bathroom nightlight, home automation?

[craigthecoupe]

I am just finishing off our bathroom renovation, and looking to remove a socket that is insanely close to out sink. We have always had a nightlight plugged in there, and its been great for trips to the loo, without waking us all up.
We have a main light on the ceiling, and i was thinking of adding a wall light, or over mirror light at the other end of the bathroom (where the old socket is).
What i'd like is to have two lights, that can work independently, or together, and one which can be set to work at a low percentage between certain times (22:00-06:00 for example).
I know nothing of home automation, is what i'm asking for possible even?

[mattybrown]

Yes all possible with Philips hue. Two hue bulbs and a sensor. I have this set up on our landing. Light comes on when there is movement but at a much lower intensity in the early hours.

[Ladders]

We just have spotlights for general use, and then a pendant light with the lowest watt bulb we could find. These work independently from a 2 gang light switch outside the bathroom.

At night we then just use the low watt light so we don’t get dazzled and have just enough light. Main light also activates the extractor fan, so we don’t get that noise with the 2nd light either.

[HughG]

Not home automation per se but an alternative for you.

We’ve got some of these on the landing and in the family bathroom incase the kids get up in the night. They’ve got movement sensors. The battery for the one on the landing that we disturb going up to our on 2nd floor lasts a couple of months.

https://amzn.eu/d/dVoDEdO

[Chrisgr31]

Our mirror has a light in it. Its a proximity switch so just pass hand by it and it turns the light on or off. Provides enugh light to see what you are doing without waking everyone

[Alickadoo]

What about one of these? not complicated, no wiring. we have had one for years, it lights up at night when it detects movement and then switches off. The rechargeable batteries last a month or two. what's not to like?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/battery-night-light/s?k=b...

[clockworks]

I've got a bathroom cabinet with a built-in "smart" nightlight that can be controlled with Alexa. It switches using an Alexa routine at sunset and sunrise.

I've also got 3 Tapo smart bulbs, voice controlled by Alexa.
One of the smart bulbs is also switched on and off by a Tapo motion sensor, at a reduced level.

[craigthecoupe]

Thanks all, thats really useful. for the sheer ease, I'm tempted to just go down the battery nightlight option, but feel that an automated lighting system would suit our house moving forward. there are a couple of HA threads on here ill look into. I dont want an alexa or similar, is the phillips option stand alone?

[clockworks]

craigthecoupe said:

Thanks all, thats really useful. for the sheer ease, I'm tempted to just go down the battery nightlight option, but feel that an automated lighting system would suit our house moving forward. there are a couple of HA threads on here ill look into. I dont want an alexa or similar, is the phillips option stand alone?

Tapo smart lightbulbs don't need Alexa, it's optional.

You can set a schedule using the Tapo app. Just need a wifi signal, no hub required. Ideal for "dusk til dawn" automation.

I've got a Tapo hub, but that's needed for the motion sensors (Bluetooth to wifi).

I also use Alexa, but that's to allow voice control, and basic automations - use one "event/trigger" to do several things at once.

I've recently started using Home Assistant - much more flexible, but a very steep learning curve.

[craigthecoupe]

Thanks, I'll take a look at the Tapo offerings too.

[clockworks]

craigthecoupe said:

Thanks, I'll take a look at the Tapo offerings too.

I've just checked to be 100% sure, and the Tapo app definitely does simple scheduling to a Tapo smartbulb with no extra hardware.

I've got my bedside light set to come on at a set time each morning using the Tapo app.

[Alickadoo]

craigthecoupe said:

Thanks all, thats really useful. for the sheer ease, I'm tempted to just go down the battery nightlight option, but feel that an automated lighting system would suit our house moving forward. there are a couple of HA threads on here ill look into. I dont want an alexa or similar, is the phillips option stand alone?

If you had said that you wanted a lighting system moving forward I could ght have given an alternative suggestion.

Moving forward, well, that's completely different kettle of fish - isn't it?

[Ham_and_Jam]

HughG said:

Not home automation per se but an alternative for you.

We’ve got some of these on the landing and in the family bathroom incase the kids get up in the night. They’ve got movement sensors. The battery for the one on the landing that we disturb going up to our on 2nd floor lasts a couple of months.

https://amzn.eu/d/dVoDEdO

I have a couple very similar to these and they are OK.

[craigthecoupe]

Alickadoo said:

If you had said that you wanted a lighting system moving forward I could ght have given an alternative suggestion.

Moving forward, well, that's completely different kettle of fish - isn't it?

Happy to hear your thoughts.

[alangla]

My sister in law has a PIR installed in the ceiling of her downstairs bathroom. They just leave the light switch on all the time so the light switches on when the door opens and switches off a couple of minutes after you leave. Is that maybe the ideal situation to what you’re trying to achieve?

[richatnort]

I’d take a look at Shelly devices. They plug into your lights in the ceiling (look at a Shelly dim v3). I put one in the kids bathroom for this reason, I used a different motion sensor but you could buy the Shelly one and use the two to set the lights to 5% brightness and to turn on during the light if the Shelly motion sensor detects something and then turn off after a few seconds.

https://shellystore.co.uk/product/shelly-dimmer-ge...

https://shellystore.co.uk/product/shelly-blu-motio...

No need for home assistant then and all built in one app.

[21TonyK]

Can I suggest considering a red light at night if you have that option. We stayed in a hotel and during the day, normal light but at night red. Brilliant, soft light and didn't screw up your night vision!

[mattybrown]

craigthecoupe said:

Thanks all, thats really useful. for the sheer ease, I'm tempted to just go down the battery nightlight option, but feel that an automated lighting system would suit our house moving forward. there are a couple of HA threads on here ill look into. I dont want an alexa or similar, is the phillips option stand alone?

The hue system can be standalone, with its own app or linked to HomeKit Alexa etc depending on how you set it up.

[IAN1967]

We have motion sensors for all our bathrooms, the only problem is they turn on the main light.

When our daughter was a baby she was a very light sleeper and the click of the light pull would wake her up, that was the original reason for the sensors.

[RizzoTheRat]

For a basic motion activated light take a look Ikea stuff, you can directly pair thier battery operate motion sensors to mains powered bulbs without needing a hub or phone connection or anything else.

If you want to go down the smart lighting route, then consider smart switches. The biggest problem with a smart bulb setup like Philips Hue is a visitor to your house will flick the switch, which will turn the smart bulb off. The problem with smart switches is I haven't found a smart dimmer I like though.