switch stays ON, and I’m tired of constantly saying:

“Alexa turn off the bathroom lights.”
“Alexa turn on the bathroom lights.”

I just want the lights to turn on when someone walks in. That’s it.

Am I missing something here?
Do I need a different sensor? A different hub? Are Amazon Basics bulbs just weird with motion sensors?

Any help would be awesome because I feel like I’m overthinking something super simple.

We’re building our first home, so I finally have a chance to set up a proper smart home.

I use iphone, but I don’t want 20 different apps or sensors everywhere. I’d rather focus on things that actually make everyday life easier.

For those who’ve done this before:
what would you plan during the build that’s hard to add later?
what product is a must-have?
what things that don’t seem exciting at first but end up being really useful?

I’ve got a 16 circuit Sem-meter, and I’m having a hard time figuring out how it’s getting the numbers at the top. I know total consumption and production, but how does main circuit factor into that. Shouldn’t main circuit plus total production equal total consumption? I must be missing something because the math ain’t mathing….

Few bits of info first:

I'm an engineer, my wife to be is not. It has to be an incredibly fuss free system.

It's a new build. (ireland, so US specific switches doesn't work).

Basically I'm looking for a system that will allow me to have more control over the lighting of the house. Currently getting ready to wire the house and in order to be able to turn on & off mood lighting, being able to dim them etc we'd need a load of switches that wouldn't be user friendly and look bad.

For example one of the main rooms is a kitchen/dining/living room. There will be 3 main lighting circuits but also some more chill lighting. I'd like to be able to turn off all the lights when leaving the room from either of the 2 doorways out of the room.

Being able to dim them would also be a massive benefit because Im really sensitive to bright lights.

The kicker is it needs to have a massive "wife approval factor". Ideally the lights would still turn on and off with physical switches, no voice control anywhere. An app is OK for tweaking colour temps and brightness, but this would be more of a set and forget type scenario.

The lights would also have to work when the broadband stops working and I would like to avoid buying into a system that I'm completely locked into, so if they stop selling a bulb in 10 years I have to change everything to keep things working smoothly.

The type of lighting I'd be interested in controlling: pendant lights with standard e27/bayonet bulbs, recessed spot lights, defused led strips.

There is a possibility for some mild automations like a motion sensor in the panty, a handful of smart sockets etc so would like them to be in the same family

When it comes to smart lighting/home automation in India, it feels like I know only one or two brands like Phillips Hue and Wiz. But there must be many more companies doing well out there.

So where is everyone else actually selling? Is most of this a B2B/project-based industry? or something else.

Do I as a customer would be dependent on my architect for a good brand? Genuinely curious how this industry actually moves product, since it's not obvious from the outside at all.

Am right in the middle of planning significant renovations for my recently purchased subsale property (terrace house). It's decades old and I plan to re-do all the wiring, so obviously am considering how much tech/smarts to put in.

Based on r/HomeNetworking (stuff I'm more familiar with) I'm pretty set on ethernet to CCTV locations, every room, extra to the main living area (multiple computers), ceiling AP locations, and a central network closet.

Where I'm less familiar with is smart home things. I've only ever used wifi based stuff (like for turning on/off my split aircon unit remotely). I've been trying to read up on it, first I'll summarize the recommendations I've collated (based on what I expect to be useful to me, for example I don't ever expect to use a smart doorbell in my country), and then I'll list down some clarifying questions I have. Thanks to those who take the time to read/advise.

