Costco LEDs, dimmers, and home automation

[Brian]

Putting in a number of LEDs over the next few weeks - picked up the Luminus retrofit cans from Costco as they seem fair priced and have very positive reviews. But I'm going to need dimmers. The package lists a number of compatible Lutron and Leviton dimmers that have been tested, which I assume mean if I use those models I'll have a low chance of getting hum/buzz issues. However, I want some of these switches set up for home automation. I'm not super-picky which type. I have zwave today but might be upgrading to something that's also insteon compatible.

Anyway, it's probably a long shot as I haven't found a lot of good info googling, but has anyone with a home automation setup installed any of the Costco LEDs yet with dimmers you are happy with?

Barring any strong recommendation, I might try ordering some Insteon 2477D dimmers from costco and try them out for a while. With costco's return policy, I could easily return them if I have any issues.

[gnihcraes]

I have a smartthings hub and a couple of devices, no dimmers or switches yet. I tried a leviton switch from home depot and it worked once.

A friend has the smart things and many devices and good luck with this particular item:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1OVFAK/...I2YAVHBMNJ1C12

Hope that helps a bit.

Keep your receipts for all the LED lights. The 'Lasts 20 years' isn't a reality. Most LED devices I've installed, have died within a year. Manufacturers will do everything they can to get around replacing it under warranty too. Every excuse on why you made it fail, installed it wrong etc.

[Brian]

I have a smartthings hub and a couple of devices, no dimmers or switches yet. I tried a leviton switch from home depot and it worked once.

A friend has the smart things and many devices and good luck with this particular item:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1OVFAK/...I2YAVHBMNJ1C12

Hope that helps a bit.

Keep your receipts for all the LED lights. The 'Lasts 20 years' isn't a reality. Most LED devices I've installed, have died within a year. Manufacturers will do everything they can to get around replacing it under warranty too. Every excuse on why you made it fail, installed it wrong etc.

Thanks for your feedback. And your comment about early-dying bulbs is exactly why I'm buying at costco and keeping everything. I was a little disappointed in the lifespan of some of the CFLs I have, so I figured I'd focus on Costco this time around.

[Brian]

I have a smartthings hub and a couple of devices, no dimmers or switches yet. I tried a leviton switch from home depot and it worked once.

A friend has the smart things and many devices and good luck with this particular item:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E1OVFAK/...I2YAVHBMNJ1C12

Hope that helps a bit.

Keep your receipts for all the LED lights. The 'Lasts 20 years' isn't a reality. Most LED devices I've installed, have died within a year. Manufacturers will do everything they can to get around replacing it under warranty too. Every excuse on why you made it fail, installed it wrong etc.

How do you like that smartthings? I have an old Vera and a 2gig security/zwave controller that work together and am planning on upgrading the vera. But the new Vera Edge appears to be super buggy. I was thinking about that ST hub as well as an option. Does smartthings work with Insteon?

[gnihcraes]

How do you like that smartthings? I have an old Vera and a 2gig security/zwave controller that work together and am planning on upgrading the vera. But the new Vera Edge appears to be super buggy. I was thinking about that ST hub as well as an option. Does smartthings work with Insteon?

I have a really smart friend who has money. I follow his lead after he buys and messes with products to confirm he likes them. Smartthings is working well. It was easy to setup and seems pretty reliable. The modules are high cost though. Outlets, sensors and such. Insteon might work ok with smartthings, you'll just have to do some google foo and see what others are saying. My quick search shows a couple of things to be working with ST.

[sniper7]

I'll eventually upgrade to LED in my house but I upgraded to cfl a few years ago and all of them still work. I did upgrade the basement this year with LEDs but I can't justify the can lights yet. Between the kitchen and the hallway over the stairs it would be about 20 bulbs.

[Brian]

I'll eventually upgrade to LED in my house but I upgraded to cfl a few years ago and all of them still work. I did upgrade the basement this year with LEDs but I can't justify the can lights yet. Between the kitchen and the hallway over the stairs it would be about 20 bulbs.

I know what you mean, when I wandered around the house counting all the bulbs, I nearly choked on the paper I was writing on. Way too many bulbs when you sit down to add them all up. I was about a 50/50 mix of CFLs, so I replaced one whole area with LEDs and then am moving the CFLs to other locations. I did the whole retrofit thing as well, which changes the can itself out. The bulbs were brighter and had a longer life rating, I'm guessing because it's a sealed all-in-one unit.

Side note but if anyone is still buying CFLs, costco had a 4 pack of 60w equivalent lights for less than a dollar (less than 25c each) because of the instant rebate. There was a max of 2 packages with rebate though, if I remember correctly. The 100w were maybe $3-4 for a 6 pack.

[gnihcraes]

I'll eventually upgrade to LED in my house but I upgraded to cfl a few years ago and all of them still work. I did upgrade the basement this year with LEDs but I can't justify the can lights yet. Between the kitchen and the hallway over the stairs it would be about 20 bulbs.

Are you folks replacing the whole can with a new LED can light? I just purchased the $20 CREE bulbs from home depot and have great results from the can lighting. Nice and bright!

[Brian]

Are you folks replacing the whole can with a new LED can light? I just purchased the $20 CREE bulbs from home depot and have great results from the can lighting. Nice and bright!

I did. From what I read, the old can enclosures are built specifically to handle the heat pattern of an incandescent lamp, and don't handle the LED and CFLs heat pattern as well. Supposedly this is also why some people (like myself) had CFLs go bad early in can enclosures, when they were supposed to last for a LOT longer. The units I bought are fully sealed and enclosed and fit into the old edison socket with a pigtail wire. Only took maybe an extra minute per light to install vs. a bulb replacement.

Those CREEs are supposed to be very nice though. I've read a lot of good things about them. Do they have an Xcel rebate running right now on them?

[brutal]

I did. From what I read, the old can enclosures are built specifically to handle the heat pattern of an incandescent lamp, and don't handle the LED and CFLs heat pattern as well. Supposedly this is also why some people (like myself) had CFLs go bad early in can enclosures, when they were supposed to last for a LOT longer. The units I bought are fully sealed and enclosed and fit into the old edison socket with a pigtail wire. Only took maybe an extra minute per light to install vs. a bulb replacement.

Those CREEs are supposed to be very nice though. I've read a lot of good things about them. Do they have an Xcel rebate running right now on them?

I guess it's not OK to run CFL in a bare porcelain ceiling (basement) fixture?

Junk (and junk science) IMHO.

I'm going to jump into LED's soon, probably go with anything that works with Wink as my Chamberlain door opener gateway already does.