Key-Operated Light Switch For Philips Hue Lighting Circuit

[hank]

I am planning to install Philips Hue bulbs. These are turned on and off directly by wifi / a smartphone app which communicate with the bulb. As such they always need to receive power so that they receive the signal - if they are turned off at the switch they can't be turned on via the app. There are also various wifi battery powered switches which allow these to be turned on / off without using the app.
 
As such I would like to disable the switches in my ceiling light circuit so that people don't turn it off by accident.
 
I think there are three ways to do this (below).  I'd appreciate your views on the safety / efficacy of each:
 
1) Leave existing switches in place but just wire the live and neutral wires into the same terminal. This should have the effect of making the position of the switch irrelevant and mean the circuit is on the whole time.
 
2) Replace the switches with blanking plates. Behind this connect the two wires together using a "chocolate block" connector. This should have the effect of making the circuit be live the the whole time.
 
 
The problem with both of these is that there's no way (short of getting the screwdriver out) of changing the light position in the event that the wifi stops working out.  As such, what I'd ideally like to do is:
 
3) Replace the switches with a key-operated switches (like the kind that are usually used for emergency lighting control) which means that it will be on normally but allow me to manually control them if the wifi goes out. I've never used one of these before but presumably I can wire them like any other switch?
 
Problem with (3) is that I can't find any of these type of switches in anything other than white. All the light switches on the house are steel / chrome so need it to be similar (or at least not white) to match. Does anyone know where I could find a key operated switch in steel / chrome?

Thanks
 

 
Thanks

 

[Andy™]

fish key switch would do the job. only really seem them in white, but use the grid type and you can get different front plates

 

[Lurch]

I'd probably go for the keyswitch option. You can get decorative modules with matching plates for the grid ranges. MK, Contactum, BG, Varilight & Click all do them AFAICR.

Check the depths of boxes though as some keyswitch modules will not fit if the mounting box is too shallow.

 

[Marvo]

I don't understand how installing keyswitches is going to help, Hue lamps (bulbs) have a permanent supply already so If the mesh network goes down because the Zigbee hub fails the only way you can get your lights on would be to replace the actual lamps back to something that's not network automated.

Be careful about the Hue system, Philips have recently issued a firmware update that effectively means you can only use Philips lamps which are far more expensive than other products available. I think they also immediately backpeddled on their decision after a massive backlash in the press and on social media but the dust hasn't settled yet.

 

[Lurch]

I don't understand how installing keyswitches is going to help, Hue lamps (bulbs) have a permanent supply already

Where from?

 

[Marvo]

The Zigbee lamps or bulbs as you call them require the light switches to be permanently on or bypassed so the lamp has power all the time regardless of whether it's illuminated or not. The switching, brightness and colour tone is all controlled internally in the lamp itself according to instructions it receives via the network. Installing keyswitches or any kind of switches won't allow the lamps to be illuminated when the network fails, you'd need to replace the lamps entirely with an ordinary type.

 

[Blue Duck]

yes... rather annoying these Philips hue things. had an issue or two getting them to work for a customer she had her iPhone on a vpn and wouldn't it talk to the hub. got it going in the end but then the really annoying thing happened the customer starts playing with them while your working elsewhere ...all of a sudden it's purple and I cant see a thing! then red then blue AAAAAAARRRRRGHHHHH!

 

[Marvo]

Yeah, they're very gimmicky with few practical uses and  but if your struggling to find things to spend your money on and paying between 15 and 50 quid per bulb is no problem then it's definitely a must-have........

**edit** No offense to the OP.

 

[Lurch]

Installing keyswitches or any kind of switches won't allow the lamps to be illuminated when the network fails, you'd need to replace the lamps entirely with an ordinary type.

Re-read the OP.

 

[Marvo]

I did, a couple of times but maybe I'm not understanding what he's trying to do in that case.

 

[Lurch]

I'll explain and I'll use small words that you'll be sure to understand you warthog faced buffoon

I would like to disable the switches in my ceiling light circuit so that people don't turn it off by accident.

 

[Marvo]

Hey, leave the Dread Pirate out of this!! But he wants to have lighting control if the wi-fi goes down, keyswitches alone won't provide this, he'd need to run around the house and replace all the hue lamps with normal lamps so I didn't understand the point, basically he'd be reversing the entire installation.

 

[Lurch]

he wants to have lighting control if the wi-fi goes down, keyswitches alone won't provide this, he'd need to run around the house and replace all the hue lamps with normal lamps

And the problem with that is? It might not be how your or I would do it but the OP wants it done like that, as explained in the OP.

 

[hank]

Marvo,

Thanks for your reply.

The Hue bulbs work such that if they are switched off at the mains (i.e. by a switch) the next time they receive power they turn on in neutral white colour. So even without a zigbee connection they can be operated manually with the switches in the same way as any other bulb. So I wouldn't need to change all the bulbs if the zigbee goes down, just flick the switches on and off.

Does anybody know where I can find steel/chrome key switches? I'm keen to avoid the modular option if possible due to depth of back box and just because they look a little difficult / fiddly to put together. (If that's not the case I'd welcome links to good/easy options and any instructions).

Thanks

 

[NozSpark]

Id you have 16mm back boxes then you've no chance of fitting a key switch..

Why not just turn the switches that you have upside down so off is actually on?

 

[Andy™]

or remind everyone in the house they have to prat about with the phone / remote / whatever to turn the light on instead of a more convenient way, such as a switch?