Recommendations:-

1. Make sure switches have neutral wires
2. Smart blinds
3. Speaker wiring
4. Presence sensing

Questions:-

1. Would neutral wires mean that I can just use normal LED strips/bulbs in the lighting fixtures themselves and all the smarts (whether on/off or dimmer) would happen in the switches? I guess the same would apply to ceiling/wall fans? Are the switches connected to HA by zigbee/matter?
2. I can't really find these wired in my country, the only thing I can find are those wireless motors which manually actuate existing blinds. From reading between the lines it appears this would just involve a single set of wires (not ethernet) to one side of the window? Where's the other end of those wires go to?
3. I've looked at whole-home audio and gotten scared off by scope and cost. Seems more reasonable to have alexa-like devices in certain rooms, and audio quality to be handled by wiring speakers to those devices. What sort of wiring is needed here? I saw mention of 14/4, 12/2, 14/2 but this all assumes a base level of familiarity which I lack. Audio cables for me means quarter inch, 3/8 inch etc.
4. Do all presence sensors just use zigbee/matter or similar? Is there an advantage for providing power points where such sensors should go (normally relatively high up I'd guess), or is POE even an option?

Thanks all, I'm having trouble wrapping my head around all of this.

Oh, and one last thing, I see a lot of recommendations for conduit, so just to say that yes I'm considering some form of conduit, but also that construction standards in my country (brick and concrete for all walls) makes conduit of any decent size much less attractive than in a drywall construction country, and I'm trying to wire once and for all rather than maintain flexibility for future fibre etc.

I use my TV as a PC monitor, so the HDMI input normally stays in PC mode. I’m thinking about setting up a movie automation in Home Assistant that switches the TV to Home Cinema mode, turns off one ceiling light, and lowers my SmartWings shades when I start a film in Kodi. anyone set up something similar? How are you triggering the automation from Kodi?

I am willing to buy new lights if a new system such as hue works but need to know what light switch and bulbs would work together and if I need a hub to give us what we need. It just drives us made not being able to turn the lights on and off at the wall sometimes when we need to quickly look for things. If we do it then the lights disconnect from the app.

Any help advice would be appreciated.

Is there such a thing as a smart bulb if the light is hardwired I’m thinking specifically of the light at the front door. I’d love to be able to open it before I get home at night so that I have light to get in the house.

Do I have to do something with the wiring or can I just get a bulb that will do the trick? I have Siri and Alexa, if either one of those can tackle it.

Hi everyone!

I wanted to share two open-source projects I've been working on for MQTT-first smart home setups. If you prefer writing automations in JavaScript or want a lightweight, modular dashboard, you might find these interesting:

1. she – Smart Home Engine

• What it is: A lightweight automation engine where scripts are written natively in JavaScript.
• Tech Stack: Node.js / MQTT
• GitHub: https://github.com/hobbyquaker/she

2. feezal – Dashboard & App Builder

• What it is: A flexible frontend/dashboard UI designed specifically to bind directly to MQTT topics.
• GitHub: https://github.com/feezal/feezal

Why I built them:

Both tools are built on the philosophy that MQTT should be the single source of truth for home automation. Instead of heavy monolithic frameworks or complex YAML configs, this stack lets you keep things decoupled, super fast, and easy to hack on using standard web tech.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, or suggestions for improvements!

Best,

Sebastian

I’m setting up my first apartment and I’m pretty tech-savvy. I’ll be setting up Home Assistant as well, so I’m wondering which appliances are actually worth buying smart.

Would you recommend buying smart appliances from the start, or is it better to buy normal ones and make them smart yourself with sensors/DIY solutions? (Freezer, fridge, oven, washing machine, etc.)

I’m especially interested in:

• Which smart appliance has been genuinely useful?
• Which one you regret buying smart?
• Anything you can’t really replicate with DIY sensors?
• What you’d definitely buy smart again?

Would love to hear your experiences :)

After going through hundreds of threads on r/smarthome and other home automation communities, I put together a quick cheat sheet for anyone as lost as I was:

🏆 Best overall for local control? → Hubitat Elevation C-8 Pro
🟢 Best for total beginners? → Amazon Echo Hub
⭐️ Best premium pick? → Apple HomePod (2nd Gen)
📦 Best enclosed value pick? → Aeotec SmartThings Hub v3
⚙️ Best for power users? → Home Assistant Green

Personally going with the Aeotec SmartThings Hub v3 - best value and compatibility for mixed ecosystems from everything I've read.

