Yes, smart lights use less power in dim mode. LED lights only take enough energy to supply the power that they need.
Generic or traditional light bulbs, however, use the same amount of energy all the time when they are on, so they are much more power-hungry.
Essentially, a brighter light from an LED bulb requires more power.
If you set it to dim, the smart bulb will only consume the power that it needs to produce the amount of light you need.
There are many other questions about saving on the cost of smart LED bulbs.
So, I will provide answers to these questions today. In the end, I hope that I have provided you with clarifications.
Do smart lights use a lot of power?
No, they don’t use a lot of power. Compared to traditional light bulbs, you will save a lot of money on power if you buy smart lights.
Most smart lights operate at 9 watts. Compare that to traditional incandescent bulbs that use 60 watts; then you would understand the big difference.
In addition, LED smart lights are about 75% more energy-efficient than incandescent light bulbs. Because of this, LED light bulbs are power savers.
LEDs, however, are much more expensive than ordinary bulbs.
Despite the high cost, expect that you will get your money’s worth.
Why? Because LEDs can last anywhere between 15,000 and 50,000 hours, and that is anywhere between 625 and 2,083 days.
625 days is roughly two years, and 2,083 days is roughly 6 years.
Incandescent bulbs typically last only for a year. As you can see, the price you pay is significantly worth it.
You just have to shell out a higher upfront cost.
Should I turn smart lights off at the switch?
No, you should not switch off the smart lights from the switch. Instead, you must switch it off from the app.
Will this not eat power? Yes, it will, and it will also eat up WiFi bandwidth.
However, the power and data consumption of the smart light is also significantly reduced.
Smart LED lights are designed to be on all the time. They are not a fire hazard, if that is what you are concerned about.
With the switch on, you can still turn the lights on and off if you are not in the room.
For example, you can use it in your baby’s room, your study room, and other rooms.
Of course, every person has a preference, and we need to respect that preference.
There is nothing wrong with turning off the smart light from the switch.
There are people who only use a smart light when they are around.
For example, they only bought a smart light so they could dim it or change its colour when they were in the room.
In this case, the user really has no reason to leave it on. As such, it is one of those conditions where it makes sense to turn off the smart lights from the switch.
At the end of the day, it is really up to you.
Are smart lights worth it?
Yes, smart lights are completely worth it because they allow you to save money and time.
Below are some good reasons why you should own them.
It is an energy saver
Smart bulbs use LED technology. As we know now, LED is much more efficient in power consumption than traditional light bulbs.
Incandescent bulbs use 10% of the power it takes to generate light. The remaining 90% is heated.
On the other hand, LED bulbs use 75% of the energy it takes to make light.
It provides security
You can control smart bulbs no matter where you are.
If you forgot to turn off the lights or if you are unsure, you can always check the app and turn it off.
You can also buy ones that have sensors.
They light up if they sense movement, and any burglar will get alerted. Burglars hate light.
It lasts long
As mentioned earlier, smart bulbs that use LED technology last up to 6 years. No incandescent bulb can do this.
The only problem with smart bulbs today is that you can only buy them in low wattages.
Because of this, you cannot expect extreme brightness from them.
Smart LED bulbs are an excellent invention.
They may cost more than traditional bulbs, but they are certainly worth it.
Before you buy, you must determine if the bulb is compatible with your hub.
For example, if you have Alexa, you must know that not all smart bulbs can be integrated with Alexa.
There are, however, many smart bulbs that have their own apps where you do not have to integrate them with a hub.
Do smart lights drain power while off?
Yes, smart lights rain power when they are off, but not off from the switch.
So, essentially, they are still on, but there is no light coming out of them because you turned them off from the app.
The smart lights need electricity to connect to the WiFi. For as long as the bulb itself is not producing light, it is not consuming a lot of power.
Only when you turn on the bulb will it use electricity to produce light.
Even if it is off but not on the main switch, the power it consumes to keep in contact with the WiFi is negligible.
Keep in mind that smart bulbs are vampire devices. For as long as they are on, they will consume power.
It is up to you if you want to turn them on or off from the switch.
Summary
Smart bulbs do not use a lot of power. All of these bulbs use LED.
As such, they are expensive to purchase, but they are not power-hungry.
You can leave the smart bulbs on and not worry about power consumption. These bulbs were designed to stay on all the time.
And when I say on, what I mean is that they are connected to the power source and WiFi but not lit.