Smart bulbs have become popular over the last several years as they offer more security and smart features than regular bulbs. You can control these smart bulbs from your mobile device via WiFi and enjoy much automation with these smart light bulbs.
For this, you might get curious about how smart light bulbs work. If this is the case, then you are in the right place. Because in this article, we are going to explain in detail how the smart light bulb works and how they communicate with other smart devices.
So, what are you waiting for? Let’s jump in to explore!
What Is Smart Light and What Does it Do?
Before we directly start explaining how smart light bulbs work, it is crucial to understand what they actually do. Unlike regular bulbs, smart light bulbs have sensors that can sense and interact with the surrounding environment. They also can be controlled remotely or through voice commands.
These bulbs can be connected to other smart devices or lights and the internet to make a cohesive system. For this, you can turn on or off them remotely, control the brightness of these lights, and schedule automation that will control the lights accordingly.
So how does this work? Let’s explore below.
How Does Smart Light Bulb Work?
Smart light bulbs are basically Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL). For this, the brightness and color of these light bulbs can be controlled. These lights also contain intelligence sensors such as motion sensors that turn on lights whenever they sense movements in front of the light.
So, there are basically two things that control smart light bulbs –
- The smart app command via the Internet.
- The built-in sensors like daylight sensors or motion sensors.
- Working Procedure of Smart Light Bulb with the Internet
Smart light bulbs can be scheduled and controlled over the Internet. Here is how:
Smart lights are basically connected to a central controller wirelessly from which they receive instructions. The central controller can be a hub or smart software. These bulbs are connected together on the same WiFi network using a bridge. In that bridge, the other smart devices like smart switches, smart doorbells, etc. are also connected.
As your smartphone or other mobile devices are also connected to the same WiFi network, the bridge acts as a gateway between the smart light and your mobile device. While you process a command on the smart app, it is carried by that bridge and forwards the instruction to the smart bulb directly or indirectly.
For example, your smart switch and smart light are connected together on your smart app via the bridge. Now if you send the turn-off command via your mobile device, it will carry the information to the smart switch by the bridge and the smart switch will turn off the smart light bulb.
The scheduled automation commands like the “Away Light” command on Smart Assistant will automatically control the smart light in your home while you’re away from home. This command automatically activates as per schedule and controls the smart light bulbs using the wireless network.
Working Procedure of Smart Light Bulb Without Internet
Some smart lights don’t rely on wireless communication for all their smart features. These light bulbs have smart sensors to detect changes in the surrounding environment and control the lights according to the information of that sensor.
For example, a smart light bulb with a daylight sensor can turn on the light while the environment is dark and turn off it automatically when the sensor detects light.
So, that’s how smart light bulbs work automatically with the internet and without the Internet.
You can watch this video below to learn everything about smart light bulbs.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions and Answers)
Can You Use a Smart Bulb in Any Lamp?
Yes, smart bulbs can be used in any modern light fixture including lamps. All you need to select the accurate shape and size of the smart light that fits in the lamp. Standard A19 bulbs are generally suitable for all sorts of indoor lamps and are the most common size for smart bulbs.
Do Smart Bulbs Work with Normal Switches?
Yes, you can control the smart light bulbs with normal switches if you can connect the smart light bulbs to the internet and your mobile device then you can control the smart bulbs with the smart app and you don’t need the smart switches in that case. However, you can get more seamless features while using smart light bulbs with smart switches.
Do Smart Bulbs Use Electricity When Off?
Yes, smart bulbs technically use a small amount of electricity even when they are powered off. However, the amount of using electricity is negligible on your electric bill. In most cases, the amount of electricity used by smart bulbs while the power is off is a penny or two per month.
Do Smart Bulbs Need to Be Plugged In?
Yes, smart bulbs need to be plugged in as they are Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Some smart light bulbs required a dedicated smart hub that also needs to be plugged in to enable smart bulbs to connect to the internet wirelessly.
Conclusion
To conclude, smart light bulbs are connected to the internet via a hub and can be controlled using a smart app on a mobile device over the internet. However, some smart light bulb work without the internet using their built-in smart sensors. How a smart light bulb work is explained in this article and we hope all your confusion about how it works is cleared by now after reading it. If you still have anything to ask regarding this topic, feel free to ask in our comment section below. Thanks for reading.