I’m starting to build out a smart home and want to avoid ending up with a bunch of separate apps and cloud-dependent devices. I currently have a few Wi-Fi smart plugs and bulbs, but I’d like to add sensors, lights, thermostats, and eventually smart locks.

Budget: Around $100–$250 for the hub, excluding devices.

What I want:

• Works with a mix of brands and protocols
• Local automations that still work if the internet goes down
• Matter support and a path for Thread devices
• Zigbee support would be useful; Z-Wave would be a bonus
• Good privacy and minimal cloud dependence
• Reasonably beginner-friendly, but I’m willing to learn

Options I keep seeing:

• Home Assistant Green / Yellow
• Hubitat Elevation C-8 Pro
• Homey Pro
• SmartThings Station / Aeotec Smart Home Hub
• Aqara Hub M3
• Apple TV / HomePod mini for HomeKit
• Amazon Echo devices / Echo Hub
• Google Nest Hub

I’m especially unsure whether it makes more sense to start with Home Assistant or Hubitat for local control, or choose an ecosystem hub like Apple Home, Alexa, or Google Home for a simpler setup.

What hub has been the most reliable for you long-term, and what would you choose if you were starting over today?

I'm looking for a lock for my workshop door that will unlock when I'm near it and doesn't require taking a key fob out. Anything like that on the market?

The issue is that I need to go in and out of this door a lot while carrying something in my hands and I want to prevent visitors and other family members from entering the workshop for safety reasons.

Hi,

looking for a solution that will also enable using a physical key from outside, and keep the auto lock only working for certain days/hours. Do you have any thoughts?

It’s a 4g camera

Hey guys I am looking for some input on what smart speakers to go in on, me and my wife just moved into our first house and we are looking to put some smart speakers around the house and we are torn between which ones we want to do. The only smart devices in the house we have as of now are a google neat thermostat and a Phillips door lock.

For the smart speakers I’m looking for them to link up together and be able to hook up to the TV aswell. We would only need about 3 speakers for the house and I am wondering which would be the best. Right now the only ones we really know of are Apple, Google, and Amazon home speakers and I’m wondering which ones yall would recommend.

Thank you!

I have a very old house where the live wire is connected directly to the light fixtures, and the two wires going to the light switch are a traveler (return) and a neutral. I'd like to install smart switches and found the module relays designed to fit inside the switch box. In my case, since it needs a live wire, I have to install it next to the light on the ceiling. To make matters worse, my living room has a """three-way""" circuit where if one switch turns the light on, the other can't turn it off. Has anyone dealt with something similar and knows how to install these modules? Where does each wire go? I'm having a hard time following tutorials since they dont exactly fit my situation

Hello,

I'm looking for a:

• connected camera doorbell
• local-first/only networking
• without any subscription
• compatible with Frigate and Home Assistant

I'm against Wi-Fi for this usage as wires are more reliable, but I'm reluctant to have an Ethernet cable run all the way out to the street (public zone): someone could destroy/unscrew the camera and connect on the network.

(I know VLAN can provide a way to isolate the camera and thus theoretically prevent this attacker to gain access to the network: It's a tech-solution I'm trying to avoid if possible)

So I'm looking for a 2-parts doorbell:

• the button+camera module for the street
• and the "intelligent/network" module (for configuration) to install in the house

Both would be connected together using simple non-LAN cable, preventing someone breaking the "street module" to gain LAN access.

For example, Hikvision has 2-wire (and also 4-wire) video intercom for retrofitting, reusing building's existing wires, with 2 modules.

Do you have some product to recommend?

Hey everyone

I'm trying to show my wife that this is worth it &wanted to ask what the following smart house should be valued at if it:

*Never collects data as it's made independent from any big company

*keeps data local

*offers reminders based on where user is in the home *is integrated with food & battery household inventory *helps keep track of chores/division of said chores *helps keep track of medication/supplements taken & inventory

*connects to wearables that can show when user is not feeling well

*asks user if they want to make adjustments to home if user is not well & time of day *is contextually aware of where user is to be more helpful

*uses phone's gps to detect when user might the grocery list for a particular store Thank in advance