With the rapid development of smart homes, smart lighting is frequently mentioned. It can be said that smart lighting is the entry-level experience scenario for smart homes. So, for the average family, is smart lighting worth investing in? What combination offers the best cost-performance ratio? Let’s discuss this today!
Is Smart Lighting Worth It? When discussing whether smart lighting is worth it, we must first talk about traditional lighting. Traditional lighting involves complex wiring in the early stages, requiring professional electricians to plan ahead based on needs. In terms of light control, it can only be manually operated, and once installed, it is difficult to change, offering limited control and a poor experience.
Smart lighting, on the other hand, not only has the 1V1 control of traditional lighting but also enables one-click on/off, voice or mobile phone control for turning lights on and off, adjusting light color temperature, and scene linkage. Moreover, most common smart switches on the market do not require additional wall chiseling and wiring; installation is quite simple. If users wish to have a stronger sense of control over these lighting functions to further enhance the quality of home life, then arranging smart lighting is very necessary.Smart Lighting Preparation: Wiring Reservation
Many people think that smart lighting also requires wall chiseling and wiring, but this is not the case. The most important thing is whether there is a reserved neutral wire in the switch box. If the home is in the decoration stage, you can ask the decorator to reserve the neutral wire in advance, allowing you to choose a zero-fire switch. If it is an old house renovation and there is no reserved neutral wire, you can choose a single-fire switch.Smart Lighting Combination Plans
Some people might say, I’ve already finished decorating, and it’s troublesome to transform home lighting. In fact, achieving whole-house smart lighting is not complicated now. The mainstream renovation products are smart switches and smart lights. The combination plan of smart switch + ordinary light does not require wall chiseling and wiring. You do not need to change the light fixtures; simply replace the traditional switch to smarten up ordinary lights. Next, let’s talk about three mainstream renovation plans, and you can choose based on actual needs.Smart Lights + Ordinary Switches
This plan is suitable for those who are newly installing lights at home or are dissatisfied with the old house lights and want to replace them. You can replace ordinary lights with smart lights, which mainly offer functions like color, temperature, and brightness adjustment. However, it should be noted that ordinary switches must always be in the on state; if the power is cut, the smart lights cannot be controlled. Additionally, there are not as many styles of smart lights. If you are considering a whole-house smart lighting renovation, the cost will correspondingly increase significantly, and you will also need to plan and layout again, which takes more time.Smart Lights + Smart Switches
Some people might think that since they are switching to a smart lighting system, it would be better to have both lights and switches smart. However, this is not the case because the functions of smart lights and smart switches occasionally overlap, and the main functions of smart lights for dimming, color adjustment, and scene setting need to be carried out while connected to the network, which requires a constant power supply. Smart switches, on the other hand, control the lighting by managing the power supply to the circuit, so it is generally not recommended to combine smart switches with smart lights. The cost of purchase will also greatly increase, so it is not recommended.Integrating smart switches with regular lighting fixtures is the most recommended solution for beginners in smart lighting. This approach is favored for two main reasons: lower cost and a wide range of choices. There’s no need to worry about the brand of smart lighting fixtures; if you already have lighting fixtures installed at home, simply replace the switches. Of course, it’s essential to check if your home’s switch wiring includes a neutral wire before selecting the appropriate switch.
Taking the popular smart wall switch on the market as an example, the Lepu Q3 smart switch, it uses a standard 86 base box that can directly replace traditional switches, with both single-wire and neutral-wire dual versions to meet the needs of different households. If a single-key switch does not meet your requirements, there are also dual-key and triple-key versions available, supporting two mainstream ecosystem platforms, Mi Home and Huawei HiLink, to fully consider the diverse needs of users. The Q3 smart switch also excels in functionality, with a built-in Wi-Fi module that allows direct connection to Mi Home without the need for a gateway, making it easy to turn lights on and off using a smartphone or voice commands. Paired with Lepu’s self-powered wireless switch, you can easily set up dual control, such as turning off lights by your bedside, and with Mi Home automation settings, you can control smart devices with a single click, not only turning all switches on or off but also issuing commands to make the robot vacuum cleaner or Xiaomi TV work. When paired with other Mi Home smart devices, you can achieve more intelligent scene linkage, offering a wide range of possibilities and a great experience, making it very suitable for smart lighting beginners. The operation is simple, and the functionality is powerful. Smart lighting can be considered the key to smart homes. If you want to transform the lighting in your home, you might consider trying the combination of smart switches and regular lights, which is more cost-effective and offers a wealth of linkage functions. It’s easy to build smart scenes when paired with other smart devices.
