Philips HUE solution

Hello,
At first, sorry for my english, if I write something wrong.
I need to find solution for my home lighting. I have OpenHab 2 running on Raspberry Pi 3 and I want to use Philips Hue for some rooms.
As hardware now I’m using contactors and switch control (like on doorbells) to turn my lights on and off. I want to use Arduino relays to control it with OpenHab and mqtt. This is no problem.
But I also want to use Hue at some places and still use my switches or relay to control lights. If for any reason Hue or OpenHab will not work, I still can use contactors to control lights.

Here is my question. How long does it take to Hue bulb to connect to bridge after restarting if I use switch or relay to turn light off and later back on? (Hue bulb will be without power, bridge not). I have read, that Hue bulb will be on its last state after getting power again, is it true? And if I use OpenHab to power on the bulb, or phone app by Philips (reading command from Hue bridge sending it to relay and bulb) if it’s possible, than turn bulb’s power on with relay and set color or dim it with one click?
I can specify it for you, if you don’t understand.

Hope you guys have some ideas.

Thanks for your help.

George

Why do you want to turn off the bulb with an relay? Just turn it off using the state (if you configure HUE, there is an channel for
On and off…)
Did I understand you correct?

I have a wall switch that control a contactor (which act as relay) and these wall switches use my family. So, if they want to turn light off, they will use switch near sofa and not going to OpenHab panel to turn it off. That switch will cut power to the bulb. Later I can use that switch to turn it on, or OpenHab to send command to relay, which will use that contactor to bring power back to bulb.
Question is, how fast will that bulb reconnect to bridge, so I can dim or change color on that bulb using OpenHab or another app.

I can draw a scheme later, if you want, or some photos.

You should change your setup.
Get the wall switches to update an item state on openHAB.
Use a rule to turn the bulbs on/off with the hue binding
Hue bulbs should be powered all the time ideally

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That’s the point, I don’t want to change my setup. Want to have control of lighting independent of smart home, because of some issues. If smart home stuck for some reason (error, or something else, because I am a beginner, or power lost by weather accident, which is often ) I want to control lights the hardware way. Hue will be only addition. But I still can make some extra cables in ceiling only for Hue. Independent from other lights.
Only wanted to know how fast will Hue reconnect and how it acts after power lost (last state or full brightness). Maybe I can make command in OpenHab to turn the bulb’s power on with relay and then change state over bridge to adjust color or dim after it reconnect to bridge. But don’t know the delay. Didn’t found it in tech info or on forums. Was wondering if someone know it.

If you already have the Hue hardware, why don’t you experiment and find out yourself.
I don’t have Hues.

Sorry, don’ t know the answer to your first question. But since their latest update, Hue bulbs will remember their last state in case of power-fail and just assume last state when they come on again.

don’t have yet. And don’t want to spend money on it, if it doesn’t work as I want. It’s quite expensive in our country :sweat_smile:

Thank you, that’s what I have read. Maybe that way it could work.
Family turn it on with wall switch and it goes to last state and than I or they can use phone or Hue switch or OpenHab panel to adjust it.

Maybe the Ikea or Osram bulbs are cheaper for you. If you don’t need the state of the bulbs then you can also use the milights (waaay cheaper). Most of the bulbs will go to a bright white after a Power reset, afaik you can only change it for the Philips.

Thanks for your reply. I will look at them. Maybe I can buy Ikea ones and later use them with Hue bridge. Hue bulbs I can use for bedside lamps or something like it if they will not work as I want. But I think I will buy them and try with my hardware.

if you’re using arduinos wire the wall switches to the arduinos and use MQTT to switch the lights on/off.

YES when openhab goes down that part stops working but you have a backup! the HUE app!

Turning the power on/off to the hue lights will eventually cause unwanted results. Not that it will hurt the lights but things will end up in a state that isn’t what you want. keeping them always powered is most desirable.

If you’re doing simple on/off stuff with these lights don’t worry about stability. openhab is very stable and works very well, especially with simple lighting rules.

and again, if openhab is down, use the HUE app. you’re talking about something that will happen very rarely

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Just buy Yeelight, same quality and functionality but 1/3 of the price!

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