If you use Philips Hue lights in your smart home, you’re probably struggling with one annoying feature (assuming you haven’t solved it with accessories from another supplier, such as Shelly, Fibaro aro). Most users buy Philips Hue lights only when they have the classic wiring at home and the usual switches long ago solved, which in practice means that you control the lighting via the supplied remote control.
In order for this combination to work, it is necessary to have the lights constantly energized (in standby mode) – the classic switch on the wall must be in the on position. You can get used to it, but even so, from time to time I reflexively reach for the classic switch when leaving the room, thus completely “blowing” the Philips Hue bulb from the power supply. And even funnier situations occur when a visitor comes to our house, which automatically reaches for the classic switches.
But that could be over in March. Philips has introduced a new module in the box under the switch (Hue Wall Switch), which will keep the light energized even after switching off. It is practically not necessary to have two controls on the wall – one classic and the other Philips Hue (dimmer). Of course, the dimming function will not work via the standard switch.
Compact dimensions and battery power
The dimensions of the module are very compact – 43.3 x 38 x 10.2 mm. For comparison, Shelly 1 has 41 x 36 x 17 mm. The module is powered by a classic button battery (probably CR2032), with which Philips promises to last about 5 years. Powering directly from the wiring in the box would be more pleasant, however, this would allegedly have a negative effect on the overall size of the module. In practice, it will be necessary to replace the batteries in all modules installed in this way under the switches after a few years.
Coming soon: the wall switch module! Make any light switch smart by installing this little gadget behind the wall plate. Your smart lights stay reachable — and you can use the light switch to set your favorite light scenes.
Europe: spring 2021
North America: summer 2021 pic.twitter.com/197GqSye4c— Philips Hue (@tweethue) January 14, 2021
In the European market, the Hue Wall Switch should start selling during March. We do not know the Czech price yet, the European one was set at 39.99 euros (1,050 CZK), or 69.99 euros (1,830 CZK) for a package with two modules.
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