I recently upgraded my kitchen lighting system and decided to integrate a Shelly RGBW2 smart switch to control my LED strip lights. The goal was to have precise brightness control while maintaining the ability to toggle the lights on and off with a simple wall switch. After some research and experimentation, I found a solution that works perfectly for my setup.
Initially, I faced a challenge where the wall switch would only toggle the lights to the last brightness level set via the Shelly app. This was inconvenient, especially at night when I wanted the lights to dim to 10% for a gentle nightlight. I discovered that by configuring the Shelly RGBW2 in the app, I could set it to ignore previous brightness levels when toggled via the wall switch. This meant that pressing the switch would always turn the lights on at full brightness or off completely, regardless of the last setting.
Here’s how I achieved it:
- Configuration in the Shelly App: I accessed the settings for the Shelly RGBW2 and adjusted the toggle mode to ‘Full On/Off’. This ensures that each press of the wall switch either turns the lights fully on or off.
- Nightlight Automation: I set up a separate automation using my smart home hub to dim the lights to 10% at night. This automation runs on a schedule, ensuring the lights are softly illuminated without interfering with the wall switch functionality.
- Testing and Fine-Tuning: After setting everything up, I tested the system extensively to ensure there were no glitches. It worked seamlessly, and I was able to enjoy both the convenience of a smart lighting system and the reliability of a traditional wall switch.
This setup has been a game-changer for my kitchen lighting. It combines the best of both worlds—manual control and smart automation. If you’re looking to integrate smart switches into your home, I highly recommend exploring the configuration options in your smart home app to find the perfect balance between convenience and control.