HomeKit bulb adapters?

Hi all. I have four exposed bulbs in my laundry room/basement. Three operate on pull chains, one has a switch. I’m looking for smart-device options, with some caveats.

I’d like to set it up so I can turn them all on a once. It could be by turning one of them on (and the others follow) or by using some separate wireless switch that signals all of them. There has to be a separate, physical switch — I don’t want to have to pull my phone out to turn anything on/off, and others in my house would never do that anyway.

I’m not interested in standalone smart bulbs — i can’t bring myself to buy chips and such that I know win advance will be thrown away (or “recycled”) when the LED finally dies. It seems unnecessary given that these are exposed bulbs — space and aesthetics are no problem at all.

I’d rather not rewire anything.

There seem to be a number of smart adapters — screw them into the bulb socket, leave the electricity flowing to the adapter, and screw the bulb into the adapter. However, I am having trouble figuring out which would do what I want.

HomeKit is preferred. I’d rather not buy a hub, but will if it’s likely to eventually be useful for other HomeKit devices as well.

If the devices have or can easily be used with a motion sensor, so all the lights come on with motion in the room, so much the better. An integrated nightlight would be nice too. But these aren’t essential.

Any suggestions? I realize it’s not the standard smart light setup, but it seems like there should be something out there.

Thanks!

I think you’re going to struggle to find something like this, if only because it increases the height/length of the bulb which makes them unattractive to use in the vast majority of cases. Adapting the wiring is likely to be the best solution, but it’s not something you want to do and you’ll have to find out if you have neutral wires which dictate what options are available to you.

Thanks. I’ve found a bunch of adapters, some of which say they’re HomeKit compatible. One even costs $133(!?!); another is about $7.

Question for the HomeKit experts out there (including you, @RosemaryOrchard!): If I add some of these HomeKit adapters, and I also add a separate HomeKit compatible switch from someone else, can I use the switch to turn on the adapters?

In other words, as long as everything shows up in HomeKit, can I string them together even if they’re from different manufacturers etc.?

You have one large wishlist here…

I had one of those adapters screwed into our front porch light for a while, but everytime the power went out I would have to reset the adapter. Really frustrating. It did have a nightlight feature that was cool.

I think the Lutron CASETA system would give you what you are looking for. Switches for each or multiple light(s). The ability to create a rule/scene for all lights to come on or off at the same time. Motion detector that turns on the lights when tripped. Yes, you will need a Hub and have to do some rewiring but you are heading there already.

I thought about the Caseta, and plan to install some in other places that already have wall switches.

But three of these four lights are ceiling lights with no switches anywhere — just pull chains. Installing a switch would mean rerouting wires, because he wires for these these run from the circuit box along the unfinished ceiling (in metal conduit) to the fixtures. Could it be done? Sure, but it would be a real pain.

That’s why I thought bulb adapters would be ideal. They would effectively replace the pull chains (which would remain intact but untouched on the on position), but could be triggered by HomeKit — and ideally also by a switch of some kind.

Motion sensors would be nice, but I suspect I can run that through automations if necessary.

Anyway, I’ve ordered a couple of the dirt-cheap bulb adapters, which claim to be HomeKit compatible. I’ll try them out on a couple of the lights, and if they work reasonably well, I’ll try to integrate switch and motion sensor.

Yes. For instance, when we turn the knob to unlock our front door (a Kwikset lock), the outside lights (Philips Hue) turn on if it’s after sunset.

As for the original problem, how about just using motion sensors?
https://www.amazon.com/Motion-Activated-Security-Basement-Hallway/dp/B08CRJZ16S

I could do that. I’m interested in also being able to use my phone though (just not exclusively).

I’ll try the adapters I ordered, and the. Will add a motion sensor if it makes sense. Or just go back the kind you linked to if it makes more sense.

It’s amazing how cheap a lot of this has become.