I have been waiting for an update that will allow Alexa commands to dim / brighten the fan lights on my ceiling fan. Alexa can it on or off, and the Bond app has dimming controls, but no verbal command I have attempted had any success. I can verbally give Alexa commands to run the fan at various speeds (set fan at 20%, etc) but that is it. Also, as many have mentioned, the commands are limited - my fan is a 9 speed fan but I can only choose off, 20, 40, 60, 80 or 100% for the fan speed. Verbal commands such as set fan to speed 1, or set fan to random 1 (with 3 random settings available) would make this system perfect.
Is your fan one where, on the original remote, you hold a button to dim?
For those very common types, the Bond team has explained that itâs difficult to have an effective dimming strategy outside of the app.
You can hold it down, or you can tap it. Like most of the fan remotes I have seen, you donât need to hold the button down. They are usually repeaters that will pulse the signal if you hold it down.
Ah, yes, but tapping (usually) gives a very slight adjustment, so tapping repeatedly, or holding, usually is the only way to make significant brightness changes.
If you had one of the rare remotes, usually with a screen on it, that had discrete commands for brightness percentages, the Bond team would have more options.
As it stands, just a âbrightness upâ or âbrightness downâ or a âchange brightness with wraparoundâ doesnât help much.
Now, do I think thereâs a way to work around this, even without using additional smart home hubs or programming, for those who really really want a voice command for dimming?
Yes, but it might be clunky.
In the Bond app, record a new, additional, generic device, and record the brighten or dim command as âpowerâ for it.
Then mark that new device as âdo not trust stateâ.
Name it something like âXYZ Brightenâ or âXYZ Dimâ.
Now can you use voice assistant to say âTURN XYZ Brighten ONâ, or âTURN XYZ Dim ONâ??
I spoke with support about light dimming.
Me: Hi. i just noticed that my lights do not show up as dimmers in smartthings. I only have on/off functionality.
Bond: Thank you. Currently, the dimmer function is not available yet in SmartThings. As of now, we have no update yet as to if or when this will be supported.
The Bond app emulates the hold-to-dim function on your remote control.
Sadly thereâs no way with these remote controls to set a particular brightness level, which is what Alexa requires.
This problem is solved with Smart by Bond fans (available at HomeDepot, Minka Aire, Hinkley, and a few other brands)
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