Philips Hue bulbs are a great way to add some ambiance to your home. They can vary the brightness or the hue to better match the lighting atmosphere, depending on the time of day or your mood of the moment. It is even possible to synchronize them with Spotify if you want to transform your apartment into an extra nightclub.

Unfortunately, connected bulbs also have a major problem: if their electrical circuit is cut, they are no longer useful. If you have installed a light bulb connected to the ceiling, you cannot control it with your traditional switch, because cutting the current prevents it from working correctly. Connected bulbs need to be constantly powered up to receive the order to turn on and off from your smartphone, your home assistant or your connected switch.

To put it simply, even when they no longer emit light, connected bulbs consume a tiny bit of electricity to power the chip that makes them "connected". It is for this reason that the electricity cannot be cut off at the switch with bulbs connected.

But if you've ever had company at home, explaining to someone that you shouldn't use the switches, otherwise you'll break your entire delicate installation. It's sometimes a surprising exercise. Fortunately, there is a method to convert your classic switches into connected switches: use the switch modules marketed by Philips. These tiny "wall switches" are sold in packs of 1 or 2, at 40 or 70 euros respectively.

How does a Philips Hue wall module work?

The idea behind these little gadgets is to replace your "classic" electrical installation and to use the switches present at home to control its connected bulbs.

The module must in fact be connected to the two poles of your switch and depending on its position, the accessory sends the order to turn the bulbs on or off to your Hue bridge. Everything therefore happens without cutting the power supply circuit of the lamp, which thus remains always reachable.

This DIY, completely invisible, means you don't have to give a home automation course to all the people who want to turn on the light in your home. It also allows you to turn on all the connected bulbs present in a room with a single switch movement.

Here's how to install these little gadgets.

Precautions for use to avoid any risk of electrocution

Installing Philips Hue wall modules is not terribly complicated as long as you can hold a screwdriver in your hand and know how to turn off the power at home.

Because yes, the first thing to do before doing any manipulation is to cut off the current on the electrical circuit on which you are going to work. This is done at the circuit breaker. You can either turn off all power to your home or fumble around to find which section of the circuit breaker controls which bulbs.

We'll say it again, but don't start anything until you've made sure you've turned off the power to the switch you want to tweak. It's very simple to do this: leave your switch in the On position, then lower the fuses of your circuit breaker one by one until your lighting goes out.

Then you just need to arm yourself with a Phillips screwdriver, a little patience and a Philips Hue wall module pack.

How to install a Philips Hue wall module?

Once the current is well cut, we can move on to serious things. To begin, let's start with the purely electrical aspect of the maneuver before looking at the software operation of these modules.

Configure your Philips Hue wall module

If you managed to complete all the previous steps without any problems, then congratulations, you have just installed a Philips Hue wall module. Reward yourself with a tall glass of water and turn the power back on at the circuit breaker. We will now have to configure the module to tell it which bulbs it will have to control.

Your module should be installed and if you vary the position of your switch, your connected bulbs should react. Congratulations, behind a very classic switch you have installed a "brain" which allows it to control your connected bulbs.

Remarks and conclusion

Since the small module is not directly connected to the current, it is powered using a button cell. Philips promises 5 years of autonomy before having to change it. If your switch runs out of power, your app will notify you. It will then be necessary to re-disassemble the switch and replace the battery (a simple CR2450) by removing the small screw on the bottom of the case.

If these modules are very practical, they are not necessarily easy to install for everyone. Anyone who is intimidated by the idea of ​​tinkering with the electricity in their home probably won't go through all of these manipulations. If you have some experience with assembling and disassembling PCs though, the logic is somewhat similar.

You have to connect the cables to the right places to establish contact. If you take all the necessary precautions, you do not run great risks. In addition, tampering with your electrical installation is a very good way to learn a little more about how our switches and circuit breakers work.

But as practical as these modules are — and as satisfying as it is to play the apprentice handyman — the very existence of these little gadgets proves that home automation is still a complicated field, reserved for those who have the time. and the energy to set off valiantly, a screwdriver in hand to tweak everything.

If you want to equip yourself with connected bulbs, Hue or not, consult our dedicated buying guide.