a must read for builders, home buyers, and architects

When you hear the word system be leary.  When you hear lighting system run.

If you want to jump to the punch line --- our lights still don't work 'right'.

Things you need to know.

If you have a basic light switch,  when something goes wrong the process to troubleshoot the lighting issue is as follows:

1.  check if bulb is burned out (solves 99% of issues)
2.  check breaker (solves .75% of issues)
3.  Check switch ( solves .24% of issues)
4.  check wiring (solves .01% of issues)

Pretty simple, straightforward and inexpensive to fix.

Things get a bit tricker with a dimmer on the switch--make sure that not too many lights are running through a single switch which may result in humming and the switch overheating and burning out.


Now let's move to a lighting system.

Did you know that lighting systems switches radically change the voltage and amperage of electricity going to lights?  Yea I betcha didn't (I've run into installers of these systems who didn't know that).  So first off you have to make sure the light bulbs, light fixtures and lighting system switches are all compatible.  And you have to make sure your electrician, architect, general contractor, and interior designer are all aware of these compatibility issues, and communicating with each other to insure compatibility.  And this reduces flexibility to make adjustments to any part of the system down the road.

Did you know that the lighting system uses WiFi to communicate?  Did you know that it taxes your router?  Did you know that the software for lighting software has to be updated?  Did you know that the hardware that communicates between light switches and router needs to be updated?  Did you know that these updates can occur a lot?  (yea you knew that cause you have a phone which needs to have its OS updated at least every year).  And updates can be pushed into system at anytime breaking the whole thing.

Programming switches in lighting systems brings in another huge level of complexity.  Yes you can have really cool lighting 'scenes' customized into each switch.  As a matter of fact each wall unit allows for up to 6 different lighting scenes (switches).  Did you know that when you customize a lighting scene it can be designed so that the same button that turns lights on does not turn those same lights back off?  Let me give an example --flip the switch on and 12 lights go on--flip it off and 8 of those 12 lights turn off. And then there is the all off button (for floors or the whole house).  Sounds great right?  But it's next to the button that turns on and off the light for the stairs.  If you press the all off button instead of the stairs button then every light in the house turns off--usually at night with your wife in the shower.  Do this enough times and your you find your fancy lighting system is cause for divorce (or at least buying expensive gifts to say I'm so sorry I turned off every light in the house while you were in the shower).

Let's look at trouble shooting a lighting SYSTEM

1.  Check if bulb is burned out
2.  Check if bulb is right type of bulb (frequently only 1 type works)
3.  Check if fixture is right for the lighting system
4.  Check programing at switch
5.  Check programing at hub
6.  Check router
7.  Check for software update (did router update with pushed software patch for example that interferes with lighting system communication)
8.  Check for WiFi hardware update
9.  Check for interference with WiFi from other systems (AV, HVAC, computers, security)
10. Check breaker
11.  Check switch hardware on wall
12.  Check switch in utility closet which overrides WiFi switches
13.  Check wiring

The cost for a lighting system vs. light switches is incomparable.  My advice is don't add complexity where it isn't really needed.  And this is a LOT of complexity without a lot of benefit.  And if your GC or architect mentions a plumbing 'system' fire em on the spot and instal and outhouse.  It will never fail.