Exploring Smart Lighting Solutions for Nightlights

I’m diving into the world of smart lighting, and I’m really excited to share my journey with you all. My goal is to replace the traditional nightlights in a couple of rooms in my house with a smarter solution. The idea is to have a single smart LED bulb controlled by a dimmer switch. Here’s the twist: when the dimmer is all the way down, the bulb should still be on at a low, nightlight level. As you increase the dimmer, the bulb gets brighter. It sounds simple, but I’m a bit overwhelmed by the options out there.

I’ve got a TP-Link smart bulb that’s been working well with my Hubitat Elevation hub, so I’m leaning towards sticking with that brand. However, I’m not entirely sure which dimmer switch to go with. Many dimmer switches seem to be designed to control the bulb directly, which isn’t what I want. I need a dimmer that only communicates with my Hubitat hub, which will then adjust the brightness of the smart bulb.

I’ve heard that some dimmers allow you to attach a load (like a light bulb), but I’m not sure if that’s the right path for me. I want the dimmer to act purely as an input device, sending signals to the hub, which will then translate those signals into the desired brightness levels for the bulb. This setup should allow me to avoid the issues I had with a previous Cree bulb that just wouldn’t pair properly.

I’m also thinking about the programming side of things. I believe I’ll need to create a rule in Hubitat that takes the input value from the dimmer (ranging from 0 to 100), adds 3 to it, and then clamps the value at 100 if it exceeds that. This should ensure that the bulb never goes below a minimum brightness level, perfect for those late-night trips to the bathroom.

If anyone has experience with similar setups or can recommend a dimmer switch that would work well with Hubitat, I’d be incredibly grateful. I’m really hoping to avoid any more frustrating experiences like the one with the Cree bulb. Let’s make this smart lighting project a success together!