As the saying goes, modern problems require modern solutions. When the modern problem is that your smart light is being hijacked by the neighbors, [Wejn]’s modern solution is to reverse engineer and replace the mainboard.
The light in question is a Phillips Hue Ambiance, and [Wejn]’s excellently-documented six part series takes us through the process of creating a replacement light driver. It’s a good read, including reverse-engineering the PWM functions to get the lights to dim exactly like stock, and a dive into the Zigbee protocol so his rebuild light could still talk to the Philips Hue hub. The firmware [Wejn] wrote for the ESP32C6 he chose to use for this project is on GitHub, with the PCB in a second repo.
We want to applaud [Wejn] for his excellent documentation and open-sourcing (the firmware and PCB are under GPL v3). Not only do we get enough information to replicate this project perfectly if we so choose, but by writing out his design process, [Wejn] gives everyone reading a good head start in doing something similar with other hardware. Even if you’re scratching your head wondering why a light switch isn’t good enough anjymore, you have to appreciate what [Wejn] is offering the community.
We’ve covered domestic brain transplants in the past — which is easier in this sort of light than the close confines of a smart bulb. If you’re still wondering why not just use a light switch, perhaps you’d rather hack the light to run doom instead.
Before you go, can we just take a moment to appreciate how bizarre the world has become that we have a DOOM-capable computer to run fancy light fixture? If you’re using what might have been a decent workstation in days of yore to perform a painfully mundane task, let us know on the tips line.
“Even if you’re scratching your head wondering why a light switch isn’t good enough anymore…”
Ahh… you’ve read my mind. This is scary…
“smart light is being hijacked by the neighbors”
What… that’s even scarier!
But then the irony of it all, as the linked website states: “And since we use the dumb wall switch to turn our lights on/off…” So all that smart stuff, just to do what and why and when?
Regarding the project, it’s a technical puzzle, it has a micro-controller, it has LED’s, I like it.
There’s something of a saying…
Tech Enthusiasts: Everything in my house is wired to the Internet of Things! I control it all from my smartphone! My smart-house is bluetooth enabled and I can give it voice commands via alexa! I love the future!
Engineers: The most recent piece of technology I own is a printer from 2004 and I keep a loaded gun ready to shoot it if it ever makes an unexpected noise.
But the Tech/Engineer in us want our “Jetson” home of the future. ( We only have 37 more years to go until we have the full Jetson life when George turns 40 in 2062. )
Yes, as an engineer I tend to fix things as simply as possible. When my vacuum cleaner switch broke, I just purchased a inline switch at the hardware store and installed it in the cord.
On the other hand, I also recently installed an inverter system w/batteries to keep my sump pumps running in case power goes it.
But I have a wired network throughout the house for ‘critical infrastructure’ on top of my wifi (my solar panels had to use a wifi extender due to the distance, as my controller is in a shed)
We aren’t easily allowed firearms in the UK and in general I wouldn’t want one but I could make an exception if it were for pacifying disobedient inkjets…
Don’t these smart lamps allow for all sorts of different colors?
Maybe they like to change the lighting color or temperature on command.
Yeah, they can also synchronise with Ambilights on televisions.
Using a dumb light switch isn’t that dumb, unless of course you use it with a smart light. That’s just a ridiculously bad setup even without the ridiculously bad design of that Philips Hue lamp.
The dumb switch is there just in case the smart light turns against it’s owner.
… and is the cause of this problem.
(easier fix is tape or similar over the dumb switch so it is still available but isn’t used by default and a zigbee (or similar) switch to control the light)
We’ve replaced all of our dumb switches with lutron switches, which have worked really well for us. One of our rooms are all smart bulbs that really would rather be controlled directly vs. a dumb switch.
I also have a setup where I’m able to hijack the Lutron Pico remotes to directly control smart home devices.
For that room, I’ve removed the dumb switch, connected the wires so the circuit is always “ON”, and then mounted the pico remote in the former switches place, with an automation for the lights.
Looks and acts the same as all the lutron remotes, but plays well with the smart bulbs, and if needed it’s easy to go back to “dumb” switch.
Having a dumb or off switch reinforces the human control element…. something that Colossus/Guardian and Skynet didn’t have.
Re: the mention of a hijacked smart light……I remember a comedian who talked with a monotone voice a long time ago talked about a wall switch in his new house that didn’t seem to do anything. He said “every time I walked by it I’d flip it on flip off…flip it on flip it off…..I did that for a month until I got a letter from a lady in Germany that said.. knock it off.”
That’s comedian Stephen Wright, if you wanted find his work.
You really described that joke well, I could hear him say it.
Stephen Wright is a genius!
So, yeah, we use the dumb switch to turn it on and off. And we use the zibgbee part to change the brightness, temperature, etc.
I bought a philips hue bridge + lights combo years back to integrate in to my smart home setup. It was “fine”, but the cost didn’t seem worthwhile, and better options came along.
I kept using them though, because they worked and I’d already spent the money.
Recently (last few weeks) they’ve been erratic/unresponsive. Turns out that you now need to create an account, register your bridge with philips (TOS include sending data whether you like it or not), etc etc etc. All so you can continue to control it from Homekit. Unhappily, I complied.
Except it continues to be erratic, unresponsive from homekit (but fine from the Hue app, provided you’re logged in!).
So now I’ll happily tell anyone who will listen, based on my experience, don’t buy their crap, and replace it if it makes sense to do so.
I’ve had 2 Hue strips in my living room for 6 years now, connected to Zigbee2MQTT, and they’re among my most reliable devices.
Yeah, I can’t speak to the hardware itself if you’re willing to add some DIY. Good to know that it may still be useful if I’m willing to start incorporating real zigbee (I have some Aqara stuff).
But if you play within their sandbox, at least as of recently, IMO it’s crap.
In order to have any idea what you idea of reliable is, please mention your other devices in the list…
My bike is pretty reliable too, whenever I ride more then 5 miles with it the chains breaks… every time, it’s like clock work, you can rely on it.
Just kidding, but I could not resist. It’s really 4 miles.
Hopefully next up: a zigbee light switch that can control hue. Or rather: a pcb that goes into the wall box and connects to my current light switch because I want to keep the aesthetics of my light switches’ faceplates…
I’ve put Shelly devices behind many of the dumb switches in my house. It turns them into smart switches. They can be controlled by a home automation system like Home Assistant, but they still let you turn the light on/off like a normal switch…even if your automation system crashes. And no cloud.
I am all about this project the execution is very clean looking. However, I hope this was as a means of learning or rather “can I?”
Phillips and most Smart light solutions providers explicitly dissuade users from using physical light switches.
As I understand its discouraged partly due to the fact the the MCU and PSU don’t like being physically toggled on and off as much and it can shorten the lifespan of the light
(I sort of doubt this)
BUT
As you can see is the case with Phillips…The physical switch is an input that the software interprets!
The “Correct” answer to the problem is conveniently to give Phillips more money
In my last house I installed HUE RGB lights in every recessed can (around 24 in total)
At the time I wanted to ensure that my smart light setup was going to be reliable and not confusing to visitors.
What I did is I purchased one of their remotes for each light switch in the house and setup the smart lights to work exactly as the everything was physically wired.
I then made this design which let me mount the smart switches on top of each lightswitch
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4648775
Protip… when you install Hue lights… ALWAYS track each light’s Serial Number and location in a document. If you need to reset the light back to factory default that information will be needed
He seems to have missed a rather simple solution to this, if the Philips Hue is anything like the Amazon compatible lights my partner had (disabled, wheelchair user and often bed bound) the whole idea is to leave the light switch on so you pair it once and then control it via the app/home hub/whatever.