If you are like me, you have a massive phobia of drilling massive holes in the wall to add more light switches. With the Philips Hue Smart Lighting ecosystem, you can add an accessory that will resolve this worry.
Philips Hue has a fairly cheap light switch that requires no screws, no difficult setup. Simply get it out of the packaging, take a few bits of packaging off and stick it to the wall.
This also gives you a remote, so if you come into your room and pick up the remote as you watch TV, you can simply just dim the lights from the remote!
User Guide for installing the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch
Total Time: 15 minutes
Step 1: Find the ideal location for your Dimmer Switch
To avoid confusion, I just keep my Philips Hue Dimmer switch next to my original light switch, this is because it’s out of habit that I will change the lights at that location.
It’s worth noting, the Philips Hue can be placed ANYWHERE, it’s just a remote dock, you can pick up 1 remote and place it in another dock elsewhere if you really wanted to.
The actual Switch is made of only two components, the base plate (Which uses magnets to keep the remote on it) and the remote itself. I suggest placing these next to entries/exits to your rooms.
Step 2: Mount with the adhesive backplate
Whilst you can screw in the base, there is absolutely no need, the adhesive is amazing.
Whilst the packaging doesn’t come with screws, it is something you can just do yourself without issue. Got any spares lying around?
Screw the backplate in (The front panel comes off the back panel with some force).
I don’t like to force the plastic as it feels flimsy.
As the remote is magnetic, you can actually put it on your fridge! Perfect for those of you who use double-sided magnets for your remotes and have a collection!
Note: When using the adhesive backing it can take up to 24 hours to set, so plan ahead as it’s incredibly difficult to maneuver after.
Step 3: Remove the plastic remote strip.
The remote control dimmer actually has batteries in it, so you just need to remove the plastic strip in the back, no need to unscrew the back panel, just rip it out!
You’ll notice that in the top left of the FRONT of the remote, there is a flashing orange LED. This means your Dimmer is ready to be set up.
Step 4: Pair your Dimmer switch with your Philips Hue lights
There are two different methods for setting up your Dimmer Switch, these are:
With a Hue Bridge
Open the Hue app on your phone and select “Settings > Accessory setup“. Once you’re there, simply tap “Add accessory”.
Without a Hue Bridge
If you have Philips Hue lights that don’t connect to a Bridge (Bluetooth for example), follow these steps:
Keep the remote 6 inches away from your remote, press, and hold “ON” for 3 seconds under the light on the remote blinks green.
Congratulations! your Philips Hue remote is now synchronized.
You can do this for up to 10 bulbs with a single result, if you wish to remove a Philips Hue bulb from the Dimmer Switch, you need to hold the OFF Button for 10 seconds instead of the On for 3 seconds.
Troubleshooting the Philips Hue Dimmer Switch
Whilst I’ve not had many issues, it can happen. The easiest fix for this is to simply do a “soft reset”, this can be done by holding all 4 buttons at once until the LED icon turns green.
Whilst I’m not 100% sure what a Soft Reset actually does as there’s little information, I believe it simply disconnects the remote and reconnects it.
How to Factory Resett your Hue Dimmer
Factory Resetting your Dimmer Switch is just as easy as soft resetting, simply press and hold the setup button on the back for 10 seconds (see picture).
The Light will turn green and then Blink Orange for several minutes which allows you to set it back up as if it was brand new. You will need a paper clip to reset this, alternatively, if like myself, you find yourself factory resetting things regularly or getting your sim card out of your phone, this needle kit for Sim Cards is really useful.
How to factory reset your Hue Light Bulb
If resetting your bulb isn’t enough, you will need to look at the bulb instead as this may be the root cause of the issue. Follow these steps to factory reset this:
- Power off the bulb and then turn it back on after 15 seconds
- Hold the Dimmer Switch within 6 inches of the base of the Philips Smart Bulb.
- Press and hold both the On & Off button for 10 seconds until the LED on the remote goes green.
Why does my Philips Hue Dimmer Switch have a red light?
A red light means it cannot connect to the parent device, for example, the bulb in question. The easiest fix is to simply do a soft reset or make sure there is power going to the parent device.
How to Add a Hue Dimmer to your Hue System
Open your Philips Hue App and tap settings, once done simply follow these steps in the screenshots below:
Conclusion
The Philips Hue Switch is a great way to control your home lighting. It’s easy to install and it doesn’t require any wiring or complicated setup process. You can also use the switch with other smart lights, so you don’t have to pay for multiple switches if you want more than one light in your house that connects to your wifi network. If there are any questions about this product, feel free to reach out via Twitter @Smarthomebit!