Smart bulbs have become increasingly popular in recent years, offering users the ability to control their lighting with ease and convenience. One of the key features of smart bulbs is their ability to retain their last power-on state after a power outage, ensuring that they do not automatically turn on when power is restored. This article will provide a comprehensive guide on the technical specifications and details related to smart bulb power-on state.
SONOFF Devices: Retaining Last State
SONOFF, a leading manufacturer of smart home devices, offers a range of smart bulbs that support the power-on state feature. These bulbs, including the SONOFF B1 and SONOFF L1, can remember their last state before a power outage and return to that state when power is restored. This feature is achieved through the use of a non-volatile memory (NVM) chip, which stores the bulb’s settings even when the power is turned off.
The SONOFF smart bulbs use a proprietary protocol called eWeLink, which allows for seamless integration with the SONOFF app and other SONOFF devices. The power-on state feature can be configured through the app, giving users the ability to customize the bulb’s behavior after a power outage.
Inovelli Bulbs: Configurable Power-on State
Inovelli, a popular smart home brand, offers a range of smart bulbs that support the power-on state feature. These bulbs, such as the Inovelli LZW31-SN, have a parameter that allows users to configure the bulb’s behavior after a power outage.
The power-on state parameter is written into the bulb’s driver, which can be accessed and modified through a compatible smart home platform, such as Hubitat or SmartThings. Users can choose from various options, including returning to the last state, turning on at a specific brightness level, or remaining off.
The Inovelli bulbs use the Z-Wave protocol, which ensures reliable and secure communication within the smart home ecosystem.
Feit Smart Bulbs: Retaining Last Settings
Feit Electric, a well-known manufacturer of lighting products, offers a range of smart bulbs that can remember their last settings, including color and brightness, even after a power outage. This feature is accessible through the Feit Electric app, where users can configure the bulb’s power-on behavior.
The Feit smart bulbs utilize the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol, which allows for easy pairing and control with compatible smart home devices and platforms. The power-on state feature ensures that users can maintain their desired lighting ambiance, even in the event of a power interruption.
Philips Hue: Power-on State with Hue Bridge
Philips Hue, a leading brand in the smart lighting industry, is known for its ability to retain the last state of its bulbs after a power outage. However, this feature requires the use of the Philips Hue Bridge, a central hub that connects and manages the Hue ecosystem.
The Hue Bridge acts as the intermediary between the Hue bulbs and the user’s smart home platform, such as Apple HomeKit or Amazon Alexa. When a power outage occurs, the Hue Bridge remembers the last state of each connected bulb and restores that state when power is restored.
This power-on state feature is particularly useful for users who have integrated their Philips Hue system with other smart home devices and platforms, ensuring a seamless and consistent lighting experience.
Sengled Bulbs: Retaining Last State without Zigbee Routing
Sengled, a prominent smart home brand, offers a range of smart bulbs that can retain their last state after being physically depowered by smart switches. This feature is particularly notable in Sengled’s RGBW models, which do not participate in Zigbee routing.
Zigbee routing is a feature that allows smart devices to communicate with each other and extend the range of the Zigbee network. While this can be beneficial in some cases, it can also lead to issues when a power outage occurs, as the Zigbee network may need to be re-established.
By not participating in Zigbee routing, Sengled’s RGBW bulbs are able to maintain their last state more reliably, ensuring that they return to the desired lighting settings when power is restored.
Wiz Connected Bulbs: Customizable Power-on State
Wiz Connected, a brand owned by Signify (the parent company of Philips Hue), offers smart bulbs that give users the option to select what to do when power is returned. This customization feature allows users to choose whether the bulbs should turn on, remain off, or return to their last state.
The Wiz Connected bulbs utilize the Wi-Fi protocol for communication, which provides a direct connection between the bulbs and the user’s home network. This eliminates the need for a central hub, simplifying the setup and integration process.
By offering this level of customization, Wiz Connected bulbs provide users with greater control over their lighting, ensuring that the power-on state aligns with their preferences and needs.
Govee Devices: Power Return Function Control
Govee, a popular smart home brand, offers a range of devices, including smart bulbs, that provide users with control over the power return function. This feature ensures that Govee devices, such as their RGBIC LED Strip Lights, do not turn on automatically if they were off before the power loss.
The power return function can be configured through the Govee Home app, allowing users to specify the desired behavior of their Govee devices after a power outage. This level of control is particularly useful for safety-critical applications, where automatic turn-on could pose a risk.
Nanoleaf Essentials: Power-on State Support
Nanoleaf, a renowned smart lighting brand, offers the Nanoleaf Essentials line of smart bulbs that support the power-on state feature. These bulbs, which utilize the Thread protocol, can remember their last state and return to it when power is restored.
While the Nanoleaf Essentials bulbs do support the power-on state feature, it’s important to note that there is currently no direct integration with the Hubitat smart home platform. Users who have Hubitat-based smart home setups may need to explore alternative integration methods or use a different smart home platform to take advantage of this feature.
Smart Plugs: “Recover Off” Feature
In addition to smart bulbs, smart plugs often offer a “recover off” feature, which ensures that devices connected to them do not turn on automatically after a power outage. This feature is particularly useful for safety-critical applications, such as controlling heaters or other high-power devices.
The “recover off” feature ensures that connected devices remain in the off state when power is restored, preventing unexpected or potentially dangerous behavior. This level of control over the power-on state is an essential consideration for users who rely on smart plugs to manage their home’s electrical devices.
By understanding the technical specifications and features related to smart bulb power-on state, users can make informed decisions when selecting and configuring their smart lighting solutions. This knowledge can help them maintain their desired lighting ambiance, ensure safety, and avoid unwanted automatic turn-ons, even in the event of a power outage.
Reference:
– SONOFF Smart Bulb Power-on State
– Inovelli Bulb Power-on State Configuration
– Feit Electric Smart Bulb Power-on State
– Philips Hue Power-on State with Hue Bridge
– Sengled Bulb Power-on State without Zigbee Routing
– Wiz Connected Bulb Power-on State Customization
– Govee Power Return Function Control
– Nanoleaf Essentials Power-on State Support
– Smart Plug “Recover Off” Feature