[ad_1]
The Piper Z-Wave LED is a dimmable smart bulb that works with the Piper and Piper NV hub/surveillance camera. Once added to the Piper network, you can control the bulb from your Android or iOS mobile device to schedule on and off times, set the brightness level, and make it interact with the Piper’s multiple sensors, its camera, and other connected devices. It also works as a Z-Wave repeater to extend the wireless range of other gadgets connected to your Piper. However, at $29.95 a pop, adding multiple bulbs to your home can become a costly proposition; even more so if you don’t already own a Piper.
Design and Features
The Piper LED is manufactured by Linear, a major supplier of wireless home security and home automation devices including garage door and gate openers, cameras, keypads, and card readers. It is an instant-on white light bulb with a warm 2,700K color temperature and a peak brightness of 750 lumens, which is equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent bulb. It uses around 9-watts of power and is rated to last around 22 years based on three hours of usage per day.
The bulb has a standard E26 screw base and is 4-inches long with a soft white dome. It contains Z-Wave wireless circuitry, which allows the bulb to communicate with the Piper’s built-in Z-Wave receiver, and can be dimmed from peak brightness to total darkness using the free Piper Android or iOS app. You can also set a timed on/off schedule and have the bulb turn on when it gets dark (using the Piper’s ambient light sensor). Additionally, you can have it turn on when the Piper detects motion or sound, or when the temperature reaches a certain threshold.
Similar Products
Philips Hue Connected Bulb
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Philips Hue Connected Bulb Review
Nyrius Smart LED Multicolor Light Bulb
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Nyrius Smart LED Multicolor Light Bulb Review
Belkin WeMo + Osram Lightify Gardenspot Mini RGB Starter Set
Read Our Belkin WeMo + Osram Lightify Gardenspot Mini RGB Starter Set Review
MiPow Playbulb Rainbow
Read Our MiPow Playbulb Rainbow Review
Philips Hue Go
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Philips Hue Go Review
Satechi Spectrum IQ Bulb
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Satechi Spectrum IQ Bulb Review
Misfit Bolt Wirelessly Connected Smart Bulb
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Misfit Bolt Wirelessly Connected Smart Bulb Review
LIFX White 800 LED Light Bulb
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our LIFX White 800 LED Light Bulb Review
Cree Connected LED Bulb
Check Stock
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our Cree Connected LED Bulb Review
GE Link Connected LED
See It
(Opens in a new window)
Read Our GE Link Connected LED Review
The LED can also be triggered by installed accessories such as the Piper Water Sensor . However, the Piper doesn’t support If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes, which means you can’t have the bulb react to Web-based events, nor does it support geofencing, which uses your physical location to trigger automations. The Philips Hue ($199.99 at Verizon)(Opens in a new window) , on the other hand, supports both.
Installation and Performance
When I reviewed the Piper NV ($335.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) earlier this year, I had no trouble installing it or the Z-Wave Smart Switch that accompanied it. Installing the Z-Wave LED Bulb wasn’t difficult either, but the app never actually lets you know that you’ve successfully installed the bulb.
To set it up, I screwed the bulb into a lamp, turned it on, and navigated to the Wireless Accessories page in the Piper app. I clicked the Add icon and the Start icon, then waited while the app searched for the bulb. After watching the search dial spin for more than five minutes, I cancelled the search and returned to the Wireless Accessories page to find the bulb listed as a Dimmer. I had the same experience while installing the Piper Water Sensor.
Despite the minor installation hiccup, the bulb performed flawlessly. It gave off a warm, mellow light, reacted instantly to my dimming and on/off commands, and followed my timed schedule without issue. I set up rules to have the light turn on when motion was detected and when the Piper’s ambient light sensor detected darkness, and it responded each time without fail. It also turned on when the Water Sensor detected moisture, and when the room temperature changed beyond my preset threshold. And the ability to act as a repeater for other Z-Wave devices is useful, especially if you have a large house.
Conclusions
The Piper Z-Wave LED is more expensive than the Cree Connected LED ($25.00 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and the GE Link bulbs, thought it’s a solid choice if you’ve already invested in a Piper surveillance camera and want to add smart lighting to your home. In addition to scheduled on and off times and dimmer control, you can have the lights turn on when one of the Piper’s many sensors are triggered, which you won’t get with other bulbs. If you want a more robust connected lighting setup, however, our Editors’ Choice picks remain the Philips Hue and the Philips Hue Lux ($49.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) for their geofencing and IFTTT support.
[ad_2]
Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/icontrol-networks-piper-z-wave-led-bulb