lightwaverf FAQ

Couple of updates

Lightwaverfs have updated the site linkage detaila for

IFTTT
Alexa
Nest
Musaic

They also have a store on eBay and for 100 pounds they are selling 5 twin sockets , fantastic value .
.
There is some negativity about lightwaverf. I'd like to highlight some of that

The boiler switch and thermostat stat work perfectly well for me . No problems

TVRs are a challenge but you need to get used to them, update the firmware stick with it. Investigate other options first.

The link box or hub for me has been one of the most solid bits of kit I've even had. I have never had to restart it , it's has been restarted but it's not something that has required any maintenance from me

The LED strip lights, colour. Great idea work very well but avoid them as they are CC RG -12V. So they don't work with most cheap RGB strips leave them alone if you planned on expanding them

Door contacts for TVRs unless you have a huge rad and a big backdoor that gets left open for long periods of time dont bother with these imo. eBay is full of them


The energy Meter was not great but now the history is in the cloud so it's similar to what we've seen on rPi builds. It's become more meaningful

Photo sensor. Don't bother here either imo largely replace with a dusk and dawn soft setting that you can offset. Not with the money imo.

Note lightwaverf broke ground with a lot of things. They got some right and some wrong. They've fixed some and dropped others. Some of the dropped stuff is for sale on eBay.

Linking with Nest, this is very basic home and away mirroring only, dont expect much

Links with Alexa looks very good.

Links with musaic , it seems to be lightwaverf control on the musaic app. Set mood lighting. I could see it working well TBH

IFTTT for me lightwaverf have this very well sorted. Four decent channels. Lots of options in your hands and lots of opportunities to parcel a series of events ( using the events channel) onto one recipe

Sockets and inline sockets. I understand that some complain that these don't always work. Well mine do. The security gate , the lightwaverf sockets i have in the external box at Christmas time, the units behind the TV. They are all solid now.


Overall sometimes the communication between the app, cloud and your device is slow.
Of you wait a few extra seconds temperatures will adjust and things will switch on.

bk wrote:

It seems that their protocol is capable of two way communication, but for cost reasons they have only implemented one way comms. They could do two way in future, but that would require new hardware.

They have a couple of devices where two way is enabled

TVRs and thermostats etc

Good point. I guess if there was no handshake then a response could be resent, adding a layer of reliability.

However I would like to add that it's a very reliable system as far as I'm concerned, for certain devices.
If it wasn't I'd stop using it and adding to it. I dumped X10 for reliability issues. We could be overplaying the issue. They have some kit that works very well and some that doesn't the kit that works well is a real option.

There are loads of systems out there with inline sockets and maybe just lights etc but the lightwaverf relays, three way relays inline dimmers, inline timers etc are very good and very flexible.

I understand that they require some electrical skills and that puts people off. But I've found it very useful for security lights, adding wireless switches , timers onto immersions etc. and they all work
If I could get my money back I'd most likely get different TRVs they messed up the lighting strips possibly to stop people adding non proprietary products like Philips do.

But they have excellent regular inline dimmers that can be used with inexpensive LED lamps (theres a list if approved lamps)

I've found this very flexible and where as I'll have a hue in before Christmas , I find that it's somewhat limiting in that they refuse to offer any type of interface that would allow you to add a non Philips product to the scene. So any decorative fitting, catenary fitting floor lamps security fittings etc can't work on it.

It's great for Joe Blogs to change his GU 10 lamps or his centre lights but most houses have more than this type of fitting and the way I see it unless Philips make a Hue external led flood light , it's not going in your system, unless you like their three centre lights then you are stuck with a single bulb and a light shade.
Instead of making a dimming socket that you can add your existing bedside fitting to, your choice from Philips is to buy their whole hue table lamp . And they are not inexpensive.

Unless Philips make it, you can't have it on their system. If Philips add a socket you could add non Philips floor lamps. Will they add dimmable sockets so you can use the floor lamps you paid 300 euro for already?
This is why I think there is a place for a company like lightwaverf, who don't only make about 5 types light for you to choose from and three types of lamps.

Lightwaverfs will nearly switch any type of domestic lighting load.
It will turn on your immersion if you want. This puts power , heating and lighting on the one ecosystem far better than IFTTT . Within the app you can run up a series of events to turn the immersion on, increase the temperature in the bathroom, close a blind and set timer to turn on a lighting scene for bathroom lighting in one system very quickly.

There are some downsides this flexibility, but it needs to be highlighted IMO

Most noticeably watch out for discontinued stock on eBay.

eurokev wrote:

Could someone point me in the right direction of where to buy and look at specs of the range please

You get the specs on the lightwaverf site. And you'll get suppliers linked there too.

Amazon sell it
Lightwaverfs have an eBay store too.

bk wrote:

However you are right, I suspect you will be fine. Just keep it in mind if you do run into weird issues.

That's the whole point bk!!

So i have Alexa tuning on and off lamps, open the front Gate , switching groups like feomt room entertainment.

It's late now but I've blanked and added devices a number of time , but I seem to have lost all 7 heating devices. I'll try again tomorrow when it's all on

oinkely wrote:

Anyone have plain whit ones they would like to swap for chrome? I could buy the new chrome ones and swap then for your white ones ;-)

I might have three twins and a single . Might have some white twin dimmers too if you have chrome ones

Michael malone wrote:

Folks,have my echo all set up working a treat with tp-link sockets but I cannot get the lightwaverf skill on the exho app. Any ideas

Michael it was very easy for me. I just went into skills, my skills and searched fur lightwaverf. I was up and running in no time