Lightwave 2nd Generation Power Starter Kit

I have had lightwave generation one light sockets for a few years and love the combination of Sieman's guts and stylish design along with remote connectivity to control them. The Lightwave version two adds compatibility with apples home kit; sadly it doesn't carry the version one devices with it but the Lightwave app can control a mixture of devices.Wiring It up the 2 gang socket in my less than ten year old home was a doddle as the wires were up to code and the colors all matched the diagram in the box. Its not a race to set it up quickly but from powering down my sockets on the consumer unit, checking they were safe with a lamp/ electric tester to wiring in the socket and powering them back on all wired up was less than 5 minutes - and most of that was the long screws holding the plate onto the wall coming on and off.I chose the power sockets by my desk to test it; seemed the obvious choice to have controllable sockets next to a desk with a lot of devices on it - though when It came to paring the sockets to the app I had made a mistake - the pairing powers down the socket so if your router or in my case a wifi node is plugged in and you are using with the wired lightwave link hub it won't work as it powers the kit off ... Once I had overcome this; and connected my lights and socket to it; I am now able to power them on and off with my voice via Siri and the apple home kit apps.The new app does the same good job at controlling my lights with the generation one switches and they all paired without an issue which made it a breeze. The app itself is a bit basic; lightwave need to take a look at HomeKit or the newer HUE apps which are cleaner and more attractive - they clearly can do hardware design as even without the smart features the sockets and light switches look really good with the metal finish and minimal buttons.In the app the lights and switches pair the same way - press and hold the buttons till the lights flash and click the pair button in the app. You can then name each device - in my case desk socket left and right - and then you can check if they are via your device and power them down if you aren't using them and easily save some energy. Im getting more sockets as Hey Siri turn on the microwave or coffee machine are phrases that have a future to them.

the socket was installed within the first day, the left hand socket failed with the relay being welded.Overall experience of the Integration and The lack of support of local APIs for controlling within a smart home network Is Nonexistent. I cannot recommend this product for Integrating into home assistant.sending this product back Under RMA is very time consuming from this supplier.

This is a starter set, comprising Smart Socket and Link Plus, and everything you need to install it. The package is very nicely presented, with full-colour installation leaflets smoothing the way from box to completed setup.The smart socket looks much like a standard dual socket, and fits into a standard 35mm deep back box in the wall. For a shallower back box, a spacer is included to allow installation, but this will make the switch project slightly from the wall. The socket is wired into the ring main as usual. NO other wiring is required. The Link Plus is a bit more involved. It needs a power supply, which could be a spur off the ring main, to a convenient location, but it’s no more complicated than installing a power socket. Once installed, connect it to your wireless router, download the app to a phone, and then following the app instructions to configure the device to work with your system – which at this point will be just the Smart Socket already installed.All this sounds simple enough, but found the Ethernet stuff a bit confusing at first. The guide on the website proved to be a great help, offering much more information than is in the leaflet. Basically, you pair the Smart Socket with the app, and give that device a meaningful name. It took me a morning to get it all installed and working. The app is not as sophisticated as I had hoped. It just seems a bit basic to me, but it is stable and easy to use. The first time of using this system is something of a revelation – a sudden understanding of the power of this technology to control devices, and indeed the whole house, easily and even remotely.Having taken the plunge and tried this system and liked what it does, it is of great build quality, the software does what it’s supposed to do, and I am keen to extend the system in my home. Alas, I don’t have the budget to replace every socket and upgrade devices, but components are available in single units, enabling me to do the job as and when I can. Fortunately, you can just switch-over the sockets and devices you want, and keep the existing (old) equipment in place, on a mix and match basis. It’s a great thing to have in the house, but I doubt it will add anything to its value for anyone who doesn’t already know about its benefits.