(Chap 5) Maintain original function

Maintain the original functionality

A key component of a successful smarthome, don't disable or change a devices original functionality for the sake of making the device smart.

Adding smart switches, and smart lightbulbs, is probably the first thing that comes to mind when starting to build a smarthome. These are relatively easy things to start with. But some thought to be given to where and how these (as wells as other component/devices) should be added. For example, there is a laundry room, a couple of spare Hue Lights (I am not beating up Philips. This is just an example of where I had mad a mistake in implementation). Replace the existing lights bulbs in the ceiling fixture, flip the light switch to on and control the lights from the app on your phone. This can be done, I did this. It will work.

What will not work, is the natural thing to do when someone enters or leaves a room is to flip the light switch. In this case turning the light switch off, instantly makes the lights dumb again. Someone will have to go out to the laundry room to turn the light switch on (or use Alexa) and then turn them off with the app. I made a big mistake doing it this way. Not because I wanted the lights in the laundry room to be smart, but I implemented it and defeated the original purpose of the light switch.

The better approach for that laundry room would have been to replace the light switch with a smart one or install something like the Shelly1 (keeping the original switch). This method keeps the light switch on the wall, which is normal and expected by most and ALSO adds the smart feature.